This booklet provides an overview of basic electrical safety for individuals with little or limited training or familiarity with electrical hazards. The concepts and principles presented will help further an understanding of OSHA's electrical safety standards for general industry, Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1910.302, Subpart S Design Safety Standards for Electrical Systems, and 1910. 331 Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices Standard (1990). In general, OSHA's electrical standards are based on the National Fire Protection Associations Standard NFPA 70E, Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces, and in turn, from the National Electrical Code (NEC). OSHA also has electrical standards for construction and maritime,1 but recommends that employers in these industries follow the general industry electrical standards whenever possible for hazards that are not addressed by their industry specific standards. OSHA's electrical standards address concerns that electricity has long been recognized as a serious workplace hazard, exposing employees to such dangers as electric shock, electrocution, burns, fires, and explosions. In 1992, for example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 6,210 work-related deaths occurred in private sector workplaces employing 11 workers or more. Six percent of the fatalities, or around 347 deaths, were the direct result of electrocutions at work. What makes these statistics more tragic is that, for the most part, these fatalities could have been easily avoided.