Unlabeled service equipment increases risk of:

• A. Increased maintenance cost due to labeling requirements.
• B. Misidentification of circuits leading to electric shock or accidental de-energization.
• C. Higher reliability.
• D. Improved safety due to simplicity.

Answer: (B)

Labeling service equipment is essential so you can clearly identify which circuit and which disconnect controls what. When equipment isn’t labeled, a technician may misidentify circuits, increasing the chance of electric shock from touching a live part or accidentally de-energizing the wrong circuit during work. This labeling also supports safe shutdowns in emergencies and reduces the risk of arc-flash or other hazards caused by uncertain energization. It doesn’t make the system more reliable or simplify safety in a way that would reduce risk; rather, the lack of labels directly raises the risk by obscuring proper identification.