In the United States, electrocutions in the home number about 560 per year, while industry electrocutions are the fifth leading cause of occupational deaths, accounting for 5348 deaths, or about seven percent of all work-related deaths for the period between 1980 and 1992. Electrical burns account for 4 to 6.5 % of all admissions to burn units in the United States and account for approximately 800 fatalities per year in the United States from 1984 through 1987.

Recording of findings and physical data following an electrical incident is critical to determining cause and steps that can be taken to prevent future incidents. Documentation and preservation of the physical items, along with photographic and video recordings, helps convey findings to technical and non-technical third parties. The documentary data, which includes reports and statements, is used to corroborate the physical data and findings.

The examination of the events along with the scientific method may permit a reconstruction of the incident.

The examination of the events along with the scientific method may permit a reconstruction of the incident.

Incident investigations should be conducted as soon as possible after the event. Most accidents are investigated within minutes or hours by police or regulatory authorities. Often, several authorities are at the scene at one time and each are generally required to document their findings in an official report. The documents generated by these authorities are significant since they reflect the earliest observations of the scene; however, because first responders have a primary responsibility to protect life and property and to prevent further harm, these documents may not reflect every pertinent detail.