Direct exposure to electricity, unspecified · Electrical burns, unspecified
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Heart Utilities of Jacksonville, Inc., 8211 Cypress Plaza Drive, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 32256
on — Electrical burns, unspecified, affecting the upper and lower limb(s).
Final narrative
An employee was attempting to switch a medium-voltage primary cable and install a 200-amp fuse barrel. The employee contacted the bottom of the switch gear cradle for the fuse barrel, causing an arc blast. The electricity entered the employee s left hand and exited his big toes, resulting in electric shock and burns to the left hand, arm, shoulder, and both feet. The employee was hospitalized.
HospitalizedUpper and lower limb(s)Switchboards, switches, fuses
More severe injuries at Heart Utilities of Jacksonville, Inc.
An employee was replacing an old fuse cutout in order to install a trip saver. A lightning arrester failed, causing an electrical arc. The employee suffered first- and second-degree burns to the arms and face. He was hospitalized.
An employee was installing trip savors on an electrical line (13,200 volts) from an aerial lift when he attempted to tighten a bolt on a switch bracket using a cordless drill. An arc flash then occurred, resulting in second degree burns to both of his hands. He was hospitalized. Rubber gloves were not worn at the time of the incident.
An employee was installing a 15-amp breaker in an electrical panel when a 12-gauge ground wire touched the positive busbar of the panel, resulting in an arc flash. The employee sustained a second-degree burn to their left hand.
An employee was repairing an HVAC system in the drop tile ceiling of a conference room when they were shocked, causing them to fall from the ladder. The employee sustained burns to their right middle and ring fingers.
An employee was replacing a contactor inside an electrical panel attached directly to a press. The press itself was receiving power from another main panel. After replacing the contactor, the employee flipped the switch and an arc flash occurred, burning the employee's elbow, bicep, and neck.
On December 6, 2023, an employee of Duke Energy was working on a single-phase 120-/240-volt parallel service re-tap when a secondary flash occurred in an underground service. The employee suffered a second-degree burn to the face and was hospitalized.
On December 5, 2023, an employee was changing out batteries in a battery cabinet. As he was routing a battery cable through a tray, the insulation boot came off the plug, which then touched the frame of the battery cabinet. This caused an arc flash that burned the knuckles of the fingers on the employee's left hand.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 221122)
An employee was setting up communication equipment for a meeting. They were walking and tripped over a speaker on the ground. The employee sustained a leg injury.
An employee (a lineman) was working to restore power by installing a hand line when he contacted a high-voltage device (7,200 volts), resulting in electrical burns to his upper body and hands.
A chain sling failed while a utility pole was being removed. A chain link struck an employee who was operating a front-end loader, puncturing the employee's chest.
An employee was working with an underground crew to troubleshoot a BUD failure. The employee was removing a fuse from the fuse holder when the fuse blew on the riser and an arc flash occurred. The employee was hospitalized with burns to his face, nose, lips, and neck.
An employee was connecting two wires when his rubber insulated gloves failed and he suffered an electric shock to his right hand, resulting in an electrical burn.
An employee was helping a coworker transport a tall palm tree with a mini skid steer. The employee was severely shocked by a high-voltage electrical wire above the ground.
An employee was retrieving a Christmas tree from a shelf using a ladder. He missed a step and fell to the concrete floor. He sustained injury to his head and wrist.
An employee was operating an agricultural tractor during sugarcane harvesting. The employee sustained a lumbar sprain due to vibration or motion from the tractor.
An employee was moving a 3-ton condensing unit, strapped down on a dolly, out of a garage. The strap broke, causing the employee to fall backward onto the brick pavered driveway. The employee suffered injury to a spinal ligament in the neck.