Electrical Safety

1
Electrical Safety

• For Office, Facility, and Laboratory Employees
• Tulane University
• October 2006

2
Objectives

• To identify proper use of electrical extension
  cords, multiple outlet strips, and portable
  electric heaters.
• To identify safe electrical practices.
• To review Electrical Safety for Facilities
  Services

3
Electrical Extension Cords

• Grounded, heavy gauge extension cords are OK for
  temporary use with portable equipment, e.g.,
  maintenance power tools, audio-visual equipment,
  housekeeping appliances.
• The use of extension cords in lieu of permanent
  wiring is a fire code violation.

4
Multiple Outlet Strips

• Multiple outlet strips with circuit breaker or
  fuse and power cord no gt 6 ft. may be used for
  computer work stations only.
• Use of linked cord-sets as shown in photo is
  prohibited.

5
Electrical Safety

• Contact Facilities Services if additional
  electrical outlets are needed OR if you see an
  obvious electrical hazard like this ?

6
Portable Electric Heaters

• Prohibited except if provided by Facilities
  Services/Plant Operations when heating issues
  cannot be resolved.
• Contact Facilities Services/Plant Operations
  regarding heating issues.

7
Electrical Panels

• Keep panels unobstructed with 36 inches
  clearance.
• Keep panels free of combustibles flammables
  storage.
• (The gray rectangles in the photo are
  electrical panels which are improperly blocked by
  storage of combustible materials.)

8
Safety Practices

• Purchase use equipment with grounded (3-prong)
  power cords or double-insulated appliances.
• Improper use of adapters or cheaters on
  grounded plugs is a fire code violation.
• Contact OEHS or Facilities Services for more
  information.

9
Safety Practices

• Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) monitor
  current going in and out of an electrical device.
  If an imbalance is sensed, the GFCI shuts off
  the power instantly to prevent injury.
• GFCIs are installed in electrical outlets where
  there is a greater risk of electric shock e.g.,
  wet areas (near sinks/faucets).

10
Safety Practices

• Keep combustible materials/flammable liquids away
  from electrical appliances sources of heat
• Bacti-cinerators, Bunsen burners, hot plates
• Coffee pots, ovens
• Heat guns, light bulbs, etc.
• Do not overload outlets

11
Safety Practices

• Do not run power cords under carpeting, across
  walkways, or through doorways and walls?
• Do not use metal ladders near energized
  electrical equipment.

12
Defective Equipment

• Examples of defective equipment
• Missing ground prong
• Spliced/taped/broken power cord
• Frayed or exposed wire
• Sparks, smoke, or shock when energized.
• Take equipment out of service and tag it to warn
  others.
• Report hazard for repair by trained/qualified
  personnel or discard equipment.

13
Electrical Safety for Facilities Services

• Lock and tag electrical switches when doing
  repair work.
• See Equipment Lockout/Tagout in Facilities,
  (Section 24 of Environmental Health and Safety
  Policies Procedures Manual.)

14
Electrical Safety for Facilities Services

• When working on electrical distribution panels,
  sub-panels, motor controls, or fixed equipment,
  ensure power sources are disconnected and tagged
  out of service, then test to ensure power is off
  before beginning work.
• Wear proper Personal Protective Equipment use
  proper safety equipment.

15
Electrical Safety for Facilities Services

• Upon completion, test the system before putting
  it in service, restore controls to normal
  operations, remove tags, and replace panel
  covers.

16
Review

• Extension cords are only a temporary source of
  power.
• Multiple outlet strips may only be used with
  computer configurations.
• Keep electrical panels unobstructed and free of
  nearby combustible materials.
• GFCIs should be installed on electrical outlets
  near wet areas.

17
Review

• Separate combustibles/flammables from heat
  sources.
• Inspect electrical equipment. Remove defective
  equipment from service and tag.
• Facilities Services is to use Lockout/Tagout when
  conducting repair work on energized equipment.

18
Tulane UniversityOffice of Environmental Health
Safety (OEHS)www.som.tulane.edu/oehs Karen
Douglas (Uptown), Environmental Health Safety
Specialist(504) 865-5307 / kdougla1_at_tulane.eduSu
san Welch (Downtown), Occupational Safety
Manager(504) 988-3996 / swelch_at_tulane.edu If
unable to proceed to quiz, type the link below
into your browserhttp//aurora.tcs.tulane.edu/ehs
/enterssn.cfm?testnum9
Proceed to Quiz