OSHA suggests that workers dealing with energized equipment should

• A. De-energize all equipment before work.
• B. Inspect and test all equipment, assuming all to be energized until proven otherwise.
• C. Wear protective gloves only and proceed.
• D. Ignore.

Answer: (B)

When working with electrical equipment, always treat everything as if it could be energized and verify its state before touching. The safe approach is to inspect and test all equipment to confirm there is no voltage present, because energized parts can still surprise you due to hidden energy sources, stored charges, or recent changes in setup. This means using the proper testing tools to prove zero energy and following lockout/tagout procedures to prevent re-energization while you work. Relying only on assuming it’s safe, wearing gloves alone, or ignoring the hazards leaves you exposed to shock, arc flash, or inadvertent energization.

Getting into the habit of testing and verifying energy state helps create a safer work environment and aligns with best practices for handling energized equipment.