OSHA and Independent Electrical Contractors Renew Alliance

OSHA renewed its alliance with the Independent Electrical Contractors Inc. (IEC). The alliance will provide agency staff with NFPA 70E and arc flash training, as well as preventing worker exposures to electric shock and arc flash hazards, over the course of the five-year agreement.

Through the alliance, participants will also promote awareness of OSHA campaigns on preventing falls and heat illness, as well as promote a culture of safety through outreach, particularly to small businesses and workers with limited- and non-English speaking skills.

IEC is a national trade association for electrical and systems contractors. Founded in 1957, the association has 56 chapters nationwide that provide management, safety, and worker developmental training each year to more than 3,000 contracting businesses, comprising more than 100,000 employees and electrician apprentices.

"For more than a decade, OSHA and IEC have had a productive partnership developing resources to protect thousands of workers in the electrical industry," said OSHA Assistant Secretary of Labor Dr. David Michaels. "Our continued alliance will help ensure that employers and workers in this industry receive information and training that are essential to keeping their workplaces safe and healthful."

The alliance has developed fact sheets, toolbox talks, and guidance documents on:

• Updates to OSHA electrical standards
• Hazards involved in working on or near energized electrical conductors and circuit parts
• General safety guidance to help prevent fall-related injuries
• Safety considerations when using ladders