Electrical Safety
Electrical Safety
Electrical Safety
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Working with electricity requires planning and extreme care.
Whether you are on the job or tackling a project at home,
deenergizing and practicing safe work habits can significantly
reduce your risk.
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Personal Protective Equipment
Arc Flash Explosions Happen Every Day.
is Your Last Line of Defense. >
While great advances are being made to improve
equipment design and thereby reduce the number of arc Workers often find themselves in environments where they
flash incidences each year, there is still much to be done. are exposed to unseen electrical hazards.
2,000 workers are admitted to burn centers each year for
treatment of severe arc flash burns – that’s the equivalent of
5 to 10 arc flash incidences each day.
I n the event of a momentary electric arc, flash fire, or exposure to energized
equipment, a worker can find himself completely unprotected against
forces that cause severe or fatal injuries. Everyday work clothes can ignite
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Safety Does Not Just Happen: >
Working Energized
Planning for a job properly prevents mistakes and injuries. Safety on the job is not something that just
If it has to be worked energized, using a work permit will
happens; it should be an integral part of the planning process. Job briefings are a great way to include
help you prepare to face the work hazards ahead with a
and encourage all crew members in the safety planning process. Job briefings can be held at the start of
level of professionalism, productivity, and safety.
work shifts, as work tasks or hazards change, and as additional personnel arrive.
Job Briefing and Planning Checklist:
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Work Permits
Identify
The hazards The shock protection boundaries
The voltage levels involved The available incident energy
Skills required
Any “foreign” (secondary source) voltage source
Potential for arc flash (Conduct a flash-hazard analysis)
Flash protection boundary
are Safety Tools: >
Any unusual work conditions Number of people needed to do the job
Ask
5 ways an energized electrical work
A
Can the equipment be de-energized Are backfeeds of the circuit to be worked on possible?
n important part of planning for safety is using permit can help you
Is a “standby person” required
work permits. Work permits are used when live
Check 1. The permit requires that you to define your work
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parts cannot be deenergized. Energized work should
Job plans Safety procedures
only be performed when deenergizing creates additional tasks and assess the hazards associated with the
Single-line diagrams and vendor prints Vendor information
Status board Individuals are familiar with the facility hazards or is infeasible due to equipment design or work involved.
Information on plant and vendor resources is up to date
operational limitations. Additionally, work permits are 2.
2. It causes you to provide justification for the
Know not necessary when you are testing, troubleshooting, or work to be done energized. Why aren’t you
voltage measuring – provided of course that you follow working de-energized as required by OSHA?
What the job is Who is in charge?
Who else needs to know—Communications safe work practices and use the appropriate PPE. 3.
3. After a hazard assessment, the permit aids in
selecting the PPE necessary to protect you from
Think
When work must be done energized, work permits shock and arc flash hazards.
About the unexpected even...What if? Install and remove grounds help everyone involved to think through the process 4.
4. The permit requires that boundaries be defined
Lock-Tag-Test-Try Install barriers and barricades
Test for voltage—First and to make safety a priority. Work permits include to keep unqualified workers out of harm’s way
What else...?
Use the right tools and equipment, including PPE information such as why and how the work will be and that electrical workers be properly qualified
conducted, detailed information about the shock and for the specific energized work tasks.
Prepare for an emergency
flash hazards involved, safe work practices and personal 5.
5. The most important reason for using the
Is the standby person CPR trained? What is the exact work location?
Is the required emergency equipment available? Where is it? How is the equipment shut off in an emergency? protective equipment (PPE) to be used, and who permit is for the approval to perform the work
Where is the nearest telephone? Are the emergency telephone numbers known? authorized the energized work. energized. Requiring a signature is a powerful
Where is the fire alarm? Where is the fire extinguisher?
Is confined space rescue available? Are radio communications available?
way to reinforce the primary requirement to
work denergized.
2004 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E ®
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The DVD included in this workplace toolkit reinforces the
safety training you have already received. It focuses on:
What is NFPA 70E? Job Planning for Qualified Persons & Work Permits
Promote awareness of this standard for electrical safety This segment provides a summary overview of how to
in the workplace. This short segment explains its role and plan for safety whether working deenergized or not. It
application in the industry. helps you to identify hazards, ask if the equipment can be
de-energized, check job plans and safety procedures, think
Electrical Safety 101 for Construction & Industrial about the unexpected, and prepare for an emergency.
These two clips cover address the most common causes
of electrical injuries in the industrial setting and on Denergize & Test Before You Touch
construction sites. It provides unqualified electrical Finally, this short segment will show you the importance
workers with general electrical safety information of always deenergizing. It explains the absolute
and safe work practices, and how to identify potential importance of testing all conductors, every time for
electrical hazards. absence of voltage before starting a job.
For more information on workplace safety, please visit ESFI’s website at www.esfi.org.
ESFI’s website also has other valuable resources that are available right at your fingertips. There you will find safety
information and tips on a wide variety of topics, from holiday safety to dangers associated with older home wiring
systems. Additionally, ESFI makes available press releases and other resources that will help you to work with local
media in reducing electrically-related deaths and injuries.
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The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is dedicated exclusively to promoting electrical safety. ESFI is
a 501(c)(3) organization funded by electrical manufacturers and distributors, independent testing laboratories, utilities,
safety and consumer groups, and trade and labor assocations. ESFI sponsors National Electrical Safety Month each
May, and engages in public education campaigns and proactive media relations to help reduce property damage,
personal injury and death due to electrical accidents.
Electrical safety tips are available on the Electrical Safety Foundation International’s
website, at www.electrical-safety.org, or call (703) 841-3229.