Exposure to electric arc · Electrical burns any degree
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Vestas-American Wind Tech, 116 Rd, MINNEOLA, KANSAS 67865
on — Electrical burns any degree , affecting the Head and neck.
Final narrative
Two employees were removing a circuit breaker. The injured employee was using wrenches in the removal process. One of the wrenches contacted an adjacent door, resulting in an arc flash. The employee suffered burns to their neck, face, and ear, as well as momentary vision loss due to the flash.
Hospitalized Head and neck Switchboards, panels, fuses
An employee was terminating cables in a junction box. A loose ground wire came into contact with the bushing, causing a flash that burned the right side of the employee's face and his right hand.
An employee was using a bucket truck hoist to raise secondary aerial wiring. The wire made contact with the primary wire, causing an arc flash. The employee suffered burns to both hands and was hospitalized.
A temporary employee was testing an electrical starter motor. He was placing tape on the starter while the breaker was not engaged, but the starter sent an arc flash that burned his hands and stomach.
An employee was terminating conductors to buss bars inside the secondary compartment of a single-phase transformer. An arc flash occurred, causing burns to the soft tissue of the employee's face.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 221115)
An employee was ascending the wind tower when their right arm was caught between the lift and the ladder. The employee sustained a right elbow injury and was hospitalized.
On 3/27/2025, at 9:57 AM, an employee was performing switching work including installing electrical grounds when an arc flash occurred. Personal protective equipment (PPE) was worn at the time, including an arc flash hood, shirt, and pants. The employee suffered burns and was hospitalized.
An employee was cleaning dirt out of a contactor using a hand-held blower and contact cleaner. An arc flash occurred, and the employee sustained burns to the right side of their face and both hands.
On February 16, 2025, an employee was descending a ladder on the third deck after completing rigging at a wind farm. Their left foot slipped on the penultimate rung and their leg became wedged between the ladder rungs and a horizontal bracket. The employee then landed on the second deck resting platform, resulting in a leg fracture above the ankle.
An employee was de-torquing the gearbox from the main shaft bolts for the removal of the gearbox. The hydraulic 5-head torque head popped off the bolt and struck the employee's left middle finger, resulting in an amputation above the first knuckle.
An employee was working to remove a product blockage from a piece of equipment. The employee was struck by a metal bar near the deck of the pin mixer equipment and sustained blunt force trauma to the torso.
An employee was moving a rack onto a lower conveyor in the south heat treat area when their finger got caught between the part tray and the rollers, resulting in a fingertip fracture and amputation.
An employee was climbing a ladder to get on top of the breakroom. The ladder slipped, causing him to fall to the ground. The employee sustained fractures to his upper back, left foot, and ankle.
An employee bent over to pick up a rubber mat from the ground. When he grabbed the corner of the mat, a rattlesnake hidden under it bit his left middle finger near the first knuckle. He was hospitalized.
An employee was helping to remove attachment forks from a loader. The attachment failed to come off. The employee went to shake the attachment as the loader lowered the forks. The employee's left index finger became caught under the attachment, resulting in a fingertip amputation.