Arc Flash and Electrical Safety News and Updates in 2025
A look back at developments and news in the world of Arc Flash and Electrical Safety during 2025.
Contents
IEEE 1584.2-2025
IEEE Guide and Checklists for Data Collection for Performing an Arc-Flash Hazard Calculation Study in Accordance with IEEE Std 1584 and IEEE Std 1584.1 for Systems Operating at Three-Phase 50/60 Hz AC 1000 V and Below
Published in September 2025 this is the second guide produced to support the use of IEEE 1584. Whilst IEEE 1584.1 provides a guide for scoping an arc flash study and producing a suitable report, IEEE 1584.2 provides checklists for the data collection aspects of an arc flash calculation. It is limited to low voltage equipment (below 1000Vac) and focuses on circuit breakers, fuses and the physical characteristics of electrical equipment. Jim Phillips provided a short article at the time of publication.
IEC 63941 TR
Live working – Guidance for end users for the selection of personal protective equipment against the hazards of an electric arc
IEC 63491 TR, a "deliberately brief" technical report, has been prepared to provide guidance to end users for the selection and use of arc flash PPE using IEC standards. A future Technical Report will provide more detailed technical explanations. It covers selection of clothing according to IEC 61482-2 and eye, face and head protectors to IEC 62819.
Standards In Development
In 2026 we expect to see the publication of IEC 63232-2 "Live working – Hand protective devices against the thermal hazards of an electric arc – Part 2: Requirements".
The IEEE has started work developing a new standard titled "Guide for Arc Flash Safety Program for Substations and Underground and Overhead Lines" intended for use by electric utilities at voltages up to 800kV ac or dc. The project, P3546, aims to have a standard developed by the end of 2028. You can express interest in the project on the IEEE website.
Arc Flash Hazard and Electrical Contracting
Mike Frain published articles in the June and July issues of Electrical Contracting News covering the arc flash hazard in relation to electrical contracting in the UK. The first part covered the legislation in the UK whilst the second focused on resources available for managing the arc flash hazard, drawing on Mike's previous work for the IET and European Arc Flash Guide.
Australian Model Work Health and Safety Act Update
In early December Safe Work Australia made significant amendments to the national Model Work Health and Safety Act. This included classifying electrical explosions and arc flash explosions as dangerous incidents. This means that persons conducting a business or undertaking (a PCBU) are obligated to report such incidents to their Work Health and Safety (WHS) regulator.
Source: Australia: Major reforms to the model Work Health and Safety Framework and incident notification duties
Arc Flash in New York City's Electrical Code
New York City's Electrical Code was updated at the end of 2024 to mandate that any piece of electrical service equipment in a building's electrical room, rated at 1200A or more regardless of voltage, is required to have an NFPA 70E compliant equipment label.
One industrial arc flash safety incident went to court in the UK during 2025, whilst there was a large fine handed out in Singapore.
Natural Power Services Ltd, UK
In June 2020 a worker was undertaking electrical work within a wind farm substation when an arc flash occurred. The worker sustained life changing injuries, requiring multiple surgeries.
An investigation by the HSE found that a prepared switching programme had not been followed correctly, leading to the worker mistakenly starting the task on equipment that was still live.
Natural Power Services Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 3(1) and Section 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £80,000 at Inverness Sheriff Court on 25 November 2025.
Source: Fine for company after man seriously injured at wind farm
NEA, Singapore
Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) was fined S$230,000 (around £132,000) following investigation into an electrical incident at the Tuas Incineration Plant in September 2021 which resulted in the deaths of two workers and left a third with serious burn injuries.
An arc flash occurred when the workers attempted to rack out an in-service circuit breaker that was feeding a faulty fan. They were not wearing any arc-rated protective equipment at the time.
The subsequent investigation found that the circuit breaker was faulty and could not trip in the event of an electrical fault. It also identified three work safety failures around control and authorisation of work, safe working procedures and inadequate PPE.
Following the incident NEA made changes to limit who could undertake this kind of work and provided arc-rated PPE as part of establishing safe working procedures for electrical tasks.
Source: NEA fined S$230,000 over deaths of 2 employees in Tuas Incineration Plant explosions
United Kingdom
In November preliminary injury and fatality statistics were released for 2024/25 (the year runs from 1 April to 31 March). There were 7 recorded fatalities caused by contact with electricity or electrical discharge (up from 5 in the previous year) whilst there were 150 recorded non-fatal injuries (down from 188).
Source: RIDDOR RIDKIND Table 1 and Table 2
United States
In August the NFPA published updated analysis of the most recent fatal electrical injuries dataset, taken from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries which is sponsored by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2023 142 workers died from exposure to electricity, whilst 5 died from exposure to electric arcs.
As of 2023 the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries has a specific code for exposure to electric arc, which means arc flash incidents are now recorded separately from "exposure to electricity" incidents.
Source: Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2023 Caused by Exposure to Electricity or Arc Flash
Additionally, using similar data, Electrical Safety Foundation International published fatality statistics and commentary covering the years 2011 to 2023. This shows that over the period, on average 150 workers in the US are killed by electricity in a year, representing 5.6% of annual workplace fatalities.
Source: Workplace Electrical Fatalities: 2011 – 2023
Safford Mine, Arizona, USA
December 2024 – a suspected arc flash incident led to the hospitalisation of a contractor working at the Safford open-pit copper mine in Arizona.
Injured PersonTampa, Florida, USA
January 2025 – a utility worker with the Tampa Electric Company was locating underground power lines when he reached inside a transformer to retrieve a wire. He contacted a live 7.2kV switch receiving an electric shock and causing an arc flash. He was transported to hospital but sadly died of his injuries.
FatalityDundee, UK
February 2025 – a likely arc flash occurred at an SSEN 33kV substation in the centre of Dundee. No-one was injured but the explosion caused severe damage to the substation building with debris falling on a pavement. A subsequent investigation by SSEN Distribution reported that the cause was a failure of a component at a transformer cable connection.
Equipment DamageMaida Vale, UK
April 2025 - A large emergency response was required after a substation fire caused by faulty equipment started in the early hours of the morning close to central London.
Equipment DamageBoston, Massachusetts, USA
April 2025 - Two electrical workers with Belmont Light, a local electrical utility operating on the outskirts of Boston, were undertaking work in a manhole when an arc flash occurred. Both workers were treated at the scene before being transferred to hospital.
Multiple Injured PersonsAberdeen, UK
June 2025 - Engineers from SSEN dealt with the aftermath of an electrical explosion in a cable joint box on Aberdeen's Union Street after fire and police services responded to an issue in the early hours of the morning.
Equipment DamageOrlando, Florida, USA
August 2025 - Three electrical workers with Florida utility Orlando Utilities Commission were undertaking routine maintenance at a city-centre substation when an arc flash occurred. All three were hospitalised with one suffering severe injuries and expected to remain under care for some time.
Multiple Injured PersonsSeminole, Florida, USA
August 2025 – three Duke Energy contractors working on overhead lines suffered an arc flash that killed one and hospitalised the other two.
FatalityVessel Shore Power
October 2025 - The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) released a safety flash relating to a recent incident where a vessel electro-technical officer (ETO) sustained burn injuries to their eyes after an arc flash occurred whilst they were disconnecting a cable from a vessel's shore power connection box. The ETO believed that the cable had been de-energised but it remained powered from the shore side when they went to remove the cable.
Injured PersonGlasgow, UK
November 2025 - Eight fire appliances were called following reports of explosions and a subsequent fire at an electrical substation on West Nile Street which led to the evacuation of the nearby H&M store.
Equipment DamageHigh Voltage & Arc Flash Conference, London
We spoke at the High Voltage & Arc Flash Conference held at the beginning of September in London and organised by IDC Technologies. We shared our experience of undertaking numerous arc flash studies for industrial facilities in the UK and the impact that different grid connection topologies have on the Incident Energy calculations and potential mitigation strategies.
Other speakers at the conference covered a breadth of topics including:
- HV Asset Management
- HV Safety (with a focus on worker competence)
- Safety for Testing & Commissioning in Substations
- High Voltage Battery Energy Storage Systems
- Potential Discharge Diagnostics
- Arc Flash Safety for Power Converters
Electrical Safety EU Conference, Krakow (Poland)
We presented at the Electrical Safety EU Conference held in October in Krakow, Poland. We spoke about Electrical Safety in the UK offshore oil and gas industry, sharing some of the challenges of working in this environment and how a robust approach to Electrical Safety means incident rates are lower in comparison with other UK sectors. We shared insight into the use of ETAP's fault current decay method to more accurately determine Arc Flash Incident Energy in islanded power systems.
The conference programme covered a wide number of topics relating to arc flash and electrical safety, including protective equipment and testing devices, as well as a number of interesting case studies in industry and utilities.
Skanwear Power Hour: Electrical Protection, Fault Levels, Coordination and Arc Flash Studies Practical Explainer
Throughout 2025 Skanwear hosted a series of webinars covering a variety of arc flash and electrical safety topics. Episode 4 covered electrical protection coordination and arc flash Incident Energy calculations and is an interesting primer on the topic.