Why Electrical Safety is Important for every workplace?
Electrical injuries in the workplace are a great threat to the workforce any time regardless of work nature. Every single electrical system has a potential effect to cause harm due to improper maintenance and used electrical system. As the human body conducts electricity and in case the body comes in contact with the open circuit can lead to the electric shock that may cause pain and damage the tissue and muscles, which may even cause fatality.
4 possible electrical injuries that may occur at the workplace are:
• Electric shock
• Burns
• Falls
• Electrocution
How Injuries Can Happen?
• Touching exposed electrical circuit/energized conductors
• Electricity exposed due to energized conductor circulating in open-air might pass through a person who is grounded
• The heat generated from electric arcs might burn the skin and internal tissues if it touches the skin
• Ultraviolet rays and Infrared Red rays from the electric flash can damage the eyes.
• Extreme pressure released from an electric arc flash can damage lungs, collapse the lungs and also cause hearing disorder, etc…
Common Electrical Hazards
Most common injuries are the result of the following factors
• Faulty/poorly installed electrical equipment
• Faulty wiring
• overloaded outlets
• using excessive extension cables
• Accessing equipment with wet hands
• Improper use of replacement fuses
It is mandatory to educate employees about electrical safety in the workplace, below mentioned are some of the steps to prevent electrical incidents.
Tips to Prevent Workplace Electrical Incidents
• Switch off/unplug electrical appliances while cleaning, not in use, repairing
• Make sure that every electrical appliance are switched off at the end of the day
• Never plug into the outlet if it doesn’t suit
• Don’t overload outlets
• No two extension cords should be plugged together
• Don’t touch electrical appliances/ wires with a wet hand or on the wet surface.
• Never neglect warning signals (i.e. equipment get heated/smoke/spark etc…)
• Maintain at least 3 feet of clearance from all electrical panels
• Make use of double insulated and properly grounded equipment
• Make use of national testing laboratory approved wires and electrical appliances
• Buy good quality electrical surplus materials from the proper vendor
• Avoid using electric cords under carpets, across doors
• Avoid pulling the cord from a distance
• Cover exposed electrical wires and components with proper guard
• Check for defectives in electrical cords and equipment in regular intervals of time, report to the concerned person if any
• Mention potential hazards with standard warning signs
Employee training on Electrical Hazards
Proper employee training on electrical hazards plays a vital role in minimizing and avoiding electrical injuries. Proper electrical safety signs help employees and visitors by providing key information on potential hazard exists in the workplace to stay safe and prevent them from electrical injuries.
Organizations should provide adequate training to employees on electrical safety, which helps to avoid incidents and enhance business productivity. It is a fact that most electrical injuries can be easily minimized with simple caution methods and regular checks.
