Toward a more globally effective standard for occupational electrical safety

Electrical safety is highly regulated in all industrialized countries. There is both commonality and differences in electrical safety standards and regulations country to country. This paper suggests a path forward to compare standards and regulations applicable in North America (NFPA70E, CSAZ462, ANSI/IEEE C2), Europe (EN 50110), Brazil (NR 10) and China (DL 408), and benchmark against the comprehensive hazard mitigation measures contained in ANSI Z10 occupational safety and health management systems, which is harmonized with other safety management systems standards recognized globally. By comparing these standards against recognized safety management systems standards, such as ANSI Z10, it will identify gaps in electrical safety management. The comparison will highlight unique differences in the electrical safety standards, and will identify opportunities for improving individual standards.