Facility Safety Management

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Test Before You Touch Simply Shutting Off The Power Is Not Enough

Every year, people are injured or killed by circuits they thought were safely turned off. Simply shutting off the power is not enough. Hazardous conditions can still exist.

Electrical hazards, while a fraction of total workplace injuries, are more likely to result in death than injuries from other causes. Electrical accidents on the job cause an average of 13 days away from work and nearly one fatality every day.

Approximately 62 percent of an estimated 32,807 nonfatal electrical injuries occurring between 1992 and 1998 were classified as electric shock and 38 percent as electric burns.

The nonfatal workplace incidents that cause the highest number of days away from work include contact with an electrical current or a machine, tool, appliance or light fixture (38 percent), and contact with wiring, transformers or other electrical components (33 percent).

Nonfatal electrical injury occurs most often to those who work with machines or tools and around electrical wiring other than power lines.

Working with electricity requires thorough planning and extreme care. Whether you are new to the job or an experienced contractor, learning and practicing safe work habits can significantly reduce your risk. That’s why you must always TEST BEFORE YOU TOUCH. You may not get a second chance to learn this important lesson.

Electrical hazards on the job can be avoided by following approved NFPA 70E and OSHA guidelines. Attention to safety is the important first step to an effective safety program. Skilled employees, trained in electrical safety procedures, should make sure they understand and follow safety precautions.

Those not trained to recognize and avoid electrical hazards, or not under the supervision of those qualified in electrical safety procedures, should avoid contact with electrical equipment and systems.

• Understand the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and the hazards involved.

• Identify all possible energy sources that could pose on-the-job hazards.

• Know safety requirements and follow them.

• Calculate the energy potential.

• Select the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Remember, PPE must be worn until the electrical system is in a safe condition.

• Complete a detailed job plan and communicate it to all coworkers.

• Before working on or around electrical systems or equipment, identify the load circuits and disconnect. Remember, in some cases, turning power off may cause other hazards. Such hazards and additional guidance should be:

• Addressed in your work plan;

• Use lock-out/tag-out procedures;

• Verify that the equipment or system has been de-energized by testing;

• Make sure your test equipment is working, both before and after you use it.

If at any time the job becomes more hazardous than anticipated, stop and revise the plans.

Above all, never assume that the equipment or system is de-energized. Remember to always TEST BEFORE YOU TOUCH. FSM

Source: Electrical Safety Foundation International