Electrical safety training, kindergarten to emeritus

The need to understand that hazards associated with electrical energy are dangerous and essentially invisible begins with early childhood development and continues through adulthood. The presence of an electrical hazard can only be seen by observing signals and signs of its presence. In order to avoid the hazard, a person must either be trained to recognize signs of the hazard´s presence, or someone who is knowledgeable must devise a mechanism to afford the necessary protection. Of course, depending upon someone else to point out a hazard is much less effective than personally understanding the hazard. All people who use electrical energy are exposed to an electrical hazard to some degree. One of the most effective learning processes is emulation-watching someone else and then imitating the observed practice. The same process, emulation, serves as the basic principle upon which apprentice programs are based. When a “student” observes an unsafe practice, the “teacher” has some responsibility for any injury that might result. This paper offers experienced-based thoughts related to breaking that chain