 Newsletter
- Spring 2002
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Workplace Safety Reminders
"Workplace" covers a broad spectrum of working environments.
Office buildings, industrial plants, construction sites, offshore
oil platforms, underground mines and retail businesses are a few
examples that illustrate the span of what can be considered the
workplace. While the working environments differ, they all depend
on electricity and electrical systems for energy, control, communications
and data for virtually every aspect of operations. Electrical accidents
can and do happen in all workplace environments, although the frequency
or severity may vary.
The following list of safety reminders is a brief compilation of
generally accepted practices and should be adapted or modified to
address the unique aspects of your working environment, your company
policies and local and/or state and Federal codes. The intent of
this list is to stimulate your thinking on what are the important
electrical safety considerations for the people in your workplace.
Electrical Safety Principals - When planning and preforming
work on electrical systems and equipment, keep these principles
in mind:
- Plan every job
- Think about what could go wrong
- Use the right tools for the job
- Use procedures, drawings and other documents as tools to do
the job
- Isolate the equipment from energy sources
- Identify the electrical shock and arc flash, as well as other
hazards that may be present
Minimize the hazard by guarding or establishing approach limitations
- Test every circuit and every conductor, every time before you
touch
- Use personal protective equiptment (PPE) as a last line of defense
in case something goes wrong
- Be sure you are properly trained and qualified for the job
Working On or Near Energized Equipment
- Treat deenergized electrical equipment and conductors as energized
until lockout/tagout, test and ground (where appropriate) procedures
are implemented.
- Work electrical equipment and conductors deenergized unless
your employer can demonstrate that deenergizing introduces additional
or increased hazards or is unfeasible due to equipment design
or operational limitations.
- Lockout/tagout and ground (where appropriate) before working
on equipment.
Wear protective clothing and equipment and use insulated tools
in areas where there are possible electrical hazards.
- Deenergize and visibly guard (where possible) whenever contact
with uninsulated overhead power lines is possible.
- Check and double check the safety regulations when a ladder
or parts of any vehicle or mechanical equipment structure will
be elevated near energized overhead power lines. Call your local
electric utility for assistance. People standing on the ground
may be particularly vulnerable to possible injury.
Cord Powered Equipment and Tools, Cords and Temporary Wiring
- Protect flexible cords and cables from physical damage.
- Keep slack in flexible cords to prevent tension on electrical
terminals.
- Check cords for cut, broken or cracked insulation.
- Make sure the insulating qualities of a splice are equal to
or greater than the original cord.
- Extension cords are for temporary use. Install permanent wiring
when use is not temporary.
Equipment and Tool Grounding
- Verify that all three wire tools and equipment are grounded.
- Water, electrical equipment and power cords do not mix! Use
GFCI protection in wet or damp environments.
- Ground exposed parts of fixed equipment that could become energized.
Other Considerations
- Verify location of all buried or embedded electrical circuits
before digging or cutting.
- Determine the reason that a fuse operated or circuit breaker
tripped before replacing or resetting.
- Know where your overcurrent devices are (i.e. circuit breakers
and fuses) so they can be easily and quickly reached in case of
emergency.
- When replacing lamps and bulbs, verify replacement matches fixture
requirements.
- Adapt this list of reminders to fit your working environment!
- Establish a written electrical safety program for implementing
the above.
Copyright 2000, National Electrical Safety Foundation
1300 N. 17th St., Suite 1847
Rosslyn, VA 22209
(703) 841-3229
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