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:

How it is important to prevent electrical hazards at home?

Place all cords safely out of the way so people don’t trip over them. When necessary, you should always tape the cord to the wall or the floor, and never use nails or staples, as these can damage cords, causing fire and shock related hazards. Use correctly rated cords and equipment, correct size fuses.

What is the most important rule of electrical safety?

1. Always Disconnect – The first rule of electrical safety is to always disconnect whatever you’re working on. This might mean unplugging an appliance that requires repairs or turning off a circuit breaker. You must disconnect before performing any electrical work to reduce the risk of electrocution.

What are 3 safety rules you should follow when around electricity?

Water and electricity – Water and electricity do not mix. Follow these simple tips to ensure the safe use of electrical appliances near water and the safety of your family.

Never use any electrical appliance near water. Never touch anything electrical with wet hands or bare feet. Never leave an electrical appliance where it can fall into the bath or basin. Never leave an electrical appliance unattended around children. Switch off and unplug all portable electric appliances, such as hairdryers, hair straighteners, shavers, etc. after use. Do not use portable heaters in bathroom areas – use a strip heater installed high on the wall or a ceiling unit installed by a registered electrical contractor. Take extreme care when using electrical appliances near sinks, baths or swimming pools. Immediately dispose of an electrical appliance that has been immersed in water. Do not use extension leads or power leads in wet areas – unless they are specifically designed for that purpose. Wear shoes – wear rubber or plastic soled shoes when using electrical appliances in laundries, on concrete floors or outdoors – many victims of serious and fatal electrical accidents are barefooted.

What are the effects of electrical hazards?

Places of work generally have power nominally supplied at 230 volt (single phase) and 400 volt (3 phase) although some larger workplaces will receive electricity at a higher supply voltage. The information below relates to workplaces using 230 and 400 volt supplies. The main hazards with electricity are:

contact with live parts causing shock and burnsfaults which could cause fires;fire or explosion where electricity could be the source of ignition in a potentially flammable or explosive atmosphere, e.g. in a spray paint booth. (this is dealt with in more detail in our ATEX Section

The risk of injury from electricity is strongly linked to where and how it is used and there is greater risk in wet and/or damp conditions.

What are the 5 golden rules of electrical safety?

You must always know and respect the five golden rules for the prevention of electrical risk established by Royal Decree 614/2001. Five rules to prevent electrical risks: Disconnect, prevent any possible feedback, verify the absence of voltage, ground and short-circuit, signal and delimit the working area.

What is the most important piece of safety equipment for an electrician?

Gloves. With burns being one of the main injuries for electrical workers – accounting for roughly 25% of non-fatal injuries – gloves are an important piece of electrical safety equipment.

What is safety precautions?

Safety Precautions means general activities that include, but are not limited to, wearing gloves, wearing eye protection, using equipment that is in good repair, cleaning up spills, access to a first aid kit, etc.

What is electrical work safety?

Safety Precautions for Electrical Hazards – Employers should diligently apply the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) recommendations for electrical safety standards, These include:

Always wear adequate safety gloves when touching electrical wires (even insulated ones) Inspect your surroundings before working on power lines or power stationsDeal with any wetness or dampness on your person or surroundings before working with electricityElectrical wires or devices should only be repaired by qualified and authorized personnel Ensure that all electrical devices are grounded before dealing with themMake sure electrical circuit breakers are in place before performing maintenance on electrical devices

What is the cause of electrical hazard?

Main causes of electrical accidents – In a world where we use electrical devices, appliances and equipment in almost all aspects of everyday life, electrical accidents are understandably common. Yet most can be prevented by understanding the dangers. Typically, electrical accidents are caused by contact with water, faulty wiring, attempting to fix electrical devices yourself, naked cords and damaged plugs.

What is the most common electrical hazard?

Hazard Recognition – Many workers are unaware of the potential electrical hazards present in their work environment, which makes them more vulnerable to the danger of electrocution. The following hazards are the most frequent causes of electrical injuries: contact with power lines, lack of ground-fault protection, path to ground missing or discontinuous, equipment not used in manner prescribed, and improper use of extension and flexible cords.

How does an electric shock affect a person?

A shock can affect the nervous system – Nerves are tissue that offers very little resistance to the passage of an electric current. When nerves are affected by an electric shock, the consequences include pain, tingling, numbness, weakness or difficulty moving a limb.

These effects may clear up with time or be permanent. Electric injury can also affect the central nervous system. When a shock occurs, the victim may be dazed or may experience amnesia, seizure or respiratory arrest. Long-term damage to the nerves and the brain will depend on the extent of the injuries and may develop up to several months after the shock.

This type of damage can also cause psychiatric disorders.

What are the precautions in physics practical?

Introductory Physics Laboratory

Food and drink are not permitted during class in the lab at any time. Do not come in the lab early unless the instructor is present. Do not wear loose hair or clothing around moving equipment. Wear safety glasses during a lab experiment, Do not set equipment too close to the edge of the table. Do not activate any circuit or apparatus until the instructor inspects it. Never touch a possibly live circuit and Do not touch electrical equipment with wet hands. Only use laboratory equipment for the instructional purpose for which they were intended. Never look directly in the beam of a laser and light from a lamp used for the experiment. All trash and waste materials should be disposed of in the proper container. Do not pour chemicals into the laboratory sink. Do not short the electrical leads on any equipment. Any equipment except computer not in use should be turned off. Do not take apart any apparatus or piece of equipment. All damaged equipment and chemical spills should be immediately reported to the laboratory instructor. Accidents and emergencies must be immediately reported to the laboratory instructor. (Emergency call number: 9-1-1) Never remove any computer components (especially the mouse and keyboard). Do not shut down or turn on (or log in) the computer unless instructed to do so by the lab instructor. Leave your lab station neat, clean and organized at the end of each lab period. Be aware that fire extinguishers are located in Rooms of 406T and 407T.

What are the safety precautions in electronics lab?

Precautions: Work on electrical devices should be done only after the power has been shut off in such a manner that it cannot be turned on accidentally. If the power cannot be turned off, use only one hand when working on it. This will prevent a circuit from going through your heart, which could be potentially fatal.

Jack Gloop