ELECTRICAL SAFETY

Why Worry About Electricity?

Deaths. Electrocutions rank FOURTH (9%) in causes of
industrial FATALITIES (behind traffic, violence and
construction). The National Safety Council estimates
600 people die every year of electrical causes. Most of
these accidents involve low voltage (600 volts or less).
Roughly 3,600 disabling electrical contact injuries occur
every year in the United States, along with another 4,000
non-disabling injuries

Effects on your body:

A small night-light with a 6-watt bulb draws .05 ampere, and
even that small amount of current can be fatal. Here are
some effects of current (in milli amps) passing through a 150
pound body (note that perception is only .5 to 1.5 milli amps):

Electricity is an integral part of today's modern

world, and sometimes it is easy to forget just
how dangerous it can be. Given the correct
circumstances, it can kill. But it can also shock
you painfully, damage sensitive equipment, and
ignite combustible materials.

This training module will cover some basic

safety rules you should follow in regards to
electrical safety. This training is basically for
those who are unqualified to be electricians, but
whose work may be performed close to
electrical systems.

What Are The Leading Causes of Electrical

Accidents?
Unsafe Acts

There are 2 reasons for unsafe acts:

1. We know better but intentionally do
something unsafe.
2. We don't know better.

Avoid the following unsafe acts:

Failure to de-energize, lockout & tagout hazards during maintenance,
repair or inspections.
Use of defective and unsafe tools.
Use of tools or equipment too close to energized parts.
Not draining off stored energy in capacitors.
Using 3-wire cord with a 2-wire plug.
Removing the third prong (ground pin) to make a 3-prong plug fit a 2prong outlet.
Overloading outlets with too many appliances.

Using the attached electrical cord to raise or lower equipment.

Not verifying power is off when making repair (drilling into a 110 Volt a.c.
line can kill).
Working in an elevated position near overhead lines.

Unsafe Equipment
Some common causes of unsafe equipment:
Loose connections
Faulty insulation
Improper grounding (removal of 3rd prong)
Use of "homemade" extension cords
Defective parts
Unguarded live parts--for example:
Bare conductors or exposed terminals
Metal parts of equipment may become
energeized when connected by cord or
plug. Capacitance may cause up to 55% of line
voltage to be stored on the casing of metal tools.

Hazardous Environments
Use special precautions when working in
potentially hazardous environments and
situations. Even an accidental static discharge
can cause a fire or explosion in areas where
the following are present:
Flammable vapors, liquids and gasses
Combustible dusts
Corrosive atmospheres
Explosive environments
Poor housekeeping: blocked electrical
boxes, flammable materials stored in
equipment rooms, lack of proper hazard
signs, excess clutter.

Special care is also need in wet or damp locations

- water and electricity are a bad combination. If
the wire is frayed or damaged, a fatal electrical
shock can result.

This example of an
outlet in a puddle with
its cord in a traffic area
is an example of a
potentially dangerous
situation.

What Can You Do To Help

Protect Yourself?

Know about electricity and how it can harm you and your colleagues.
Basics of Electricity:
Electrical current will not flow unless it has a
complete path (circuit) that returns to its source
(battery, transformer).
Current flows through you and other conductors,
such as metals, earth and concrete.
Current can harm you when it flows through your
body (electric shock).
Insulators resist the flow of electricity. Insulating
materials are used to coat copper conducting wires
and are used to make electrical work
gloves. Insulators help to protect humans from
coming into contact with electricity flowing through
conductors.
Just as there is pressure in a water pipe, even with no
water flowing, there is voltage at a receptacle, even if
current is not flowing. Another word for voltage is
"Potential."

How Electricity Can Harm You

Current passing through your body can cause electric shock, resulting
in 3 types of potential injuries:
1.Burns (arcs burn with heat & radiation)
2.Physical injuries (broken bones, falls, & muscle damage)
At 10 mA, the muscles clamp on to whatever the person is
holding.
3.Nervous system effects (stop breathing at 30 to 75 mA
alternating current at 60Hz, fibrillation at 75 to 100 mA at 60Hz)
Fibrillation = heart is "twitching" and there is no blood flow to
the body.
The heart can be damaged because it is in the path of the most
common routes electricity will take through the body:

Hand-to-hand
Hand-to-foot

Know about static electricity and how it can do harm.

Minimize your exposure to static shocks. Never
clean the glass face of your computer monitor while the
computer is on.
During normal operation, the glass surface of a
monitor's CRT accumulates an electrostatic
charge. When you touch the screen with a finger, the
charge is from the portion of the screen you touched
and it discharges through your finger with a tiny
spark. Electric current does not normally flow through
glass, so only the part of the screen that your finger
touches is discharged.
However, when you clean a monitor the entire glass is
wet and the charge on the entire screen will discharge
to your finger or hand, causing a much more painful
shock.
You can be injured by the reaction to the shock even
though such shocks in themselves are not hazardous.

Use OSHA Safe Work practices.

Control hazards though safe work practices:
Plan your work and plan for safety
Avoid wet working conditions and other dangers
Use Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters. GFCI's
are electrical devices that are designed to detect
ground faults (when current is "leaking"
somewhere outside its intended pathway). If
your body provides the path to ground for the
leaking current, you could receive a shock or be
electrocuted. GFCI's should be used in all wet
locations and on outside outlets.
Avoid overhead power lines: Position
yourself so that the longest conductive object
you are using (saws, poles, tools, brooms, etc.)
cannot come closer than at least 10 feet to any
unguarded, energized overhead line.

Use proper wiring and connectors

Use extension cords properly and temporarily:
Cords must be UL listed and have 3 prongs
Power bars must have a fuse or breaker

Do not use 2-prong, ungrounded cords in a lab

Do not run cords through walls, doors, under rugs, or across aisles
Do not repair cords--buy new ones
Make sure the total number of watts connected to the cord does not exceed the
rating of the cord.
Use and maintain tools properly
Avoid wearing items such as jewelry, watch bands, bracelets, rings, key chains,
necklaces, etc. that might come into contact with exposed, energized parts.

Wear correct PPE:

Hard hats rated "Class E"
ANSI-approved footwear coded "EH"

Follow the Administrative Controls

Safe work procedures
Lockout and Tagout
Proscribed work practices
Signs warning of electrical
hazards

Use safe equipment

Do not use equipment that has been damaged
or improperly modified.
Always use equipment according to the
manufacturer's specifications.
"Live" parts (greater than 50 volts) must be
guarded by one or more of the following:
An enclosure that requires a tool for
access.
A locked enclosure.
An interlocked access door.
A substantial insulating guard to prevent
contact.

Check cords--they should:

Be completely free of damage
and deterioration.
Should always have an
appropriate strain relief device
where they enter the enclosure.

Electrical Emergencies:
How to Respond
Electrical Shock
A small night-light with a 6-watt bulb draws .05
ampere, and even that small amount of
current can be fatal. Here are some effects of
current (in milli amps) passing through a 150
pound body (note that perception is only .5 to
1.5 milli amps):

Protect yourself
Don't touch the person. That person might be
energized, so
take time to protect yourself.
Don't try to use a conductive tool to free the
person.
Don't touch anyone who has become
grounded.

Call for help, IF the person:

is obviously injured (loss of
consciousness, significant
trauma, etc.)
has an altered mental status
(confusion, slow/slurred speech,
etc.)
has other obvious injury
(laceration, burn, etc.)
or:
at your discretion or that of the
shock victim or supervisor.

Keep others from being harmed Shut off the

power (fuse or circuit-breaker or pull the plug; this
might
be difficult because there might be secondary
sources; if you are
not sure, get help) Move the victim to safety only
when power is OFF and no neck or
spine injuries are possible Give necessary first
aid (keep CPR training up-to-date). Report
accident to supervisor (even minor shocks and
close calls
must be reported) Secure area Collect data for
an investigation and to prevent reoccurrence.

What To Do Until Aid

Arrives:
Check for:
Pulse
If person's heart has stopped, start CPR, if you
are trained.
Breathing
If person isn't breathing, begin mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation,
if you are trained.

Treat for shock

Keep person lying down.
If unconscious, put them on their side to let fluids
drain.

Don't move the person if neck or spine injuries

are possible.
Cover the person to maintain body heat

Stay with patient until help arrives

Inform medical personnel about patient
conditions
If not emergency
Often symptoms are delayed and the person
might need medical
attention. All persons, who have received
shocks but do not fall into the
categories above, must be taken to the clinic
by a co-worker or supervisor. Medical
EVALUATION is a must.

Codes and Regulations

Qualified and Authorized
According to OSHA 1910.331 Electrical
safety-related work practices:
"Electrical equipment or electrical
system design, installation,
modification, testing, repair, and
maintenance shall be done by
QUALIFIED AND AUTHORIZED
electrical personnel."

Here are the OSHA requirements that must be followed:

1. Live parts of 50 volts or more shall be guarded.
2. Systems, Circuits and Equipment shall be grounded to:

Protect people from shock

Safeguard from fire

Protect equipment from damage

1. Exposed non-current carrying metal parts of equipment

connected by cord and plug which may become energized
shall be grounded to prevent shocks.

If housing not connected to ground and if there is any

leakage, a shock could result.

1. Most common wiring violations are:

#1 - Flexible cords shall have strain

relief to prevent pull from being directly
transmitted to joints or terminal screws.

60% of fires are caused by poor

connections
and faulty outlets, plugs and cords.
xx

#2 - Conductors entering cabinets, etc.

shall be protected from abrasion.

QUIZ
1.

Safety-related work practices involve:

The use of ground fault circuit interrupters
Verifying power is off before doing repairs
Keeping proper distance from overhead power lines
All of the above

2.

The following is an example of work that may be performed by a

person who is not an electrician:
Construction of an extension cord using a standard junction box

Removal of grounding pin from appliance cord plug

Use of proper extension cord to power an appliance for a short time
None of the above

3.

Electrical current can flow through concrete

True

4.

False

Which of the following are classified as unsafe acts:

Altering a 3-prong plug to fit a 2-prong outlet
Using a GFCI
Working too close to overhead power lines
1st and 3rd
All of the above

5.

Electric cords connected to equipment may be used for

raising or lowering the equipment.
True

False

6.

Conductive articles of jewelry and clothing may be worn

around exposed energized parts.
True

7.

False

Extension cords must have the following:

UL Listing
Three prongs

A fuse
A and B
All of the above

8.

University departments may decide whether to have

alterations done by Physical Plant personnel or to do it
themselves.
True

False

9. Non-conductive head protection should be worn

whenever there is a danger of head injury from electric
shock.

True

False

10. Reaction to static electric shock may cause injury.

True

False

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