May is National Electrical Safety Month. Whether it’s residential work, commercial projects, or large-scale infrastructure, electricians and contractors are dealing with electrical risks every day. As tools, codes, and technology continue to change, staying up to date on safety practices is an important part of the job.
That’s where the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) comes in. ESFI focuses on preventing electrical injuries, fatalities, and fires by providing straightforward safety education for both consumers and the skilled trades.
Trade Hounds CEO David Bauders sat down with Jennifer from ESFI to talk about what safety education looks like today and some of the biggest challenges ESFI is working to address.
The Electrical Safety Foundation International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and we are dedicated to reducing electrically related fires, injuries, and deaths through public education and outreach, while also being the trusted voice on electrical safety.
We’re trying to help educate people on various things around the house and in the workforce, and helping to provide them with the resources they need to make safer choices.
Training and qualified workers are key. We’re trying to make sure people understand that they can join the electrical industry as an electrician. There are a lot of other opportunities that are out there these days, and making sure that they’re trained well.
We don’t have training ourselves, but a lot of the materials we produce are used by others as part of their training programs. We have infographics, we have video shorts. They help break things up in some training formats. We’re just trying to help make sure people understand how important training is.
A lot of people don’t think anything is ever going to happen to them.
With something like lithium-ion batteries, they’re all over everybody’s homes, but they might not even realize that. They know they're in tablets and their laptops and their phones, but what about the electric vacuum, or their earbuds, or vapes? A lot of people don’t necessarily understand that these things have to be recycled very responsibly because they can start fires. It’s a really important issue.
Heavy truck drivers — they have a lot of opportunity to interact with overhead power lines. Complacency is another challenge. They drive down the same road every day for years, and after a storm, all of a sudden some of these lines are hanging down a little lower than they might have expected.
You have to be aware of your surroundings, and that’s one of the main things that we talk about.
We have a variety of both, and it’s not just for electrical workers. The workplace in general has all sorts of different electrical challenges and products.
Understanding when to say when is important. For example, if you don’t feel like you have the right training, or the right tools, or if you’re just not comfortable doing something you’ve been asked to do, you have the power to say, ‘I’m not qualified to do this.’
For National Electrical Safety Month, we have a variety of resources available. We talk about, again, lithium-ion batteries. Something else that a lot of people don’t understand is the importance of looking for electronics that are certified by a nationally recognized testing lab.
There are a number of things that people don’t realize, but if they take some steps now they can reduce possible headaches later.
Buying things from trusted retailers — companies that are going to stand by their products. Also, doing a little research ahead of time, depending on what it is that you’re purchasing. A lot of these things are so easy.
Also, looking at marks and understanding what those marks mean. I always saw some of these marks growing up, but I never really understood what they meant until I got into this role.
There are a lot of things that I’ve had to change. My 16-year-old stepson leaves his items charging all the time. I try to remind him that you have to unplug it when it’s done charging.
Even using electric blankets and allowing your dog to lie in your bed with an electric blanket on is really dangerous too.
Also, read the instructions. That’s really important, to read the instruction manual because there are really good tips in there as well.
At the end of the day, electrical safety isn’t just about codes, checklists, or compliance—it’s about making sure people go home safely after the job is done.
As new technologies and faster project timelines continue to reshape the trades, organizations like ESFI play a critical role in keeping safety education accessible, relevant, and practical for the people actually doing the work.
Want to hear more? Watch the full conversation with Jennifer from ESFI below to dive deeper into how electrical safety education is evolving across the industry.