There is no better electrical safety standard than NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace. It’s a work practices document, composed and approved through consensus and input from a wide range of subject matter experts and members of the public. It follows the ANSI standards-making process with an end goal specifically designed to protect personnel from the hazards of electricity, especially the electrical worker in the field.
But it’s not exactly an easy document to read. We must, by design, use certain terms, constructs, and language to maintain consistency and enforceability of the standard. Because of that, it can sometimes be misunderstood or difficult to retain some of the basic beneficial aspects of the standard.
Because we all struggle with the same issue — a shortage of qualified workers in a labor-constrained market — it’s important to not lose sight of the most basic fundamentals of electrical safety, especially the requirements of NFPA 70E. Training and educating our workforce to understand key elements of the 70E is critical to their success and ability to perform their work safely.
Overcoming learning barriers as a busy technician with limited time for training can be challenging,but it is entirely achievable with the right approach. So how do you learn those basic core aspects of the 70E, especially if you are new to the electrical services industry?
THE LEARNING JOURNEY
It seems logical that you should follow a process that best suits your learning style, or your employee’s learning style, to maximize retention of the facts. Here are a few suggestions to make the journey a little more straightforward.
Let’s start with an eight-item list… your learning dashboard if you will:
- Commit to a 100% safety mindset
- Prioritize foundational knowledge
- Understand the available safety standards and regulations
- Get practical, hands-on experience
- Determine the best learning resources for you
- Connect with a mentor
- Be consistent in your actions and attitude
- Read No. 1 again
No. 1: Commit to a 100% Safety Mindset
They say attitude is everything, and if you don’t have the right attitude when it comes to the hazards of electricity, then we might as well stop right here. Electricity will kill you. Hurt you. Maim you. Remember that each and every day, no matter how complicated, or importantly, how simple the task.
If you understand and commit to a role that places the responsibilities of electrical safety knowledge and awareness on you, then your personal accountability, effort, and willingness to learn should all be in sync with each other. Don’t discount this aspect — it’s on you. It’s just too important to not completely understand this.
Lastly, foster a safety-first mindset. Treat every task involving electricity with respect and caution. Embrace a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating potential hazards before they escalate. Here’s a good one to learn for an electrical safety mindset: Turn it off!
- Section 120.6 Process for Establishing and Verifying an Electrically Safe Work Condition, tells you exactly how to do that. If you don’t learn anything else, learn this part. It’s that important.
No. 2: Prioritize Foundational Knowledge
You must know the basics if you are to understand how to deal with them, and it starts with foundational knowledge. You need to understand basic electrical principles and terminology, as this forms the backbone of safety protocols and procedures. Concepts like voltage, current, resistance, and circuit construction are fundamental requirements.
If you don’t know the foundational aspects of electrical safety, the activities you perform throughout the day can cascade into a significant injury event. Here’s a good basic aspect of electrical work to understand: lockout/tagout.
- Article 120 Lockout/Tagout Principles. Before performing maintenance or repairs on electrical equipment, you have to make sure proper lockout/tagout procedures are followed to de-energize the equipment and prevent unexpected energization. Article 120 speaks to establishing an electrically safe work condition.
- Section 120.2 through Section 120.5 detail the principles for the lockout/tagout process and how to safely isolate electrical sources.
No. 3: Understand the Available Safety Standards, Regulations, and Policies
Next, focus on safety standards, regulations, and policies. In addition to NFPA 70E, familiarize yourself with NETA testing standards, OSHA guidelines, company policies, and local codes. These provide an essential framework and supplemental data for safe work practices in your specific field or job description. While it might seem overwhelming, don’t hesitate to reach out to your work peers or supervisors for guidance or clarification on these standards. Also see No. 6: connecting with a mentor.
Article 110 General Requirements for Electrical Installations, which covers risk assessment and job planning, is important to understand. Before starting any electrical work, you must assess the risks involved and plan the job accordingly. This includes identifying potential hazards, selecting appropriate tools and equipment, and implementing necessary safety measures.
- Subsection 110.3(H) Risk Assessment Procedure and Subsection 110.3(I) Job Safety Planning and Job Briefing provide guidelines for conducting risk assessment and developing a job plan and procedures based on the specific task and environment.
No. 4: Get Practical, Hands-On Experience
Practical experience is invaluable. Whenever possible, observe experienced technicians during your day-to-day activities. How are they doing it? What are their actions and attitudes? Be observant, ask questions, and take notes on their safety practices. Hands-on learning reinforces theoretical knowledge and builds confidence in applying the right safety procedures….ultimately making it better for everyone. The best way to learn is to actually do it. In concert with hands-on experience, you must have elements of training. Regardless of your experience level or years of service, you will (or should) never stop learning. Grab a meter, get out in the field, and keep up with your training. You know what you are trained to know.
- Section 110.4 Training Requirements provides guidance on training requirements. As you go through the various subsections, you will gain an understanding of electrical safety training, the types of training, which documentation you should keep, and what it means to be qualified (and importantly, when unqualified).
No. 5: Figure Out the Best Learning Resources for You
Make use of available resources efficiently and use the resources that are best suited for your learning style. Read that sentence again. Only you know what works best for you. Make sure you gravitate to that learning resource. It might be an online platform that offers interactive modules or virtual simulations tailored to electrical safety training. It might be books and instruction manuals. Or maybe it is instructor-led training.
Whichever method works for you try to participate as much as you can to expand your knowledge. Many of these resources can be accessed at your own pace, fitting into your schedule without disrupting work commitments. Management will notice people who take initiative and learn on their own. Do that and you will go far in your career.
No. 6: Connect with a Mentor
Those who have been around awhile can likely relate to this. Remember that one person in your life who gave you good advice, showed you the ropes and a few tricks of the trade, and made you better at what you do? If you were lucky enough to experience this, pay it forward to a younger person in your organization and give them those same mentorship opportunities.
If you are a younger person starting out, look around you. Who is a leader, a seasoned professional, someone who does things the right way, someone who has management’s respect and is a valuable member of your team? Talk to that person, get to know them, help them out without asking, and become a student of their craft. There is no better way to learn how to do things the right way than by sharing real-world insights and lessons from an experienced mentor.
An experienced electrical worker can provide great guidance on how to approach energized conductors or circuit parts, and importantly, what the shock and arc flash protection boundaries are.
- Section 130.4 Electric Shock Risk Assessment and Section 130.5 Arc Flash Risk Assessment are a treasure trove of important electrical safety information. Take the time to discuss them with your mentor.
No. 7: Be Consistent in Your Actions and Attitude
Consistency is key! Allocate small, dedicated time slots each week for learning electrical safety topics. Spending even 15–30 minutes a day can accumulate significant knowledge over time. Read articles, do online research, watch YouTube videos, set achievable goals, and track your progress to stay motivated.
A basic requirement for the electrical worker is to always wear the appropriate PPE based on the hazards you will be exposed to. The nominal voltage level of the equipment or surrounding environment, the incident energy level of the equipment you are working on, and other hazards that might be non-electrical all require you to wear the appropriate PPE. Be consistent in wearing the proper PPE. Don’t leave it in the truck or not wear it because it’s too hot. Remember, PPE is your last line of defense. Don’t be caught without it.
No. 8: Read No. 1 Again
None of the above really works if you don’t remember the first point we talked about: You must have a 100% safety mindset, all day, every day.
CONCLUSION
By combining these strategies —building foundational knowledge, understanding the standards and policies, getting practical hands-on experience, figuring out the best way to learn, seeking mentorship, maintaining consistency, and fostering a 100% safety mindset — you can overcome learning barriers and develop the electrical safety skills you need. Remember: Continuous learning and being able to recognize and adapt to changing environments are essential in a field as dynamic as electrical safety.
And before working on it — turn it off!
Ron Widup is the Vice Chairman, Board of Directors, and Senior Advisor, Technical Services for Shermco Industries and has been with Shermco since 1983. He is a member of the NETA Board of Directors and Standards Review Council; a Principal member of the Technical Committee on Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace (NFPA 70E); Principal member of the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) Code Panel 11; Principal member and Chairman of the Technical Committee on Standard for Competency of Third-Party Evaluation Bodies (NFPA 790); Principal member and Chairman of the Technical Committee on Recommended Practice and Procedures for Unlabeled Electrical Equipment Evaluation (NFPA 791); a Principal member of the Technical Committee Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance (NFPA 70B); and Vice Chair for IEEE Std. 3007.3, Recommended Practice for Electrical Safety in Industrial and Commercial Power Systems. He is a member of the Texas State Technical College System (TSTC) Board of Regents, a NETA Certified Level 4 Senior Test Technician, State of Texas Journeyman Electrician, a member of the IEEE Standards Association, an Inspector Member of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors, and an NFPA Certified Electrical Safety Compliance Professional (CESCP).