IDENTIFYING THE CAUSES OF ELECTRICAL PRACTICE ACCIDENTS IN VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS

Abstract

The intensity of practical training in Vocational High Schools (VHS) and the use of equipment and machinery set to resemble working conditions in industry are significant risk factors for accidents which occur in electrical and/or electronics laboratories/workshops. This study aims to identify the accidents affecting VHS students and to describe the causal factors of these accidents. This research is descriptive study. Data collection was conducted from August to October 2025, using questionnaires and observation sheets. The study involved 178 respondents in eleventh and twelfth-grade from the Electrical Engineering and/or Electronics Engineering programs in Serang Regency, Indonesia, selected through simple random sampling techniques as determined by WHO sample size determination application. The results indicate that 44.9% of students have experienced accidents during practical training in laboratories/workshops. The most common type of accident reported by students was electric shock (65%), followed by injuries from machinery/equipment (18.6%), slips due to slippery floors, and collisions with panels, tables, and practice chairs (6.3%). Unsafe actions that contribute to accidents include the failure to utilize Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during practical training, while environmental factors leading to accidents among students include the absence of safety guidelines in schools, laboratories, and workshops. This study found that incidents of electric shock among students are perceived as common and not hazardous. Inadequate understanding and the normalization of accidents among students represent risk factors, alongside the insufficient availability of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) infrastructure, which further exacerbates the risk of accidents during practical training.