Incident date: 2023-08-20
NAICS industry code: 238210

An employee was at a client site repairing a 480-volt electrical breaker panel with a broken handle that could not be connected/disconnected. As the employee opened the panel to remove a part, a washer from a lug fell into it, causing an arc flash. The employee sustained burns to the thumb and forearm that required hospitalization. Personal protective equipment was not worn at the time.

Hazard classification:
code_event: title: Direct exposure to electricity, greater than 220 volts
code_source: title: Switchboards, switches, fuses
code_nature: title: Electrical burns, unspecified
code_body: title: Hand(s) and arm(s), n.e.c.
severity: moderate