Electricians are exposed to the various risks and dangers of electricity every day. However, many of the injuries that they experience in the line of duty aren’t actually due to electricity. Electricians are expected to perform a host of different jobs while in some rather trying working conditions. These factors into the overall risks and downsides of this otherwise very fulfilling career.

If you’re considering the idea of pursuing a career as an electrician, it isn’t enough that you know of the various benefits of such a vocation, you’ll want to be well aware of the possible downsides too. Below are some of them.

Expect to Work Odd Hours

If you expect the job to be a normal 9 to 5 one, you’re dead wrong. Many of the requests for your services will likely come in after-hours or in the wee hours of the morning when people wake up and find that there is something wrong with their electrical system. Expect to respond to various calls in the dead of the night too. Once you have established a reputation in the field, everybody in your community will look to you to resolve their electrical concerns.

While this is a good thing in terms of your customer –base, this can also lead to more requests for your help and services at less than ideal times, as a result, it would be a challenge for you to keep a work-life balance.

Expect the Job to be Physically Demanding

Many of the jobs you do will be simple and straightforward enough that you can get them done fast. After all, fitting a new outlet or installing light bulbs are easy enough to do. However, on the other end of the spectrum are jobs that will require you to work on heights, crawl through tight spots and work in dimly-lit basements and various other circumstances that can be quite taxing physically.

While this shouldn’t be a problem when you are still in your prime years, this can start to become a challenge the older you become. So, you need to consider this reality when deciding whether this career is right for you.

Risks of Falls

Electricians have to work in heights almost all the time. This increases the risks of them falling. You can often see them perched on a ladder, working in rooftops or scaling power lines overhead. Part of their job is to access the cables and electrical wires in ceilings and attics. While the risks are further decreased by having the right tools and utilizing the necessary protective and safety gears, this still doesn’t take away the fact that if and when you work as an electrician, the risk of falling is always going to be present.

Dangers of Getting Electric Shocked

Perhaps the riskiest part of being an electrician, electric shocks are a daily reality that electricians have to face in carrying out their job. This happens when a sudden electrical discharge runs through the body or a certain part of it. electrical shocks can lead to complications including confusion, severe burns, difficulty in breathing, cardiac arrest and interruption in the heart’s rhythm, seizures, loss of consciousness and in some cases— even death.

Electrocution

Sometimes, electric shocks can be so extreme that they can lead to loss of life. The exposure of even the smallest amount of current can lead to death. However, electricians are well-trained on the best practices in terms of handling electricity and current. This is exactly why they have trained for the job.

While this is indeed one scary risk that they have to face in the line of work that they do, fortunately, it isn’t a very common injury among people who are trained, experienced, and equipped to work with electricity.