Regulating arc flash hazards: during electrical safety month, this attorney ponders: will...

On June 15, 2005, OSHA proposed rules to reduce burn injuries that employees in the electric utility and power industrial establishments receive as the result of being exposed to electrical arc flashes in the workplace.

There is no question that the burn injuries can be catastrophic. Indeed, the burn injuries often result in death or hospitalization in which an employee may have to undergo multiple skin grafts.

There are several problems, however, with the proposed rules. First, the proposed rules do not clearly define the obligations of an employer. Second,