Lightning Strike Response

Lightning kills and injures outdoor workers every year, including roofers, laborers, farmers, tower workers and landscapers. People struck by lightning do not carry an electric charge, so they are safe to touch, and fast first aid can save lives.

• Outdoor Workers
• Supervisors
• Everyone

Scene safety first

• If thunder is still rumbling, get yourself to safe shelter if you can. Lightning can strike the same place again. The best shelter is a substantial building or a hard-topped vehicle with windows closed. See Thunderstorms & Lightning.
• If you must stay, move the victim only if the place is unsafe, such as under a tree.
• Lightning victims do not hold a charge. It is safe to touch them.

What to do

1. Call 911 or have someone call. Give your exact location. See Calling 911 & Giving Your Location.
2. Check responsiveness and breathing. Lightning often causes cardiac arrest.
3. If the person is not breathing or has no pulse, start CPR right away and use an AED if one is available. See CPR & AED. In a group with several victims, help those who seem dead first, since they can often be revived with CPR.
4. If breathing, check for other injuries: burns, fractures, spine, head and eye injuries. See Burn First Aid and Spinal Injuries.
5. Cover burns loosely with a clean dry dressing. Keep the person warm and calm until help arrives.

Aftereffects

• Even if they seem fine, victims should be checked at a hospital. Heart rhythm problems, hearing damage, burns and nerve problems may appear later.
• Common signs are confusion, memory trouble, tingling, ringing in the ears and muscle pain.
• Report the injury to your employer. It may be a workers' compensation claim.

Preventing strikes at work

• Check the forecast and have a weather plan. See Weather Planning
• Use the 30-30 rule: if the time between flash and bang is 30 seconds or less, seek shelter; wait 30 minutes after the last thunder to resume
• Stop work on roofs, scaffolds, cranes, towers and open ground; do not shelter under trees or beside tall metal objects
• Know where the nearest safe shelter is and how long it takes to reach
• Do not use corded phones or plumbing during storms; stay away from water

Last updated: October 8, 2026