Arc Flash and Electrical Safety Best Practices (NFPA 70E 2024 Edition)

For linemen and other utility workers, death by electrocution is a daily hazard that requires attention. In the utility sector, awareness of electrical hazards must be a daily theme for safety and training professionals.

To reduce the risk of injury in the utility industry, trade associations and federal agencies now have many safe work practices and procedures in place to protect employees when working on or near energized electrical equipment and conductors. Current regulations and industry standards are now in place to protect electrical workers from the hazards of shock, electrocution, arc flash, and arc blast.

The two main regulatory bodies that govern electrical safety in the workplace are the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The National Fire Protection Association is recognized for providing information and guidelines that protect workers from electrical hazards, while OSHA is the enforcement agency for electrical safety in the workplace.

The purpose of the NFPA standard 70E (2024 edition) is to provide a standard for safety-related work practices for the construction, maintenance, operation and demolition of electrical systems in the workplace. This program covers awareness-level information for workers who have jobs or assignments that bring them into contact with electrical hazards, such as arc flash and electric shock. Completing this lesson does not designate an employee as an electrically-qualified worker.