Keeping Safe on the Job: What Electrical Contractors Need to Know

Although electrical safety is essential, hazards are often overlooked. Seemingly small mistakes such as shaky ladders, frayed or misplaced cords and loose connections can cause severe damage. In some cases, the consequences of haphazard installations are dire. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH), electrical hazards cause more than 300 deaths and 4,000 injuries in the workplace each year, and electrical accidents rank sixth among all causes of work-related deaths in the United States. Although electrical issues are not the leading cause of on-the-job hazards, they can be disproportionately fatal and costly.

Dangerous consequences can be prevented if you keep your site safe and ensure your crew has the proper training. Getting started is simple, and it can help stop tragedies like these in their tracks.

Keeping your site safe
Although electrical job sites can be a prime location for peril, Matt Giacomini, an estimator with Springfield, Ill.-based Anderson Electric, Inc. says recognizing hazards is the first step to avoiding danger and contractors should take the time to discover these hazards and plan work accordingly.

“Construction work is dangerous enough,” says Giacomini. “Adding electricity into the mix makes it that much more dangerous for the inexperienced; the best way to reduce the risk of electrocution is to turn [electricity] off. If you don’t know what you are doing, then get someone who does. Always follow through with lock-out tag-out procedures, it will be your life that you save.”

Giuseppe Muzzupappa, assistant executive director of the Northeastern Illinois Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), says working with large groups can also increase on-site danger. Because of this, it’s important to keep your site uncluttered.    

“When there are multiple trades in one job site it can be pretty hectic or chaotic,” says Muzzupappa. “You have to be watchful for other things that are going on.”

Before beginning your project, carefully examine your site for any damaged electrical parts. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), extension cord fires outnumber fires beginning with permanent or detached cords by more than two-to-one. Giacomini also stresses checking that your tools aren’t outdated.

“Always make sure your equipment is in good condition,” says Giacomini. “If it’s not, get rid of it.”

Expanding your occupation education
If you’re unsure where to begin, a variety of training tools and products can help you get started. Muzzupappa says that technology makes this information readily accessible.

“Software training programs walk contractors through the steps required to establish a very stable safety department program,” says Muzzupappa. “They go into detail about a variety of areas, such as the correct materials to use and the proper attire to wear on the job site.”

For additional assistance, enroll in a training program. Organizations such as the NFPA and NECA offer a variety of programs to expand your electrical education. The NFPA offers courses and seminars on an assortment of areas, such as a two-day course on Electrical Safety in the Workplace or a three-day course on Life Safety Code Essentials, to help you confidently comply with safety standards. If you’d prefer in-office training, you can also bring NFPA experts to your facility.

NECA also offers training services. One division is dedicated solely to training and offers union contractors multiple safety courses. Both the NFPA and NECA offer these courses at a variety of national locations.

Staying current with codes
To be a competitive contractor, it’s important to stay current on any fire code changes. The NFPA creates the National Electrical Code (NEC), which establishes the requirements for electrical wiring and equipment. This code is updated every three years—it was last revised in 2008—but Muzzupappa notes that this revision is not steadfast.

“If there is something where they need to amend the changes, such as with the new green energy information, changes are probably going to be more frequent, so it is very important that electrical contractors are constantly looking for upgrades and code changes,” says Muzzupappa.

The NEC can be purchased via the NFPA Web site. Yet contractors that are members of associations such as NECA can also receive the code information through their organization, and other employers may have this information on-site as well.

With the variety of available tools and technology, being safe not only makes sense; it’s simple, too.