Best Ways of Prevention from Electricity Hazards

A Brief History and Ways of Prevention from Electricity Hazards

There are numerous discoveries in the field of electricity but one discovery by a person became the talk of the town and the name of the gentleman was Benjamin Franklin.

The flying kite experiment by the Genius during the thunderstorm paved a way for other scientists and his sub-ordinates to do more research in the field to enlighten the world with the aura of great knowledge and learning.

When it comes to a definition it is the flow of charge or electric current or electrons it travels in the path of least resistance and it goes in the complete circuit.

The best ways of prevention of electricity hazards are you need to practice all standard safety codes and practice whenever we are dealing with electricity.

Hazards of Electricity

Electrical Shock:

Occurs when current passes through the body and its severity depends upon the path, duration, and frequency.

Fire and Explosion:

Be careful when the current passes through faulty wires, overloaded circuits, and if there is a spark in hazardous areas then there might be the chances of fire.

Electrical Burns:

It is an outcome of an electrical shock when the person comes in contact with live electrical wires depending on the path, frequency, and duration the person can get 2nd or 3rd degree of burn.

Inadequate or Improper Wiring:

Since the name suggests if the wiring is not as per the OSHA standard or done with substandard wires.

Exposed or Live Electrical Parts:

If there is damage insulation or wire underneath is exposed with copper wire.

Overhead Power Lines:

Expose wires of the power lines can pose great dangers since there is no protection.

Ungrounded Electrical Tools and Equipment’s:

If the electrical tools and equipment don’t have a ground connection in case of faulty connection, currents come into the body which is very dangerous.

Defective and Damaged Power Tools:

Tools and equipment which are not third-party certified and substandard.

Faulty Wires with Unrated Insulation:

Wires without double insulation and without a third-party rating.

Defective and Unrated Equipment’s:

Electrical equipment without inspection and without third-party certification.

The circuits which are Overloaded

The circuits which that has large number of connections against its specification or if the inside insulation is broken.

Usage of electrical tools and equipment in wet conditions.

Utilizing defective PPE or substandard PPE.

Using unrated fuses and Junction boxes.

Untrained crafts

Ways of Prevention from Electricity Hazards

Use Standard Circuit Breakers and Fuses:

Discard damage and faulty wires in order to prevent electrical shock.

So you need to install correct rating of fuses and circuit breakers.

Hence, this is one of the best ways of prevention from electricity hazards.

Check the Tools and Equipment in Periodic Manner:

You need to perform preventive maintenance in accordance with the OSHA standard.

Hence this is one of the good ways of prevention from electricity hazards.

Debar Unauthorized from the Working Area:

To avoid the dangers of electricity there must be a barrier and warning signs to avoid unauthorized entry in the live electrical zone and hence prior training is mandatory for this purpose.

Engage Competent Person for Preparing Defects on the Machines:

You need to engage a competent person for make and repair electrical equipment.

The workforce needs to use standard wires in the equipment and machines.

Hence this is one of the ways of prevention from electricity hazards.

The workforce needs to cover the expose or live parts.

They need to replace it with the correct rating of the wires as per the OSHA standard.

Avoid Working near the Overhead Powerlines:

The workforce needs to avoid working near the overhead power lines as far as practicable but if it is not feasible proper protocols of safety as per the OSHA standard and the respective, they need to practice to avoid any danger.

Do Not Use Metal Ladders:

Do not use Metal ladders near the overhead power lines because this is the best ways of prevention from electricity hazards near to the power lines.

Don’t Use Metallic Jewelry:

You shouldn’t use metallic jewelry while working on electrical equipment to avoid the dangers of electricity.

Standard Fuses in Tools and Equipment:

Use equipment and tools with a standard rating of the fuses, ELCB, and GFCI and hence you need to make proper ground connection, this is the best practice and ways of prevention from electricity hazards.

Doubly Insulated Equipment:

The workforce needs to use wires, tools and equipment with double insulation to avoid the dangers of electricity since this is one of the golden techniques and good ways of prevention from electricity hazards

Discard Defected Tools and Equipment:

Remove and discard damage and defective power tools from the area and you need to use third-party certified tools with proper inspection stickers and hence this is one of the best ways of prevention from electricity hazards.

Remove Defected and Faulty Wires:

Replace faulty wires with new ones and use double insulated standard wires with third-party marking to prevent the danger scene, this is also one of the ways of prevention from electricity hazards.

Remove Defective Equipment:

The crafts need to remove defective equipment immediately from the area and you need to use standard and third party rated equipment with inspection stickers to escape imminent danger.

Preventive Maintenance:

Perform preventive maintenance in a periodic manner for the equipment, tools, and circuits and do color coding after checks and hence this is one of the ways of prevention from electricity hazards.

Switching off the Power in Wet Areas

You need to switch off all the equipment in wet areas if it is exposed to water until it becomes dry and elevate wires at a certain height to avoid electrical shock and fire.

Install Pressurized and Approved Fire Extinguishers:

Rated and third-party fire extinguishers as per the electrical standards must be installed near the circuits.

As a preventive measure this is also one of the best ways of prevention from electricity hazards.

Wear standard PPE:

PPE Standards which meet OSHA rating must be used during work on electrical equipment and defective PPE must be discarded from the area.

Apply LOTO:

While working on electrical equipment in plants and industries LOTO procedure must be applied.

This is one of the good ways of prevention from electricity hazards ways of prevention from electricity hazards.

Take Proper Work Permit:

Written permission in the form of the electrical work permit must be taken from the client or area owner to avoid any danger pertaining to the equipment.

Remove Incorrect Fuses from the JB:

Underrated fuses and junction boxes must be removed from the area in order to avoid any dangers pertaining to electricity.

Install Residual Current Devices:

Residual current devices need to be installed in the areas to avoid the dangers of electricity.

Engage Competent Crafts for the job:

Engage craftsmen who have proper training to work on electrical equipment.

Some Convention Pertaining to Electricity

(0.5-2) ma-Threshold Sensation

(2-10) ma-Tingling sensation

(10-60) ma-Muscle contraction inability to let go and inability to breathe

(60 & above)-Cardiac arrest, extreme muscle contraction, burns at contact points and deep tissues.

Last But not The Least

Last but not least, don’t play with electricity, it is very dangerous.

So, you need to establish standard practice to protect the workforce and craftsmen from the dangers of electricity.

M H KARIM

Last Updated-27 March 2022