National Electrical Safety Month

National Electrical Safety Month is an annual campaign held each May to raise awareness of electrical hazards at work and at home and to reduce electrically related deaths, injuries and fires. It is sponsored by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), a nonprofit that publishes free articles, guides, videos and downloadable resources for the campaign each year.

For employers, electrical hazards are not limited to electricians. Maintenance staff, equipment operators, warehouse workers and office employees all work around energized equipment, extension cords and power tools, so the month is a good time to check that everyone knows the basic rules.

When Is National Electrical Safety Month in 2027?

National Electrical Safety Month runs for the full month of May, from May 1 to May 31, 2027. ESFI holds the campaign every May and chooses its focus areas each year. For 2026, the ESFI campaign covered certified products and avoiding counterfeits, data center safety, qualified workers and industry recruitment, and safe charging of electric vehicles. ESFI announces each year’s topics closer to May, so the 2027 focus has not yet been published.

Why It Matters at Work

Electrical incidents are less common than some other causes of workplace death, but they are often severe. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 130 fatal occupational injuries from exposure to electricity in 2024 and 142 in 2023, according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. Many more workers suffer shocks, arc flash burns and falls caused by a shock while working at height.

Common causes on the job include:

• Working on or near equipment that was assumed to be off but was still energized.
• Damaged cords, missing ground pins and overloaded extension cords and power strips.
• Contact with overhead power lines by ladders, booms, cranes and dump bodies.
• Blocked electrical panels that slow down a shutoff in an emergency.
• Untrained workers attempting repairs that require a qualified person.

How to Take Part

• Use ESFI materials. Share ESFI’s articles and short videos, such as its guidance on workplace electrical hazards and knowing when to stop work, in team meetings and on bulletin boards.
• Inspect cords and tools. Run a facility-wide check of extension cords, portable tools and power strips, and remove anything damaged from service.
• Clear the panels. Walk the building and make sure electrical panels and disconnects are labeled and have clear working space in front of them.
• Review your lockout program. Audit a few equipment-specific procedures and observe a lockout in practice. Our glossary entry on lockout/tagout covers the basics.
• Check who is qualified. Confirm which employees are authorized to do electrical work and that their training records are current. The SMS360 glossary explains what makes a qualified person.
• Plan for overhead lines. Map overhead power lines at yards and job sites and brief drivers and equipment operators on safe clearances.

Toolbox Talk: Treat Every Circuit as Live

1. Assume it is energized. Until it has been shut off, locked out and tested, treat every wire and component as live.
2. Lock it, tag it, try it. Use your own lock, follow the written procedure and verify zero energy with a properly rated tester before you touch anything.
3. Inspect before you plug in. Check cords and tools for cuts, crushed insulation and missing ground pins. Take damaged equipment out of service.
4. Stay in your lane. Only qualified, authorized people work on electrical equipment. If you are not trained for it, report the problem instead of fixing it.
5. Look up. Before raising a ladder, boom or truck bed, check for overhead lines and keep a safe distance.
6. Keep panels clear. Never store materials in front of electrical panels. In an emergency, seconds count.

Discussion question: Where in our workplace are we most likely to find a damaged cord, a blocked panel or someone working on equipment they assumed was off?

Related Requirements

OSHA’s electrical safety standards for general industry in 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S cover both equipment and safe work practices. Under 1910.333, live parts must generally be deenergized before an employee works on or near them, unless deenergizing creates greater hazards or is not feasible, and deenergized equipment must be locked and tagged. Only qualified persons may work on energized parts, and employers must train workers for the electrical hazards of their jobs. Construction work falls under separate rules in 29 CFR 1926 Subpart K.

How SMS360 Helps

The Lockout/Tagout module helps you manage the procedures that keep workers safe around hazardous energy. Store equipment-specific procedures where workers can reach them on a mobile device, schedule and track lockout and electrical training, run periodic inspections with digital checklists and record findings, incidents and near misses from the floor. Corrective actions can be assigned and followed through, and dashboards show where inspections or training are overdue across sites.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is National Electrical Safety Month 2027?

National Electrical Safety Month runs all of May, from May 1 to May 31, 2027. The campaign is held every May. ESFI publishes the year’s focus topics and resources around the start of the month.

Who sponsors National Electrical Safety Month?

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) sponsors the campaign. ESFI is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting electrical safety at home and in the workplace, and it provides free materials that employers, schools and communities can use.

What is the theme for 2027?

ESFI has not yet announced its 2027 focus. The 2026 campaign covered product certification and counterfeits, data center safety, qualified workers and recruitment, and EV charging safety. Check the ESFI website ahead of May for the new topics.