Don't Get Zapped !!

Electricity is a very important part of our everyday lives at home, work and play. When everything is working properly we enjoy the effects of electricity to make our lives pleasant. When conditions go wrong, people can be exposed to the hazards associated with electricity, such as shocks. Therefore, it is important that everyone have some minimal knowledge of electrical safety. One of the most important rules is to prevent exposure to live electrical circuits.

Dangers associated with electricity include the potential for electrical shock, an electrical fire, an electrical explosion and electrically induced, unintended body motion. Common electrical hazards include:

• Not using ground fault circuit interrupters when required

• Overloading circuits

• Damaged flexible cords

• Removing grounding pins from flexible cord plugs.
 

 Human behavior increases the risk when working with electricity. Examples include:

• Instructions may not be followed for proper use of equipment

• People may become careless around electricity

• People may use equipment with shorted and/or ungrounded conductors

• Lockout procedures may not be used when working on equipment

 

Physical effects of contact with electrical hazards are:

• The person may suffer electrical shock

• The person may suffer a thermal burn from sudden heating or flash

• The person may fall from the sudden reaction to shock or explosion

• The person may get caught in machinery due to unexpected operation

 

You can reduce your potential for contact with electricity if you:

• Ask if appropriate codes were followed when equipment was installed

• Do not operate equipment that you suspect has an electrical hazard

• Exercise good housekeeping habits

• Report any electrical hazards

• Use appropriate personal protective equipment

• Follow the lockout-tagout program

• Are properly trained to make repairs to equipment

• Don’t remove or disable grounding measures from equipment

• Operate equipment only when you are properly trained

• Inspect the workplace on a regular basis looking for electrical hazards

• Have electrical hazards fixed in a timely manner

• Have high maintenance electrical devices on a predictive maintenance program

• Have electricians test repairs before operations resume

In summary, following job instructions, maintaining good grounds and reporting and fixing electrical hazards are good rules to follow to avoid electrically initiated hazardous working conditions. Remember, only qualified and trained employees are to make electrical diagnostics and repairs.