Kentucky FACE Report Details Electrocution of Electrician Trainee

A 23-year-old electrician trainee was electrocuted by a 277-volt wire while connecting new wiring to light fixtures at a commercial office building renovation project, according to Safety+Health Magazine.

Incident Details

The trainee arrived at the site to install and route new wiring for troffer-style light fixtures that had been installed three days earlier. The fixtures and new wiring were de-energized. The trainee worked on a 6-foot fiberglass ladder under the direction of a licensed electrician.

The trainee accessed an energized lighting whip connected to existing lights instead of the de-energized wiring. The lighting whip had wire nuts covering the exposed energized wire but no other energy isolation device. The trainee removed the wire nuts without testing for voltage and touched the wires.

The trainee fell about 3 feet to the concrete floor. The supervising electrician called 911 and performed CPR until first responders arrived. The trainee was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Employer Findings

A company employee returned to the site later that day and found the trainee’s cellphone with an unsent text message at the location of the incident. The employer believes the trainee was using the phone while working, which distracted him and led to the error.

The incident occurred on the day the trainee arrived at the site. The trainee had completed the same connection task multiple times before, according to an employer representative.

Report Information

Case report 25KY032 was issued May 1, 2026 by the Kentucky State Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program, according to Safety+Health Magazine.

Recommended Controls

Employers should follow an energy control program that includes lockout/tagout procedures. They should implement a formal Job Hazard Analysis program and train qualified and unqualified personnel on the unique hazards of each jobsite. Employers should also implement and enforce a cellphone-free work environment.

The full report is available from the issuing program, according to Safety+Health Magazine.