National Electrical Safety Month highlights Safe Practices in an Increasingly Electrified World

By the  National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Electricity powers and simplifies modern life, but it also presents serious risks, including electric shock and fire-related hazards. The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) supports National Electrical Safety Month, an annual campaign sponsored by Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), each May, to increase awareness of electrical hazards and promote safe practices at home and on the job.

“As the world becomes more electrified and we continue to find new ways to harness and utilize electricity – from homes and workplaces to data centers, energy storage, and electric vehicle charging – raising awareness about electrical safety is more important than ever,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA vice president of Outreach and Advocacy. “By providing clear, practical information we empower individuals to recognize both the familiar and emerging risks and make safer choices. National Electrical Safety Month helps bring this message to a broader audience.”    

Electrical Safety Tips and Resources for the Public

Homeowners can take the following steps to reduce risk in today’s increasingly electrified world:

  • Have all electrical work – repairs, installations, or upgrades – done by a qualified electrician.
  • Handle lithium-ion batteries safely. Buy, charge, and dispose of them properly to reduce the risk of fire or injury.
  • Understand electric vehicle (EV) safety. Follow proper charging, maintenance, and safety practices.

Available resources for homeowners:

Electrical Safety Tips and Resources for Professional Workers

Electrical safety is also critical for a wide range of professionals. The latest data from NFPA shows that 147 workers died from exposure to electricity in 2023 – a slight increase over the 145 deaths reported in 2022.

In today’s increasingly electrified work environments, these safety tips from NFPA and ESFI can help workers reduce risk:

  • Be proactive about de-energizing equipment and take steps to ensure your work environment remains safe.
  • Facilities are safer when they use listed products that are installed by qualified workers to meet NFPA 70®, National Electrical Code® (NEC®) requirements.
  • As demand for critical electrical infrastructure grows, like data centers, energy storage, and EV charging, companies must ensure that workers are using NFPA 70E® safe electrical work practices, and those workers must know when to stop if conditions are unsafe or beyond their training.

 Resources for professionals:

Survivor Stories and Additional Resources

In 2020, NFPA introduced Faces of Fire/Electrical, a video awareness campaign focused on electrical hazards that was created in collaboration with the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors. The series reminds everyone about the importance of taking action – at home and in the workplace – to help stop electrical incidents from happening.

For more tips and resources including infographics, fact sheets, and videos related to electrical fire safety, visit the NFPA Electrical Safety in the Home webpage.

Information about electrical codes and standards, and worker safety training, can be found on the “About NFPA 70E webpage.”

For this release and other announcements about NFPA initiatives, research, and resources, please visit the NFPA press room.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global self-funded nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. For more information, visit www.nfpa.org. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed online for free at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.