Since May is National Electrical Safety Month, it may be time to provide some basic training that benefits all employees—and protects them from tragedies.

You would be shocked at how careless people are with electricity. Historically, electrocution has been a leading cause of death in the workplace. While the number of fatalities has decreased over the past several years—coinciding with OSHA's increased focus on electrical safety—there are plenty of ways that the average employee can be killed or seriously injured by electricity through carelessness or lack of knowledge. In addition to death by electrocution, serious injuries can be the result of:

• Electric shock—nonfatal incidents that still can be painful and often cause injuries that require a recovery period;
• Burns—which sometimes can be quite painful and serious;
• Falls—even a mild shock can knock people down or cause them to fall from step stools or ladders.

Leave electrical work to the experts. According to OSHA's Electrical Safety Standard (29 CFR 1910, Subpart S), only "qualified persons" are permitted to work with or near exposed and energized electrical equipment. These are persons who are familiar with how the equipment works, its hazards, and how to use it safely. By contrast, "unqualified" persons are those who may be exposed to electrical hazards but don't have the required expertise to work with electrical equipment—and they must, at a minimum, be trained in work practices needed to avoid hazards. Although the standard does not say it in so many words, it's reasonable to assume that the Number One safety rule for unqualified persons is to stay as far away from exposed electrical equipment as possible. Employees who are not specifically trained in electrical work should never attempt to repair or otherwise work on electrical equipment, even if a task seems too simple to bother calling an expert.

Every employee should know basic electrical safety practices. Even in a setting that does not have any obvious electrical hazards, it's well worth it to review with employees some basic, commonsense rules for avoiding electrical accidents and injuries. These rules include:

• Don't overload circuits, such as by running multiple appliances from a single outlet;
• Never plug in an appliance with a damaged electrical cord or use an extension cord that has damaged insulation;
• Never touch or handle electrical equipment, including cords, in wet conditions;
• Never use a power tool, an appliance, or other item of electrical equipment if it is sparking, smoking, or otherwise seems to be malfunctioning;
• Keep metal objects, large and small, away from electrical equipment.