Electrical safety awareness for non-electrical workers

For unqualified workers and their supervisors: recognize electrical hazards, check cords and GFCIs, stay clear of lines and locks, and respond safely to shocks and fires.

For: Unqualified (non-electrical) workers in offices, sites, hospitality, kitchens, warehouses and grounds, and their supervisors

  • 2 contact hours
  • 6 modules
  • 7 interactives
  • 5 job aids
  • Updated October 11, 2026

What you will be able to do

  • Identify electrical hazards, including shock, burns, arc flash and blast, falls and fire, and explain how current, path and moisture affect injury severity.
  • Distinguish qualified from unqualified persons and identify electrical tasks unqualified workers must not perform (29 CFR 1910.332 and 1910.333).
  • Inspect cords, plugs and portable equipment before use, use GFCIs and power strips correctly, and remove damaged equipment from service (29 CFR 1910.334).
  • Maintain required approach distances from overhead lines, keep panel working space clear, and avoid wet-location and conductive-object hazards.
  • Follow lockout/tagout rules as an affected employee and avoid prohibited breaker resetting and interlock bypassing.
  • Respond safely to electric shock and electrical fires and report electrical hazards and incidents without fear of retaliation.

Learn how electricity injures people, from shock and burns to arc flash, falls and fire, and what OSHA's electrical safety-related work practice rules (29 CFR 1910.331 to 1910.335) mean for workers who are not electricians: what you may do, what is reserved for qualified persons, and why.

Built for office, site, hospitality, kitchen, warehouse, cleaning and grounds staff and their supervisors. You will practice inspecting cords, judging power strip and GFCI use, keeping 10 feet (including tools) from overhead lines, keeping panels clear, respecting lockout/tagout as an affected employee, and responding safely when someone is shocked or an electrical fire starts.

This is honest awareness training for unqualified persons, not NFPA 70E qualified-person training: it builds the habits that prevent most non-electrical workers' injuries and makes clear where your role stops. Job aids include an electrical hazard checklist, an electrical task JHA worksheet, an incident report and a shock-response pocket card.

What you’ll be able to do Monday morning

  1. Inspect every cord and portable tool you use before your shift.
  2. Unplug any daisy-chained power strips and request outlets where needed.
  3. Clear anything stored in front of electrical panels in your area.
  4. Look up for overhead lines before raising a ladder, pole or truck bed.
  5. Leave every lock and tag alone, and report any pressure to remove one.
  6. Find your area's breaker panel, fire extinguisher and AED.

Curriculum

6 modules · 24 lessons · about 2 contact hours

01How does electricity hurt people?Free preview14 min
  1. Why should non-electrical workers care about electricity?
  2. What are the main ways electricity injures?
  3. What does current do to the body?
  4. What should you take from the warning signs?
  • Self-assessment: Electrical safety habits check

Diagram · In practice checklist · 2-question knowledge check

02Who may work on electrical equipment, and what is off-limits for you?14 min
  1. What is the difference between qualified and unqualified persons?
  2. What may unqualified workers do, and what is off-limits?
  3. What about NFPA 70E, arc flash labels and electrical rooms?
  4. Why do some unqualified workers get hurt anyway?
  • Decision tree: May I do this electrical task?
  • Sort activity: OK for me, or qualified only?

Diagram · In practice checklist · 2-question knowledge check

03How do you check cords, plugs, GFCIs and power strips?14 min
  1. What does OSHA require for portable equipment?
  2. How do you inspect a cord in 30 seconds?
  3. How do GFCIs protect you?
  4. What about power strips and adapters?
  • Spot the issue: Spot the issues: cord and portable equipment log

Diagram · In practice checklist · 2-question knowledge check

04How do you stay clear of overhead lines, panels and wet locations?14 min
  1. How close is too close to overhead lines?
  2. What should the crew do near overhead lines?
  3. What are the rules for wet and conductive locations?
  4. What about illumination and confined spaces with electrical hazards?
  • Spot the issue: Spot the hazards: hotel back-of-house walkthrough

Diagram · In practice checklist · 2-question knowledge check

05What does lockout/tagout mean for you as an affected employee?14 min
  1. What is lockout/tagout, and who is an affected employee?
  2. What does the standard require for affected employees?
  3. What should Reinhold do?
  4. What about breakers that trip and equipment that won't start?
  • Branching scenario: Lockout under pressure

Diagram · In practice checklist · 2-question knowledge check

06What do you do when someone is shocked or an electrical fire starts?15 min
  1. What do you do if someone is being shocked?
  2. What do you do if there is an electrical fire?
  3. How do you report electrical hazards and incidents?
  4. How does the hierarchy of controls apply to electrical hazards?
  • Matching activity: Match hazard to best control

Diagram · In practice checklist · 2-question knowledge check

Final assessment: 23 questions, 80% to pass, then your certificate

Try it now, no account needed

Lockout under pressure

A branching scenario from this course. Your choices are not saved.

Free sample activity

Lockout under pressure

You run a case packer on second shift. Your machine has a lock and tag on its disconnect. The line is behind, and the lead is frustrated.

Inside the course

Practice activities

  • Self-assessment1
  • Decision tree1
  • Branching scenario1
  • Spot the issue2
  • Sort activity1
  • Matching activity1

Job aids you keep

  • Electrical Hazard Checklist for Non-Electrical WorkersChecklist
  • Electrical Task Hazard Analysis (JHA) WorksheetWorksheet
  • Electrical Incident and Near-Miss ReportTemplate
  • Electrical Safety Awareness Training Sign-Off RecordLog
  • Electric Shock and Fire Pocket CardPocket card

Credit and approval status

Certificate of completion

This course awards a certificate of completion for 2 contact hours of instruction. It has not been approved or accredited by OSHA, any OSHA State Plan, IACET or any other accreditor, and it is not OSHA Outreach Training Program (10- or 30-hour) training or NFPA 70E qualified-person training. It is awareness training for unqualified workers; employers must provide training specific to their equipment and tasks under 29 CFR 1910.332 and 1910.147. Learners must not perform electrical work unless qualified and authorized. Check with your employer whether this course can count toward your training needs.

Pathways we are pursuing or may pursue include continuing education units issued by a provider accredited under the IACET standard. No approval exists today; any approval will be shown on this page only after it is granted.

Our full approvals list

Questions about this course

Does this course make me a qualified electrical worker?

No. This is awareness training for unqualified (non-electrical) workers. It does not qualify you to work on or near exposed energized parts, and it is not NFPA 70E qualified-person training. Your employer decides who is qualified, after task-specific training.

Is it approved for continuing education or OSHA training credit?

No approval exists today. You receive a certificate of completion for 2 contact hours of instruction. It is not OSHA Outreach (10- or 30-hour) training and does not replace the site-specific training your employer must provide under 29 CFR 1910.332 and 1910.147. Check whether your employer accepts it.

Who should take this course?

Office, site, hospitality, warehouse, kitchen, cleaning, grounds and production staff, and their supervisors: anyone who uses electrical equipment or works near panels, cords or overhead lines but does not do electrical work.

Does it cover lockout/tagout?

It covers what affected employees need to know under 29 CFR 1910.147: recognizing locks and tags, never removing or bypassing them, notification before restart and why. Authorized employees who apply locks need additional, equipment-specific training.

Will I learn CPR or first aid for electric shock?

No. You will learn the safe first steps: don't touch, cut power, call 911 and get trained help and an AED. Hands-on first aid and CPR require separate training.

How long does it take, and how do I get my certificate?

About 2 hours: six modules, interactive practice, knowledge checks and a 23-question final assessment. Score 80% or higher to download your certificate of completion.

This course is general education and training awareness from CE Courses Hub. It is not legal, medical or professional advice and does not replace your employer's policies, your licensing board's rules, or advice from a qualified professional. Completing it earns a certificate of completion for the stated contact hours; it is not approved or accredited by any licensing board, state agency or accreditor unless an approval is shown on the course page. Check with your board, employer or state agency whether this course meets your specific requirement.