What is the primary difference between shock hazard and arc flash hazard?

• A. Shock hazard is the risk of electric shock from contact with live parts; arc flash hazard is the risk of burns or blast from an arc.
• B. Shock hazard is about thermal burns; arc flash is about magnetic effects.
• C. Shock hazard occurs only with AC; arc flash only with DC.
• D. Shock hazard is only for unqualified; arc flash only for qualified.

Answer: (A)

Electric safety treats two distinct hazards from electrical energy. Electric shock happens when you become part of the electrical path—by touching live parts or otherwise creating a route for current to flow through your body. Arc flash, by contrast, is a fault where an electric arc releases a sudden burst of energy—extreme heat, bright light, and a pressure blast—that can burn skin and injure you even without direct contact with live conductors. So the key difference is the mechanism of harm: conduction through the body from contact versus the rapid energy release from an arcing fault causing thermal and blast injuries. Practical safety focuses accordingly: eliminate contact and de-energize to prevent shock, and assess incident energy, establish boundaries, and wear arc-rated PPE to protect against arc flash.