Self-reported symptoms and neurosensory function after electrical accidents : a survey among Swedish male electricians

Sammanfattning: Professionals working in electrical fields are at risk for accidental exposure to electricity on a daily basis. Electrical accidents can cause long-term sequelae manifesting as neurological symptoms, including in the peripheral nervous system.The overall aim of this licentiate thesis was to describe the occurrence of selfreported and neurosensory symptoms after electrical accidents. Specifically, this thesis aimed to I) describe self-reported symptoms at different points in time; II) assess neurosensory function in relation to previous electrical accidents; III) evaluate the impact of high vs. low voltage as well as that of the no-let-go phenomenon; and IV) gain knowledge about the safety culture among Swedish electricians.A retrospective survey including 523 Swedish male electricians was conducted. Electricians reporting persistent symptoms were invited to a clinical examination that included quantitative sensory testing (QST); 23 electricians participated. The most commonly self-reported symptoms associated with electrical accidents were pain, reduced sensation and reduced muscle function. For a small percentage, these symptoms were persistent. Reduced neurosensory function with regard to thermal perception was determined using QST and functional testing and was particularly evident in the thermal perception tests; roughly half of the group exhibited abnormally reduced clinical warmth and cold perception thresholds and tactile gnosis test values, the latter of which were all below normal except for those of two electricians. The findings also indicate that electricians accidentally exposed to high voltage (HV) frequently report more symptoms than do electricians exposed to low voltage (LV). There were deficiencies in the preventative efforts and reporting routines pertinent to potential electrical accidents. In summary, the main results of this licentiate thesis show that sensory symptoms can be persistent, especially after an HV accident, and that these selfreported symptoms can be manifested as injuries on the small nerve fibres. The results of the present study can provide methods to be used for follow-up testing in clinical practise. Furthermore, there is a need to improve the workplace safety culture for electricians in order to improve the numbers of follow-ups.