DUKE ENERGY FLORIDA, LLC

Exposure to electric arc — Electrical burns any degree — SAINT PETERSBURG, Florida

HOSPITALIZED — Worker hospitalized after incident at DUKE ENERGY FLORIDA, LLC in SAINT PETERSBURG, Florida
Employer DUKE ENERGY FLORIDA, LLC
Address 2725 Scherer Way North, Catalent Pharmaceuticals
City, State ZIP SAINT PETERSBURG, Florida 33716
Report ID 2024021497
Event Date February 16, 2024
Outcome Hospitalized
Nature of Injury Electrical burns any degree
Body Part Head and neck
Event Type Exposure to electric arc
Source of Injury Power lines, transformers, convertors
Secondary Source Secondary source not applicable
Industry (NAICS) 221122
Inspection # 1729227
GPS Coordinates 27.88000, -82.67000

Location Map

Incident Narrative

An employee was de-energizing a stand-alone three-phase 3,000-kVA transformer. The employee had opened a bay on the switchgear and removed the barrier board covering a 200-amp switch. The employee then used a 6-foot insulated work stick to open the fuse door. As soon as the top of the fuse door separated from the gear's switch bracket, an arc flash occurred, burning the employee's left ear, neck, and cheek area and causing swelling on the employee's lips.

Incident Summary

On February 16, 2024, a worker at DUKE ENERGY FLORIDA, LLC in SAINT PETERSBURG, Florida suffered electrical burns any degree to the head and neck. The incident was classified as exposure to electric arc, with power lines, transformers, convertors identified as the source of injury. The worker was hospitalized.

Context

OSHA has recorded 140 severe injury reports involving "Exposure to electric arc" incidents in our database. Browse all Exposure to electric arc injuries.

See all reports for DUKE ENERGY FLORIDA, LLC.

Similar Incidents

Other severe injury reports involving Exposure to electric arc events:

Date Employer Location Nature Outcome
Jul 9, 2024 Ferreira Power South ROUND ROCK, Texas Thermal burns degree unspecified Hosp.
Sep 18, 2024 Mehl Electric Company, Inc ORANGEBURG, New York Electrical burns any degree Hosp.
Apr 17, 2024 Consolidated Edison Company of NY Inc STATEN ISLAND, New York Electrical burns any degree Hosp.
Jul 8, 2024 Latin Electric Workforce LLC DULUTH, Georgia Electrical burns any degree Hosp.
Jan 15, 2025 Pennant Ingredients Inc. ROCHESTER, New York Electrical burns any degree Hosp.
Oct 13, 2024 Mastec Utility Services, LLC ORMOND BEACH, Florida Thermal burns degree unspecified Hosp.
Apr 30, 2024 CLK Sherwood Acres, LLC BATON ROUGE, Louisiana Electrical burns any degree Hosp.
Jul 14, 2025 Mackey Electrical Services, Inc. WASHINGTON, District Of Columbia Electrical burns any degree Hosp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Workers injured on the job have the right to medical treatment covered by workers' compensation, wage replacement benefits during recovery, and protection against retaliation for reporting the injury. You have the right to file a complaint with OSHA if you believe your workplace is unsafe, and OSHA cannot reveal your identity to your employer without your consent. You also have the right to see your OSHA 300 injury log. If your employer denies a workers' comp claim, you can appeal through your state's workers' compensation board. An occupational health attorney can advise on complex cases involving denied claims or third-party liability.

After an employer reports a severe injury, OSHA decides whether to conduct an on-site inspection. Fatalities and amputations typically trigger automatic inspections. For hospitalizations and eye loss events, OSHA may conduct a phone/fax investigation or an on-site inspection based on the circumstances. During an inspection, OSHA compliance officers assess the accident scene, interview witnesses, review safety records, and identify violations. Citations and penalties may be issued. OSHA also works with the employer to abate hazardous conditions. All inspection results are published in OSHA's public inspection database at osha.gov.

You can file an OSHA complaint online at osha.gov/workers/file-complaint, by calling 1-800-321-OSHA (1-800-321-6742), or by visiting your local OSHA area office. Complaints can be filed anonymously. OSHA prioritizes formal written complaints from workers. If you believe an imminent danger exists, call OSHA immediately — they are required to investigate immediately when there is reasonable grounds to believe imminent danger exists. Workers are protected from retaliation for filing complaints under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act; if you experience retaliation, file a separate complaint within 30 days of the adverse action.

About This OSHA Report

This is a severe injury report filed with OSHA. Employers are required to report all work-related fatalities and severe injuries within 8 to 24 hours. Browse more reports by employer, state, or industry below.

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