09 Electrical Safety SOS (14!08!2013)
09 Electrical Safety SOS (14!08!2013)
09 Electrical Safety SOS (14!08!2013)
Electricity is the second leading cause of death in construction. Electrocutions make up 12% of construction fatalities annually. Over 30,000 non-fatal shocks occur each year. Over 600 deaths occur annually due to electrocution. It doesn't take a lot of electricity to kill you. The amount of current needed to light an ordinary 60-watt light bulb is five times what can kill a person. Thus, all electrical equipment on construction sites is potentially deadly.
working with damaged electrical equipment, such as extension leads, plugs and sockets
using equipment affected by rain or water ingress
Following are the types of injuries due to electric shock: Falls Electric shock; Electric burn; Fires of electrical origin; Electric arcing; Explosions initiated or caused by electricity.
More than 3 milliamps (mA): painful shock More than 10 mA: muscle contraction More than 20 mA: considered severe shock
More than 30 mA: lung paralysis - usually temporary More than 50 mA: possible ventricular fibrillation (usually fatal) 100 mA to 4 amps: certain ventricular fibrillation (fatal) Over 4 amps: heart paralysis; severe burns
Turn power off Wear appropriate clothing Dont touch live parts Dont install or repair electrical equipment Use qualified personnel Clean and dry leads and plugs before use Use PPE
Electrical equipment should be checked each time before use for defects
If not tagged or the tag is out of date then report it and place it out of service
excavation
drilling trenching levelling digging driving of stakes or pegs
Do not commence excavation work near buried cables unless a permit has been issued by an authorised person Do you know what precautionary measures need to be taken?
29 CFR 1926.400; Subpart K National Electric Code (NEC) AD EHSMS RF Version 2.0 February 2012 CoP 15.0 Electrical Safety