Electrical Safety

Basic Electrical Safety

Introduction
An average of one worker is electrocuted on
the job every day – In US
There are four main types of electrical
injuries:
◦ Electrocution (death due to electrical shock)
◦ Electrical shock
◦ Burns
◦ Falls

Basic Electrical Safety

 Electrical Burns
Most common shock-related, nonfatal
injury
Occurs when you touch electrical wiring or
equipment that is improperly used or
maintained
Typically occurs on the hands
Very serious injury that needs immediate
attention

Basic Electrical Safety

 Falls
Electric shock can also cause indirect or
secondary injuries
Workers in elevated locations who
experience a shock can fall, resulting in
serious injury or death

Basic Electrical Safety

Basic
Basic Electrical
Electrical Safety
Safety
•If you spot problems with electrical
equipment you should report it to your
supervisor

Basic Electrical Safety

 Objectives
Objectives
Be familiar with the fundamental concepts
of electricity.
Be familiar with the effects of electricity on
the human body.
• Be able to recognize common electrical
hazards.

Basic Electrical Safety

 Objectives
Objectives
Be familiar with electrical
protective devices.

Basic Electrical Safety

 Fundamentals of Electrical Hazards

To flow electricity must have a complete

path.
Electricity flows through conductors
◦ water, metal, the human body
Insulators
are non-conductors
The human body is a conductor.

Basic Electrical Safety

Fundamentals of Electrical
Hazards
Voltage
◦ electrical pressure (water pressure)
Amperage
◦ electrical flow rate (gallons/min)
Impedance
◦ restriction to electrical flow (pipe friction)

Basic Electrical Safety

Fundamentals of Electrical
Hazards
Circuit
◦ path of flow of electricity
Circuit Element
◦ objects which are part of a circuit and
through which current flows.
Fault
◦ current flow through an unintended path.

Basic Electrical Safety

Fundamentals of Electrical Hazards

Have You Ever Been

Shocked?

THE BASICS

Basic Electrical Safety

 Fundamentals of Electrical Hazards

Hazards of Electricity
◦ Electrocution/Shock/Burns/Death
• Inspect all electrical tools and equipment
• Frayed, cut, broken wires
• Grounding prong missing
• Improper use of cube taps
• Improperly applied or missing strain relief

Basic Electrical Safety

 Electrical
ElectricalProtection
Protection

 CircuitBreakers
◦ Provided to protect EQUIPMENT not people
◦ Do not reset breakers with a line voltage higher than
230V and only reset if you know why it tripped

• RCCB/ELCB/GFCI’s
- Provided to protect people
- Trip range 30mA
- Monthly test

Basic Electrical Safety

Fundamentals of Electrical Hazards

 More than 3 mA
painful shock
 More than 10 mA
muscle contraction “no-let-go” danger
 More than 30 mA
lung paralysis- usually temporary
 More than 50 mA
possible ventricular fib. (heart dysfunction, usually fatal)
 100 ma to 4 amps
certain ventricular fibrillation, fatal
 Over 4 amps
heart paralysis; severe burns. Usually caused by >600 volts

Basic Electrical Safety

 Action Should be Taken if a Person gets
an Electric Shock
 Prevent anyone else ignorantly rushing out to rescue the
victim
 Cutoff Electric Supply
 Use wood / insulating materials to isolate the person
from supply
 Give artificial respiration
◦ Use Oxygen Cylinders

 Call/ Take him to a Doctor

11/07/2023 VSA- EEE - TCE 15
 Electrical
Electrical Protection
Protection
Distance
◦ If you sense the presence of an electrical
hazard or exposed conductors that may be
energized, keep your distance and STAY
AWAY

Basic Electrical Safety

Fundamentals of Electrical Hazards
What is Grounding?
◦ Protection from electric shock
 normally a secondary protection measure
A ground is a conductive connection
◦ between electrical circuit or equipment and earth
or ground plane
◦ creates a low resistance to the earth.

Basic Electrical Safety

Basic
Basic Rules
Rules of
of Electrical
ElectricalAction
Action
Electricity isn’t live until current flows

Electricalcurrent won’t flow until there is a

complete loop, out from and back to the
power source.

Basic Electrical Safety

 Do’s
Do’s and
and Don'ts
Don'ts
Do unplug electrical equipment by grasping the
plug and pulling. Do not pull or jerk the cord to
unplug the equipment.

Basic Electrical Safety

 Do’s
Do’s and
and Don'ts
Don'ts
Do plug power equipment into wall receptacles
with power switches in the Off position.

Basic Electrical Safety

Do’s
Do’s and
and Don'ts
Don'ts
Do not plug equipment into defective Plug
points / receptacles.

Basic Electrical Safety

 Do’s
Do’s and
and Don'ts
Don'ts
Do check for defective cords clamps at
locations where the power cord enters the
equipment or the attachment plug.

Basic Electrical Safety

 Do’s
Do’s and
and Don'ts
Don'ts
Extension cords should not be used in
office areas.
Generally, extension cords should be
limited to use by maintenance personnel

Basic Electrical Safety

 Do’s
Do’s and
and Don'ts
Don'ts
Consumer electrical equipment or
appliances should not be used if not
properly grounded

Basic Electrical Safety

Do’s
Do’s and
and Don'ts
Don'ts
Employees should know the location of
electrical circuit breaker panels that control
equipment and lighting in their respective
areas
◦ Marking is must
Circuits and equipment disconnects must
be identified

Basic Electrical Safety

Do’s
Do’s and
and Don'ts
Don'ts
Any electrical equipment causing shocks
or with high leakage potential must be
tagged with a Danger tag or equivalent.

Basic Electrical Safety

 Do’s
Do’s and
and Don'ts
Don'ts
Temporary or permanent storage of any
materials must not be allowed within 3
feet of any electrical panel or electrical
equipment.

Basic Electrical Safety

Inadequate Wiring Hazards

A hazard exists when a

conductor is too small to safely
carry the current
Example: using a portable tool
with an extension cord that has
Wire Gauge
a wire too small for the tool
◦ The circuit breaker could be the WIRE
right size for the circuit but not
for the smaller-wire extension Wire gauge measures wires
ranging in size from number
cord 36 to 0 American wire gauge
(AWG)

Basic Electrical Safety

Overload Hazards
If too many devices are plugged into a
circuit, the current will heat the wires to a
very high temperature, which may cause a
fire
If the wire insulation melts, arcing may
occur and cause a fire in the area where the
overload exists, even inside a wall

Basic Electrical Safety

 Grounding Path

The path to ground from

circuits, equipment, and
enclosures must be
permanent and
continuous
Violation shown here is an
extension cord with a
missing grounding prong

Basic Electrical Safety

Hand-Held Electric Tools
Hand-held electric tools pose a potential danger
because they make continuous good contact with
the hand
To protect you from shock, burns, and
electrocution, tools must:
◦ Have a three-wire cord with ground and be plugged into
a grounded receptacle, or
◦ Be double insulated, or
◦ Be powered through ELCB/RCCB

Basic Electrical Safety

21 Golden Safety Rules

Electricity is a Good Servant,

But a Bad Master
Rule No.1
Avoid contact with energized electrical
circuits
Rule No.2
Treat all electrical devices as if they are
live or energized. You never know.
Rule No.3
Disconnect the power source before
servicing or repairing electrical
equipment.
The only way to be sure.
Rule No.4
Use only tools and equipment with non-
conducting handles when working on
electrical devices.
Easy to check.
Rule No.5
Never use metallic pencils or rulers, or
wear rings or metal watchbands when
working with electrical equipment. This
rule is very easy to forget, especially
when you are showing some electrical
part pointing with metallic pencil.
Always be aware.
Rule No.6
When it is necessary to handle equipment
that is plugged in, be sure hands are dry
and, when possible, wear nonconductive
gloves, protective clothes and shoes with
insulated soles.
Remember: gloves, clothes and shoes.
 Rule No.7
If it is safe to do so, work with only one hand,
keeping the other hand at your side or in your
pocket, away from all conductive material.
This precaution reduces the likelihood of
accidents that result in current passing through
the chest cavity.
If you ever read about current passing through
human body you will know, so remember –
work with one hand only.
 Rule No.8
Minimize the use of electrical equipment
in cold rooms or other areas
where condensation is likely.
If equipment must be used in such areas,
mount the equipment on a wall or vertical
panel.
Rule No.9
If water or a chemical is spilled onto
equipment, shut off power at the main
switch or circuit breaker and unplug the
equipment.
Very logical. NEVER try to remove water
or similar from equipment while
energized. After all, it’s stupid to do so.
Rule No.10
If an individual comes in contact with a live
electrical conductor, do not touch
the equipment, cord or person. Disconnect
the power source from the circuit breaker or
pull out the plug using a leather belt.
Tricky situation, and you must be very calm
in order not to make the situation even
worse.
Like in previous rules – Always disconnect
the power FIRST.
Rule No.11
Equipment producing a “tingle” should be
disconnected and reported promptly for
repair.
Rule No.12
Do not rely on grounding to mask a
defective circuit nor attempt to correct a
fault by insertion of another fuse or
breaker, particularly one of larger
capacity.
Rule No.13
Drain capacitors before working near
them and keep the short circuit on the
terminals during the work to prevent
electrical shock.
Rule No.14
Never touch another person’s equipment
or electrical control devices unless
instructed to do so.
Don’t be too smart. Don’t try your luck.
Rule No.15
Enclose all electric contacts and
conductors so that no one can accidentally
come into contact with them.
If applicable do it always, if not be very
careful.
Rule No.16
Never handle electrical equipment when
hands, feet, or body are wet or perspiring,
or when standing on a wet floor.
Remember: Gloves and shoes
Rule No.17
When it is necessary to touch electrical
equipment (for example, when checking
for overheated motors), use the back of
the hand.
Thus, if accidental shock were to cause
muscular contraction, you would not
“freeze” to the conductor.
Rule No.18
Do not store highly flammable
liquids near electrical equipment.
 Rule No.19
Be aware that interlocks on equipment
disconnect the high voltage source when a
cabinet door is open but power for control
circuits may remain on.
Read the single line diagram and wiring
schemes – know your switchboard.
Rule No.20
De-energizeopen experimental circuits
and equipment to be left unattended.
Rule No.21
Do not wear loose clothing or ties near
electrical equipment.
Act like an electrical engineer, you are
not on the beach.
Summary
Hazards
 Inadequate
Protective Measures
wiring
 Proper grounding
 Exposed electrical parts
 Wires with bad insulation  Using GFCI’s
 Ungrounded electrical  Using fuses and circuit
systems and tools breakers
 Overloaded circuits  Guarding live parts
 Damaged power tools and
 Proper use of flexible
equipment
 Using the wrong PPE and cords
tools  Training
 Overhead power lines
 All hazards are made worse
in wet conditions
Basic Electrical Safety
Basic Electrical Safety
Electrical Safety Review
 Protective Triangle

Keep Away Grounding

ELCB/RCCB/GFCI
 Electrocution Triangle

Electricity Path

Time
Fatality
Blocked Electrical Panels
Strain on Conductors
Inadequate Strain Relief on Cord
Exposed Live Parts
Employee’s
cap is hung on
power strip
energized to
120VAC
Exposed Live Parts
Exposed live parts

Missing
breakers inside
of circuit
breaker panel
Ungrounded Cords

Ground pin
missing on
extension
cord
Damaged Faceplate
Utility Boxes
Utility boxes
are not
approved for
usage as
extension cords.
Receptacles in Wet Locations

Receptacles in
wet or damp
locations need
covers.
Receptacles in Wet Locations

Receptacles in wet or damp locations need

covers.
Damaged Faceplate
Portable Electric Tools
 Inspect before usage.
 Remove from service tools with
damaged cords.
 Use grounded or double
insulated tools.
 Check continuity of tool.
Rubber Gloves
 Must be air tested daily
before usage.
 Must be electrically tested
every 6 months or replaced.
 Before issuance gloves may
be stored for up to 1year
without being tested.
Thank you