Although we cover the topic of electrical safety every month, our May issue has been dedicated to health and safety for as long as I can remember — and I’ve been working on our group’s electrical magazines for the last 20 years. Flipping back through the last several years’ worth of May issues, I was reminded of the range of valuable safety topics we’ve presented — from alternative lockout/tagout procedures and standards, the hierarchy of risk controls as it relates to NFPA 70E updates, and lessons learned from forensic casebook accident investigations to advancements in sensor-based wearable technologies and how they improve safety outcomes, injury/arc flash prevention, and proper PPE protocol. This year, an invisible enemy unexpectedly forced its way into our lives, forever committing a new set of vocabulary words to memory: the coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19, social distancing, shelter-in-place, flatten the curve, and my least favorite, “the new normal.” Don’t get me wrong. I completely understand why this phrase is being used so frequently to suggest that permanent change may be necessary as we all navigate our personal and professional lives in a post-COVID-19 world. But I don’t pretend to like how it sounds or how it makes me feel.

Freelance Writer Tom Zind takes an inside look at this new normal in the cover story, which examines how the electrical industry is dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, including its impact on construction,  business disruptions, economic ramifications of the shutdown, new health and safety protocols, PPE sanitation and management considerations, and potential bright spots that resulted from combatting the virus, such as improved workplace hygiene, telecommuting and remote monitoring, increased job-site efficiency strategies like prefabrication, and creative new ways to accomplish the same tasks with different methods. We will all have to wait and see exactly how the pandemic plays out, but until then, we’ll be monitoring and reporting everything we can to help electrical professionals do their jobs more efficiently and safely during these unprecedented times. 

Addressing the topic of residential solar safety, another feature on safety investigates a potential hazard that exists regarding the enclosure that houses a residential PV system’s disconnect switch. Until a recent change was implemented in the 2020 NEC, these boxes were not required to be locked, which poses an electric shock hazard to toddlers (since many of the devices are located so low to the ground), according to Tommy Davis, a retired master electrician and former solar inspector. He brought this problem to EC&M’s attention recently, as he’s done with countless other media outlets, government agencies, and industry associations. Davis, who’s been on a crusade to get this situation changed, recommends that the latch be secured with a lock, nut and bolt, or zip tie. He even lobbied the Maryland legislature and got a new law passed in that state requiring a lockout tag with a metal or plastic strap be used to seal closed a knife-blade disconnect switch box on residential solar systems — plus he successfully pushed for a revision that was adopted in the 2020 NEC in Sec. 690.13 and 690.15, which now requires the box to be locked or a tool be used to open it. However, this change only affects new installations; Davis maintains older ones still pose a risk. I speak from experience: Davis is relentless. He will do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to get this safety message out. I give him tremendous credit for what he has accomplished thus far and for his commitment to enhancing electrical safety. I encourage the EC&M audience to weigh in on this important safety discussion.