How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 129 severe cases of electric arc exposure over the last two years. The vast majority of these incidents result in the effects of electric current, which can cause immediate internal damage and long-term neurological or cardiac complications.
These events are dangerous because they often cause severe burns to your head and extremities. You may face lengthy recovery periods and permanent impairment due to the intense thermal and electrical energy released during an arc flash.
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Arc flash incidents typically occur when you interact with energized electric parts or faulty electrical equipment. These events often happen during routine maintenance, voltage testing, or fuse replacement when a sudden discharge of energy occurs. In many cases, the arc is triggered by contact with energized wires or equipment failure, causing an immediate flash that can burn you even without direct physical contact.
| Injury Type | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Effects of electric current | 120 |
| 2 | Thermal burns | 4 |
| 3 | Surface and flesh wounds and other injuries | 2 |
| 4 | Soft tissue injuries and other injuries | 1 |
| 5 | Amputations, avulsions, enucleations | 1 |
| 6 | Traumatic injuries or exposures— unspecified | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction accounts for 49% of all reported arc flash incidents, largely due to the frequent work on high-voltage systems and temporary electrical setups. Utilities and manufacturing follow, where you are regularly exposed to energized circuits and heavy electrical equipment that require strict adherence to safety protocols.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these incidents include you performing routine tasks like checking voltage or replacing fuses when an unexpected arc occurs. Many reports describe you wearing standard personal protective equipment who still sustain significant burns to your face, arms, and hands when an arc jumps to your position. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident to determine if safety failures played a role.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "A three-person crew was inter-setting a new utility pole. An employee was working to cut the conductor when a 14.4-kV arc flash occurred. The employee sustained burns to the upper-right torso. The employee was wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), including flame-resistant clothing, rubber gloves, and sleeves." | |
| 2025 | LA | Construction | "The injured employee was standing in the man basket of an aerial lift as another employee drove the lift across the yard to their destination. The two employees were going to torque nuts that were installed on the 4-hole pads of elevated substation equipment (including various types of transformers, lightning arresters, etc.). At their destination, they were ascending in the man basket when electricity arced to the basket. The injured employee sustained arc flash burns to their face and right arm." | |
| 2025 | DC | Construction | "An employee was working on a partially deenergized electrical system. His wire touched an energized wire, resulting in an electrical flash that caused second- and third-degree burns to his neck, forearm, and ear." | |
| 2025 | GA | Utilities | "An employee was checking voltage on a meter. There was an arc flash, and the employee suffered burns to both hands." | |
| 2025 | OH | Manufacturing | "An employee was troubleshooting a 3-phase electrical circuit and was replacing a fuse. An arc flash occurred and the employee suffered burns to both hands." | |
| 2025 | CO | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee had been pulling out a fuse. A motor control center (MCC) bucket exploded and produced an arc flash. The employee sustained burns to both arms." | |
| 2025 | AR | Manufacturing | "On June 22, 2025, an employee was performing scheduled maintenance at a ladle metallurgical furnace vault. As the employee was replacing a shear pin, they contacted an energized circuit, resulting in an arc flash. The employee sustained second-degree burns to their buttocks and both legs." | |
| 2025 | WI | Construction | "A crew was installing a pistol (electrical connection) to a new section of underground electric cable. The injured employee went to align the cable and pistol and it contacted a live bushing instead of the grounded bushing. An arc flash occurred. The employee sustained second-degree electrical burns to his left forearm and right hand, index finger, and thumb. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | FL | Manufacturing | "At 11:50 a.m. on June 17, 2025, an employee was working on a 60-amp battery. As he was removing nuts with a wrench, there was an arc flash. The wrench welded itself to the terminals, and the employee suffered second-degree burns along the left palm, thumb, and index finger, as well as a burn on his right middle finger." | |
| 2025 | FL | Construction | "An employee was making an electrical connection at a power meter outside a building. There was an arc flash and the employee was shocked, suffering second-degree burns on both hands." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.