Think those blue skies overhead mean all is well? The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) says: think again. Because lightning can travel sideways for up to 10 miles, blue skies are not an indication of safety. Lightning is unpredictable and can strike outside the heaviest rainfall areas.

OSHA says that employers should recognize lightning as an occupational hazard. Workers who are exposed to significant lightning risk include those who work outdoors in open spaces, on or near tall objects, or near explosives or conductive materials (e.g., metal) and those in: