Electrical Injury at Work Claims

At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we speak to people every year who’ve suffered electric shocks, burns, or trauma after being put in harm’s way on the job. Often, they weren’t told the risks. Sometimes the equipment was worn, the safety checks skipped, or the work rushed. Whatever the circumstances, the impact is real and it should be taken seriously.

We’re based in the west of Ireland and we’ve spent decades helping workers across Clare, Limerick and Galway who’ve been hurt doing their job. We don’t offer blanket promises. What we do offer is clear advice, an honest ear, and a commitment to helping you understand where you stand without pressure.

If you’ve suffered an electrical injury at work and something didn’t feel right about how it happened, contact Crimmins Howard Solicitors. We’ll help you look at it properly and decide what comes next, together.

Understanding Electrical Injuries in Irish Workplaces 

Electrical injuries are among the most serious and most misunderstood workplace accidents in Ireland. Unlike other injuries that tend to be visible or clearly caused, electrical incidents often strike without warning and can leave a trail of both internal and external damage. From minor shocks to life-threatening burns or cardiac trauma, these injuries are rarely straightforward and often poorly documented unless properly investigated.

An electrical injury typically occurs when the body comes into contact with an electrical source, such as exposed wiring, faulty equipment or energised components. The severity of the injury depends on the strength of the current, the path it travels through the body and how long the contact lasts. Even a brief encounter with a live source can cause lasting harm, including nerve damage, muscle contractions or disruption to the heart’s rhythm.

One particularly dangerous phenomenon is what’s known as the “not let go” effect, where an electric shock causes the victim’s muscles to contract uncontrollably, making it physically impossible to release their grip from the live source. This often results in prolonged exposure, increasing the risk of severe burns, internal organ damage or unconsciousness.

Electrical injuries don’t just happen to electricians. In Ireland, workers in construction, farming, warehousing, maintenance, and even office environments may be at risk. Common causes include:

• Improper lockout/tagout procedures during repair work
• Tools with frayed wires or damaged plugs
• Poorly maintained temporary electrical systems on building sites
• Water contact with live outlets or cabling
• Contact with overhead power lines or buried electrical infrastructure

Many of these injuries occur because someone assumed the power was off or because safe systems of work were not followed. That’s why responsibility often lies with the employer or duty holder, particularly where no risk assessment was carried out or safety procedures were not enforced.

At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we understand how disruptive these injuries can be. We work with injured workers to make sense of what happened, identify where safety measures fell short, and ensure that the injury and its aftermath is properly recognised and addressed.

Common Causes of Electrical Injuries at Work

Electrical injuries are often avoidable. In our experience, most incidents stem from poor planning, faulty equipment or lapses in safety procedures rather than from rare or freak accidents. Understanding how and why these injuries happen is key not just for prevention but for establishing legal liability when something goes wrong.

Here are the most common causes we see in Irish workplaces:

• Live wiring left exposed or energised: One of the most serious risks arises when workers are told that a circuit is isolated or safe to work on only to discover too late that it’s still live. This often happens due to miscommunication, poor record keeping or rushed project timelines.
• Damaged or poorly maintained tools: Handheld electrical tools with cracked casings, frayed leads or worn insulation are a regular hazard. When these are not tested or replaced, even routine tasks like drilling or soldering can result in shock or burns.
• Improper lockout/tagout procedures: Repair and maintenance work on electrical systems must follow strict isolation procedures. If switches are not properly locked off, or if others on site don’t know someone is working live, the consequences can be life-threatening.
• Water and electricity in close proximity: Wet working conditions common in agriculture, food processing, and cleaning operations can dramatically increase the risk of electric shock. Extension cords running through puddles, wet gloves handling panels, or power tools used in damp environments all pose serious risks.
• Contact with overhead or underground power lines: This is particularly relevant to outdoor construction, excavation and farming. Lifting equipment, ladders, diggers or metal poles can come into contact with live lines if site mapping or clearance isn’t done properly.
• Unqualified or unsupervised staff working near live systems: Employers sometimes assign tasks involving electricity to workers who are not properly trained, or who don’t realise the risks. This lack of knowledge puts everyone on site in danger.

In all these cases, it’s not just the electrical hazard itself that’s at fault it’s the breakdown of safety systems, communication, or supervision. If you’ve been injured because your employer failed to control these risks, you may have a strong legal basis for a claim.

Injuries Associated with Electrical Accidents 

Electrical injuries can affect nearly every system in the body, often in ways that are not immediately obvious. While burns are the most visible consequence, the damage caused by electricity can go much deeper impacting muscles, nerves, the heart and even brain function.

Here are some of the most common injuries associated with electrical accidents at work:

• Burns (external and internal): Electrical burns typically occur at the entry and exit points of the current, often on the hands and feet. But internal burns can also develop along the current’s path, damaging deep tissue, muscle or organs. These injuries are often underestimated, especially when skin appears only mildly affected on the surface.
• Cardiac complications: Electric shocks can interfere with the heart’s rhythm, leading to arrhythmias or, in more severe cases, cardiac arrest. Some victims experience ongoing chest pain, fatigue or palpitations after the event.
• Neurological damage: Electricity can disrupt or destroy nerve pathways, resulting in numbness, tingling, muscle weakness or chronic nerve pain. Some people suffer long-term coordination issues or develop tremors and mobility problems as a result.
• Muscle injury and breakdown: High-voltage shocks can cause involuntary muscle contractions strong enough to break bones or dislocate joints. Prolonged exposure can also lead to muscle breakdown, known as rhabdomyolysis, which can place stress on the kidneys.
• Cognitive and psychological effects: Many people who suffer electrical injuries report memory loss, confusion or difficulty concentrating in the weeks and months that follow. Some also develop post-traumatic stress, depression or anxiety especially if the shock caused loss of consciousness or near-fatal consequences.
• Visual and hearing damage: If the accident involves a bright electrical arc or explosion, eye damage (including temporary or permanent vision loss) and hearing impairment may occur.

The full extent of an electrical injury may not be known immediately. Some complications only emerge over time, particularly neurological or psychological ones. This is why thorough medical evaluation and legal advice from someone familiar with these types of cases is essential.

If you’ve suffered any of these symptoms after an electrical accident at work, Crimmins Howard Solicitors can help ensure the full impact of your injury is recognised and properly addressed.

Who Is Most at Risk of Electrical Injuries? 

Electrical injuries can affect anyone in the workplace, but some roles and industries carry far greater exposure due to the nature of the work involved. In many cases, the danger doesn’t come from carelessness, but from routine tasks being carried out in unsafe conditions without proper support, supervision or systems in place.

In our experience working with clients across Clare, Limerick and Galway, the workers most at risk include:

• Electricians and apprentices: Working directly with wiring, switchboards and circuits means any lapse in safety can have immediate and serious consequences. Injuries often occur when live power is mistakenly left on or when isolation procedures are skipped.
• Maintenance staff and site technicians: These workers are often expected to troubleshoot or repair electrical faults without formal training, especially on construction sites, in older factories or rural facilities where wiring may be outdated or poorly labelled.
• Construction workers: Labourers, scaffolders and tradespeople regularly work around temporary power supplies, overhead lines or powered tools. Many electrical injuries on building sites occur because workers were not warned of live systems nearby.
• Agricultural workers: Farms often use older equipment and improvised electrical setups in sheds, milking parlours or yards. Injuries frequently involve water exposure, damaged wiring or unprotected power tools.
• Factory and warehouse employees: These environments rely on high-powered machinery that must be serviced, adjusted or cleaned. When proper lockout procedures are not followed, even basic maintenance tasks can become dangerous.
• Cleaners and facilities staff: Often overlooked, cleaners may use high-voltage equipment or work around machinery that hasn’t been fully powered down particularly when schedules overlap with active operations.

In many cases, those injured weren’t given proper information or equipment to keep themselves safe. If you’ve been exposed to unsafe electrical systems in any of these roles, Crimmins Howard Solicitors can help you understand whether your employer failed in their duty and what you may be entitled to as a result.

Employer Duties Under Irish Law 

Every employer in Ireland has a legal duty to protect their workers from preventable harm including injuries caused by electricity. These responsibilities are set out under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, supported by specific regulations and workplace safety codes that apply to electrical systems.

When an employee suffers an electric shock, burn or other electrical injury on the job, the question often comes down to this: did the employer do enough to prevent it?

Duties Employers Must Fulfil

Under Irish law, employers are required to:

• Carry out regular risk assessments that identify hazards related to electrical equipment, wiring, maintenance work and temporary systems
• Provide a safe system of work, particularly when employees are working near live electrical sources
• Ensure all machinery and electrical equipment is safe to use and properly maintained
• Train employees and contractors on how to work safely around electricity, including how to isolate systems and use tools correctly
• Supervise high-risk activities, such as repair or installation, to ensure safety rules are followed
• Provide suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) and ensure it is in good condition and properly used
• Keep clear records of inspections, repairs, near misses and any previous incidents involving electrical risk

These are not optional. If an employer fails to meet any of these obligations, and that failure leads to an injury, they may be found legally liable.

What About the Electricity at Work Regulations?

Although the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 originate from UK legislation, their core principles have shaped health and safety practices across Ireland as well. Irish workplaces are expected to uphold the same standard: ensuring all electrical systems are safely constructed, regularly tested, and used only by competent individuals.

In many of the cases we handle at Crimmins Howard Solicitors, these duties have clearly been breached. We’ve seen employers who:

• Let workers operate damaged or outdated equipment
• Failed to label or isolate live systems during repair
• Assigned electrical tasks to unqualified staff
• Ignored previous safety concerns or failed to act after a near miss

These lapses are not just administrative oversights – they are breaches of a legal duty of care.

If your injury happened because your employer failed to carry out proper checks, ignored basic safety procedures, or allowed unsafe conditions to continue, you may be entitled to bring a claim. We’re here to help you do that.

Making an Electrical Injury Claim in Ireland

Bringing a successful claim for an electrical injury at work in Ireland requires more than proving that you were injured. It involves showing that your employer or another party failed in their legal duty to protect you, and that this failure caused or contributed to your injury.

To do this, you need to satisfy three legal elements:

1. You suffered a physical or psychological injury

The injury must be genuine and medically verified. This could be a visible electrical burn, cardiac or nerve damage, cognitive issues, or psychological trauma such as anxiety or PTSD. Medical reports, specialist assessments, and imaging (where relevant) will form the foundation of this part of your case.

Evidence to support this includes:

• Emergency department records
• GP or consultant reports
• Hospital discharge summaries
• Psychological assessments (if applicable)
• Photographs of visible injuries
• Ongoing treatment plans or referrals

2. The injury occurred in the course of your work

You must show that the injury took place while you were doing your job or carrying out a task you were instructed to perform. This includes tasks on-site, off-site, or during maintenance or repair work where you were under employer instruction or control.

Evidence to support this includes:

• Accident reports recorded in the workplace log
• Witness statements from co-workers
• Site CCTV (if available)
• Supervisor or foreman incident reports
• Job sheets, rosters, or work orders showing your assignment at the time

3. The injury was caused by negligence or breach of duty

This is the heart of the legal claim. You need to show that your injury could have been avoided had your employer (or another party) taken reasonable care. This might include failure to carry out a risk assessment, using unsafe equipment, not isolating electrical systems, or assigning unqualified workers to high-risk tasks.

This is where legal expertise matters. At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we examine all available records and procedures to identify precisely where safety obligations were breached.

Evidence to support this includes:

• Health and safety audits or inspection records
• Risk assessments related to the task or equipment
• Tool maintenance logs and PAT testing records
• Evidence of missing or faulty PPE
• Safety data sheets (SDS) or electrical installation certificates
• Training logs or absence of training documentation
• Employer health and safety policy (or lack thereof)
• Emails or memos showing prior warnings or ignored hazards

What Can Be Claimed For? 

If you’ve been injured by electricity at work, compensation is not just about covering your pain—it’s about recognising everything the injury has taken from you and helping you move forward with the support you need. In Ireland, injury claims are assessed using two main categories: general damages and special damages.

General Damages

General damages cover the non-financial impact of your injury. They are based on how serious the injury is, how long it lasts, and what effect it has on your everyday life. The Judicial Council’s Personal Injuries Guidelines are used to assess the value of these claims.

You may be entitled to general damages for:

• Pain and suffering, both physical and emotional
• Permanent scarring, especially on visible areas such as the hands, arms or face
• Loss of enjoyment of life, where your injury prevents you from doing everyday tasks or hobbies
• Psychological trauma, including anxiety, depression or PTSD arising from the incident or the recovery process

Special Damages

Special damages cover the financial losses and future costs associated with your injury. These are based on the actual impact the injury has had on your income, expenses, and ability to live independently.

These may include:

• Medical costs, including hospital stays, GP appointments, therapy, and prescriptions
• Rehabilitation expenses, such as physiotherapy or occupational therapy
• Loss of earnings, including missed work during recovery or loss of future earning potential
• Home modifications, such as handrails, ramps, or bathroom adaptations
• Assistive equipment, like splints, protective clothing or ergonomic tools
• Transport costs, especially if you’re unable to drive and need help attending medical appointments

Claiming the Right Amount

The amount you can claim will depend on how serious the injury is, how long it is expected to last, and what practical impact it has had on your day-to-day life. Many electrical injuries cause complications that emerge over time including nerve pain, muscle issues or emotional stress so it’s important to factor in long-term needs.

At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we work closely with medical professionals and financial assessors to ensure every loss is properly recorded and valued. If you’ve suffered a life-altering injury, your claim should reflect that.