What is the difference that can occur between a worker's feet?

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When a fault current travels through the earth, the ground isn’t at one uniform voltage. A gradient forms, with higher potential near the fault that decreases with distance. If a worker is standing with their feet apart, there can be a voltage difference between the two points under their feet. That difference is the step potential, and it’s the difference that can occur between a worker’s feet.

The risk comes from current flowing from one foot to the other through the legs, which can be dangerous or fatal. The bigger the distance between the feet and the higher the ground resistance, the larger the potential difference and the greater the danger. This is distinct from touch potential, which is the voltage between a hand contact point and the ground, and from ground potential or generic voltage potential, which aren’t describing the two-point foot scenario.