The 20th Ontario Electrical Safety Report Demonstrates ESA’s Continued Commitment to Electrical Safety and Education

MISSISSAUGA, ON (October 4, 2021) – The 20th Annual Ontario Electrical Safety Report (OESR) is one of the few documents in the world that compiles and publishes electrical safety data every year. The OESR is the only document of its kind in Canada and is recognized as a standard of rigorous safety reporting offering comprehensive data and analysis that helps Electrical Safety Authority make Ontario a safer place to live, work and play free from electrical harm.

Every incident described in the OESR represents a tragic event. The hope is that by publishing the report, ESA can prevent these tragedies in the future. ESA focuses on the risk factors of these events to help drive our efforts to ensure they do not occur again. This information offers a consistent source of reliable data that allows us to focus on reducing the areas with the highest risk. 

The report demonstrates ESA’s commitment to anticipating, understanding and preventing electrical-related harms to improve electrical safety in Ontario.  In 2020, ESA also launched its new strategic plan, Safely Powering Tomorrow, with a focus on risk-based prioritization of electrical harms. Going forward, ESA will manage harms from a harm lifecycle perspective.

In Ontario, electrical-related fatalities occur at the rate of less than 1 in a million with a downward trend. This is a great accomplishment and demonstrates that a focus on safety works. There were four fatalities in 2020, which is slightly lower than previous years which may be a reflection of the changing behaviours due to the pandemic. The fatalities are largely concentrated among males under 30, indicating there is education and awareness work to be done with this group. 

The OESR is compiled with the cooperation and participation from the Office of the Chief Coroner; Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development; the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management; the Canadian Institute of Health Information; and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario. ESA appreciates the contributions of all of our partners to the report’s content and ultimately to electrical safety in Ontario.  

View the 2020 Ontario Electrical Safety Report (OESR)

About the Electrical Safety Authority

The Electrical Safety Authority's (ESA’s) role is to enhance public electrical safety in Ontario. As an administrative authority acting on behalf of the Government of Ontario, ESA is responsible for administering specific regulations related to the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, the licensing of Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians, electricity distribution system safety, and electrical product safety. ESA works extensively with stakeholders throughout the province on education, training and promotion to foster electrical safety across the province.

More information on the Electrical Safety Authority can be found at www.esasafe.com, through https://twitter.com/homeandsafety and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ElectricalSafetyAuthority.