RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT

Accident Prevention and First Aid

Group 7

EE43 SAFETY ENGINEERING

CEIT 04-701A

T 6:00PM-8:00PM

Submitted to Submitted By

Engineer Armando Matias Bugarin, Joseph A.

Buscano, Jon Hermie A.

Caseres, Daren

FIRST AID AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION

Accident Prevention

No matter how carefully a system is engineered, no matter how carefully employees

perform their tasks, and no matter how well trained employees are in the recognition

and avoidance of hazards, accidents still happen. This section provides a general

approach that may be employed to reduce the number and severity of accidents. Four

basic steps employee responsibility, safe installations, safe work environment that

should training-combine the type of safe work environment that should be the goal of

every facility.

Individual Responsibility

The person most responsible for your own personal safety is you. No set of regulations,

rules, or procedures can ever replace common sense in the workplace. This statement

should not be constructed to mean an employer has no responsibility to the safest

practical work environment, nor does it mean that the injured person is at “fault” in a

legal sense. Determining responsibility for accidents is, in part, a legal problem and is

beyond the scope of this handbook.

TABLE 5.1 Employee Safety Behavior

Determine the nature and extent hazards before starting a job

Each employee should be satisfied that conditions are safe before beginning work on any

job or any [art of the job

All employees should be thoroughly familiar with and should consistently use the work

procedures and the equipment that will be employed in the performance of the job at

hand
While working, each employee should consider the effects of each step and do nothing

which might endanger themselves or others

Each employee should be thoroughly familiar with emergency procedures

TABLE 5.2 Recommended Safety Credo

If cannot be done safely, it need not to be done!

Installation Safety
Design. Proper design of electrical system is composed of the parts-selection,

installation and calibration.

Selection. Electric equipment should be selected and applied conservatively. That is,

maximum rating must be well in excess of the quantities in which they companies only

manufacture the highest-quality equipment. Equipment is tested per manufacturer’s

procedures by independent laboratories such as Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL).

Equipment that is rated and labeled by such organizations should be used in electrical

systems to help ensure safety. OSHA, NEC, * and NESC requirements should be

considered as minimum criteria for safe selection.

Installation. Equipment should be installed in a safe and credible manner. Adequate

work spaces for safety clearance should be allowed, safety barriers should be provided

when necessary, and electrical installations should never be mixed with areas which are

used for general public access.

Calibration. Equipment always should be properly calibrated. For example,

protective devices should be calibrated so that they will operate for the minimum

abnormal system condition. Equipment that is improperly calibrated can result in

accidents as through the equipment had been improperly selected to begin with.

Electrical Protective Devices. Protective maintained equipment is hazardous. For

example, circuit breakers can explode violently if not properly maintained. Equipment

be periodically inspected and tested. If deficiencies are observed, the equipment must

be repaired, adjusted, or replaced as required.

Power System Studies. The following information appeared in the 1992-1993 issue

of NETA World Magazine.

A short circuit study determines the magnitude of the currents that flow for faults

placed at various buses throughout the power system. This information is used to

determine interrupting requirements for fuses and circuit breakers and to set trip points

for the over current devices.

A coordination study is performed to make the certain the over current devices in

a system will trip selectively. Selective tripping means that the only the nearest

upstream device to the short circuit trips to clear the circuit.

The two studies, taken together, are used to properly select and calibrate the

protective devices used in the power system. The information which they provide is

used for the following purposes:

• Fuses and circuit breakers are selected so that they are capable of interrupting

the maximum fault current which will flow through them.

• Instantaneous elements are selected so that they will respond (or in some cases

not respond) to the short-circuit currents which will flow through them.

• Time curves and instantaneous settings are selected sot that the nearest upstream

device to the short circuit is the one which operates to clear the fault.

• Protective devices are selected so that fault currents which will flow through

cables and transformers will not cause thermal or mechanical damage to those

pieces of equipment.
Each of these points is critical to the safe and economical operation of a power system.

For example, if circuit breakers or fuses are incapable of interrupting fault currents, they

may explode violently, injuring personnel in the area. If the wrong protective device

operates, a “small” outage may expand to include an entire plant. If a transformer

overload relay is too slow, the transformer may be damage by excessive temperature

rise. The only way that such misoperations can be avoided is to perform a short-circuit

analysis and a coordination study and then to select and set protective devices according

to their results.

The NEC is the principal source of regulation in the area of electrical installation

and design requirements in the area of electrical installation and design requirements

for industrial and commercial facilities. The 1993 NEC has several sections which are

pertinent. Table5.3 reproduces a few of these sections.

In addition, the 1990 edition of ANSI/NFPA 70B, Electrical Equipment

Maintenance, also has a section which applies. This is reproduced in Table 5.4. The

only way to comply with these requirements is to ensure that a short-circuit analysis and

a coordination study are performed for the power system.

Few would dent that such studies should be performed during the design phase

of an electrical power system. But how about later, as the system ages?? Several things

happen to require the performance and/or reevaluation of these studies for an existing

system:
• Electric utilities constantly and capacity. Your utility mat have had a

200,000 kilovoltampere (kVA) fault capacity when the plant was new 20

years ago. Now, however, the utility’s capacity may have doubled or even

tripled. Such changes can cause fault duties to rise above the ratings of

marginal interrupting equipment.

• Many plants are beginning to internally generate electricity. This

generation adds to the fault capacity of the system.

• Operating procedures may have changed. A bus tie circuit breaker that was

normally closed. Such a change can greatly increase fault capacity.

• Technical standards can change, For example, in the 1985 the protection

requirements for liquid-filled transformers changed. Studies showed that

many transformers were being mechanically damaged by high current

through faults. The protection requirements became more stringent for

such installations. Although the standards do not require existing systems

to be changed; would it not make sense to at least review your system?

The protection changes might be minimal.

• New installations or plant modernization may add capacity and other

coordination system to the system. For example, coordination studies

require that the main breaker coordinate with the largest feeder device. If

a larger feeder device is added later, the coordination study must be

reviewed.
 In general, short-circuit analyses and coordination studies should be reviewed at

least every 5 years. These studies should be performed by a registered professional

engineer. Many consulting firms have the ability and the experience to perform them;

however, since short-circuit analyses and coordination studies are specialized types of

engineering services, not all architect and engineering firms have the experience to do

them. Closely review the qualifications of the firm which you retain.

TABLE 5.3 NEC Requirements for Short-Circuit Analyses and Coordination Studies

Location in 1993 Item

NEC

Definition Interrupting Rating. The highest current at rated voltage that

device is intended to interrupt under standard test organizations.

Article 110 110-9. Interrupting Rating. Equipment intended to break current

at fault levels shall have an interrupting rating sufficient for the

nominal circuit voltage and the current that is available at the line

terminals of the equipment.

Equipment intended to break current at other that fault levels

shall have an interrupting rating at nominal circuit voltage

sufficient for the current must be interrupted.

110-10. Circuit Impedance and Other Characteristics. The

overcurrent protective devices, the total impedance, the

component short-circuit withstand ratings, and other

characteristics of the circuit to be protected shall be so selected

 and coordinated as to permit the circuit protective devices that

are used to clear a fault without the occurrence of extensive

damage to the electrical components of the circuit. This fault

shall be assumed to be either between two or more circuit

conductors, or between any circuit conductor and the grounding

conductor or enclosing metal raceway.

Article 240 240-12. Electrical System Coordination. Where an orderly

shutdown is required to minimize hazard(z) to personnel and

equipment, a system of coordination based on the following two

conditions shall be permitted:

(1) Coordinated short-circuit

protection

(2) Overload indication based

on monitoring systems or

devices.

TABLE 5.4 ANSI/NFPA 70B Requirements for Short-Circuit Analyses and

Coordination Studies
Location in 1990 Item

ANSI/NFPA 70B
Paragraph 5-4.3 An up-to-date short circuit and

coordination study is essential to safety of

personnel and equipment. It is necessary

to analyze the momentary and interrupting

rating requirements of the protective

devices. That is, will the circuit breaker or

fuse safely interrupt the fault or explode in

attempting to perform this function.

Another phase of the study is that of

developing the application of the

protective devices to realize minimum

equipment damage and the least

disturbance to the system in the event of

the fault.

FIRST AID
This handbook provides general coverage of the subject with expanded information on

handling injuries. Potential first aid givers should remember four very important

points. Before an accident happens:

Obtain hands-on first aid training for yourself and all employees. Such as

training will be obtained from the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross,

or local sources such as fire departments or police departments.

If an accident does happen:

1. Act quickly!!! You may be the only one person that can prevent a death.

2. Do not administer first aid that you are not qualified to administer. Injuries can be

aggravated by improperly administered first aid.

3. Get qualified medical help quickly. Paramedics and emergency first aid and should be

summoned as soon as possible.

This handbook is not intended to be used as a first aid training manual. Table 5.5

summarizes the first aid steps that are discussed in the following sections.

TABLE 5.5 General First Aid Procedure

Act quickly

Survey the situation

Develop a plan

Asses the victim’s condition

Summon help if needed

Move the victim if danger is imminent

Administer required first aid

Shock

Electrical Burns

General First Aid

Act Quickly. Remember, you may be the only person between the victim and

death. Whatever you do, do it quickly. This does not imply that you should act

impetuously. Your actions should be planned and methodical, but you should not waste

any time. Do not attempt to perform procedures for which you have no training or

experience. Improperly applied procedures can be deadly.

Survey the Situation. Remember that your purpose as a first aid giver is to help the

problem, not contribute to it. If you are injured in the process of administering first aid,

you cannot help the victim. If your preliminary assessment indicates that you need to

wear safety clothing, put it on first, then administer the aid. Table 5.6 lists key points

that should be checked before you rush in.

 TABLE 5.6 First Aid Checklist

Is the circuit still energized?

Is the victim contacting the circuit?

Are noxious gases or materials present that may cause

injury?
Is fire present or possible?

Develop a Plan. After the initial survey of the situation, develop the plan of attack.

The specifics of any given situation will vary; however, the following guidelines should

be used.

• If the victim is in immediate danger he or she should be moved to a safe position.

(See the later section on moving the victim and later sections on rescue

techniques.)

• If the victim is non-responsive asses his or her condition and respond

accordingly. (See the later section on assessing the victim’s condition.)

• If the victim is responsive, make him or her as comfortable as possible and

summon aid. Do not abandon the victim until aid has arrived.

• Constantly monitor the condition of the victim. Electric shock can cause delayed

failures of heart rhythm.

Assess the Victim’s Condition. The procedures to be used in administering first aid

depend on the condition of the victim. If the victim is responsive, no action may be

required. Table 5.7 lists the procedures to perform if the victim is awake and

responsive.

TABLE 5.7 What to Do If the Victim Is Responsive

Ask the victim what is wrong

Assess the victim’s condition and treat injuries as best as possible.
Treat the worst injuries first
When the victim is out of immediate danger, or if you are unable to help because the

injuries are beyond your abilities, summon help

Attend to the victim(s) and keep them safe until help arrives

When help arrives, give the first aid and workers your assessment of the situation and

standby for help

If the victim is not responsive, you must perform a “hands-on” assessment of his or her

condition. Table 5.8 lists the ABCs of first aid. This memory device can help the first

aid giver to remember the proper procedure when examining a non-responsive victim.

TABLE 5.8 The ABCs of First Aid

 Airway

Breathing

Circulation

Doctor

One of the biggest surprises to those who have not worked with accident victims is that

the trauma if the accident can induce severe bleeding through the mouth and/or

vomiting. Be prepared for these conditions before working with an injured person.

When you have prepared yourself for this situation, begin the ABCs.

• A-Check the victim’s Airway. Figure 5.1 illustrates the correct way to clear an

injured person’s airway. Remember to avoid moving the victim and to keep the

victim’s spine straight to avoid aggravating an injury. Caution: An accident

victim may suffer from involuntary muscle reflexes and other such as spasms.

The strongest muscle in the human body is the jaw. Because of this, rescue

workers should put their fingers into the victim’s mouth only when absolutely

necessary.

Start by opening the victim’s mouth as shown in Fig. 5.1. Search the mouth for

foreign matter or other objects which may blocking the air passage. Many times the

victim’s tongue may be blocking the air passage. To fix this problem, put your hand

behind the victim’s neck, gently pull the jaw forward, and if required, carefully tilt the
head back. If the air passage is clear and the victim is still not breathing, you should

perform resuscitation.

• B-Check the victim’s Breathing. First, check to see if the victim is breathing.

This can be done by observing his or her chest to see if it is moving. Then place

your ear close to the victim’s mouth and nose and listen carefully. If the victim is

breathing but choking or gurgling sounds are heard, proceed to the next step

which is clearing the airway.

• C-Check the victim’s Circulation. Circulation should be checked by feeling for

the victim’s pulse at the carotid artery as shown in Fig. 5.2. To find the carotid

artery, place your fingertips gently on the victim’s larynx. Gently slide the fingers

down into the groove between the windpipe and the muscle at the back of the

neck. The carotid artery is located in this area. Gently feel the pulse. Table 4.9

shows the steps to take for the various combinations of problems that may be

found.

• D-Summon the Doctor. After the victim’s condition has been stabilized, summon

help. If the resuscitation efforts are proving unsuccessful, the first aid giver may

want to summon more qualified assistance even though the victim is not yet

stabilized.
TO OPEN AIRWAY

CLEAR MOUTH TILT HEAD BACK

OBSTRUCTED OPENED

FIGURE5.1 Clearing the airway of an injured worker.

FIGURE 5.2 Checking the circulation.

Summon Help If Needed. One of the most difficult decisions is to summon help. If

help is not summoned soon enough, the victim may die. On the other hand, if the first

aid giver leaves to summon help, the victim may die. No concrete rules can be given

here; however, the following guidelines may help:

 • Relieve any immediate danger to the victim before summoning help.

• Perform the ABCs before summoning help.

• If the victim is not breathing or has no pulse, perform resuscitation before

summoning help.

• If anyone else is in the area, yell or call for help while performing the preliminary

accident assessment.

Remember that the first aid giver is in charge of the victim until more qualified help

arrives. Do not abandon the victim if immediate aid is required.

TABLE 5.9 How to handle Unresponsive Victims

Breathing-pulse normal Make victim comfortable. If help has not

been summoned, do and stand by until it

arrives.
No breathing-pulse normal Perform mouth-to-mouth-resuscitation

until breathing is restored or until help

arrives and takes over.

Breathing-no pulse Perform heart-lung resuscitation (CPR)

until pulse is restored or until help arrives

and takes over.

No breathing-no pulse Perform heart-lung resuscitation (CPR)

until pulse is restored or until help arrives

and takes over.

Move the Victim If Danger is Imminent. Unless they are in imminent danger,

accident victims should be moved only when necessary and only by personnel who are

qualified to move them. A victim of violent injury, such as a fall, may have spinal or

other internal injuries. Moving such a victim could cause increased problems including

paralysis or even death. Moving an injury victim is discussed in detail in the Rescue

Techniques section of this handbook.

First Aid for Electric Shock. Electric shock is one of the most difficult of all injuries

to diagnose. In some cases, even the injury is fatal no external signs may be visible.

Table 5.10 lists some of the clues and symptoms which may be present when a victim

has received an electric shock.

TABLE 5.10 Typical Symptoms of Electric Shock

Victim may lose consciousness. This may occur at the moment of contact; however, it

can also occur later

Victim has a weak or irregular pulse
Victim has trouble breathing or has stopped breathing
Small burns may appear at the entry and exit points of the electric current.
 Many prospective first aid givers are themselves inured when they contact an

energized wire or a victim who is still in contact with an energized wire. Table 5.11 lists

the precautions for working on or around accident victims who may be in contact with

live wires. After cutting the power to the circuits or removing the victim from contact, if

the victim is responsive and shows no signs of breathing or heart problems, the

procedures listed in Table 5.12 should be followed. After cutting the power to the

circuits or removing the victim from contact, if the victim is non-responsive, the

procedures listed in Table 5.13 should be followed.

TABLE 5.11 Precautions for Performing First Aid on an Electric Shock Victim

Do not touch any energize wires with any part of your body or with any conductive tools

or equipment
Do not touch a victim who is still in contact with an energized wire any part of your body

or with conductive tools or equipment

Do not try to move any energized wires unless you are qualified to do so. Qualified in

this instance means that you are trained in the performance of such a procedure and are

able to avoid electrical hazards

TABLE 5.12 First Aid Procedures for Conscious Electric Shock Victims

Who Exhibit No Symptoms

Keep the victim still and quiet. Remember that heart and respiratory problems can be

delayed in electric shock victims

Monitor the victim’s condition for at least ½ hour
If the victim continues to show no symptoms, take them to a doctor for a thorough

examination

TABLE 5.13First Aid Procedures for Unconscious Electric Shock Victims

With Symptoms

Check the ABCs. If the victim is not breathing or has heart irregularities perform

resuscitation as described later in this handbook

If wounds are evident or burns are evident, cover them with sterile dressings
Try to cool burns with sterile compress
Immediately seek medical aid

First Aid for Electrical Burns. Electrical burns may be internal and/or external.

External burns are caused by the intense heat of the electric are coupled with the current

flow, while internal burns are caused by the current flow heating the tissue. Internal

burns are virtually impossible to diagnose in the field. The symptoms of internal

electrical burns are identical to the symptoms caused by severe electric shock. In

addition to the symptoms described in Table 5.10, the victim may also experience

significant pain caused by fire or other heat sources.

For both internal and external burns, the first aid techniques are identical to those given

in Tables 5.12 and 5.13. The treatment of burns is a very specialized medical procedure.

Be certain to seek specialized help as quickly as possible.