An electrical arc flash blast can be extremely dangerous.
It is estimated that the terminal temperature of an electrical arc can be more than 35,000℉. The associated plasma of vaporizing metal reach temperatures of 23,000℉.
For comparison, an atomic bomb explosion reaches a temperature of 12,600℉ after 0.3 seconds. The surface of the sun is 10,000℉.
During an arcing event, the air becomes superheated and can create a sound wave like thunder from lightning.
An encounter with electricity can result in: (1) electrocution (2) arc burns (from radiant energy) (3) thermal burns (from hot materials) (4) conduction burns (from electrical current) (5) hearing damage (from sound energy) (6) injury from toxic gases, and (7) injury from the resulting pressure wave.
Water expands 1,670 times as it becomes steam. In contrast, vaporized copper expands 67,000 times resulting in molten metal being thrust outward.
Arc blasts can be powerful enough to propel large objects like people several feet at high rates of speed. The pressure from arc blasts can collapse lungs and rupture eardrums.
Electrical injuries are more often fatal than other categories of worker injuries.
The annual average number of fatalities by employment according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2011 to 2021 follows:
The source of information in the blog was taken from the 2024 NFPA 70E® Handbook for Electrical Safety in the Workplace Information Annex K pages 316 -320.