How to use itWalk the workplace monthly with the list. Remove damaged cords from service and call a qualified electrician for anything inside panels or wiring.
Who uses itA supervisor or safety lead
WhenMonthly walk, plus after renovations
Time needed30 to 60 minutes per site
Keep itSafety file, with repair requests attached
Who uses the electrical safety checklist and when
Many electrical hazards are visible: frayed cords, missing covers, blocked panels, daisy-chained power strips. A monthly walk catches them.
Electrical repair work must be done by qualified people. This checklist is for finding problems, not fixing them.
14 items. Keep it on a tablet, or print a copy for the clipboard.
Cords and plugs
Outlets and panels
Wet areas
Work practices
Putting the electrical safety checklist to work
Walk monthly.
Remove damaged cords immediately.
Test GFCIs as the maker recommends.
Report hazards.
Use qualified electricians.
A workplace electrical safety checklist in practice
A monthly walk in a restaurant finds a power strip feeding another power strip under the bar and a cracked outlet cover by the dish sink. Both are fixed the same week by an electrician who adds outlets at the bar.
Why keep a workplace electrical safety checklist
OSHA’s general industry electrical rules cover damaged cords, missing covers, exposed live parts and working space around panels. A regular walk catches heat, damage and overloading before they become a shock or a fire.
Sample workplace electrical safety checklist, filled in
Area
Front counter and kitchen
Cords
Mixer cord frayed at plug, tagged out
Outlet covers
Cover missing behind espresso machine
Panel
Clear 3 ft in front, all 24 circuits labeled
GFCI test
4 tested by sinks, 1 failed to trip
Extension cords
None in use
Follow-up
Electrician booked February 6; checked by Carla
Sample for Morning Rise Bakery in Albany, New York. The failed GFCI is recorded apart from the ones that passed so the electrician knows which device to replace, and the mixer is tagged out so it stays out of use until the cord is fixed.
Storing boxes in front of the electrical panel. Keep the space in front clear so the panel can be reached quickly in an emergency.
Running extension cords under carpets or through doorways. Damaged insulation goes unnoticed there, so move cords to open, protected routes.
Taping over a tripped breaker or resetting it again and again. Repeated trips signal a problem; call a qualified electrician.
Edits most teams make to the workplace electrical safety checklist
Commercial kitchensFocus on cords near sinks and dish areas, and on equipment moved for cleaning.
OfficesCheck under desks for overloaded power strips and heaters plugged into strips.
Pro tipPaint or tape a box on the floor in front of each panel. It shows staff where not to store things without needing a sign.
What people ask about the electrical safety checklist
How often to check?
Monthly walk plus daily awareness.
Can I use extension cords?
For temporary use, in good condition.
What is a GFCI?
A device that cuts power when it detects a ground fault.
Who repairs?
A qualified electrician.
Is it safe to plug a microwave or coffee maker into a power strip?
Most power strips are not rated for high-draw appliances like microwaves, coffee makers and space heaters, which should plug straight into a wall outlet. Note any such appliance on a strip during the walk and add an outlet if one is needed.
Does one GFCI outlet protect other outlets on the same circuit?
It can, if it is wired at the start of the circuit, and the outlets downstream are often labeled GFCI protected. Test from the GFCI that controls them and write on the checklist which outlets each one covers.
Disclaimer: This template is general information to adapt to your own workplace. It is not legal, safety or compliance advice and does not replace inspections, training or requirements set by law, regulators, manufacturers or your insurer. Check the rules that apply to you with a qualified professional.
