Codes and standards are a foundational element of the modern workplace. In this article, we highlight two areas for which proper adherence to established standards is crucial for employee safety. Falls and contact with electricity are consistently among the leading causes of workplace fatalities and injuries in the United States, but requirements from organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Fire Protection Association provide workplaces with crucial insights on the best practices that can be implemented to maintain compliance and avoid tragedy.  

Electrical Standards  

The National Electrical Code® (NEC®), also known as NFPA 70®, is an installation standard published by the National Fire Protection Association that sets mandates for how to install electrical wiring systems. The NEC® contains the most accurate and up-to-date requirements on the safe installation of electrical components, and nearly every U.S. state has adopted the NEC® as a state-wide regulation. Two other crucial standards exist to round out NFPA’s standards for workplace electrical safety: NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace®, and NFPA 70B, Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance®. NFPA 70E® is a set of requirements that, if properly adhered to, will reduce worker exposure to major electrical hazards. NFPA 70B®, which describes required maintenance for electrical equipment, was upgraded in 2023 from a long-standing recommended practice to an official standard.  

The requirements in these standards help workers avoid a wide array of hazards across the hierarchy of controls by removing, isolating, and protecting workers from electrical hazards. For example, personal protective equipment (PPE) is crucial for workers who are coming into expected contact with energized parts as a last line of defense, while equipment maintenance policies protect a broader swath of workers and help individuals avoid unexpected contact with electricity. All employees who do work near or with electrical equipment depend on the proper maintenance of the equipment they use every day and their PPE, and the policies in NFPA 70E® and NFPA 70B® are essential to avoid situations where commonplace equipment becomes dangerous.  

Organizations can follow these best practices to maintain compliance with NFPA 70E® and NFPA 70B®:  

1. Regularly Perform Risk Assessments: The first step in workplace safety compliance is identifying where risks are in the workplace. NFPA 70E® requires shock hazard and arc flash risk assessments. Once risks are identified, preventative measures (such as PPE) can be properly incorporated into formal safety plans and trainings.

2. Create or Maintain an Electrical Maintenance Program: NFPA 70B® requires that workplaces implement specific plans to handle the maintenance of electrical equipment.

   These plans should outline the safe operating conditions and expected maintenance schedules of machinery, as well as the personnel responsible for inspection and maintenance.

3. Continually Reassess Practices and Plans: Field audits are required under NFPA 70E®, involving observation of each qualified worker to ensure compliance with safety standards. 

   These observations can help managers identify areas of established plans that can be improved and develop training that will instruct workers on adhering to policies.

Despite the benefits of adherence to standards such as NFPA 70E® and NFPA 70B®, the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Policy Institute reported in 2018 on an “increased scrutiny of regulatory activities” associated with legislators’ heightened involvement in code adoption. Cost has been a central focus in many of these debates, but equal attention has not been afforded to the benefits of proper standards for electrical work. Implementing proper equipment maintenance prescriptions can help businesses avoid costly machine failure and downtime, reduce worker injuries and associated time away from work, and build a company culture of safety that protects and empowers workers. Adherence to these standards is more important than ever in helping organizations to avoid workplace incidents and maintain OSHA compliance.

Fall Protection  

According to the Department of Labor, in 2023, there were 421 fatal falls in the construction industry, accounting for nearly 40% of all construction fatalities. Most fatal falls — 64.4% — were from a height of between 6 and 30 feet. The primary culprits? Portable ladders and stairs. These deaths are preventable, and OSHA is committed to ensuring the safety and protection of employees by enforcing rigorous industry standards.  

OSHA 1910.22 WWS (Walking-Working Surfaces) requires employers to address potential hazards associated with floors, stairs, roofs, ladders, scaffolds, and elevated walkways. From maintaining clean, orderly, and sanitary surfaces, to ensuring they can support the intended load and provide safe access and egress, this industry standard aims to protect employees from various hazards on the job, prevent injuries, and decrease fatalities.  

While legacy fixed ladder systems are not required to be retrofitted until 2036 under the updated standard, with hundreds of thousands of ladders in use today, the clock is ticking for businesses to ensure that any outdated systems are updated on time. Under the new standard, fixed ladders with a fall hazard over 24 feet will require a fall protection system, and legacy ladders built prior to November 2018 will need to be retrofitted with a ladder safety system. Cages are no longer sufficient.  

This, coupled with the influx of megaprojects driving increased demand for complex ladder systems, is putting more pressure on contractors to solve for this safety challenge while meeting project deadlines — no small feat.  

To help organizations proactively address this challenge, we recommend the following best practices to ensure compliance and, most importantly, safe working conditions:  

1. Start with an Audit: Execute a comprehensive site safety audit to identify outdated systems, red flags, and gaps in compliance status. It may be helpful to bring in a partner to provide an independent and unbiased perspective when it comes to safety audits.

2. Develop a Strategic Safety Plan: Based on audit findings, develop a holistic safety plan, designed to not only modernize current solutions, account for future projects, and meet industry requirements, but also solidify a culture of safety when it comes to ladders and elevated surfaces.

3. Provide Comprehensive Training: Prioritize training — through both onsite and virtual sessions — to ensure employees can easily identify hazards, are well-versed on your organization’s safety solutions, and can execute preventative strategies to maintain a safe working environment.

Whether your organization has 10 ladder systems that need upgrading or thousands, retrofitting them can be daunting, costly, and time-consuming. Thankfully, you don’t need to go it alone. A trusted safety partner can help you create customized safety solutions designed to mitigate risk, confront critical safety challenges, and ensure compliance for fixed ladder systems. A partner can identify legacy ladder systems that are outdated or unreliable and develop a strategic plan to update or retrofit with critical fall protection components across all your locations.  

Both OSHA 1910 (General Industry) and 1926 (Construction) safety standards are essential to mitigate the risks associated with falls, protect employees and create a safe, compliant environment. Those companies that prioritize and proactively address fall protection not only demonstrate a commitment to keeping employees safe but can also realize financial benefits through risk mitigation and reduced liability.