Electrical Safety Audit: Improving Safety Across Four Facilities

Challenge

A confidential client operating four facilities needed a clearer view of electrical safety risks and greater consistency across locations. Concerns included PPE gaps, inconsistent panel labeling and access control, electrical room housekeeping issues, and incomplete safety training. The client also lacked a clear process for qualifying electrical workers or verifying hands-on competency. In some cases, energized work was performed without sufficient justification or a formal Energized Electrical Work Permit. These issues increased the risk of shock, arc flash exposure, equipment damage, and inconsistent work practices across facilities.

Solution

Hallam-ICS conducted a comprehensive electrical safety audit for four of the most critical locations and provided practical recommendations to reduce risk and strengthen the client’s Electrical Safety Program.

What Does an Electrical Safety Audit Evaluate?

An electrical safety audit assesses how effectively an organization’s electrical safety requirements are implemented in the workplace.

A comprehensive audit can include:

• PPE and test equipment
• Electrical panels and access control
• Electrical room housekeeping
• Worker knowledge and field practices
• Lockout/tagout procedures
• Electrical training and qualification
• Energized electrical work
• Maintenance and inspection practices
• Signage and emergency response
• Alignment with NFPA 70E, NEC, and OSHA requirements

Hallam-ICS reviewed the written program and the actual work environment, recognizing that field conditions often reveal risks that policies alone may miss.

PPE and Test Equipment

One of the first areas reviewed was the equipment employees rely on for protection. Employees need PPE and test equipment that are appropriate, properly maintained, and ready when work begins. We identified missing or inadequate PPE, including arc flash face shields, balaclavas, and voltage-rated gloves that were past their required testing dates.

For voltage-rated gloves, Hallam-ICS recommended a dual-set rotation system so that one set remains available while the other is tested. We also recommended replacement equipment and clearer inspection and marking practices for tools or test equipment that were deficient.

Electrical Panels, Access, and Housekeeping

Site walk-throughs identified several physical conditions that could increase electrical risk. Although some findings were easy to correct, they were still important.

These included unlocked or improperly secured electrical panels, missing signage, inadequate locking mechanisms, improper storage in electrical rooms, and blocked access to electrical equipment. Electrical rooms should remain clear and accessible, panels should be properly secured, and unqualified employees should not be unnecessarily exposed to electrical hazards.

Hallam-ICS documented conditions by location and recommended improvements to signage, access control, housekeeping, and working clearances.

Evaluating Safe Work Practices in the Field

A written safety program tells employees what to do. A field audit helps determine whether those requirements are understood and consistently applied.

Hallam-ICS conducted a talk-through/walk-through with electrical workers to assess their understanding of safe work practices. Topics covered PPE selection, arc flash boundaries, shock protection, lockout/tagout, voltage testing, and establishing an electrically safe work condition.

The review identified gaps in PPE use and procedural consistency. We recommended reinforcing practices such as live-dead-live testing and proper body positioning when hazards are present. The review also highlighted an important distinction between training and qualification. Completing a course does not automatically demonstrate that an employee can safely perform electrical work in the field.

Strengthening Training and Worker Qualification

The client’s Electrical Safety Program included training requirements, but completion rates were low, and hands-on competency was not consistently documented.

Hallam-ICS recommended developing a more formal qualification process that included:

• Defined qualification requirements
• Hands-on training
• Documented competency verification
• Training and qualification records
• Designated personnel responsible for employee sign-off
• Periodic reinforcement of safe work practices

A documented qualification process reduces uncertainty and establishes consistent expectations across facilities.

Energized Electrical Work

A significant finding concerned energized electrical work. The audit identified live work performed without sufficient justification or a formal permitting process.

Hallam-ICS recommended Energized Electrical Work Permits and clearer criteria for when energized work may be permitted.

The first question should not be whether work can be performed energized. It should be whether the equipment can be placed in an electrically safe work condition before work begins. When energized work is justified, the organization should define authorization, PPE selection, approach boundaries, job planning, and employee protection.

Maintenance and Emergency Preparedness

Electrical safety also depends on the condition of the equipment. Hallam-ICS identified opportunities to improve scheduled maintenance, inspection documentation, hazard signage, and emergency response training.

We recommended formal maintenance schedules and improved recordkeeping to better track equipment condition and follow-up.

Employees need to know how to prevent an electrical incident and how to respond if one occurs.

A multi-site electrical safety audit does more than identify hazards at individual locations. It can also reveal inconsistencies in policies, PPE, training, qualification practices, maintenance, signage, and energized work procedures across sites.

Reviewing several facilities together showed where standardization could strengthen the program while still allowing for site-specific needs.

A more consistent approach can:

• Reduce confusion for employees who work at multiple locations
• Simplify training and qualification requirements
• Create common expectations for electrical work
• Improve PPE and equipment management
• Make program updates easier to implement
• Give safety and maintenance leaders a more consistent framework to manage