It’s vitally important to take safety precautions when working with electricity, Safety must not be compromised and some ground rules need to be followed first. The basic guidelines regarding electrical safety documented below will help you while working with electricity.
- 1. The first step of electrical safety, avoid water at all times when working with electricity.
- Never touch or try repairing any electrical equipment or circuits with wet hands.
- It increases the conductivity of the electric current.2.
- Never use equipment with frayed cords, damaged insulation, or broken plugs.3.
If you are working on any receptacle at your home then always turn off the mains. It is also a good idea to put up a sign on the service panel so that nobody turns the main switch ON by accident.4. Always use insulated tools while working. 5. Electrical hazards include exposed energized parts and unguarded electrical equipment which may become energized unexpectedly. Such equipment always carries warning signs like “Shock Risk”. Always be observant of such signs and follow the safety rules established by the electrical code followed by the country you’re in.6.
- Always use appropriate insulated rubber gloves and goggles while working on any branch circuit or any other electrical circuit.7.
- Never try repairing energized equipment.
- Always check that it is de-energized first by using a tester.
- When an electric tester touches a live or hot wire, the bulb inside the tester lights up showing that an electrical current is flowing through the respective wire.
Check all the wires, the outer metallic covering of the service panel, and any other hanging wires with an electrical tester before proceeding with your work.8. Never use an aluminum or steel ladder if you are working on any receptacle at height in your home.
An electrical surge will ground you and the whole electric current will pass through your body. Use a bamboo, wooden or a fiberglass ladder instead.9. Know the wire code of your country.10. Always check all your GFCI’s once a month. A GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) is a RCD (Residual Current Device).
They have become very common in modern homes, especially damp areas like the bathroom and kitchen, as they help avoid electrical shock hazards. It is designed to disconnect quickly enough to avoid any injury caused by over-current or short circuit faults. Previously Published on SafetyRisk.net For more safety materials on Electrical Safety, visit our PowerPoints and Infographics dedicated to this focus.
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What should first be done before repairing any electrical equipment Why?
Shut off power – Whenever possible, shut off power to the affected area before beginning any work. This can help reduce the risk of electrical shock. Also, make sure to inspect first, before handling all electrical equipment to avoid potential shock (e.g. exposed live wires).
What are safety precautions?
Standard Precautions include — Hand hygiene. Use of personal protective equipment (e.g., gloves, masks, eyewear). Respiratory hygiene / cough etiquette. Sharps safety (engineering and work practice controls).
Why is it important to follow safety precautions when using electricity?
Why Is Electrical Safety Important? You cannot smell, hear, or see electricity, so making sure you have the right systems in place to manage this hazardous energy is critical to the wellbeing of your employees and your Company. There are two major hazards of electricity: Electrical safety is important because hazards such as arc flash and shock can result in death if you are exposed to them.
Cardiac arrest due to the electrical effect on the heart Muscle, nerve, and tissue destruction from a current passing through the body Thermal burns from contact with the electrical source Falling or injury after contact with electricity
Injuries that can result from Arc Flash are as follows:
Burns from the high temperatures produced by the arc Blindness from the ultra-violet light produced by the arc Hearing loss caused by the pressure wave from the arc blast
Not surprisingly there is legislation in place that aims to regulate these hazards. The three main ones are:
Health and Safety at Work – Primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in Great Britain. It sets out the general duties which:
employers have towards employees and members of the public employees have to themselves and to each other certain self-employed have towards themselves and others
The Electricity at Work Regulations – Expand on the rules regarding electrical safety in teh Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Employers are given duties and resonsibilites to make sure that all work activity that uses or may be affected by electricity is done safely, and that all foreseeable risks are assessed and minimised as much as possible. Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 – Employers are required to undertake an assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees and other people who may be affected by their work activity.
We will now try to answer the question: What should you have in place to manage electrical risk? In a nutshell, it is important have an Electrical Safety Management System in place. What does that consist of, you may ask? It depends upon the size of your organisation, but let us assume you are a large company, you should have something like the following in place:
Which of the following precautions need not be taken while using electronic gadgets?
We should never turn the switch in ON position. The correct answer is option (d), Was this answer helpful?
What should first be done before repairing any electrical equipment?
Shut off power – Whenever possible, shut off power to the affected area before beginning any work. This can help reduce the risk of electrical shock. Also, make sure to inspect first, before handling all electrical equipment to avoid potential shock (e.g. exposed live wires).
What are the safety concerns in electrical?
The main electrical hazards – The main hazards of working with electricity are:
electric shock and burns from contact with live parts injury from exposure to arcing (when electricity jumps from one circuit to another) fire from faulty electrical equipment or installations explosion caused by unsuitable electrical apparatus static electricity igniting flammable vapours or dusts, for example in a spray-paint booth
Electric shocks can also lead to other types of injury, for example by causing a fall when working from ladders or scaffolds etc. Even incorrectly wiring a plug can be dangerous and lead to fatal accidents or fires.
What is in an electrical safe work procedure?
Electrical Safety Work Practices Plan | Michigan Technological University This safety procedure provides guidelines for safely working around electrical hazards. It includes provisions for training, lockout requirements, and specific types of work practices and the required precautionary practices when using portable electric equipment.
- It is the responsibility of each exposed employee’s immediate supervisor to ensure that the employee has received the training necessary to safely perform his or her duties.
- This training will be given via classroom and on-the-job instruction and is to be documented.
- Exposed employees shall be trained in and familiar with the safety related work practices required by MIOSHA General Industry Standards Part 40, and safety related work practices contained within the National Electric Code as they pertain to their respective job assignments.
Additional training requirements for qualified persons are also mandated. Employees will be trained in specific hazards associated with their potential exposure. This training will include isolation of energy, hazard identification, premises wiring, connection to supply, generation, transmission, distribution installations, clearance distances, use of personal protective equipment and insulated tools, and emergency procedures.
