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Electrical
NEW Visit the Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution Standard Page
for information on the new final rule.
Working with electricity can be dangerous. Engineers, electricians, and other professionals work with electricity directly, including working on overhead lines, cable harnesses, and circuit assemblies. Others, such as office workers and sales people, work with electricity indirectly and may also be exposed to electrical hazards.
Electricity has long been recognized as a serious workplace hazard. OSHA's electrical standards are designed to protect employees exposed to dangers such as electric shock, electrocution, fires, and explosions. Electrical hazards are addressed in specific standards for the general industry, shipyard employment, and marine terminals.
How do I find out about employer responsibilities and worker rights?
Workers have a right to a safe workplace. The law requires employers to provide their employees with working conditions that are free of known dangers. The OSHA law also prohibits employers from retaliating against employees for exercising their rights under the law (including the right to raise a health and safety concern or report an injury). For more information see www.whistleblowers.gov or worker rights.
OSHA has a great deal of information to assist employers in complying with their responsibilities under the OSHA law.
OSHA can help answer questions or concerns from employers and workers. To reach your regional or area OSHA office, go to OSHA's Regional & Area Offices webpage or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).
Small business employers may contact OSHA's free and confidential on-site consultation service to help determine whether there are hazards at their worksites and work with OSHA on correcting any identified hazards. On-site consultation services are separate from enforcement activities and do not result in penalties or citations. To contact OSHA's free consultation service, go to OSHA's On-site Consultation webpage or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) and press number 4.
Workers may file a complaint to have OSHA inspect their workplace if they believe that their employer is not following OSHA standards or that there are serious hazards. Employees can file a complaint with OSHA by calling 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), online via eCompliant Form, or by printing the complaint form and mailing or faxing it to your local OSHA area office. Complaints that are signed by an employee are more likely to result in an inspection.
If you think your job is unsafe or you have questions, contact OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742). It's confidential. We can help. For other valuable worker protection information, such as Workers' Rights, Employer Responsibilities, and other services OSHA offers, visit OSHA's Workers' page.
Highlights
- NEW OSHA announces final rule revising standards for electric power generation, transmission and distribution. OSHA News Release, (2014, April 1). OSHA sent to the Federal Register a final rule (PDF*) to improve workplace safety and health for workers performing electric power generation, transmission and distribution work.
- Subpart S – Electrical Standard. OSHA eTool.
- Hazard Alert: Incorrectly Refurbished Circuit Breakers. OSHA, (2011).
- Certification of Workplace Products by Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (PDF). OSHA Safety and Health Information Bulletin (SHIB), (2010, February 16).
- Electrical Standard; Final Rule. OSHA Federal Register Final Rules 72:7135-7221, (2007, February 14). Focuses on safety in the design and installation of electric equipment in the workplace. This revision provides the first update of the installation requirements in the general industry electrical installation standard since 1981.
- Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution. OSHA eTool. Describes the many parts of the electric power system.
- Ergonomics: Solutions for Electrical Contractors. OSHA eTool. Describes common hazards that electrical contractors may encounter and possible solutions for these hazards.
*Accessibility Assistance: Contact OSHA's Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management at (202) 693-2300 for assistance accessing PDF materials.
All other documents, that are not PDF materials or formatted for the web, are available as Microsoft Office® formats and videos and are noted accordingly. If additional assistance is needed with reading, reviewing or accessing these documents or any figures and illustrations, please also contact OSHA's Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management at (202) 693-2300.
**eBooks - EPUB is the most common format for e-Books. If you use a Sony Reader, a Nook, or an iPad you can download the EPUB file format. If you use a Kindle, you can download the MOBI file format.
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