The History of Ericson
F
or over 104 years
throughout all electrical plugs
Ericson has engineered
and connectors.
and manufactured safe, code-compliant
electrical products for the
hazardous locations, Ericson
safety industry. From our
responded with a hazardous
first product, the insulated
location handlamp, originally
handlamp, patented in 1918,
patented in the 1930s. This
to our extensive line of
handlamp is used extensively
temporary Jobsite Power and
today in critical industries,
Lighting Products, over the
lighting hazardous spaces with
past century, Ericson has led
safe compliant lighting products.
the industry in producing safe,
In 1959, Ericson developed
jobsite power and lighting
and patented the first
products for workers in a wide
nonmetallic electrical box
variety of applications.
for portable jobsite power, significantly reducing electrical
plugs and connectors with its
handlamp patent in 1918,
shock hazards to workers. In
line of Perma-Kleen products—
Ericson developed and
1970, Ericson further expanded
preventing the threat of E coli,
patented the original over-
this patent with the first portable
Salmonella, Listeria,
molded string light, seen in
box with GFCI Protection.
and other dangerous
Since our initial insulated
various forms throughout the
Ericson expanded
bacterial contamination. Serving critical portable
world today. The industrial
development for a smaller, more
version of this string light
portable GFCI and patented the
and temporary lighting in
continues to serve critical
first “go anywhere” In-Line
harsh and hazardous areas,
industries including the United
GFCI in 1990. This significantly
Ericson further developed
States Navy, who began use
expanded GFCI portability and
their patented linear SL String
before WWII and continues
safety for all electrical cords.
Light. This patented and
even today. Ericson’s support
Today, Ericson is the first to
award-winning design serves
of our troops in national
produce compliant to UL943-5th
harsh, wet, and washdown
defense is seen throughout all
Edition for Self-Testing GFCI’s.
environments, providing safe,
branches of the military, with
Realizing the need for safer
quality, LED-efficient lighting.
maintenance and task lighting
portable power in critical
You’ll find this product used
aboard ships, aircraft, and
food and beverage industries
extensively in the most
ground support vehicles.
where the water intrusion
demanding industrial, food
Recognizing a need for a
can be fatal, Ericson patented
and beverage, mining, and
safer electrical plug to power
several water-tight plug and
petrochemical applications.
crucial lighting and power
connector products in
products, Ericson patented the
1970, exceeding industry
safe Jobsite Power and Lighting
first “Safety Plug” in the late
standards with critical IP69K
Solutions, Ericson proudly
1920s. This dead front rubber
level performance.
continues development and
design was significantly safer
46 Leader—Spring 2022
As lighting became more portable, including use in
Ericson has led the industry in producing safe, jobsite power and lighting products for workers in a wide variety of applications.
In the food and beverage
After 104 years providing
production of safe electrical products in the USA.
than phenolic or even ceramic
industry, antimicrobial
plugs and connectors that were
contamination can be
prone to breakage and exposed
devastating. In 2014, Ericson
Ericson’s century long
workers to hazardous electrical
patented the only antimicrobial
dedication to worksite safety
shock. Today, this design is seen
portable cord and water-tight
at www.ericson.com.
Learn more about
vpppa.org
