ACADEMY
Basic safety information
We rely on electricity, but sometimes underestimate its capability of causing injury. Even household current can stop your heart. aware of the hazards electricity poses, such as shock, fire and explosion, and either eliminate or control those hazards.
Shock
Electrical shock happens when current passes through the body. Electricity travels through closed circuits, and people, sometimes tragically, can become part of the circuit. When a person receives a shock, electricity flows between parts of the body or through the body to a ground. This can happen if someone touches both wires of an energized circuit, touches one wire of the circuit while standing unprotected or touches a metal part that has become energized.
Electrocution refers to the injury or lethal dose of electrical energy. Electricity can also cause forceful muscle contraction or falls. The severity of injury depends on the amount of current flowing through the body, the current’s path through the body, the length of time the body remains in the circuit and the current’s frequency.
Fire/Explosion
Electrical fires may be caused by excessive resistance that generates heat from any of the following:
Too much current running through wiring where overcurrent protection fails or does not exist
Faulty electrical outlets resulting in poor contact or arcing
Poor wiring connections and old wiring that is damaged and cannot support the load
An explosion can occur when electricity ignites a flammable gas or combustible dust mixture in the air. Ignition from a short circuit or static charge is possible.
What you need to know
Electrical Safety Basics
Don’t work with exposed conductors carrying 50 volts or more.
Make sure electrical equipment is properly connected, grounded and in good working order.
Extension cords may not be used as permanent wiring and should be removed after temporary use for an activity or event.
Surge suppressors with built-in circuit breakers may be used long-term and are available with three, six and 15 foot-long cords.
High amperage equipment such as space heaters, portable air conditioners and other equipment must be plugged directly into permanent wall receptacles.
Do not access, use or alter any building’s electrical service, including circuit breaker panels, unless you are specifically qualified and authorized to do so.
Wet environments can increase the risk of an electrical shock.
Housekeeping and Maintenance
What you can do to stay safe
Avoid Activities That Requires Training
Ask a qualified person to perform these tasks.
Grounding
To prevent electrical hazards, always make sure equipment is properly grounded. Electrical grounding provides an alternate path for electricity to follow, rather than going through a person. Equipment with a grounding prong must be plugged into an extension cord with a ground; the grounding plug should not be removed from the equipment.
Wet Locations
When using electricity in a wet or damp location, including outdoor locations, a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) must be used. The GFCI ensures that any electrical shock is brief. Although painful, it wouldn’t be fatal because the GFCI creates a ground fault or leak in the current.
Lockout/Tagout
When servicing and maintenance tasks involve electricity and electrical equipment, you must prevent the unexpected startup of equipment.
