I’m surprised there hasn’t been a proactive step to improving electrical safety in North America. As an onlooker, whose done zero research apart from watching YT videos, the regulations seem to be vague/relaxed.

Safety in North America is vague/relaxed in general compared to the rest of the developed world unfortunately.

It’s been code in most places to have receptacles installed with the ground connector facing up for years now.

It’s just that most houses were built 60 years ago, and almost no one pays to have their entire homes electrical system inspected and brought up to code.

There is no such code in the US, so unless you’re talking about the cec idk where you got that idea.

Technically speaking you’re right. There is no true federal level law on electric code. But there is the NEC which is used by most states and most people would consider that the standard electrical code for the country even if that’s not technically true.