Electrical Safety - What is it?

Electrical Safety is a very important part of everyday life, but what has become an integral part of today’s modern world can harm you - or even kill you! Two of the most common causes of today’s electrical accidents, such as electrical shock, is (1) lack of education, and/or (2) lack of appreciation of basic electrical safety practices. Electrocutions (death by electric shock) occur when victims aren’t aware of basic electrical safety, or these victims do possess knowledge of basic electrical safety but they proceed anyway in spite of existing electrical dangers. What Are The Risks? Electrical dangers can occur very easily, which is why basic electrical safety must be practiced. Electrical accidents can happen when victims use unsafe or defective tools. Also, sometimes victims fail to de-energize, or do not exercise proper lockout and tag out procedures during electrical equipment repair, inspections or maintenance. Hence, they subject themselves to electrical danger. Another reason accidents occur is that some workers are elevated in a position that has allowed them to accidentally contact overhead power lines, resulting in electrocution. At home, basic electrical accidents occur when outlets are overloaded with too many appliances or when a third prong (ground pin) on a three-pronged plug is removed in an attempt to fit the plug into a two-pronged outlet. This allows the faulted current to flow into a person, instead of traveling through the ground pin to the house's electrical grounding system. Using defective electrical equipment can also lead to electrical accidents. Faulty insulations, loose connections, defective parts, improper grounding or using home-made extension cords can make a simple procedure turn into a trip to the hospital. Why practice Electrical Safety? Burns, physical injuries or damages to the nervous system are caused when electricity travels through your body and connects to its originating source. Electricity can travel via hand-to-hand, hand-to-foot or take a route through the heart thus damaging the most important organ in your body.

How can I practice basic electrical safety?

Here are a few ways to improve your Basic Electrical Safety:

• Minimize your risk to static shock: Avoid cleaning your computer monitor or your television screen while turned on. Injury can occur.
• Electrical shock can occur while you’re at work, so avoid wet working conditions and use proper wiring and connectors. Also, use ground-fault circuit interrupters because they can detect ground faults (identify where exactly electricity is leaking). Having a basic electrical safety plan at work is also great basic electrical safety.
• Use safe equipment: Don’t use damaged or modified equipment and always use the equipment correctly (according to the manufacturer’s specifications).

The Importance of Electrical Safety

Almost everything in a workplace setting today operates on electricity. Electrical equipment is potentially hazardous and can cause serious shock and burn injuries if improperly used or maintained. If a part of the body comes into contact with the electrical circuit, a shock will occur. The current enters the body at one point and leaves at another point. This passage of electricity can cause great pain, burns, and even fatalities. To protect workers, you should properly educate them and ensure that your work environment is safe and free of electrical hazards. Below are a few basic tips to help prevent electrical accidents in the workplace: 1. Use only equipment that is properly grounded or double-insulated. 2. Do not overload outlets. 3. Do not plug multi-outlet power strips into other multi-outlet power strips. 4. Only use equipment that has been approved by a national testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL). 5. Minimize the use of extension cords. Do not plug two extension cords together. 6. Do not cover power cords or extension cords with rugs or mats, as this can cause issues with the wires, create potential tripping hazards, or fires. 7. Do not run electrical cords through pedestrian aisles; this creates tripping hazards. 8. Unplug or disconnect machines before service or repair, and check to make sure the machine is actually disconnected and powered off prior to service (Lockout Tagout). 9. Do not ignore warning signs. If an item feels hot, makes an unusual noise (buzz or hum), smokes or sparks, take it out of service immediately and tag it "Do Not Use". 10. Inspect cords and equipment regularly, and report any defects immediately. 11. Cover or guard any exposed electrical components or wires, and make sure employees are aware of any and all hazards. 11. Unplug cords from the outlet by gripping the plug. Do not just pull or jerk the cord from a distance. 13. Do not use electrical equipment or appliances near water or wet surfaces without a properly working GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter). 14. Never use electrical equipment when your hands or the equipment is wet. As with all workplaces, protecting employees by eliminating or controlling hazards should be everyone's goal, employer and employee alike. A good first step is to conduct a safety assessment of your workplace. Having a professional walk through your facility can help identify hidden hazards. Once the assessment is complete, they can help to create a plan to correct those issues.