What are the Best Resources for Electrical Safety?

May 19, 2023

May is National Electrical Safety Month. Each year, electrically related incidents disrupt livelihoods and families due to injuries, deaths, and property losses. Currently, over 750,000 industrial electrical workers are not using proper protection. This number is even more alarming because NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace – a standard all electricians are likely familiar with – was first introduced over 40 years ago and was adopted by OSHA in 2000.

Public education on electrical safety is key for reducing electrical incidents and inspiring better adoption of safety standards. That’s why each May, we join Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) to promote safety around electric appliances, equipment, and power lines.

How ESFI Commemorates Electrical Safety Month

ESFI is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance electrical safety and awareness – both at home and in the workplace. During Electrical Safety Month, ESFI provides action items and multimedia resources for communities, organizations, schools, and even families to spread the word about electrical safety. ESFI’s advocacy efforts include:

Partnering with corporations, organizations, the community, and the media to develop electrical safety messages and resources
Engaging in public education campaigns to prevent electrical fires, injuries, and fatalities
Educating consumers and the public about the warning signs of electrical hazards
Pushing for the adoption of legislation, codes, and standards for electrical safety
Serving as a national resource and the leading authority for electrical safety information

As a company that supplies lifesaving arc-rated (AR) clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) to thousands of electrical workers, Tyndale remains active in furthering electrical safety throughout the year. One of our most important contributions is participating in industry organizations that train and advocate for workers. A leading organization in which Tyndale participates is the Partnership for Electrical Safety (PES).

How PES Contributes to Electrical Safety Month

PES is a group of like-minded organizations that promote the usage of appropriate PPE and/or arc-rated clothing for electric-related jobs. PES’ mission and vision strongly overlap with Electrical Safety Month. PES believes that all electrical workers deserve equal protection from arc flash. The organization recommends that all electrical workers follow NFPA 70E, and that it should be broadly adopted across the US. Their main mission is threefold:

To educate those at risk
To make plain to relevant oversight entities the need for the use of PPE when doing industrial electrical work
To illustrate the extreme human and financial costs of non-compliance

Tyndale’s own Scott Margolin, Vice President of Technical, is Co-Chair of this organization. Tyndale is proud to support and participate in PES initiatives.

Additional Resources for Electrical Safety Month

As you explore resources during Electrical Safety Month, we’re happy to recommend additional partner organizations that provide industry leadership and advocate for electrical workers:

Electrical Training Alliance (ETA): Tyndale is a Platinum Training Partner of ETA, the leading publisher of educational materials for the electrical industry – and the curriculum endorsed for 70+ years by the industry’s largest labor organizations, IBEW and NECA.

Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC): Tyndale’s Scott Margolin sits on the Safety Committee for this nonprofit trade group, representing 3,600+ premier firms employing 80,000+ non-union electrical and systems workers throughout the US. The association’s world-class training programs educate nearly 14,000 electrical professionals each year.

ASTM F1959: Tyndale’s Scott Margolin is Chairman of the ASTM committee responsible for maintaining the Standard Test Method for Determining the Arc Rating of Materials for Clothing. This test method is critical to electrical safety – it’s the official method for determining how much arc flash protection a fabric or fabric system provides to the wearer.

Tyndale places emphasis on protecting workers through education and training resources. View our list of resources below:

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