A Victorian power station worker killed on the job was re-installing a high-voltage circuit breaker when he suffered severe burns to most of his body.
Graeme Edwards died later in hospital, with management of the Yallourn station in the Latrobe Valley on Wednesday paying tribute to the 54-year-old.
"Graeme was well respected, well-liked; very much known as a gentleman to everyone he came into contact with," head of the station Mark Pearson told reporters.
Mr Edwards was a "very experienced unit controller" who was a diligent and conscientious worker and his loss would be felt across the site, he added.
Mr Edwards, who had just celebrated his 54th birthday, was re-installing a circuit breaker in a "routine but potentially hazardous" task on Monday when there was an explosion.
He was taken to a Melbourne hospital and died on Tuesday.
Victorian mining and energy union branch secretary Geoff Dyke urged investigators to look at whether there was an "underlying culture" in the sector in relation to ageing stations.
"We've had a power station (Hazelwood) shut down with five boilers condemned," he said.
"The level of maintenance is something that needs to be examined and perhaps even whether the equipment could be upgraded to safer equipment. Some of the newer stations have different designs of breakers ... (to) reduce the risks to the operator."
He called for processes to be put in place to reduce the risk of arch flashes.
Flashes occur when two close conductors create a high-intensity burst of energy which is several thousand degrees Celsius and has explosion-like characteristics.
Other power stations in the area have held emergency meetings to consider their operations in wake of this death, Mr Dyke noted.
EnergyAustralia, who operate the station where Mr Edwards was burned, wants to work with authorities to find out what happened, managing director Catherine Tanna said.
WorkSafe Victoria is investigating.
Australian Associated Press
