Though the chances of being struck by lightning while taking a shower, during a thunderstorm, are extremely small, lightning that hits a house can travel through metal pipes and shock anyone who touches a faucet. Approximately 10 to 20 people are harmed this way each year in the United States.
According to the University of Illinois's Lightning Injury Research Program, individuals have been killed washing dishes or sitting in bathtubs during thunderstorms. During thunderstorms, some risks are associated with using the plumbing, such as showering, bathing, washing dishes and brushing teeth. In addition, it is important to stay away from electrical wiring during a thunderstorm and to stay off telephones with landlines, which are the top cause of home-based injuries from lightning.
