Section: VIECA
5 common electrical safety errors
ESFI: The Electrified Future Has Arrived
Fast, Reliable Smoke Detection for the Dustiest Settings
Early smoke detection is often critical to quickly suppress fires.
How Workers Can Protect Themselves from Heat
As weathers become more extreme this summer, protecting yourself from extreme heat is important.
Emergency Lighting in Commercial Buildings Switches On
According to a report from market research firm Guidehouse Insights, smart technology is beginning to make inroads into emergency lighting systems for commercial buildings
Heavier Demand on the Grid Could Lead to Rolling Blackouts, Summer Power Outages
An early summer heatwave has much of the nation scrambling to keep cool. That means more demand on the electric grid as people turn on more fans and dial down their air conditioner settings.
Layering Arc Rated Apparel Any Better or Worse Than Arc Flash Suit Protection?
The topic of layering arc-rated apparel and its protection in comparison to other protective apparel is often a hot topic of discussion.
New Survey Shows Worker Opinion on Electrical Safety
The survey by Fluke Corporation compares data from 2020, 2021 and 2022 and was collected from February 1 to 28, 2022.
Cal/OSHA Proposes $1.75M in Total Penalties for Four Companies
Be careful when using pressure washers
Pressure washers are a great tool for powering away dirt, grime and other stuff from aluminum siding, patios and sidewalks.
Look up: Ladders and overhead power lines
From 1992 to 2005, at least 154 workers were killed after a metal ladder they were using came in contact with an overhead power line, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited in a recent NIOSH review.
The Rise of Electrification—The Electrical Safety PPE You Should Know  
Over the past several months, the term “electrification” has made its way into national conversation. Simply put, electrification means converting the way a?machine or system?operates?to the use of electrical power.
Temporary power safety
Contact with electricity is one of the leading causes of fatalities in construction, according to OSHA.
ESFI Offers Safety Tips Ahead of Fire Prevention Week
The tips urge consumers to prevent fires by properly installing smoke alarms and learning how to cook at home safely.
Combustible Dust and PPE — 2 NFPA Standards to Know to Improve Safety Culture
Combustible dust. I feel like it doesn’t matter how many webinars, articles or podcasts that we do on this subject – there is always something new to explore. Today, I have with me Scott Francis, who is going to talk with me all about the basics of combustible dust but we also get pretty deep into some NFPA standards and what they say about how to protect workers from this dangerous dust.

15 Safety Precautions To Take When Working With Electricity
It’s vitally important to take safety precautions when working with electricity. Safety must not be compromised and some ground rules need to be followed first.
All Systems Go: How automation can make buildings more energy-efficient
Automating building lighting systems can make them more efficient and spell great opportunity for electrical contractors.
The Perfect Storm: Weather-related disasters yield opportunities, insights into safety
2020 set records for multibillion-dollar, weather-related disasters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s annual tally of hurricanes, tropical storms, floods, heat waves, droughts and wildfires since 1980 shows these events continuing to grow ominously in frequency and severity.
Understanding and eliminating arc flash
The No. 1 cause of an arc flash is simple: human interaction with equipment. Even if an asset has been “deenergized” before any type of inspection or maintenance activity takes place, there’s still a small amount of electrical charge within the system.
Arc Flash Risk Assessment Frequency Requirements
An arc flash risk assessment is one of the most important requirements to recognize, measure, and mitigate risk to electrical workers. In the event of an electrical incident such as arc flash burns or electrical shock, serious injury and even fatalities can occur.
Electricians: A High Voltage Job
John Sevcik is an exceptionally meticulous man. Whether tending his yard or repairing a porch railing, he'll check, then recheck every detail -- once, twice, maybe even three times. No, he's not obsessive-compulsive. It's that as an electrician, he likes to play it 100 percent safe -- all the time.
How to Engineer and Maintain Safe Electrical Work Practices
With the end of May comes the end of National Electrical Safety Month. An entire month dedicated to safety – at home, at work and wherever else our lives take us. But is this enough?
Electrical equipment in the office: do’s and don’ts
“Improper use of electrical equipment can create overheated equipment, which can lead to fires, shock and electrocution,” warns IDOL, which provides some do’s and don’ts regarding certain electrical equipment.
ESFI Announces “Connected to Safety” as National Electrical Safety Month Theme
May is National Electrical Safety Month, and the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is launching its annual effort to help reduce electrically-related fatalities, injuries, and property loss. This year’s campaign theme is “Connected to Safety,” which educates consumers on the emerging technology that ensures their homes are prepared to keep up with today’s energy demands.
“Faces of Fire”: New NFPA campaign promotes awareness of electrical safety
A new safety campaign from the National Fire Protection Association tells the stories of people who were injured in electrical incidents both on the job and at home.
ESFI Releases New Workplace Safety Data
Each year ESFI compiles yearly workplace electrical injury statistics based on data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries (SOII) to distill information specifically pertaining to fatal and nonfatal occupational electrical injuries. The most recent data covers the 26 years from 1992-2019 but mainly focuses on 2003-2019 data.
10 ELECTRICAL SAFETY TIPS FOR THE WORKPLACE
Today, any office or workplace setting operates on electricity. Electrical equipment, from computers to machinery can all be potentially hazardous and can cause shock and burn injuries if improperly used or maintained. Though most general personnel don’t need specialized electrical safety training, if you work around electricity, but are not qualified to directly handle electrical components, it’s important to follow electrical safety-related work practices to keep yourself and others safe.
What Workforce Challenges Are Ahead for Key Construction Industry Segments?
AGC Action Alert
COVID-19 pandemic: Biden signs Executive Order directing OSHA, MSHA to consider emergency temporary standards
President Joe Biden on Jan. 21 signed an Executive Order directing OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration to consider emergency temporary standards related to COVID-19, among other steps. If those emergency temporary standards are considered necessary, the Executive Order, titled Protecting Worker Health and Safety, calls on the agencies to issue them by March 15.
Stay safe when using portable generators
Portable generators can be found in many workplaces. Among the risks users face, according to OSHA, are shocks and electrocution from improper use of power or unintentionally energizing other electrical systems, and fires from improperly refueling the generator or not storing fuel correctly.
NFPA 70E: Five key revisions for 2021
“We all work around electricity, but we may or may not have strong familiarity with the actual hazards of electricity,” said Hugh Hoagland, senior partner and co-founder of e-Hazard, an electrical safety training provider. “We get used to it. You don’t think about the actual hazard every time you do an electrical task, some of which are basically inane if nothing goes wrong. But they can be catastrophic if something goes wrong.”
NEMA Publishes COVID-19 Guide for Disinfecting Electrical Equipment
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) recently published NEMA GD 4-2020 COVID-19 Cleaning and Disinfecting Guidance for Electrical Equipment. Since managing the COVID-19 virus requires proper cleaning and disinfecting of equipment..
Improve your Electrical Maintenance Inspection Efficiency and Safety
Updated NFPA guidelines mean facilities must reevaluate how they perform thermal imaging tests. A new era has arrived for electrical equipment maintenance, and worker safety is predominant. The days of suiting up in personal protective equipment (PPE) and hoping for the best are over.
Five Electrical Safety Tips for Commercial Buildings
Whether you’re a company CEO, a higher-up, or the owner of a commercial building, keeping your establishment a safe place for everyone will increase their productivity and give you peace of mind as well.
Developing an Electrical Safety Program
Every organization should create an electrical safety program that not only mitigates the hazards, but also provides the recommended best practices for working on and around electrical hazards.
Electrical Safety for all Workers
“You can’t smell it. You can’t taste it, can’t see it,” said Brett Brenner, president of the Electrical Safety Foundation International. “And typically you don’t really even have to go within 10 feet of it for it to really negatively impact you.”
Tips on Commercial Electrical Wiring
Commercial buildings require special considerations when it comes to electrical wiring. Most commercial buildings do not have the luxury of a wooden frame to run wires through, so other wiring methods must be used.
Proper installation of arc-resistant equipment
Arc-resistant equipment such as medium-voltage control centers can help protect workers from dangerous arc flashes. Unfortunately, many users of this type of equipment compromise its protection capabilities because of a crucial problem: improper or incomplete installation.