About
Learn more about the Zero Electrocution Challenge
ZERO 2050 seeks to catalyze high-promise solutions that eliminate the need for workers to complete hazardous and life-threatening tasks. We envision a future where no one gets killed at work. As the inaugural ZERO 2050 program, the Zero Electrocution Challenge seeks breakthrough solutions to end fatal electrocution on the job, while advancing enterprise productivity and profitability.
Electricity powers every aspect of modern work, yet it remains one of the most persistent causes of occupational death. Despite decades of regulations, training, and personal protective equipment (PPE), workers continue to die from electrical contact. Even low-voltage circuits can deliver fatal current under certain conditions, highlighting the limitations of procedural safety alone. The Zero Electrocution Challenge invites solutions to eliminate life-threatening tasks that lead to fatal workplace electrocution.
THE PROBLEM
Workers continue to die from electrical contact despite existing safety measures. In the United States, from 2011 to 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recorded approximately 1,940 electrocution fatalities, averaging more than 150 deaths each year, and the rate has remained relatively stagnant. Contact with electricity is a leading cause of workplace fatalities, and most incidents occur in non-electrical occupations, showing the limitations of relying on procedures and PPE. There is a growing need for engineering solutions that make electrical systems inherently incapable of delivering lethal current regardless of human error or environmental variability.
FATALITIES
Between 2011 and 2023, the approximately 1,940 fatalities mentioned previously accounted for about 5.6% of all workplace fatalities in the United States. Most occurred among non-electrical workers such as laborers, tree trimmers, and maintenance personnel who often encountered energized equipment during routine tasks.
Electrical incidents also cause substantial fatal and nonfatal harm to the general American population. Each year, an estimated 1,000 Americans die and 30,000 experience electrical shocks or injuries. Moreover, out of these 1,000 fatalities, more than 400 involve high-voltage exposure. These incidents account for approximately 5% of all burn-unit admissions, primarily resulting from arc-flash explosions and severe thermal burns.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
Severe electrical injuries typically incur $1 million to $4 million in direct medical costs per case. When indirect costs such as litigation, project delays, and lost productivity are included, total losses can double or triple; OSHA’s Safety Pays model estimates indirect costs 2–4 times higher than direct costs for employers.
For example, for a company operating at a 3 percent profit margin, offsetting a $3 million injury expense would require more than $100 million in new revenue. Furthermore, 40 percent of nonfatal electrical injuries result in absences longer than one week, and 21 percent exceed one month, further highlighting turnover and overtime costs.
McElhattan Foundation has compiled relevant data pertaining to workplace electrocution. We encourage participants to review this resource for more information.
JOIN US
The Zero Electrocution Challenge welcomes applications from nonprofit and for-profit entities located within the United States and U.S. territories. Government agencies, individuals, and others can participate as part of application teams with an eligible lead organization. You may use our readiness tool to determine your fit and eligibility for the challenge.
Strong proposals for the Zero Electrocution Challenge will eliminate fatal electrocution on the job, advance enterprise productivity and profitability, and meet the four criteria outlined in the scoring rubric:
- Effective: Can the approach eliminate life-threatening tasks that lead to fatal electrocution on the job, while keeping profitability and productivity? Will the solution be cost-efficient, business-friendly, and ready to implement within the project period?
- Game-Changing: Will the solution accelerate the elimination of fatal electrocution on the job and result in other compelling benefits? Is it grounded in a truly original concept, or does it propose new ways to bolster or adapt existing practices?
- Feasible: Are there practical plans and budget to mitigate risk and succeed? Does the team have the expertise, buy-in, and resources required to reasonably develop an industry-facing, effective, and adoptable solution during the project period?
- Scalable: Can the approach be replicated and/or scaled to contexts identified in the proposal? Can the team reliably and effectively adapt the solution to decrease and eventually eliminate fatal electrocution in a wide range of workplaces and industries?
ABOUT THE AWARDS
The awards will be selected after a series of evaluation phases. Learn more here. Based on results of Peer-to-Peer Review and the Evaluation Panel, as well as other factors that may include, but are not limited to, a wide range of solutions, geography, and feasibility, the Selection Committee will recommend up to two Winners to each receive a $1 million award. McElhattan Foundation reserves the right to make final decisions to select the Winners.
