What Are the Most Common Types of Electrical Hazards in the Workplace
Written by Staff Writer
Electricity powers so much of our world. It is essential to modern work and life. Yet, electricity can be an extremely dangerous safety hazard if not treated respectfully. How you work or live around this crucial source of power, the tools you use and the precautions you take can make a big difference.
Electrocutions are one of OSHA's Focus Four causes of death in the construction industry. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation (ESFI), construction workers and those involved in installation, maintenance, repair, building cleaning and groundskeeping have the highest rate of electrical fatalities.
While the word electrocution means a fatal shock, you can also receive serious but not lethal shocks and burns. Thousands of individuals are electrically shocked in the workplace each year and hundreds more are injured at home annually.
Mishaps can also create fires. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that some 46,700 annual home fires are related to electrical failures or malfunctions, costing billions of dollars in direct property damage.
If you work around high-voltage equipment or other live circuits, we have information on electrical hazards and safety, including the types of electrical hazards in the workplace or home. We can help you get the training you need to work safely with live currents.
Most Common Electrical Safety Hazards in the Workplace and at Home
According to OSHA, here are the most dangerous hazards you are likely to encounter at work or at home.
Contact with Power Lines
Whether they are buried or overhead wires, all lines carry extremely high voltage. Contacting them can lead to serious injury. Contact, in this case, includes touching lines with any part of your body or any conductive materials you may be using, including:
- Backhoes
- Cranes
- Metal building materials
- Metal ladders
- Vehicles
- Scaffolding
You should always assume any power lines are energized until they are locked and tagged. Working on or near live wires or coming in contact with overhead power lines accounts for just under 90% of workplace fatalities from electricity.
Lack of Ground-Fault Protection
Improper or worn protective features can also lead to electrical shock. Worn equipment may be ripped or torn, causing short circuits. Exposed electrical wiring or insulation breaks compromise their isolating qualities and send current through your body. In some cases, incomplete grounding can spark fires or explosions.
Path to Ground Missing
If your power supply is not grounded — or the path to a non-conductive material has been broken — current can travel through equipment and into your body to complete a circuit. Even if your power system is properly grounded, environmental factors or other conditions can alter a carefully designed system in catastrophic ways.
Equipment Used Outside of Specification
Circuits and the materials within them are only rated for specific ranges of electrical capacity. If electrical equipment is used in ways incompatible with its design, built-in safety features may not protect you. You can damage your machinery or devices and get hurt as components fail to contain the power.
Make sure you follow manufacturer instructions and only use equipment approved to meet OSHA standards.
Improper Use of Extension Cords
Whether at work or home, extension cords or flexible cords can also create hazardous conditions if they are overloaded, worn or modified.
Even many professionals may be unaware of the ratings for their extension cords or may try to chain together several cords in an unsafe way to reach a distant worksite. Cords not rated for outdoor exposure may short or fail when exposed to weather or other difficult conditions.
Get Training on Electrical Safety
OSHA Education Center is a leading provider of online safety training. We offer several online electrical safety training courses that will keep you safe as you work on or alongside energized circuits.
Electrical Safety Online Course
This online safety course complies with OSHA training requirements in 29 CFR 1910.331 for non-qualified employees, although workers in all fields and of all skill levels can benefit from this course.
Topics covered include:
- The basics of electricity
- Circuits and current flow
- Recognizing and avoiding potential hazards
- Special work environments
- How to handle an accident
Upon completion, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. You can download and print your certificate immediately.
NFPA 70E Training
NFPA 70E is just one of the many standards designed by the National Fire Protection Association to protect workers from the dangers of electricity.
This course of instruction will benefit anyone who interacts with power systems. NFPA 70E certification is ideal for electricians or anyone exposed to such hazards as part of their job.
This introductory NFPA 70E educational program includes four learning modules:
- On-the-job hazards
- Risk assessments and controls
- Maintenance and special equipment
- NFPA 70E and OSHA resources
Each module includes a short quiz. The class concludes with a 20-question final exam. You must score at least 70% on the assessment to complete the course.
Electrical Certificate Course
This one-hour certificate course teaches you about general OSHA requirements for working around power and powered equipment. You will also learn about:
- Hazardous locations
- Equipment operating above 600 volts
- The importance of grounding
- OSHA regulations for switches, switchboards and enclosure
- Equipment for general use
The basic principles in these lessons are widely applicable. Learn valuable tips that will be useful in every job you will ever have.
Electrical Safety and Lockout/Tagout
Failure to lock out machinery before working is a major cause of workplace injuries and death and is one of OSHA's top 10 violations nearly every year.
If you perform maintenance or service on equipment, you can be injured by the unexpected startup of machinery, which can release stored energy.
This one-hour safety training course helps you:
- Understand how electricity works and the primary hazards
- Identify the general training requirements to meet OSHA standards
- How to properly lock and tag equipment, guard live parts and ground equipment using circuit protection devices
SST 1-Hour Electrocution Prevention
For construction workers in New York City, this one-hour Site Safety Training (SST) course will provide you with proactive ways to avoid hazards on the job. This program provides one hour of your SST general elective credit that you can apply toward your full SST card.
Learn with Us
OSHA Education Center is the leading workplace safety training provider, offering programs designed around both federal regulations and local statutes. All courses are 100% online so you can study at home, on the job or anywhere with an internet-connected device 24/7.
Start and stop your sessions as often as you like and pick up where you left off.
Each course is designed by leading industry experts to teach you the skills to stay safe and meet industry standards. Engage with a mix of text, audio narration, full-motion video and helpful illustrations.
Purchase your online training from OSHA Education Center to learn valuable skills, advance your career and stay safe in the workplace!