Introduction: Electrical Safety and the Dangers of Electric Shock

Electrical safety is a topic that has been researched for many years. It has been determined that often the most common cause of electrical shocks are clothes dryers, extension cords, and power strips. A major issue is the lack of knowledge among consumers and workers about what may be unsafe. For example, there are more than 1 million cases of electrical shocks per year in the United States, but only 10% of those were caused by people not being aware or educated on safe practices.

Electric injury is a physiological response brought on by an electric current traveling through the body. The severity of the injury depends on the current, tissue resistance, and the length of time of the contact.

Weak currents may be imperceptible or produce a light, tingling experience. A perceptible yet safe current can still shock a person into jerking away or dropping something. Stronger currents may cause some level of pain or discomfort, while more intense currents can induce spontaneous muscle contractions, causing a situation where someone cannot move away from the source of the electrical current. Stronger currents can result in tissue damage as well as might trigger ventricular fibrillation or cardiac arrest. The effects of injury from electrical energy might include amputations, bone fractures as well as orthopedic and musculoskeletal injuries.

Contact with electrical wiring or gadgets is the most usual cause of electrical injury. In instances of exposure to high voltages, such as on a power transmission tower, direct touch may not be necessary as the voltage may “jump” the air gap to the electric device. Electrical injuries harm more than 31,000 people and cause around 1,000 deaths per year in the United States.

What is Electricity?

To work safely around electricity, it’s important to understand how it “works”, itself. To do that we need to become familiar with a few words, such as “current”, “volts”, “amperes” and “watts”.

Current is the “flow” of electricity, for example in a wire.

  • The amount of current that is flowing is measured in amperes, or “amps” for short.
  • Most household and industrial electric wiring carry 15 to 20 amps.

It’s the electric current that gives you a shock.

  • It doesn’t take much current to hurt or even cause a serious injury.
  • The amount of electrical current that’s needed to light up a holiday bulb can be fatal if it passes through a person’s heart.

“Volts” are another term we hear a lot when we’re talking about electricity.

  • “Volts” describes the amount of “force” behind the flow of current.
  • In the U.S., most power tools and household appliances run on a 120-volt current.
  • Some specialized and heavy-duty equipment found in the workplace sometimes needs 220 volts or more.

The term “watts” describes how much energy a piece of electrical equipment uses when it’s operating.

  • An incandescent night light burns about 5 watts of electricity.
  • A three-foot ceiling fan running on “high” uses about 50.
  • Air conditioners that fit into windows draw about 500 watts.
  • Most electric clothes dryers use approximately 5,000 watts.

When you divide the number of watts by the voltage of the wiring system, the result is the equipment’s power usage in amps.

  • A 500-watt air conditioner running on a 120-volt electrical system draws about 4 amps of current.
  • A 120-watt light bulb only uses a single amp.

Running a 1200-watt hair dryer draws 10 amps.

  • That is sometimes enough to dim the lights when you turn the dryer on!

To use electrical energy, we take advantage of the fact that electricity naturally flows in a “loop”, called a “circuit”.

  • A circuit begins at the power source, continues through wires and electrical equipment, and then returns to the source.
  • For power to flow so that electrical equipment can run, the circuit has to complete, with no interruptions.

As you might expect, an “on/off” switch works by making and breaking the electrical circuit.

  • When the switch is “on”, the circuit is complete, electricity flows, and the equipment runs.
  • Moving the switch to the “off” position breaks the circuit, which stops the flow of electricity and the equipment.

To understand how an electrical outlet works, you can think of it as being “half a circuit” that’s just waiting to be completed.

  • For example, plugging an electrical device into the wall completes a circuit.
  • For example, turning a power switch “on” completes a circuit.

Electric Shock – What You Should Know After a Shock Occurs

The electric shock is the accumulation of time and voltage, which delivers an electric current to the body. An electric shock can lead to muscle spasms, respiratory paralysis, cardiac arrest, and brain damage.

Temporary effects of an electric shock may include tingling or numbness in the part of the body that was shocked. There may also be a feeling of warmth in that area.

Long-term effects may include memory loss or other cognitive problems, pain syndromes, disorders affecting breathing or circulation (such as asthma), psychiatric disorders (such as depression), and chronic pain syndromes (such as fibromyalgia).

Safe Work Practices for Working Around Electricity

Electricity is present throughout the workplace. Electric hazards can be potentially fatal if not taken seriously. This section will detail the basics of electrical safety for work practices.

Tip #1: Reduce the risk of any potential contact with any electrical current.

The most effective means to reduce the risk of electrical injury is to keep away from electric hazards. Unqualified employees should not go near electrical currents higher than 50V. If you must work near equipment using anything greater than 50V, maintain a safe distance. All panel doors on equipment must be closed, and also there must be no cables around your workspace before you begin any task.

Tip #2: Electric Equipment/Machinery.

so that there is no potential difference between the metal enclosures. Utilize voltage detectors to find disparities so you can fix any issues. Disconnects need to be clearly identified so associated machinery can easily be turned off. Disconnects should also be near your workspace or the machinery so you can actually disconnect the machine in an emergency situation. The disconnects should be triggered regularly to be sure they are operable.

Tip #3: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

You may also want to consider using the following PPE:

  • Nonconductive hard-hats, gloves, and also foot protection
  • Insulating floor coverings. The insulation should be ideal for the voltage and also the shielding material has to be intact, tidy, as well as completely dry.
  • Eye and also face protection whenever there is a threat from electric arcs or flashes.
  • Insulated tools or handling equipment.
  • Protective shields and also obstacles or other physical barriers in order to protect employees against electrical shocks and electrical burns.

Tip #4: De-Energize Tools and also use Lockout/Tagout.

Exposed, live electric components should be de-energized prior to working on them. Isolate electrical power by locking and labeling electrical systems or components of the system. This is called Lockout/Tagout.Lockout/Tagout policies exist in order to protect staff members from electric dangers while doing maintenance on electrical equipment and machines.

Tip #5: Ensure Safe Use of Electrical Devices.

Effectively using electric tools safely can go a long way to guarantee every person’s safety.

  • Unplug cables by drawing on the plug head, as opposed to the cable
  • Don’t stretch electrical cables
  • Don’t fasten cords with staples
  • Don’t hang electric equipment from cords
  • All cords and also plugs in the workplace need to be visually examined before use. If you encounter a cable or plug that is damaged, do not use that tool.

Tip #6: Exercise care when using electrical tools near combustible products.

Electrical tools that can trigger ignition must not be used where flammable vapors, gases, or dust exist. The only exception to this rule is when certified workers take steps to lockout and also isolate electric energy sources prior to these possibly flammable products being used.

Tip #7: Only certified workers should service live electric wires.

If you run into an online electric cord, stay away. Only qualified employees with the proper training must service live electric cables. The very same electric security precaution applies to dangerous electric tools. If you see an online electrical cord that is not attended to, you need to inform a qualified electrical technician.

Tip #8: Follow your company’s electric security work policies and protocols

Every business has unique electrical work policies relying on the electric tools as well as risks present in your industry and work environment. It is important to always follow your firm’s electrical safety policies to maintain on your own, as well as other workers’ safety.

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