Electrical Safety for Non-Electricians

What every tradesperson, laborer and supervisor needs to know about electricity: how it hurts, which rules apply, and how to work safely around cords, tools, power lines and panels.

You don't have to be an electrician to be hurt by electricity. Carpenters, laborers, plumbers, equipment operators and painters are shocked, burned and killed every year by contact with power lines, damaged cords, wet equipment and live panels. This course explains how electricity injures the body, what the OSHA rules require, and the practical habits that keep non-electricians safe, with clear guidance on what you should never do and when to stop and call a qualified person.

What you’ll learn

  • Explain how electric current injures the body and why even low voltage can kill
  • Describe the OSHA rules and standards that cover electrical safety and who is qualified
  • Inspect and use cords, tools, GFCIs and temporary power safely
  • Keep safe distances from overhead power lines and respond if equipment makes contact
  • Apply lockout/tagout and understand when you must not touch electrical equipment
  • Recognize arc flash hazards and know what non-electricians must never do
  • Work safely in wet locations, with portable tools and around generators and batteries
  • Respond to electrical emergencies, shocks and electrical fires

Who it’s for

Construction workers, laborers, equipment operators, carpenters, plumbers, painters, maintenance staff, apprentices and supervisors who are not qualified electrical workers but work around electricity. No electrical background is needed.

Course outline

Module 1: How Electricity Hurts 3 lessons · quiz

Current, voltage, resistance and the human body, in plain terms, and who is allowed to work on what.

  • How electric shock injures and kills 11 min Free preview
  • Electricity basics for non-electricians 12 min
  • Qualified and unqualified workers 11 min
Module 2: The Rules That Apply to You 3 lessons · quiz

Which standards cover electrical work, what employers and workers must do, and the violations that show up again and again.

  • OSHA and consensus electrical standards 12 min
  • Employer and worker responsibilities 11 min
  • The most common electrical violations and hazards 11 min
Module 3: Cords, Tools, GFCIs and Temporary Power 3 lessons · quiz

The electrical equipment non-electricians use every day, and how to keep it from hurting someone.

  • Extension cords 12 min
  • GFCIs and assured grounding 12 min
  • Temporary power, lighting and generators 11 min
Module 4: Overhead and Underground Lines 3 lessons · quiz

Contact with power lines kills equipment operators, roofers and laborers every year. Learn the distances and what to do.

  • Overhead power lines 12 min
  • If equipment contacts a line 11 min
  • Underground lines 11 min
Module 5: Lockout/Tagout and Working Near Energized Equipment 3 lessons · quiz

How to make equipment safe to work on, how to prove it is dead, and what to do when you find exposed wiring.

  • Controlling hazardous energy: lockout/tagout 13 min
  • Testing for voltage and "live-dead-live" 11 min
  • When you find exposed wiring, damaged equipment or live parts 11 min
Module 6: Arc Flash and Electrical Rooms 3 lessons · quiz

The violent side of electricity, why you do not have to touch anything to be hurt, and what non-electricians must never do.

  • What an arc flash is 12 min
  • Labels, boundaries and PPE categories 11 min
  • What non-electricians must never do 11 min
Module 7: Wet Locations, Tools and Special Hazards 3 lessons · quiz

Water, portable tools, batteries, solar and static each bring their own electrical risks.

  • Working in wet and outdoor conditions 11 min
  • Portable tools and equipment 11 min
  • Hazardous locations, static, lightning and stored energy 12 min
Module 8: Emergencies and Everyday Habits 3 lessons · quiz

What to do when someone is shocked or equipment catches fire, and how to make safe habits automatic.

  • Responding to electric shock 12 min
  • Electrical fires 11 min
  • Daily habits and a pre-task electrical check 12 min

What’s included

  • 24 lessons you can read at your own pace, on a phone or a computer
  • A short quiz after every module, with the correct answer shown for any you miss
  • A final exam of 25 questions (pass at 80% or higher)
  • A numbered certificate of completion with a QR code anyone can scan to verify it
  • Your progress saved to your account, with access that doesn’t expire

Please read: this is a self-paced online learning course. It is not an OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 card, a license, or a government certification, and it does not by itself meet any training requirement in OSHA or state standards. Employers must still provide required, site-specific training and decide who is a competent or qualified person. See the full disclaimer.

Questions

Can an employer check my certificate? Yes. Each certificate has a number and a QR code that opens a public verification page on this site.

Can I get a refund? Yes, within 7 days of purchase if you have completed less than 25% of the course and haven’t earned its certificate. Email support@toddallynmedia.com. Details are in section 13 of the Terms of Use. Payment is handled by PayPal; we never see your card details.

What do I need? A free account and any phone, tablet or computer. Questions or problems? Email support@toddallynmedia.com.

Last updated: