What the regulations require of an electrical contracting operation, in the order an inspector or a prequalification portal will ask for it. Written for the person who has to run the program.
Electrical contractors must comply with both OSHA's general industry electrical standards (1910 Subpart S) and construction electrical standards (1926 Subpart K). Employees who face a risk of electric shock that is not reduced to a safe level by the electrical installation requirements must be trained as qualified persons (1910.332). Work on or near exposed energized parts requires either de-energizing the circuit or implementing an energized electrical work permit with appropriate PPE — the decision must be documented.
A written electrical safety program that defines qualified and unqualified persons, establishes safe work practices, and documents the approach boundaries for shock and arc flash. An energized electrical work permit process for any work on or near energized conductors above 50 volts. An arc flash risk assessment for each piece of equipment employees will work on, with incident energy calculations or the tables method from NFPA 70E. PPE selection based on the incident energy analysis, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Treating all electricians as automatically "qualified." Under the standard, a qualified person is one who has been trained in and demonstrated the ability to distinguish exposed live parts, determine nominal voltages, and know the clearance distances. Training an apprentice on residential wiring does not make them qualified to work in an industrial panel. The qualification is task-specific and voltage-specific, and the employer must be able to document it for each employee.
A written electrical safety program, current and specific to the work performed. Documentation of qualified person status for each employee, including the voltage levels and equipment types they are qualified to work on. Energized work permits for any instance where work was performed on or near energized conductors. Arc flash labels on equipment or documented risk assessments.
Electrical contractors performing installation, maintenance, or service on equipment must implement lockout/tagout procedures when they could be exposed to hazardous energy (1910.147, 1926.417). For construction work, circuits must be de-energized before work begins, locks and tags applied at the disconnecting means, and the circuit verified as de-energized at the point of work. The standard requires written, equipment-specific procedures, training for authorized and affected employees, and annual periodic inspections.
A written energy control program with procedures for each type of electrical equipment the company works on. Verification procedures — not just turning off the breaker, but testing at the point of work with a properly rated voltage detector to confirm zero energy. Personal locks and tags for every authorized employee, uniquely identified. Annual periodic inspection certifications for each procedure.
Relying on someone else's lockout. When an electrical contractor works in a host employer's facility, the host's lockout procedures and the contractor's procedures must be coordinated. If the host employer controls the disconnecting means, the contractor must still apply their own lock and verify de-energization independently. A verbal assurance that "the power is off" is not lockout.
Written energy control procedures for each type of equipment or circuit. Training records for all authorized and affected employees. Annual periodic inspection certifications, dated and signed. Documentation of multi-employer lockout coordination when working in host facilities.
Run the free assessment. Ten minutes of questions about your work, and you get a named list of the programs, trainings, and inspections you're required to hold — not a score out of a hundred.
See what you're missingElectrical contractors working at heights of six feet or more on construction sites must provide fall protection (1926.501). This includes work on rooftops for equipment installation, work from aerial lifts, and work on scaffolding. For general industry work in existing facilities, the trigger height is four feet (1910.28). Ladder safety requirements apply to all portable ladders (1926.1053), and aerial lift operators must be trained and wear fall restraint while in the basket (1926.453).
A fall protection plan identifying tasks that expose employees to fall hazards and the specific protection methods (guardrails, personal fall arrest, positioning devices) for each. Training for each employee in the recognition of fall hazards and the procedures to minimize them. Inspection requirements for personal fall arrest systems — harnesses, lanyards, and anchorages — before each use. Aerial lift training and evaluation for every operator.
Electricians working off ladders at heights above six feet without fall protection. The construction standard does not exempt ladder use from fall protection requirements — if the work position puts the employee six feet or more above a lower level, fall protection is required regardless of whether a ladder is the access method. The same applies to rooftop equipment installation, which frequently lacks perimeter protection.
A fall protection plan or site-specific fall protection procedures. Training records for each employee, including the specific fall hazards and protection methods covered. Equipment inspection records for harnesses, lanyards, connectors, and anchorages. Aerial lift operator training and evaluation records.
Electrical contractors using hazardous chemicals — solvents, fluxes, sealants, lubricants, PVC cement, cable-pulling compounds, cleaning agents — must implement a written Hazard Communication program (1910.1200). On multi-employer construction sites, the program must also account for chemicals brought to the site by other trades. The contractor's employees must be trained on the hazards of chemicals they may be exposed to, not just the ones they bring to the jobsite.
A written HazCom program specific to the company's operations, describing the labeling system, SDS management, and training procedures. A chemical inventory of all hazardous chemicals the company uses. SDS for every chemical on the inventory, readily accessible at the jobsite. Training records showing employees know the chemicals on their jobs, the hazards, and the protective measures.
Not accounting for other trades' chemicals on multi-employer sites. If a painting contractor is spraying in the same space where your electricians are pulling wire, your employees are exposed to those chemicals. The GC's site-specific HazCom plan should cover this, but your company still needs to ensure your employees are trained on what to do when other trades introduce hazards into their work area.
Written Hazard Communication program, company-specific and dated. Current chemical inventory. SDS system accessible at every jobsite. Training records showing employees were trained at hire, when new chemicals are introduced, and for site-specific hazards on multi-employer sites.
Electrical safety training for qualified persons (1910.332). Lockout/tagout training for authorized and affected employees (1910.147(c)(7)). Fall protection training (1926.503). Ladder safety training (1926.1060). Hazard communication training (1910.1200(h)). First aid/CPR if medical facilities are not in near proximity (1926.50). Aerial lift operator training (1926.453). Confined space entry training if applicable (1926.1204). Trenching and excavation safety for employees working in or around trenches (1926.651).
A training matrix showing which employees need which training based on their actual job tasks. Dated records of each training including topic, trainer, and how comprehension was verified. A system to track retraining triggers — not just calendar dates, but circumstantial triggers like new equipment, new procedures, observed unsafe behavior, or changes in the work environment. Documentation that training was delivered by a qualified person.
Training the journeymen but not the apprentices on the specific hazards of the work they are performing. An apprentice pulling wire in an energized panel needs the same electrical safety training as the journeyman directing the work. The apprentice's trade school curriculum does not satisfy the employer's site-specific training obligation. The employer must document that training was given for the specific work environment and equipment.
Training records for each employee showing who was trained, on what topic, by whom, on what date, and how comprehension was established. Qualification records for each employee identifying the specific tasks, voltage levels, and equipment they are qualified to work on. Retraining records when triggered by circumstances. Current first aid/CPR certifications where required.
Electrical contracting establishments with more than 10 employees must maintain OSHA 300, 300A, and 301 forms (29 CFR 1904). The 300 Log records all recordable injuries and illnesses — including electrical burns, shocks, falls, and musculoskeletal injuries. The 300A Summary must be posted from February 1 to April 30 each year, certified by a company executive. Electrical contractors with 20–249 employees in certain NAICS codes must also electronically submit 300A data.
An OSHA 300 Log recording each recordable injury or illness within 7 calendar days. OSHA 301 Incident Reports for each entry on the 300 Log. The 300A Summary posted conspicuously during the required period. Five-year retention of all forms.
Electrical contact injuries that do not result in visible burns are often unreported. Any electrical shock that results in medical treatment beyond first aid is recordable — and OSHA interprets this broadly. A hospital visit for cardiac monitoring after an electrical contact event is medical treatment, even if the employee is released the same day with no findings. If the employee was sent for evaluation and the evaluation involved diagnostic testing, it is likely recordable.
Current year 300 Log with all entries made within 7 calendar days. Prior year 300A Summary still posted or evidence of posting. Five years of 300, 300A, and 301 forms retained and available for inspection. Electronic submission confirmation if on OSHA's e-submission list.
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