Electrical Safety — General

Talking points

1. Electrocution is one of the Fatal Four causes of death in construction. It takes less than 100 milliamps — the amount of current through a 100-watt light bulb — to cause a fatal heart rhythm.
2. On construction sites, all 120-volt, single-phase, 15-, 20-, and 30-amp receptacle outlets on temporary power must be GFCI-protected, or covered by an AEGCP.
3. Before plugging in, inspect cords and tools for damage — frayed insulation, missing ground pins, cracked housings, or exposed wires. Remove damaged equipment from service.
4. Never use electrical equipment in wet conditions unless it is rated for wet use and protected by a GFCI.
5. Treat every wire and circuit as live until you have personally verified it is de-energized, locked out, and tested with a voltage detector.

Ask the crew

Where is the nearest GFCI outlet or panel to where you're working today — and when was it last tested?

Standards this talk is built on

• 29 CFR 1926.405
• 29 CFR 1910.303-308

A toolbox talk is a short safety briefing. It supports the training a standard requires; it does not replace it.

Sign-in sheet

Print this page to collect signatures, or run the talk in Jobsite and workers sign in on their phones.

© Jobsite. Free to read aloud, print and use in your own crew's safety meetings. Republishing, reselling or bulk-copying these talks is not permitted.