In October of 2004, a 32-year-old male maintenance worker died from electrocution while working at an assisted living facility in Washington State. The victim was changing a broken metal halide bulb in a ceiling fixture. To remove it, the victim turned off the area wall light switch and taped the switch in the “off” position. The victim climbed into the attic space and detached the fixture “light can” to remove the broken bulb. While holding on to the fixture in one hand, he touched the bulb base with a non-insulated tool and was electrocuted. The fixture was still hot (energized). It was part of a building emergency lighting system on a separate circuit.
