Before the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was established in 1971, there were few state or federal laws protecting workers on the job, or even requiring that employers take any steps at all to insure that risks to employees are minimized. The federal government would periodically issue “guidelines,” but until the Nixon Administration established OSHA, there was nothing that had the force of law behind it.

It is largely due to the efforts of workers’ organizations that such safety regulations have been passed. Among those organizations leading the way has been the National Electrical Contractors’ Association (NECA), along with its partners of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).

Raising the Bar with the NEIS

The National Electric Code, established in 1897 (at a time when electrical lighting and machinery were still novelties), was essentially a set of federal guidelines that state and local government could use to establish their own regulations, if governing bodies were inclined to do so. NECA members realized that in order to establish not only the highest standards of workmanship and quality, but also to make certain that those carrying out the work were protected, more stringent safety rules were necessary.

The result was the establishment and adoption of the National Electrical Installation Standards (NEIS), first published during the Second World War. NEIS has raised the bar for craftsmanship and reliability, while at the same time has helped to insure a better working environment by addressing issues of job site safety, proper use and maintenance of tools and equipment. These rigorous safety standards have even been adopted by the American National Standards Institute.

Committed to Excellence

Adoption and adherence to NEIS has paid off in more ways than one – and not only for workers. Recently, based on their commitment to these standards and those outlined in their own Code of Excellence, NECA contractors and their IBEW employees were hired by one of the largest manufacturers of computer chips and components in the world to work on a major, multi-billion dollar expansion of a major company facility just west of Portland, Oregon. A corporate officer at the facility reports that her “construction colleagues…are consistently providing high marks to the IBEW folks.”

More important however, are the benefits to those of us who depend on safe, reliable electrical energy every day for work and play. The rigorous safety standards that protect electrical workers on the job also protect end users by ensuring that devices and systems operate properly.

Watch the NEIS Video