Electrical Safety: Importance and Electrical Hazard Prevention

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Electrical Safety Importance and Electrical
Hazard Prevention
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Electricity is all around us, it is a basic part
of nature and a major source of energy.
Electricity is used in homes and in industries We
use electricity in our everyday lives to power
all types of machinery and equipment, and to do
all types of work. We use it for something as
basic as powering the lights in our homes and
workplaces. As such, it is not surprising that
the largest consumers of electricity are
residential homes in the U.S. According to the
U.S. Energy Information Administration, 39.4 of
electricity consumed in 2020 was by the
residential sector, while the commercial sector
consumption was 34.6 and the industrial sector
consumed 25.8 (2021). Electricity is so common
that we use it all the time. The world has become
so dependent on electricity that not having it is
akin to a nightmare. However, as commonly used as
electricity is, it can still be very dangerous!
Even something as simple as changing a light bulb
or attaching a plug to a socket can expose an
individual to various electrical hazards.
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What is Electricity? Electricity is created by
the flow of energy from one place to another when
charged particles such as electrons and protons
move from one place to another. These moving
electrons have an electric charge which emits
electricity. Electricity can be static when it is
accumulated in one place or can flow as an
electric charge in the form of current. Furthermo
re, the electricity that we use daily is a
secondary energy source as it is created from the
conversion of a primary source such as water
(hydropower), sun (solar power), wind, natural
gas, or coal. Sometimes, electricity is referred
to as an energy carrier. This is because
electricity can be converted to other forms of
energy such as thermal (heat) and mechanical.
Also, the primary source of energy can be
renewable or non-renewable, but electricity is
neither renewable nor non-renewable.
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Importance of Working Safely with Electricity
OSHA has recognized electricity as a serious
workplace hazard. This is because electricity has
enough power to cause severe injury or death to
those who are exposed to electrical current.
According to Zemaitis et al., electrical injuries
are predominantly accidental and can lead to
heavy damage to human tissues and organs if the
injury is not fatal. They also state that in the
United States, electrical injuries cause about
1,000 deaths annually, of which, about 400 are
due to high-voltage electrical injuries, and
report about 30,000 non-fatal electrical shocks
annually with about 5 of burn injuries being
admitted to the burn unit because of electrical
injuries (2021). It is reported that electrical
injuries occur mainly in occupational settings
for adults and are the fourth-leading cause of
workplace-related traumatic death (Zemaitis et
al., 2021).
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The sad truth about electrical injuries such as
shocks, electrocution, burns, falls due to
electrical shock, arc blasts, and fires are that
it is most often preventable. All it requires is
the adoption of good workplace practices and
processes, and for employees to understand the
hazards of working with electricity. This is the
reason why organizations such as the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) have
created standards and guidelines to be followed
when working with or close to electrical
equipment and machinery. Consequently,
occupational safety can be improved by adopting
electrical safety practices which constitute
compliance with standards and guidelines, general
good practices, and workplace processes
established to mitigate electrical hazards, while
the inability to maintain electrical safety
practices at the workplace can lead to accidents,
near misses, or even fatalities! Therefore,
personnel who work with or near electricity such
as safety managers/supervisors, electricians,
technicians, contractors, HVAC installers,
electrical engineers, electrical inspectors,
equipment operators, electrical
equipment/machinery repairmen, and janitorial
staff must understand the hazards of electrical
exposure and how to prevent or minimize
them. For a complete understanding of electrical
safety and electrical hazards enroll in our
Electrical Safety Training (NFPA 70E) course now!
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• Controlling and Preventing Electrical Hazards
• There are several proven methods to ensure
  electrical safety and control electrical hazards
  in the workplace. These general guidelines
  support the reduction of electrical hazard risks
  in the workplace and increase worker safety.
• Proper installation and use of electrical
  equipment
• When working with electrical equipment, tools, or
  machinery, workers must ensure that such
  equipment is properly installed and is used
  correctly. For instance, workers must make sure
  that if a power tool requires a 15-ampere
  electrical outlet, then the tool should only be
  plugged into an electrical socket that supports
  this requirement. Using a lower ampere socket may
  cause a short which could injure the worker using
  this power tool. Furthermore, any electrical
  equipment should be installed correctly,
  according to the manufacturers specifications.
• Use of insulation
• Wires should be appropriately insulated using
  non-conductive materials such as glass, rubber,
  or plastic. This will protect the wires from
  coming in contact with electrical conductors and
  stop or reduce the flow of electrical current in
  equipment to prevent short circuits which could
  cause shocks and fires.

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Guarding energized electrical components
All workplaces and homes have exposed wires and
other electrical elements. To reduce the risk of
electrical hazards, these exposed wires and
energized electrical parts should be covered so
that any person close by does not accidentally
touch them. Examples of guarding include the use
of boxes, casings, barriers, and screens in which
the energized electrical components are key.
Using enclosures
Sometimes segregating high-voltage equipment and
machinery is required to protect against
electrical hazards. An enclosure can be a room, a
fenced-in area, or a short wall that separates
the high-energy equipment so that workers do not
accidentally walk in or contact any energized
parts causing harm to themselves. Such a safety
measure is also useful when high-value electrical
equipment must be protected from damage that can
be caused by electricity (think of a computer
server). Such divided areas should not be open to
all employees. Only qualified persons should be
given access.
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Grounding tools and electrical systems
Grounding electrical tools and systems will
protect both the equipment and personnel using
it. When a ground wire is present any surge of
electrical current would not pass through the
equipment and to the body of a person who is
using it or accidentally touches the energized
equipment, but instead relatively safely pass
through a wire to a grounding device deep in the
earth.
Bonding of electrical components
Bonding conductive components that are not
intended to carry a current enables the formation
of an electrically conductive path while ensuring
the current does not lead to electrical hazards
and accidents.
Installing a ground fault circuit interrupter
(GFCI)
Installing a GFCI will detect a current leakage
in a plug point or other electrical equipment.
This will safeguard the individual and prevent
electrical shocks, fires, and electrocutions that
could occur when using electrical equipment and
tools. According to the NEC and NFPA 70E, GFCIs
should be used when
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• electricity is used near water,
• the user of electrical equipment is grounded,
• circuits are providing power to portable tools or
  outdoor receptacles, and
• temporary wiring or extension cords are being
  used.

Use of overcurrent protection devices
An overcurrent protection device such as circuit
breakers or fuses can detect the current more
than the rated current and automatically open a
circuit to ensure there is no overload or short
circuit in the wiring system. This device is very
common and helps not only protect people from
electrical hazards but also safeguards the
equipment from damage.
Safe work practices
This is also a must when working with
electricity. Every employer and organization must
establish work practices and work process that
ensures the safety of employees working with
electrical tools and equipment and those
employees working in the vicinity of a machine
that generates an electric current.
De-energization of equipment, lockout tagout
procedures, establishing shock protection and arc
flash boundaries, labeling equipment, and wearing
the appropriate personal protective equipment
(PPE) are all aspects of good practices for
reducing the risks of electrical hazards.
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