May is National Electrical Safety Month, and this year’s theme is energy resilience. The materials provided highlight how emerging technology can provide energy resilience to homes and businesses.
This year’s campaign is focusing on three main areas related to energy resilience: net zero energy use, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems. Each area has a downloadable infographic to help educate about the benefits of energy resilience.
The first focus, net zero energy use, helps reduce the environmental impact of energy production, carbon emissions, and helps provide domestically produced energy. The materials focus on energy independence, energy efficiency, and energy resilience (having power when none is available on the grid, due to disaster or accident).
The second focus, electric vehicles, provide an emissions-free way to get around. The materials focus on the benefits of electric vehicles, charging types, including residential and nonresidential, and electrical vehicle charging safety.
The third focus, energy storage systems and photovoltaics, provides information on how to reduce power grid dependency, increase energy storage system safety, and how to handle fires around energy storage systems.
“Technological advancements and emerging technology can be found everywhere, including smart technology in our homes and electric vehicles in our garages and on our roads,” said ESFI’s President Brett Brenner. “By adopting this technology and adapting to these changes, you can make your home and workplace safer and energy resilient.”
Additional materials are available covering these topics:
Building operations and maintenance – Investing in preventative maintenance helps reduce operational costs and improves environmental, social, and corporate governance.
Ground fault circuit interrupters – A look at data to see what would happen if GFCIs did not exist.
Energy storage system electrical safety for first responders – A look at the unique risks when energy storage systems are involved in an emergency.
Photovoltaic safety for first responders – A look at the unique risks when photovoltaic systems are involved in an emergency.
ACO also has several online classes to help educate workers about electrical safety. These classes include:
Electrical safety above 601 volts – A safety course for workers around high-voltage electricity at or above 601 volts. Includes information to help workers learn the basics of electricity, how to identify common hazards associated with high-voltage work and identify safe work practices around high-voltage electricity.
Grounding awareness – A safety course for workers who use handheld power tools or other electrically powered equipment while at work. Includes information on recognizing the basics of electricity and grounding and knowing the situations where grounding is required.
Electrical safety as per NFPA 70E – This safety course helps workers recognize the dangers of electricity, possible electrical injuries, and how to use standard hazard controls.
Electrical safety for construction as per NFPA 70E – A basic electrical safety course for construction workers. Includes information on how to recognize electrical dangers, common electrical injuries, and identifying methods for managing electrical hazards.
Arc flash safety – A safety course for qualified or unqualified workers who need training on arc flash. Includes information on identifying the conditions and hazards associated with arc flashes, and the safe work practices and recommended PPE.
What is National Electrical Safety Month?
The National Electrical Safety Month is put on by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), which is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting electrical safety in the home, school, and workplace. The ESFI spearheads an annual campaign to educate audiences about what can be done to reduce the number of electrically related fires, fatalities, injuries, and property loss.
In 2020, there were 126 deaths by electric current at work and 2220 injuries that caused lost time due to electrical exposure.
The 2022 campaign is focused on energy resilience. The materials examine how emerging technology, like photovoltaics, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems, can provide energy resilience to homes and businesses.
