Electricians

Electricians face shock and arc flash every day, plus falls from ladders and lifts. The number one rule: work de-energized, and prove it.

• Construction
• General Industry

Establish an electrically safe work condition

1. Identify all sources of power (drawings, labels, field verification).
2. Turn off the load, then open the disconnect.
3. Visually verify the disconnect is open where possible.
4. Apply your lock and tag. See Lockout/Tagout.
5. Test for absence of voltage using the live-dead-live method: test your meter on a known live source, test the circuit, then test the meter on a live source again.
6. Ground conductors when there’s a chance of induced voltage or stored energy.

Other key hazards

• Arc flash: wear arc-rated PPE inside the arc flash boundary. See Arc Flash.
• Mislabeled panels and backfeed from generators or solar
• Falls from ladders and lifts; use fiberglass ladders
• Cuts and strains from pulling wire; silica when drilling and chasing walls

• Use meters rated for the voltage and category (CAT III/IV) and inspect leads.
• Energized work only when justified, with a permit and proper PPE.
• Keep one hand away (when appropriate) and remove jewelry.

Where electricians get hurt

• Working hot to save time: troubleshooting, adding a circuit to a live panel, or swapping a device with power on.
• The wrong circuit: mislabeled breakers, multiple feeds, shared neutrals and backfeed from generators, UPS systems or solar.
• New construction: temporary power, energized circuits next to dead ones, and other trades turning things on.
• Falls from ladders and lifts while working overhead.

Apprentices

Apprentices may only work on energized equipment under the direct supervision of a qualified electrician and on tasks they’ve been trained for. If you’re told to do something you haven’t been trained on, say so. See Qualified vs. Unqualified Workers and Apprenticeships.

Solar, batteries and EV chargers

Solar arrays produce power whenever light hits them and can’t simply be “turned off” at the panel. Battery systems store large amounts of energy. Follow the manufacturer’s shutdown procedures and verify each source. See Solar Installation and Battery Safety.

Before you touch it

• All sources identified, including generators, UPS, solar and control power
• Load off, disconnect open, lock and tag applied
• Meter rated for the job, leads inspected
• Live-dead-live test done on every conductor
• Capacitors discharged and conductors grounded if needed
• PPE right for the task (arc-rated clothing, gloves, face shield) until absence of voltage is proven
• Fiberglass ladder set up correctly

Last updated: October 1, 2026