fast facts 

 Exposed, Energized Wiring and Electrical Components February 2010 

Office of Compliance 

advancing safety, health, and workplace rights in the legislative branch 

www.compliance.gov 

Poorly maintained or exposed electrical wiring increases the likelihood of fires and electrical shocks in the 

workplace. Employee safety is particularly at risk if wiring is prone to accidental contact. Both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) require 

the insulation and protection of wiring energized at 50 volts or higher if the wiring is equal to or below eight 

feet off the ground. Both OSHA and NFPA also prohibit direct contact between wires and conductive 

materials, such as metal or water. 

Junction Boxes with Missing Covers

Junction boxes without covers are the 

most common places to find exposed and 

hazardous wires. Electricians use junction boxes to connect new installations or 

extend existing installations. When 

energized junction boxes are uncovered, 

the wiring is vulnerable to damage and 

accidental contact. If easily combustible 

materials, such as paper or cardboard, 

are stored near unprotected energized wiring, a spark or electrical arc could easily start a fire. Figures 1 and 2 

are examples of junction boxes with exposed wiring. 

 

Outlets and Switches Missing Covers

Electrical outlets and light switches with 

broken, displaced, or missing covers may 

also expose wiring which endangers any 

employee plugging in an appliance or 

turning on a light. Both OSHA and NFPA 

require that outlets and switches remain 

covered. Figure 3 shows an outlet with a 

displaced cover and a burn mark, and Figure 

4 shows a completely uncovered outlet next 

to a light switch. This is an especially 

dangerous hazard for anyone trying to find 

the switch in the dark. 

Figure 1: Potentially hazardous electrical 

junction box without cover Figure 2: Potentially hazardous wall 

switch or outlet box without cover

Figure 3: Potentially hazardous burnt 

outlet with displaced cover Figure 4: Potentially hazardous outlet 

with no cover next to switch
Light Fixtures: Missing Covers or Improperly Mounted

Electrical hazards may also be found in light fixtures. Uncovered fluorescent lights, incandescent light fixtures 

without bulbs, or light fixtures hanging by wiring are all dangerous. Fluorescent lights have energized wiring, 

starters, and ballasts under their protective covers. If the light’s cover is not properly replaced, these hazards 

are exposed. When an incandescent bulb is removed and not replaced, the open socket presents a hazard if it 

remains energized; and therefore, it is best to leave the burnt bulb in the socket to cover the electrical contact 

until the bulb is replaced. The fluorescent light fixture without a cover in Figure 5 shows exposed wiring. 

Figure 6 shows an improperly mounted light fixture with an open socket and exposed wiring. 

Figure 5: Missing cover on fluorescent 

light fixture exposes wiring

Figure 6: Light fixture not properly secured 

to mounting with open socket and exposed 

wiring

Modular Furniture with Exposed Wiring

Modular furniture provides electrical power and must protect occupants from shock hazards. Because the 

furniture has live electrical wiring running through it, it is important to enclose and protect the wiring within 

each module. Corner and baseboard wiring covers are needed to prevent accidental shock hazard contact and 

damage to wiring. Figures 7 and 8 are examples of unprotected wiring in modular furniture that people could 

contact accidentally. 

Figure 7: Exposed power wiring at corner 

unprotected from impact and damage

Figure 8: Exposed baseboard electrical supply 

outlet and service without its cover
 

This information does not constitute advice or an official ruling of the Office of Compliance or the Board of 

Directors and is intended for educational purposes only. For further information or comments concerning this 

Fast Facts, please refer to the Congressional Accountability Act (2 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.) and the regulations 

issued by the Board, or you may contact the Office of Compliance, 202-724-9249.

The Office of Compliance advances safety, 

health, and workplace rights in the U.S. 

Congress and the Legislative Branch. 

Established as an independent agency by the 

Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, 

the Office educates employees and employing offices about their rights and responsibilities under the Act, provides an impartial 

dispute resolution process, and investigates 

and remedies violations of the Act. 

If you have any questions, please do not 

hesitate to contact the Office of Compliance: 

Room LA 200, John Adams Building 

110 Second Street, SE 

Washington, D.C. 20540 

t/ 202-724-9250 

tdd/ 202-426-1912 

f/ 202-426-1913 

Peter Ames Eveleth 

General Counsel 

Mary-Margaret Smith 

Editor Download the entire Fast Facts suite at http://www.compliance.gov 

Fast Stats 

 A recent report from electrical engineers at the National Institute of Occupational Safety 

and Health found that from 1992 through 2002, there were 3,378 fatal electrical 

workplace injuries in the United States. Machines, tools, appliances, and light fixtures 

accounted for 16% of the fatalities; wiring, transformers, and other electrical 

components accounted for over 26%. The report was based on data collected by the 

Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

For more information, see: 

 OSHA Standard 29 C.F.R. § 1910.303(g)(2), available at www.OSHA.gov; 

 NFPA 70, National Electrical Code section 110-27 (2005), available for purchase at 

 www.NFPA.org; and 

 Cawley, James C. and Homce, Gerald T., Trends in Electrical Injury in the U.S., 1992- 

 2002, available at: www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/pubs/pdfs/tieii.pdf.