Electrical Safety Hazards Risk Assessment

Assessment Date: [DATE]

Assessor: [ASSESSOR NAME]

Department/Area: [DEPARTMENT/AREA]

Review Date: [REVIEW DATE]

1. Assessment Scope

This risk assessment covers electrical safety hazards associated with inspection, testing, maintenance, troubleshooting, servicing, and repair of electrical equipment and circuits in the workplace. It includes work on or near energized and de-energized electrical systems, hazardous energy isolation, lockout/tagout (LOTO), arc flash and shock exposure, use of test instruments, opening electrical enclosures, and verification of electrically safe work conditions. The assessment applies to qualified electrical workers, supervisors, maintenance personnel, and any other persons who may be exposed to electrical hazards in the work area. It excludes utility transmission and distribution work unless specifically authorized under a separate task-specific assessment, and it does not replace equipment-specific procedures, energized work permits, or manufacturer instructions.

2. Risk Assessment Methodology

This assessment uses a task-based hazard identification and risk evaluation approach aligned with a 5x5 risk matrix and the hierarchy of controls. Each hazard is evaluated for likelihood and severity before controls are applied, then reassessed for residual risk after implementation of elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative controls, and PPE. The assessment emphasizes de-energizing equipment whenever possible, verifying absence of voltage, controlling access to energized parts, and using qualified personnel, written procedures, and appropriate PPE when energized work cannot be avoided.

3. Risk Matrix Reference

The following matrix is used to evaluate risk levels based on likelihood and severity:

		Likelihood
Rare	Unlikely	Possible	Likely	Almost Certain
Severity	Catastrophic	Low	Low	Low	Low	Medium
Major	Low	Low	Low	Medium	High
Moderate	Low	Low	Medium	High	High
Minor	Low	Medium	High	High	Extreme
Negligible	Medium	High	High	Extreme	Extreme

4. Hazard Identification and Risk Evaluation

1. Contact with energized conductors or circuit parts during inspection, troubleshooting, maintenance, or repair can result in electric shock, burns, ventricular fibrillation, or electrocution.

Potential Consequences: Potential consequences include minor to catastrophic injury, severe internal and external burns, cardiac arrest, respiratory paralysis, permanent neurological damage, falls caused by involuntary muscle contraction, and fatal electrocution. [6] [7] [10]

Affected Persons: Qualified electrical workers, maintenance personnel, apprentices, supervisors assisting with the task, and nearby unqualified workers who may enter the work area.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Possible	Catastrophic	Extreme

Control Measures

• Eliminate exposure by de-energizing equipment before work begins whenever practicable.
• Substitute energized work with diagnostic methods that do not require direct contact, such as remote sensing or non-contact instruments where suitable.
• Use engineering controls such as barriers, insulated covers, and test boxes to reduce the chance of contact with live parts.
• Implement administrative controls including written job planning, energized work permits where required, qualified-person authorization, and controlled approach boundaries.
• Provide voltage-rated gloves, arc-rated clothing, eye and face protection, hearing protection, and other PPE appropriate to the task and voltage level.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Unlikely	Major	Medium

2. Arc flash during switching, racking, opening enclosures, testing, or accidental tool contact can release intense heat, light, and pressure capable of causing severe burns and blast injuries.

Potential Consequences: Potential consequences include second- and third-degree burns, ignition of clothing, eye injury, hearing damage, concussion, blast trauma, flying debris injuries, and fatality. [3] [8] [14]

Affected Persons: Qualified electrical workers, apprentices, maintenance staff, and any person within the arc flash boundary.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Possible	Catastrophic	Extreme

Control Measures

• Eliminate the hazard by placing equipment in an electrically safe work condition before work whenever possible.
• Use current-limiting devices, properly maintained protective devices, and equipment designed to reduce arc energy where feasible.
• Install and maintain barriers, covers, and approach boundaries to keep persons outside the arc flash boundary.
• Use written safe work procedures, job briefings, and energized work permits for tasks that cannot be de-energized.
• Wear arc-rated PPE selected for the expected incident energy, including face, head, body, hand, foot, and hearing protection.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Unlikely	Major	Medium

3. Failure to isolate hazardous energy before servicing can result in unexpected startup, re-energization, release of stored energy, or contact with live parts during maintenance.

Potential Consequences: Potential consequences include shock, arc flash, crushing or entanglement from unexpected motion, burns, equipment damage, and fatal injury. [7] [5] [17]

Affected Persons: Maintenance workers, electricians, contractors, and anyone performing servicing or who could restart equipment.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Likely	Catastrophic	Extreme

Control Measures

• Eliminate exposure by shutting down and isolating all energy sources before servicing.
• Apply a formal LOTO program with individual locks, tags, and verification of isolation for each energy source.
• Release, block, or dissipate stored energy such as capacitors, springs, and induced voltage before work begins.
• Use written isolation plans that identify all sources, responsible persons, and return-to-service steps.
• Verify zero energy with an adequately rated test instrument before touching conductors or parts.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Unlikely	Major	Medium

4. Improper use, failure, or absence of lockout/tagout devices can allow equipment to be energized unexpectedly or by another person.

Potential Consequences: Potential consequences include shock, arc flash, burns, fatal electrocution, and serious injury to workers returning equipment to service or working on the same system. [4] [7] [5]

Affected Persons: Authorized employees applying or removing locks, affected employees, contractors, and supervisors coordinating the work.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Possible	Catastrophic	Extreme

Control Measures

• Use a written LOTO procedure for each machine or electrical system requiring servicing.
• Require each exposed worker to apply their own lock and tag to each energy-isolating device.
• Restrict removal of locks to the person who applied them, except under a controlled emergency removal process.
• Coordinate shift changes, multi-employer work, and temporary energization under a documented control process.
• Train workers on lock application, verification, transfer of responsibility, and return-to-service requirements.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Rare	Major	Low

5. Defective, damaged, dirty, wet, corroded, or poorly maintained electrical equipment can fail and create shock or arc flash conditions.

Potential Consequences: Potential consequences include insulation breakdown, overheating, short circuits, arc faults, fire, equipment failure, shock, burns, and unplanned outages. [2] [3] [6] [6]

Affected Persons: Electrical workers, maintenance staff, operators, and nearby personnel exposed to failed equipment or fire.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Likely	Major	High

Control Measures

• Eliminate use of defective equipment by removing it from service immediately.
• Implement preventive maintenance, inspection, and testing schedules based on manufacturer instructions and recognized industry guidance.
• Repair or replace worn insulation, loose connections, corroded parts, overheated conductors, and damaged cords before use.
• Keep equipment dry and protect it from moisture, dust, condensation, and contamination.
• Use inspection checklists before each use and document defects, corrective actions, and return-to-service authorization.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Unlikely	Moderate	Low

6. Use of improper, untested, or damaged test instruments and tools can create a false sense of safety or directly cause contact with energized parts.

Potential Consequences: Potential consequences include shock, arc flash, equipment damage, inaccurate readings, and injury from tool failure or dropped tools. [1] [3] [8]

Affected Persons: Qualified electrical workers, apprentices, and anyone assisting with testing or troubleshooting.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Possible	Major	High

Control Measures

• Use only properly rated, tested, and maintained instruments and tools suitable for the voltage and environment.
• Substitute non-contact methods where they can achieve the task safely and effectively.
• Inspect tools, leads, probes, and meters before each use and remove damaged items from service.
• Use insulated tools and non-sparking tools where appropriate to reduce ignition and arc initiation risk.
• Follow written testing procedures, including proving the meter before and after use on a known source.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Unlikely	Moderate	Low

7. Inadequate approach control around exposed energized parts can expose unqualified persons or qualified persons without proper protection to shock and arc flash hazards.

Potential Consequences: Potential consequences include inadvertent contact, arc flash exposure, burns, electrocution, and injury to bystanders or visitors. [5] [9] [15]

Affected Persons: Qualified workers, unqualified workers, visitors, contractors, and the public if the area is not controlled.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Possible	Catastrophic	Extreme

Control Measures

• Establish and enforce limited, restricted, and prohibited approach boundaries as applicable.
• Use barricades, signs, attendants, and access control to keep unqualified persons out of hazardous areas.
• Increase working distance whenever possible and position workers to minimize exposure.
• Require supervision and task authorization for any work near energized parts.
• Use insulated blankets, covers, and shields when de-energization is not possible and nearby live parts remain exposed.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Unlikely	Major	Medium

8. Poor housekeeping, clutter, and unsuitable work conditions can contribute to slips, trips, falls, dropped tools, and secondary electrical incidents.

Potential Consequences: Potential consequences include falls, dropped tools causing short circuits, damaged equipment, blocked egress, and delayed emergency response. [1] [10] [8]

Affected Persons: Electrical workers, maintenance staff, and anyone moving through the work area.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Likely	Moderate	High

Control Measures

• Maintain housekeeping to keep floors, platforms, and access routes clear of clutter, liquids, dust, and debris.
• Secure tools and materials to prevent dropping objects into energized equipment.
• Provide adequate lighting and stable work platforms for electrical tasks.
• Keep access to disconnects, breakers, and emergency equipment unobstructed.
• Use job planning to stage materials and reduce unnecessary movement in the work area.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Unlikely	Minor	Low

5. General Control Measures

• Establish and enforce an electrically safe work condition as the default control for all tasks.

Identify all power sources, isolate them, apply LOTO, verify absence of voltage with an adequately rated tester, and discharge stored energy before work begins. [7] [7]

• Require qualified-person authorization and task-specific job briefings before electrical work starts.

Review the task steps, hazards, boundaries, PPE, tools, emergency actions, and who is responsible for each step before work begins. [10] [5]

• Maintain equipment in accordance with manufacturer instructions and a preventive maintenance program.

Inspect for wear, overheating, corrosion, moisture, loose connections, damaged insulation, and defective parts; remove unsafe equipment from service immediately. [2] [1]

• Control access to electrical work areas using barriers, signs, and supervision.

Keep unqualified persons outside approach boundaries and ensure warning signs and barricades remain in place for the duration of the task. [2] [11]

• Provide and enforce the use of task-appropriate PPE and insulated tools.

Select PPE based on the hazard, voltage, and incident energy; inspect PPE before use; replace damaged PPE immediately. [1] [15]

6. Emergency Preparedness

• Develop and communicate an electrical emergency response plan that addresses shock, arc flash, burns, fire, and equipment failure. The plan should include emergency shutdown steps, alarm activation, evacuation routes, and methods for isolating the area to prevent secondary injuries. [1]
• Ensure workers know how to summon emergency medical assistance immediately after an electrical incident and how to provide first aid/CPR only when the scene is safe and the source of energy has been controlled. [6] [17]
• Provide suitable fire extinguishers and train workers to respond to electrical fires without using water on energized equipment. If equipment is energized or the condition is uncertain, isolate power first if it can be done safely. [13]
• Prepare for arc flash incidents by ensuring eyewash, burn treatment supplies, and emergency access routes are available where electrical work is performed, and by maintaining clear communication with supervisors and responders. [8]
• After any electrical incident or near miss, secure the scene, preserve evidence for investigation, and do not re-energize equipment until it has been inspected, tested, and authorized for return to service. [5]

7. Training Requirements

• Electrical Hazard Recognition: Train workers to recognize shock, arc flash, electrocution, burn, and blast hazards, including common causes such as damaged insulation, loose connections, moisture, corrosion, dropped tools, and exposed live parts. [6] [3]
  • Recognize warning labels and equipment markings.
  • Identify when a task must be treated as energized work.
  • Understand the difference between qualified and unqualified persons.
• Lockout/Tagout and Hazardous Energy Control: Train authorized employees on energy isolation, lock application, tag use, verification of zero energy, shift transfer, temporary energization, and return-to-service procedures. [7] [5]
  • Apply personal locks to each energy source.
  • Verify isolation with a properly rated test instrument.
  • Remove locks only under controlled procedures.
• Arc Flash and Shock PPE Selection and Use: Train workers to select, inspect, wear, and maintain arc-rated and shock-protective PPE appropriate to the task, voltage, and incident energy. [15] [4]
  • Use face, head, hand, body, foot, and hearing protection as required.
  • Understand PPE limitations and when additional controls are needed.
  • Remove damaged PPE from service immediately.
• Safe Work Practices and Testing Procedures: Train workers on job planning, approach boundaries, safe switching practices, meter verification, insulated tool use, and methods for keeping unqualified persons away from hazards. [1] [5]
  • Test every circuit before contact.
  • Use barriers and barricades where required.
  • Follow written procedures for common energized tasks.
• Emergency Response and Incident Reporting: Train workers to respond to electrical emergencies, including how to isolate power, call for help, evacuate, and report incidents and near misses promptly. [1] [17]
  • Do not touch a victim until the source is controlled if it is unsafe to do so.
  • Report damaged equipment and unsafe conditions immediately.
  • Participate in post-incident reviews and corrective actions.

8. Monitoring and Review

Review Frequency: Annually and after any electrical incident, near miss, equipment change, process change, or regulatory update.

Monitoring Type	Frequency	Responsible Party	Description
Regular Inspection	Before each use and at the start of each shift	Qualified electrical worker or assigned supervisor	Inspect cords, plugs, test instruments, PPE, barriers, and tools for damage, contamination, missing parts, or signs of overheating. Remove defective items from service immediately. [4] [2]
Preventive Maintenance Verification	Per manufacturer schedule and at least annually where applicable	Maintenance supervisor or electrical maintenance lead	Verify that inspections, testing, cleaning, tightening, calibration, and parts replacement are completed for electrical equipment, breakers, relays, and protective devices. [2]
LOTO Compliance Check	Each time lockout/tagout is applied and periodically during the job	Authorized employee and supervising qualified person	Confirm all energy sources are identified, isolated, locked, tagged, and verified before work begins and that shift changes and return-to-service steps are controlled. [7] [5]
Work Area Audit	Weekly or before high-risk tasks	Supervisor or safety representative	Check that approach boundaries, barricades, signage, housekeeping, lighting, and access control are in place and effective. [2] [1]
PPE and Procedure Audit	Quarterly and after any incident or near miss	Safety manager and electrical supervisor	Review PPE selection, condition, training records, job briefings, and adherence to safe work procedures; update controls when deficiencies are found. [12] [15]

9. Special Circumstances

• Wet, damp, or humid conditions increase shock risk and can degrade insulation, PPE performance, and equipment reliability. Electrical work should be postponed or additional controls implemented when moisture is present. [6] [16]
• Night work or reduced-light conditions increase the likelihood of poor visibility, misidentification of circuits, dropped tools, and failure to recognize hazards. Additional lighting and supervision may be required. [1]
• Lone work increases the severity of an incident because immediate rescue may be delayed. High-risk electrical tasks should not be performed alone unless a formal risk review confirms it is acceptable and emergency communication is reliable. [10]
• Work near overhead power lines, cranes, ladders, scaffolds, or long conductive objects requires additional clearance control and coordination with the utility where applicable. [18]
• Temporary energization for testing or troubleshooting increases exposure to shock and arc flash and should only occur under controlled procedures with clear authorization and boundaries. [5]

Approval and Sign-off

This risk assessment has been reviewed and approved by:

Assessor: _________________________ Date: __________

Manager/Supervisor: _________________________ Date: __________

Safety Representative: _________________________ Date: __________

This risk assessment must be reviewed annually and after any electrical incident, near miss, equipment change, process change, or regulatory update. or when significant changes occur.

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