Module 7 - Electrical Safety

1
 Training Objectives
 After completing this unit, you will:
– Be familiar with the basic concepts of
electricity.
– Understand the potential effects of
electricity on the human body.
– Be able to recognize common electrical
hazards associated with masonry (brick)
work.
– Be familiar with electrical protective
devices.
– Be knowledgeable of safe work
practices. 2
Hazard Symbols You Must Know
General Warning

High Voltage – Risk of Electric Shock

Magnetic Field

Laser Radiation

3
Hazard Symbols You Must Know
Radioactivity

Ionizing Radiation – gamma rays, cosmic rays,

vacuum ultraviolet radiation

Non-Ionizing Radiation

Biohazard

UV Light

4
 Take Electricity Seriously
 Electricity
is the second leading
cause of death in construction.
 Electrocutionsmake up 12% of
construction fatalities annually.
 Over30,000 non-fatal shocks
occur each year.
 Over600 deaths occur annually
due to electrocution / electric
shock. 5
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
 Electrical Accidents
 Leading Causes of Electrical Accidents:
– Drilling and cutting through cables
– Using defective tools, cables and equipment
– Failure to maintain clearance distance of 10 feet or
3.6576 meter
– Failure to de-energize circuits and follow Lockout/Tagout
procedures
– Failure to guard live parts from accidental worker contact
– Unqualified employees working with electricity
– Improper installation/use of temporary electrical systems and
equipment
– By-passing electrical protective devices
– Not using GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupters) or Residual
Current Device (RCD) devices
– Missing ground prongs on extension cords 6
 Hazards of Electricity
 Shock – Most common and can cause electrocution or
muscle contraction leading to secondary injury which
includes falls. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that electrocution was the
fourth leading cause of death in construction in 2005, after falls to a lower level, transportation injuries, and being struck
by objects and equipment.

 Fires – Enough heat or sparks can ignite combustible

materials
 Explosions – Electrical spark can ignite vapors in the
air
 Arc Flash - can cause burns ranging from 14,000
degrees °F (Fahrenheit) to 35,000 degrees °F
= 7760 °C (Celsius) to 19426.667 °C
 Arc Blast – In a short circuit event copper can expand
67,000 times. The expansion causes a pressure wave.
Air also expands adding to the pressure wave 7
 Fundamentals of Electricity
Like Water In A Garden Hose

Resistance = Diameter of Hose

Example – Larger hose (less resistance),
more water flows

Current = Flow Rate

Voltage = Water Pressure Example – 15 gallons per minute
Example – 45 PSI

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 Fundamentals of Electricity
 Electricalcurrent is the flow of
electrons through a conductor.
 A conductor is a material that allows
electrons to flow through it.
 An insulator resists the flow of
electrons.
 Resistance opposes electron flow.

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 Current Flows in a
Loop or Circuit
 Circuits are AC
(alternating current) or
DC (direct current).
 Current is usually AC.
 AC current has five
parts:
(1) Electrical source
(2) HOT / LIVE wire to the
tool. (RED / BLACK)
(3) The tool itself
(4) NEUTRAL (BLACK /
BLUE) wire returns
electricity from the tool 10
(5) GROUND (GREEN)
 How Shocks Occur
 Current travels in closed
circuits through
conductors (water, metal,
the human body).
 Shock occurs when the
body becomes a part of
the circuit.
 Current enters at one point
& leaves at another.
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 Shocks Occur in
Three Ways
 Contact with both
conductors
 Contact with one
conductor and
ground
 With a tool: contact
with “hot” metal
part and ground (1),
(2) & (3)
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 Severity of the Shock
 Severity of the Shock depends
on:
– Amount of current
• Determined by voltage and
resistance to flow
– Path through the body
– Duration of flow through the
body
– Other factors such as general
health and individual 13
differences.
 He sweats - and he dies...
Luling, La. - A man was electrocuted when his
sweat dripped into the electric drill he was using
to build a swing set in his backyard, the coroner
said.
Richard Miller was pronounced dead
Sunday at St. Charles Hospital, said David Vial,
St. Charles Parish coroner. Miller, 54, had been
using an electric drill in 90 degree heat, Vial said
Monday.
“Apparently the man was sweating
profusely,” Vial said. “He probably was pushing
against the drill with his chest and his
perspiration went into the drill itself and made a
contact.”
The Associated Press 14
 Effects of Current Flow
 More than 3 milliamps (ma): painful shock
 More than 10 ma: muscle contraction
 More than 20 ma: considered severe shock
 More than 30 ma: lung paralysis - usually
temporary
 More than 50 ma: possible ventricular
fibrillation (usually fatal)
 100 ma to 4 amps: certain ventricular fibrillation
(fatal)
 Over 4 amps: heart paralysis; severe burns
 In general, current that is fatal to humans ranges from
0.06 A to 0.07 A, depending on the person and the type of
current. 15
 Using a 120 volt circuit and resistance
for wet & dry skin:
E=IR: Voltage=Current x Resistance
(Volts) (Amps) (Ohms)
So: I=E/R

Dry Skin =120/100,000=.0012 amps

=1.2ma flowing through
body to ground

Wet skin =120/1000=.120 amps

=120ma flowing through
body to ground

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Remember: 1 Amp = 1000 milliamps
Effects of Current Flow

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 Controlling Electrical Hazards
 Employers must follow the OSHA
Electrical Standards (Subpart K)
 Electrical installation
 Subpart K includes four proactive
methods:
– Electrical Isolation
– Equipment Grounding
– Circuit Interruption
– Safe Work Practices
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 Electrical Isolation
 Wecan be safe by keeping electricity
away from us. We can:
– Insulate the conductors.
• Example: The insulation on extension
cords.
– Elevate the conductors.
• Example: Overhead powerlines.
– Guard the conductors by enclosing
them.
• Example: Receptacle covers, boxes, &
conduit. 19
 Insulating the Conductors
 The first way to safeguard workers
from electrically energized wires is
through insulation.
 Rubber and plastic is put on wires to
prevent shock, fires, short circuits
and for strain relief.
 It is always necessary to check the
insulation on equipment and cords
before plugging them in.
 Remember, even the smallest defect
will allow leakage! 20
Defective Extension Cords

Photos depict hazardous condition 21

Defective Extension Cords

This cord was hard-

usage, but has been
worn out.
Photos depict hazardous condition 22
 Defective Cord Incident
 Worker attempted to
climb scaffold with
electric drill.
 Drill’s cord was
damaged with bare
wires showing.
 The bare wire contacted
the scaffolding.
 The worker died!
Depicts hazardous condition 23
 Elevating the Conductors
 The second way to safeguard workers
from electrically energized wires is by
elevating them.
 Wires are often elevated by the power
company.
 It is always necessary to check the
location of overhead lines before you
begin work each day.
 Remember, never allow yourself, your
tools, or the materials you are working
with to be within 10 feet of energized lines!

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Photo depicts hazardous condition
 Working Near Overhead Lines
 Clearance of worker and any
equipment, tool, material, or
scaffold near uninsulated
lines
– Less than 50 kv = 10 feet.
– More than 50 kv = 10 feet + 0.4
inches for each 1 kv
 Clearance near insulated lines
– Less than 300 volts = 3 feet.
– 300 - 50 kv = 10 feet. 25
Photo depicts hazardous condition
 Working Near Overhead Lines
 Cranes, Derricks, Hoists
– 50 kv or less = minimum distance is 10 feet.
– Over 50 kv = 10 feet + 0.4 for each kv over.
– In transit; no load = 4 foot minimum up to 50 kv.
– In transit; no load = 10 foot minimum if > 50 kv.

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Photo depicts hazardous condition
 Working Near Overhead Lines
 Clearance of worker and any
equipment, tools, materials, or
scaffold near uninsulated
lines is 10 feet!

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Photo depicts hazardous condition
 Overhead Line Incident
A worker was
attempting to
move mobile
scaffold.
 Scaffold made
contact with
7200 volt line.
 The worker died.

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Photo depicts hazardous condition
 Guarding the Conductors
 The third way to safeguard workers
from electrically energized wires is by
guarding them.
 Covers, boxes, and enclosures are
often put around conductors to prevent
worker contact.
 It is always necessary to check that
electrical boxes and panels are covered
and free from missing “knock-outs”.
 Remember, electric equipment
operating at 50 volts or more must be
guarded! 29
Photo depicts hazardous condition
Guarding the Conductors

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Photos depict hazardous condition
Guarding the Conductors

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Photos depict hazardous condition
 Equipment Grounding
 We can be safe by providing a
separate, low resistance pathway for
electricity when it does not follow
normal flow (ground prong).

 Grounding gives the stray current

somewhere to go and keeps you from
becoming part of the circuit.

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 Can You Rely on Grounding?
 Grounding will not work if
the electricity can flow
through you more easily
than the ground. This can
happen when:
– Your tool doesn’t have a
ground pin.
– You’re working in wet / water
locations.
– You’re touching a metal
object. 33
 What Must be Grounded?
 All circuits and extension
cords.
 All noncurrent carrying
metal parts.
 Portable & semi-portable
tools and equipment unless
double insulated.
 Exemption for portable
generators if less than 5 kV.
 No grounding by-pass
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devices!
Class 0I
 Electrical installations where the chassis is connected to earth
with a separate terminal. In effect this provides the same
automatic disconnection as Class I, for equipment that
otherwise would be Class 0
Class II
 Class II symbol
 A Class II or double insulated electrical appliance is one which
has been designed in such a way that it does not require a
safety connection toelectrical earth (ground).
 The basic requirement is that no single failure can result in
dangerous voltage becoming exposed so that it might cause
an electric shock and that this is achieved without relying on an
earthed metal casing. This is usually achieved at least in part
by having two layers of insulatingmaterial surrounding live parts
or by using reinforced insulation.
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 In Europe, a double insulated appliance must be labelled Class II or double
insulated or bear the double insulation symbol (a square inside another
square).
 Insulated AC/DC power supplies (such as cell-phone chargers) are typically
designated as Class II, meaning that the DC output wires are isolated from
the AC input. The designation "Class II" should not be confused with the
designation "Class 2", as the latter is unrelated to insulation (it originates
from standard UL 1310, setting limits on maximum output
voltage/current/power).

Class III
 Class III symbol
 A Class III appliance is designed to be supplied from a separated/safety
extra-low voltage (SELV) power source. The voltage from a SELV supply is
low enough that under normal conditions a person can safely come into
contact with it without risk of electrical shock. The extra safety features built
into Class I and Class II appliances are therefore not required. For medical
devices, compliance with Class III is not considered sufficient protection, and
further more-stringent regulations apply to such equipment.
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 Do Not Eliminate the Ground!

You become the next-best path for current!

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Photos depict hazardous condition
Do Not Reverse Polarity
The prongs are different
sized so you can’t turn
the plug around. If you
do, the electrical fields
within the motor are always
energized. If there is
moisture present, the case
is likely to be “hot”. Even
with double-insulated tools,
you still could get a shock.

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Photo depicts hazardous condition
 Circuit Interruption
 We can be safer by automatically
shutting off the flow of electricity in the
event of leakage, overload, or short
circuit.
 Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI)
are circuit protection (or “overcurrent”)
devices that protect you, the worker.
 Circuit breakers & fuses protect
equipment, not you, because they take
too much current & too much time to trip.

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 Circuit Protective Devices
 Circuit Breakers and Fuses
– Only protect the building, equipment,
and tools from heat build-up!
– Never depend on circuit breakers or
fuses to prevent shocks!
 Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
(GFCI)
– Is the only device which will protect the
worker from shock and electrocution!

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 GFCI vs. Circuit Breaker
Shock Protection

15 AMP Circuit Breaker Blows

4.000 AMP – burns, heart paralysis
0.100 AMP – certain heart failure, fatal
0.050 AMP – possible heart failure
0.030 AMP – temporary lung paralysis
0.015 AMP – can’t let go of power
0.005 AMP GFCI Opens
0.003 AMP – painful shcok
0.001 AMP – mild shock
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 GFCI Protection
 Alltemporary circuits are required to
have GFCI protection or:
– Equipment & cords must be included
in an Assured Equipment Grounding
Conductor Program
 An extension cord is a temporary circuit.
 Types of GFCIs: receptacle, circuit
breaker and portable
 Must be wired correctly and tested.

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 How a GFCI Works
The GFCI detects
‘leakage’ of 4-6
milliamps & opens
the circuit in 1/40th
of a second.

It will work without

the ground plug
but not fast
enough if you are
the ground .

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Types of GFCI Protection

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 Types of GFCI Protection

A GFCI breaker must be installed to protect

workers using 220V masonry saws.
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GFCI Testers

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 Assured Equipment Grounding
Conductor Program
Requires the following:

-Written program and specific procedures

-Program implemented by a Competent Person (one
who is capable of identifying existing and predictable
hazards in the surroundings or working conditions
which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to
employees, and who has authorization to take prompt
corrective measures to eliminate them.
-Equipment grounding conductors must be tested
(tools, extension cords, and circuits):
At least every three months for cords & tools
At least every six months for receptacles
Results recorded - equipment coded (colored tape) 47
Checking for Ground Continuity

What else we should we notice here? 48

Photo depicts hazardous condition
 Temporary Wiring
 There must be separate circuits for
electric tools and lighting, each
labeled as such.
 Light circuits do not require a GFCI.
– Unless used in a wet location.
 Test branch circuits before use.
 Maintain vertical clearances.
 Insulate wires from their supports.

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Permanent Equipment in Temporary Use

What is wrong with using this as a ‘splitter’?

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Photo depicts hazardous condition
 Extension Cords and Cables
 Must be in good shape without splices.
 Cannot be secured with staples, nails or
bare wire.
 Must be protected from damage.
 Must have a ground pin.
 Should be inspected regularly and pulled
from service if defective.
 Cannot be repaired with electrical or duct
tape. Must repair with heat-shrink sleeve or
bonding/vulcanizing tape to retain original
insulation properties.
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Photos depict hazardous condition
 Acceptable Cord Types
 All cords must meet the National Electric Code’s
(NEC) requirement for Hard/Extra Hard type.
 Look for markings stamped on cords.
 Acceptable Cord Types

– Extra Hard Use Markings: S, ST, SO, STO

– Hard Usage Markings: SJ, SJO, SJT, SJTO

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 53
Photo depicts hazardous condition
Extension Cords-What’s the Difference?

No flat cords allowed on construction sites!54

Clever Or Foolish?

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Photos depict hazardous condition
 Temporary Lighting
 All bulbs must be
guarded
 No broken bulbs
or empty sockets
 Not suspended
by wiring
 Low voltage for
wet locations

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Photos depict hazardous condition
 Portable Generators
 The frame of the
portable generator need
not be grounded if:
– the generator supplies
only cord and plug
connected equipment.
– The non-current carrying
metal parts of equipment
and the equipment
grounding conductor
terminals of the
receptacles are bonded
to the generator frame.
– GFCI is required if >5kV
or if generator provides 57
220V as well as 110V.
 Safe Work Practices
 Before work begins, the employer
must determine where exposed and
concealed electrical circuits are
located.
 Once found, warning signs/labels
must be posted.
 Workers need to know the location,
hazards, and protective measures.

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 Safe Work Practices
 Competent Person / Person in
charge determines if performance of
work could bring contact with
energy.
– Distance of the worker to the energy
source should be considered first.
– Tools, materials, and processes should
also be considered to see if they could
potentially shorten the safe separation
distance.
• Examples: Metal Ladders, Re-bar, Forklift,
Scaffold Frames, etc.

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 Safe Work Practices
 Must not permit work near electric
circuits unless the worker is
protected by:
– De-energizing the circuit and grounding
it.
– Guarding it effectively by insulation.
– Other means (maintaining safe
separation)
 De-energized circuits and equipment
must be locked/tagged out.

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 Safe Work Practices
 No metal ladders for or near
electrical work.
 No wet hands when plugging or
unplugging cords/equipment.
 No raising or lowering tools by
the cord.
 Unless equipment is designed
for it, cannot be used in damp
and wet locations or in
extremely hot or chemically
destructive work environments.
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Photo depicts hazardous condition
 Electrical Safety
Common OSHA Citations:
– Branch circuits: GFCI protection/Assured
Equipment Grounding Conductor Program
– Grounding path
– Equipment installation and use
– GFCI
– Guarding live parts

How can the hazards addressed by these

Standards best be corrected, controlled,
or eliminated? 62
 Summary – Hazards & Protections
Hazards Protective Measures
 Inadequate wiring  Proper grounding
 Exposed electrical parts  Use GFCI’s
 Wires with bad insulation  Use fuses and circuit breakers
 Ungrounded electrical systems  Guard live parts
and tools
 Lockout/Tagout
 Overloaded circuits
 Proper use of flexible cords
 Damaged power tools and
equipment  Close electrical panels by
Competent Person
 Using the wrong PPE and tools
 Employee training
 Overhead power lines
 Ensure Competent Person on
 All hazards are made worse in site
wet conditions
 Use proper approved electrical
 Damaged extension cords equipment
 Unqualified workers doing  Qualified person install
electrical work electrical devices 63
 REVIEW QUESTIONS
 True or False?
1. Shocks and Electrocutions are the most
common type of electrical accident and are
the fourth leading cause of worker deaths.
2. The human body will not conduct
electricity.
3. It takes at least 1 amp going through a
worker to kill them.
4. Insulation on extension cords & elevating
power lines are examples of protection
through isolation.
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 REVIEW QUESTIONS
 True or False?
5. All portable and semi-portable tools and
equipment must be grounded unless
double insulated.
6. You, your tools, and the materials you are
working with, must never be closer than 3
feet of energized power lines!
7. Electric equipment operating at 50 volts or
more must be guarded!
8. All circuits and extension cords must be
grounded.
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 REVIEW QUESTIONS
True or False?
9. Circuit breakers and fuses are designed to
protect the worker from electrocution.
10. GFCI protection or Assured Ground
Continuity is required on all temporary
circuits.
11. Extension cords are not required to have
a ground prong when they are GFCI-
protected.
12. It is OK to work on a circuit which has not
been de-energized.
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ANSWER FOR REVIEW QUESTIONS
True or False?
1. True
2. False
3. False
4. True
5. True
6. False
7. True
8. True
9. False
10. True
11. False
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12. False