An electrical safety audit checklist gives industrial facilities a simple way to see where their program stands before an OSHA inspector, an insurer, or an incident finds the gaps. This checklist covers the core requirements of NFPA 70E, NFPA 70B, and OSHA’s electrical standards in plain language. Use it to review your own site, prepare for a corporate EHS visit, or decide where outside help will make the biggest difference. Bowtie Engineering, an electrical safety engineering firm headquartered in Cumming, Georgia, works through these same areas with industrial plants, data centers, and manufacturers across the United States and Canada.
Why an Electrical Safety Audit Matters
Most electrical safety programs do not fail all at once. They drift. An arc flash study ages past its review date, a few new hires miss training, or a machine is replaced without a new lockout procedure. A regular audit catches that drift on your schedule instead of someone else’s.
This checklist draws on three sources. OSHA’s electrical safety standards set the federal rules for general industry, including 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S and the lockout/tagout standard, 1910.147. NFPA 70E is the consensus standard for electrical safety in the workplace and explains how to meet OSHA’s requirements in practice. NFPA 70B became a standard in 2023 and calls for a documented electrical maintenance program.
Section 1: Written Electrical Safety Program
NFPA 70E requires a documented electrical safety program. It is the foundation for every other item on this list. Check that:
- A written electrical safety program exists and reflects how work is actually done today
- The program names who is responsible for each part of it
- Energized work has a clear process for justification, approval, and control
- A risk assessment procedure covers both shock and arc flash
- Job briefings are required before each job
- The program itself is audited at least every three years, with field work audited at least once a year
If your facility does not yet have a written program, start with how to build an electrical safety program from scratch.
Section 2: Arc Flash Study and Labels
Your arc flash study tells workers how much energy they could face and what PPE they need. An outdated study gives them the wrong answer. Check that:
- The arc flash risk assessment has been reviewed within the last five years
- It was updated after any major modification or renovation
- Labels are on equipment likely to be examined, adjusted, serviced, or maintained while energized
- Labels show the nominal voltage, the arc flash boundary, and either incident energy with working distance or a PPE category
- One-line diagrams match what is installed today
- Protective device settings in the field match the settings used in the study
Bowtie Engineering’s arc flash and incident energy studies follow IEEE 1584 and NFPA 70E and include labels, updated one-line diagrams, and a full engineering report.
Section 3: Training and Qualified Workers
Training is one of the first things inspectors and insurers ask about. Records matter as much as the training itself. Check that:
- Qualified workers are trained to NFPA 70E and OSHA 1910.332 for the tasks they perform
- Retraining happens at least every three years, and sooner when work practices or equipment change
- Training records show each employee’s name, the content covered, and the dates
- There is a current list of who is qualified for which tasks
- Unqualified workers are trained on the electrical hazards related to their jobs
- Emergency response training, including contact release, is current for employees who need it
- Supervisors check at least once a year that workers follow the practices they were taught
Section 4: Lockout/Tagout and Electrically Safe Work Conditions
Lockout/tagout appears on OSHA’s list of most frequently cited standards year after year. Gaps here are common and easy to find. Check that:
- A written energy control program meets OSHA 1910.147
- Machine-specific procedures exist for every serviceable asset that needs one
- Each procedure lists all energy sources, isolation points, and verification steps
- The annual periodic inspection is complete and certified in writing
- Authorized and affected employees have been trained
- Workers follow a defined process for establishing an electrically safe work condition, including testing for absence of voltage
- Locks, tags, and voltage testers are in good condition and available where needed
Section 5: PPE and Tools
PPE only protects workers when it matches the hazard and is in good condition. Check that:
- Arc-rated PPE on hand matches the values on your arc flash labels
- Arc-rated clothing is inspected before use and stored properly
- Rubber insulating gloves are electrically tested before first issue and every six months after
- Insulated tools and test instruments are rated for the voltage and inspected regularly
- Workers know how to read a label and choose the right PPE from it
Section 6: Energized Work Controls
NFPA 70E treats energized work as the exception, not the routine. Check that:
- Energized electrical work permits are used whenever the standard requires them
- Each permit documents why the work cannot be done de-energized
- Shock and arc flash boundaries are identified and respected on the job
- Job briefings cover hazards, procedures, energy controls, and PPE before work starts
Section 7: Electrical Maintenance Under NFPA 70B
Maintenance and safety are linked. A breaker that clears slowly raises incident energy above what the arc flash study assumed. Check that:
- A documented maintenance program exists, with an equipment inventory
- Maintenance intervals are based on equipment condition, how critical it is, its environment, and its loading
- Infrared thermography is performed at least annually on key equipment
- Circuit breakers, protective relays, and transformers are tested on schedule
- Test results and corrective actions are recorded and easy to find
Bowtie Engineering provides one-time assessments and recurring NFPA 70B-aligned electrical maintenance services, including infrared thermography, switchgear maintenance, breaker injection testing, and relay testing.
Section 8: Contractors and Recordkeeping
Outside contractors and missing paperwork are two of the easiest gaps to overlook. Check that:
- Known electrical hazards and site information are shared with contractors before work begins
- Contract workers’ training and qualifications are verified for the work they will do
- Your facility and outside contractors inform each other of their lockout/tagout procedures
- All safety records can be produced quickly for an inspector or insurer
How to Act on Your Audit Results
Rank what you find by risk, not by how easy it is to fix. Start with gaps that could hurt someone this week, such as missing or outdated labels, expired training for workers doing energized tasks, or machines without lockout procedures. Then address documentation and program gaps.
Bowtie Engineering can help close gaps across the whole list: arc flash studies and labels, NFPA 70E training, lockout/tagout programs and annual inspections, and NFPA 70B maintenance and NETA-standard testing. For service-contract clients, BowVue keeps arc flash data, maintenance records, one-line drawings, and qualified-worker assignments in one cloud-based dashboard, which makes the next audit faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should an electrical safety program be audited?
NFPA 70E calls for the electrical safety program to be audited at least every three years, field work to be audited at least once a year, and lockout/tagout programs and procedures to be audited at least once a year.
Who should perform an electrical safety audit?
A knowledgeable person who understands NFPA 70E, NFPA 70B, and OSHA requirements. Many facilities pair an internal review with an outside firm for a fresh perspective on items they see every day.
What records do inspectors commonly ask for?
Expect requests for training records, the written electrical safety program, arc flash study results and labels, lockout/tagout procedures, and annual inspection certifications.
Does an electrical safety audit require a shutdown?
Most of an audit is a records review and a walk-through, so it does not need a shutdown. Infrared scans are done while equipment is running. Hands-on testing of breakers, relays, and switchgear is what requires a planned outage.
What should we fix first after an audit?
Start with gaps that could hurt someone soon, such as missing or outdated arc flash labels, expired training for workers doing energized tasks, and machines without lockout procedures. Program and paperwork gaps come next.
Ready to close the gaps your audit finds? Call Bowtie Engineering at 866-730-6620 or contact the team online.