What Is Avoid Contact?
Two words can carry a great deal of responsibility in a safety document. “Avoid contact” sounds straightforward, yet the questions raised in Andrew Olsen’s upcoming presentation show why readers may need more context about what the phrase means for a particular task.
The presentation uses measurement scenarios to explore that communication problem. Those examples are questions for technical review, not demonstrations that a particular tool, connector, glove choice, or work method makes an energized task acceptable.
An effective explanation should identify the scope of the requirement and direct the reader to the employer’s approved procedure and risk assessment. The measurement scenarios discussed in the presentation illustrate why a single, broad explanation cannot resolve which requirements apply in every situation. A knowledgeable electrical safety professional can help evaluate the hazards and recommend appropriate mitigation controls based on the specific equipment, task, and working conditions, within the applicable requirements.
The presentation proposes “prohibit contact” as wording worth discussing. That is an editorial proposal, not an adopted change to NFPA 70E. The proposed language is intended to convey that contact with an energized source is not simply something to try not to do (avoid), nor is preventing it merely a suggestion. It is something that must not be allowed to happen. De-energization, appropriate insulation—including suitable insulating PPE—and other layers of controls, as required for the task, must be used to prevent bodily contact with energized parts and electric shock.
Good safety language makes the limits of an instruction clear. It should leave less room for a short phrase to become a justification that its authors never intended.
Andrew Olsen will deliver the forty-five-minute presentation Say What You Mean at the 2027 IEEE IAS Electrical Safety Workshop, March 22–26, 2027, at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada. He will also lead the tutorial Five Frustrating DC Power System Safety Practices, covering DC energy challenges involving electric vehicles, solar PV, energy storage, power conversion, and data centers supporting AI. Join the workshop to continue these discussions with the electrical safety community. ElecTrain will also participate in the vendor exhibition. Stop by the ElecTrain booth to say hello and pick up some free giveaways.