How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 326 severe cases of indirect electrical exposure between 2015 and 2025. You should know that 97 percent of these incidents result in direct effects of electric current on your body.
These injuries often cause damage that extends beyond surface burns, leading to long-term complications that require extensive medical intervention.
Common injuries
Electrical shock incidents occur when your equipment makes unintended contact with overhead power lines or energized sources. If you operate trucks, cranes, or use handtools, you face these risks when machinery booms or metal poles bridge the gap between a power source and the ground. These events often result from inadequate site planning or failure to maintain safe clearance distances from active lines.
| Injury Type | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Effects of electric current | 317 |
| 2 | Amputations, avulsions, enucleations | 6 |
| 3 | Severe wounds or internal injuries and other injuries | 2 |
| 4 | Surface and flesh wounds and other injuries | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction accounts for 44 percent of these severe electrical incidents, as you may operate heavy machinery near high-voltage lines. The utility sector follows with 12 percent, where your work involves constant proximity to energized systems. In both industries, the failure to DE-energize equipment or maintain strict buffer zones creates the conditions for these preventable shocks.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these incidents involve equipment like bucket trucks or vacuum trucks making contact with overhead lines while you are positioned on the ground. Other frequent scenarios include troubleshooting power connectors or using metal tools that bridge an electrical circuit. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can review the specifics of your incident to help determine your next steps.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | TX | Utilities | "An employee was changing out load break switches while positioned on the ground next to a bucket. The bucket truck became energized by a nearby electrical line and the employee sustained an electrical shock via contact with the bucket truck." | |
| 2025 | GA | Transportation & Warehousing | "On July 29, 2025, an employee was troubleshooting and/or changing an emergency power connector on an aircraft. The employee experienced an electrical shock when an exterior electrical source was activated. The employee was hospitalized for electric shock and burns on their lower right arm." | |
| 2025 | KS | Administrative Services | "An employee was operating a vacuum truck, using the controls to raise the bed. As it rose, the bed touched an overhead power line. Electricity passed through the employee, entering through their left hand and exiting through their left toe." | |
| 2025 | FL | Construction | "On July 21, 2025, during the pouring of a concrete apron intended to connect property to a highway, an employee was using a bull float on an aluminum pole. They lifted the the pole and it made contact with an active power line. The employee sustained an electrical shock, burns to the hands, and electric current-induced amputation of six toes." | |
| 2025 | OK | Utilities | "Three employees were performing updates on electrical lines. One employee was operating the digger truck. The digger operator swung the boom with an attached auger. The injured employee went to reposition the auger as the boom made contact with the electrified line above. The injured employee was shocked and sustained an exit wound on the outside of their left little toe. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "An employee was standing next to a truck ahead of cleaning a storm inlet when a power line split and fell onto the truck. The employee was electrocuted and suffered a partial leg amputation." | |
| 2025 | AL | Utilities | "An employee was de-energizing an aluminum conductor steel reinforced (ACSR) wire on a structure when it came into contact with the energized conductor, resulting in burns to the face, arms, and torso." | |
| 2025 | PA | Construction | "An employee was installing metal coping around the perimeter of a flat roof. The metal coping material contacted a live 24-kV overhead power line. The employee was shocked and knocked off the roof to the ground. The employee sustained burns from the shock and amputation to part of his left leg and two fingers. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | NE | Construction | "An excavator was digging an excavation for a water main break. The excavator exposed a power line while digging and electrical current went through the excavator and into the operator. The employee sustained an electrical shock and was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | GA | Construction | "At 9:24 a.m., two employees were working on an electrical line in a concrete masonry unit. One employee was checking to see if the wiring was live or de-energized while the injured employee was peeling the electrical tape off the electrical caps with a set of pliers. While the injured employee was cutting the insulation, the pliers in his left hand contacted the live copper wire and the employee was shocked by 277 volts. The employee lost consciousness and was hospitalized." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Electrical shocks can cause internal damage that may not be immediately visible. Beyond surface burns, you may experience nerve damage, cardiac issues, or muscle tissue destruction that requires ongoing medical care. An attorney can help ensure your claim accounts for these long-term medical needs.
Employers are required to maintain safe working distances from power lines and provide proper training to prevent contact. When your employer fails to enforce these safety protocols, they may be held accountable for your injuries. An attorney can investigate whether your employer violated safety standards that led to your shock.
Workers' Compensation typically covers medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and a portion of your lost wages while you recover from an electrical injury. If your injury results in permanent impairment, you may also be entitled to additional disability benefits. An attorney can help you verify that you are receiving the full range of benefits you are owed.
While you can file a claim on your own, electrical injury cases often involve complex liability issues regarding equipment maintenance and safety compliance. An attorney can help gather evidence, document the extent of your injuries, and navigate the claims process to protect your rights. They provide the expertise needed to challenge denials or underpayments.