Regarding safety...France: Direct Shock Deaths for 2002: 1231 DEAD!!!
I'll echo DJK's question here on the source, as that does sound a very high figure indeed.
Although not specific to electricity, there was a BBC program some time ago which was relating the work safety statistics of the U.K. and France. I seem to recall it being said that worksite accidents in France were no higher than the U.K., despite the fact that France has no direct equivalent of Britain's H.S.E. (Health & Safety Executive).
