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NYCHA Now
National Electrical Safety Month
Health & Safety May 2025 

Don’t Get Shocked – It’s National Electrical Safety Month

Michael Corwin

In recognition of National Electrical Safety Month, which is observed every May, NYCHA’s Environmental Health and Safety Department (EHS) would like to share the following safety tips for preventing electrical accidents and fires.

Indoors:

  • Check cords – Replace or throw away items that have frayed or cracked electric cords.
  • Keep electrical items away from water – Install ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) on outlets near water sources, and never use electrical appliances or tools close to water or with wet hands.
  • Plug in one high-wattage appliance at a time - Only one high-wattage appliance (such as a coffee maker, toaster, iron, space heater, etc.) should be plugged into an outlet at a time to avoid overloading the outlet.
  • Only put electrical plugs into outlets - Teach children to never stick fingers or objects into electrical outlets or appliances with openings such as toasters. Cover or cap outlets you are not using to protect children.
  • Before wiring, turn it off – Turn off the power at the breaker before working on electrical devices or wiring.

Outdoors:

  • Stay away from power lines - Keep yourself and anything you are touching more than 10 feet away from neighborhood power lines and at least100 feet from larger high-voltage lines. This includes ladders, tools to trim trees, kites, metallic balloons, and flying toys.
  • Report fallen power lines - Stay away from a power line that has fallen and anything it may be touching. Call 911 immediately to report it.
  • Check before using tools outdoors – Are the electrical appliances and tools marked for outdoor use? Make sure they are, and avoid using them close to water or in the rain.

Workplace Safety

  • Only work on energized equipment or distribution systems if you are qualified and using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • Know the approach distance from energized power lines.
  • Make sure proper energy control procedures are followed and verify de-energization.

Whether in your home or in the workplace, remember to: 

  • STOP. Stop doing what you’re doing.
  • LOOK. Look around for potential utility hazards and ways you might encounter utility infrastructure, and find a way to avoid the hazard.
  • LIVE. Your safety is in your hands.

Electrical safety in the workplace

Only qualified personnel should perform electrical work. To prevent electrical injury, the qualified person should:

  • De-energize electrical circuits before any type of work.
  • Use lockout devices to prevent a circuit from becoming energized
  • Use an AC voltage tester to verify that the electrical power is off.
  • Use insulated tools and PPE when working with live electricity.

All NYCHA personnel should review the SAFENYCHA Advisory, Safety and Security Advisory: Control of Hazardous Energy – Frequent Hazardous Energy-related Injuries, for the most common injuries associated with hazardous energy and the best way to avoid them.

If you have questions about this or any environmental health and safety matter, please email ehs@nycha.nyc.gov. Residents, employees, and any member of the public can submit environmental health and safety concerns at on.nyc.gov/submit-concern.

For more information on electrical safety, please visit: