Here's a really good white paper from Eaton on Arc Flash dangers. While those of us hooking into 20-amp Edison outlets rarely think about this and are in little danger from Arc Flash explosions, once you get up to camlocks it's another level of danger that many of us are unaware of.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/enterprise-guide/resources/What%20you%20need%20to%20know%20about%20Arc%20Flashes_2013.0148p.pdfHere's a short excerpt from the paper:
Injuries to employees.
Without adequate protection, workers exposed to arc flash events can suffer third-degree burns, collapsed lungs, vision loss, eardrum ruptures, puncture wounds, and even death. In fact, electrical contact results in 3,600 disabling injuries annually and one workplace death every day in the U.S., according to statistics from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
