Electrical Safety for Technicians & Supervisors

Upon completing this program, participants will be able to:

• Identify electrical hazards in the workplace: shock (contact with energised conductors), arc flash (explosive energy release), arc blast (pressure wave), and electrical fire, understanding the physiological effects and injury mechanisms of each.
• Apply OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S requirements: wiring design and protection, wiring methods and components, specific-purpose equipment, hazardous locations, and the safety-related work practices that OSHA requires for workers exposed to electrical hazards.
• Apply NFPA 70E safe work practices: the hierarchy of risk controls for electrical hazards (elimination, substitution, engineering, awareness, administrative, PPE), establishing an electrically safe work condition, and the six-step lockout/tagout process.
• Understand arc flash hazard analysis at the awareness level: incident energy concepts, arc flash boundary, limited approach boundary, restricted approach boundary, and how these boundaries determine safe working distances and required PPE.
• Select and use electrical PPE correctly: arc-rated (AR) clothing and PPE category selection based on incident energy levels, insulating gloves (voltage class, inspection, testing intervals), insulating blankets, voltage-rated tools, and face protection.
• Perform electrical lockout/tagout per OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 and NFPA 70E Article 120: identifying all energy sources, applying lockout/tagout devices, verifying zero-energy state through absence-of-voltage testing, and managing group lockout for multi-craft work.
• Evaluate when energised work is justified and manage energised electrical work permits: the conditions under which energised work is permitted when de-energisation creates a greater hazard or is infeasible, the permit authorisation process, and the additional safeguards required.
• Inspect and maintain portable electrical equipment and tools: visual inspection, ground pin verification, GFCI use, extension cord management, and the daily checks that prevent electrical incidents from damaged equipment.
• Apply proper grounding and bonding practices: equipment grounding, system grounding, temporary grounding for de-energised work, and the grounding verification procedures that ensure personnel protection.
• Fulfil supervisory electrical safety responsibilities: authorising work on or near electrical equipment, verifying that hazard analysis has been completed, confirming PPE selection matches the hazard, ensuring lockout/tagout is properly applied, and managing the safe return to service.

Core Curriculum Topics

• Electrical Hazard Recognition: shock, arc flash, arc blast, electrical fire — mechanisms, physiological effects, injury pathways, and real-world incident examples
• OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S: regulatory requirements for electrical safety in general industry, safety-related work practices, and the standards most frequently cited during OSHA inspections
• NFPA 70E Safe Work Practices: hierarchy of risk controls, establishing electrically safe work conditions, and the industry consensus standard that governs safe electrical work practices
• Arc Flash Awareness: incident energy, arc flash boundaries, approach boundaries, PPE categories, and how arc flash hazard analysis determines safe working conditions
• Electrical Lockout/Tagout: OSHA 1910.147 and NFPA 70E Article 120, energy source identification, lock/tag application, absence-of-voltage verification, group lockout, and re-energisation procedures
• Energised Electrical Work Permits: justification criteria, permit authorisation requirements, additional safeguards, risk controls, and documentation requirements when energised work cannot be avoided
• Electrical PPE Selection and Use: arc-rated clothing, insulating gloves (voltage classes 00–4), insulating blankets and mats, voltage-rated tools, face shields, balaclavas, and head protection
• Grounding and Bonding: equipment grounding, system grounding, temporary grounding, grounding verification, and the electrical principles that make grounding an effective personnel-protection measure
• Portable Equipment and Tool Safety: inspection procedures, testing requirements, GFCI protection, extension cord management, cord-and-plug equipment safety, and daily equipment checks
• Supervisory Responsibilities: work authorisation, hazard analysis verification, PPE compliance, lockout/tagout oversight, contractor coordination, and managing electrical safety performance within the work area

• Basic understanding of electrical systems recommended for technicians
• No formal electrical certification required
• Supervisors and safety professionals without electrical backgrounds are welcome
• All instruction in English; working proficiency required

Upon completion, graduates receive an American Institute of Safety Professionals certificate, wallet card, and transcript. Employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

• Maintenance technicians and electricians who work on or near energised electrical equipment
• Instrumentation and controls (I&C) technicians who troubleshoot and maintain electrical control systems
• Electrical supervisors and maintenance supervisors who authorise and oversee electrical work
• Facility managers and plant engineers responsible for electrical safety compliance
• Safety officers who manage electrical safety programmes and LOTO compliance
• Apprentice electricians and electrical trainees who need foundational electrical safety training before working on energised systems
• Any qualified or unqualified electrical worker as defined by NFPA 70E who needs to understand approach boundaries and safe work practices

Electrical Safety for Technicians and Supervisors — YOU ARE HERE (practical operational electrical safety)

• CSE: Certified Safety Engineer (includes electrical safety engineering: arc flash analysis, system design, NFPA 70E from an engineering perspective)
• International Diploma in Industrial Safety Management (Unit 4 covers fire protection, explosion prevention, AND electrical safety at diploma depth)
• International Diploma in Safety, Risk and Reliability Engineering (engineering analysis including reliability of electrical safety systems)

This course provides the practical operational competency for technicians and supervisors. The CSE and diplomas provide engineering-level and management-level electrical safety competency for deeper technical or strategic roles.