8/18/2019 Electrical Saftey http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/electrical-saftey 1/59 Student Manual Workplace Safety and Health Ordering Information To receive documents or other information about occupational safety and health topics, contact the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) at NIOSH—Publications issemination !"#" $olumbia Par%&ay $incinnati, OH !'"*++ Telephone- *../'NIOSH (*../'"!"#!) 0a1 number- '*/'//'#/ 23mail- pubstaft4cdc56ov or visit the NIOSH 7eb site at &&&5cdc56ov8niosh This document is in the public domain and may be freely copied or reprinted5 isclaimer- 9ention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by NIOSH5 DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No !""!#$!% Student Manual January 2002 ii &ckno'ledgment This document &as prepared by Thaddeus 75 0o&ler, 2d55, and :aren :5 9iles, Ph55, 2ducation and Information ivision (2I) of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)5 2ditorial services &ere provided by ;ohn 75 iether5 Pauline 2lliott provided layout and desi6n5 The authors &ish to than% ;ohn Palassis and iana 0laherty (NIOSH), <obert Nester (formerly of NIOSH), and participatin6 teachers and students for their contributions to the development of this document5 ore'ord The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that ..,... youn6 &or%ers under the a6e of * suffer &or%3related in=uries in the >nited States each year5 ?oun6 and ne& &or%ers have a hi6h ris% for &or%related in=ury compared &ith more e1perienced &or%ers5 Occupational safety and health trainin6 remains a fundamental element of ha@ard control in the &or%place, and there is 6reat potential to reduce these incidents throu6h pre3employment trainin65 2ffective pre3employment trainin6 should include realistic environments and hands3on e1ercises5 Ho&ever, NIOSH recommends that actual employment in the electrical trades or any of the other construction trades be delayed until individuals reach the minimum a6e of *5 This student manual is part of a safety and health curriculum for secondary and post3secondary electrical trades courses5 The manual is desi6ned to en6a6e the learner in reco6ni@in6, evaluatin6, and controllin6 ha@ards associated &ith electrical
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Ordering InformationTo receive documents or other information about occupational safety andhealth topics, contact the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) at
NIOSH—Publications issemination
!"#" $olumbia Par%&ay
$incinnati, OH !'"*++
Telephone- *../'NIOSH (*../'"!"#!)
0a1 number- '*/'//'#/
23mail- pubstaft4cdc56ov
or visit the NIOSH 7eb site at &&&5cdc56ov8niosh
This document is in the public domain and may
be freely copied or reprinted5isclaimer- 9ention of any company or product
does not constitute endorsement by NIOSH5
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No !""!#$!%
Student ManualJanuary 2002ii
&ckno'ledgmentThis document &as prepared by Thaddeus 75 0o&ler, 2d55, and :aren :5
9iles, Ph55, 2ducation and Information ivision (2I) of the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)5 2ditorial services &ere provided by ;ohn 75 iether5 Pauline 2lliott provided layout and desi6n5
The authors &ish to than% ;ohn Palassis and iana 0laherty (NIOSH), <obert
Nester (formerly of NIOSH), and participatin6 teachers and students for their
contributions to the development of this document5
ore'ordThe National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates
that ..,... youn6 &or%ers under the a6e of * suffer &or%3related in=uries in
the >nited States each year5 ?oun6 and ne& &or%ers have a hi6h ris% for &or%related
in=ury compared &ith more e1perienced &or%ers5 Occupational safety
and health trainin6 remains a fundamental element of ha@ard control in the &or%place,
and there is 6reat potential to reduce these incidents throu6h pre3employmenttrainin65 2ffective pre3employment trainin6 should include realistic environments
and hands3on e1ercises5 Ho&ever, NIOSH recommends that actual
employment in the electrical trades or any of the other construction trades be
delayed until individuals reach the minimum a6e of *5
This student manual is part of a safety and health curriculum for secondary and
post3secondary electrical trades courses5 The manual is desi6ned to en6a6e the
learner in reco6ni@in6, evaluatin6, and controllin6 ha@ards associated &ith electrical
Section $,lectricity I Dangerou7henever you &or% &ith po&er tools or on electrical circuits there
is a ris% of electrical ha@ards, especially electrical shoc%5 Anyone
can be e1posed to these ha@ards at home or at &or%5 7or%ers are
e1posed to more ha@ards because =ob sites can be cluttered &ithtools and materials, fast3paced, and open to the &eather5 <is% is alsohi6her at &or% because many =obs involve electric po&er tools5
2lectrical trades &or%ers must pay special attention to electrical ha@ards
because they &or% on electrical circuits5 $omin6 in contact &ith
an electrical volta6e can cause current to flo& throu6h the body,
resultin6 in electrical shoc% and burns5 Serious in=ury or even death
may occur5 As a source of ener6y, electricity is used &ithout much
thou6ht about the ha@ards it can cause5 Cecause electricity is a familiar
part of our lives, it often is not treated &ith enou6h caution5 As a
result, an avera6e of one &or%er is electrocuted on the =ob every day
of every year Electrocution is the third leading cause of orkrelated
deaths a+ong 1'. and 1(.year.olds/ after +otor vehicle
deaths and ork0lace ho+icide Electrocution is the cause of
12 of all ork0lace deaths a+ong young orkers*z ,lectrical hock caue in-ury or death.
Section $ Page $
,lectrical Safety,lectrical 'ork can be deadly if not done afelyNote to the learner /0hi manualdecribe the ha1ard of electrical 'orkand baic approache to 'orking afely
2ou 'ill learn kill to help you recogni1e3e+aluate3 and control electrical ha1ard
0hi information 'ill prepare you for additionalafety training uch a hand#one4ercie and more detailed re+ie' of regulation for electrical 'ork
2our employer3 co#'orker3 and community'ill depend on your e4pertie Start your career off right by learning afe practiceand de+eloping good afety habit Safetyi a +ery important part of any -ob Do itright from the tart
This manual &ill present many topics5 There are four main types of
electrical in=uries- electrocution death due to electrical shock/
electrical shock/ burns/ and falls5 The dan6ers of electricity, electrical
shoc%, and the resultin6 in=uries &ill be discussed5 The various
electrical ha@ards &ill be described5 5ou ill learn about the Safety!odel/ an i+0ortant tool for recogni%ing/ evaluating/ and controlling
ha%ards5 Important definitions and notes are sho&n in the
mar6ins5 Practices that &ill help %eep you safe and free of in=ury are
emphasi@ed5 To 6ive you an idea of the ha@ards caused by electricity,
case studies about real3life deaths &ill be described5
Ho' I an ,lectrical Shock 5ecei+ed6An electrical shoc% is received &hen electrical current passesthrou6h the body5 $urrent &ill pass throu6h the body in a variety of
situations5 7henever t&o &ires are at different volta6es, current &ill
pass bet&een them if they are connected5 ?our body can connect the
&ires if you touch both of them at the same time5 $urrent &ill pass
throu6h your body5
In most household &irin6, the blac% &ires and the red &ires are at
*. volts5 The &hite &ires are at . volts because they are connected
to 6round5 The connection to 6round is often throu6h a conductin6
6round rod driven into the earth5 The connection can also be made
throu6h a buried metal &ater pipe5 If you co+e in contact ith anz current/the movement of electrical chargez +oltage/a measure of
electrical forcez circuit/a complete path for the flowof currentz 2ou 'ill recei+e a hock if youtouch t'o 'ire at different+oltage at the ame timez ground/a physical electrical connection
to the earthz energi1ed (li+e3 7hot8)/similar terms meaning that a voltage ispresent that can cause a current, sothere is a possibility of gettingshocked
Page ! Section $
,9,*05I*I02Wire carry currentenergi%ed black ire#and you are also in contact ith the neutral
hite ire#current ill 0ass through your body 5ou ill
receive an electrical shock 5
If you are in contact ith a live ire or any live co+0onent of an
energi%ed electrical device#and also in contact ith anygrounded ob6ect#you ill receive a shock 5 Plumbin6 is often
6rounded5 9etal electrical bo1es and conduit are 6rounded5
?our ris% of receivin6 a shoc% is 6reater if you stand in a puddle of
&ater5 Cut you donGt even have to be standin6 in &ater to be at ris%5
7et clothin6, hi6h humidity, and perspiration also increase your
chances of bein6 electrocuted5 Of course, there is al&ays a chance of
electrocution, even in dry conditions5z conductor/material in which anelectrical current moves easilyz neutralat ground potential (0 volts)
because of a connection to groundz 2ou 'ill recei+e a hock if
you touch a li+e 'ire and aregrounded at the ame timez When a circuit3 electricalcomponent3 or e:uipment ienergi1ed3 a potential hockha1ard i preent
Section $ Page %I S D&N;,5O<S=lack and red 'ire are uuallyenergi1ed3 and 'hite 'ire areuually neutralMetal electrical bo4e hould be groundedto pre+ent hock
Page > Section $?ou can even receive a shoc% &hen you are not in contact &ith an
electrical 6round5 $ontact &ith both live &ires of a !.3volt cable
&ill deliver a shoc%5 (This type of shoc% can occur because one live
&ire may be at *. volts &hile the other is at 3*. volts durin6 an
alternatin6 current cycle—a difference of !. volts5)5 ?ou can also
receive a shoc% from electrical components that are not 6rounded
properly5 2ven contact &ith another person &ho is receivin6 an electrical
&!0"year"old male electrical technician was helping a company service representative test the voltage"
regulating unit on a new rolling mill. #hile the electrical technician went to get the e$uipmentservice manual, the service representative opened the panel cover of the voltage regulator%s controlcabinet in preparation to trace the low"voltage wiring in $uestion (the wiring was not color"coded). &he
service representative climbed onto a nearby cabinet in order to view the wires. &he technician returnedand began working inside the control cabinet, near e'posed energied electrical conductors. &he techniciantugged at the low"voltage wires while the service representative tried to identify them from above.uddenly, the representative heard the victim making a gurgling sound and looked down to see the victimshaking as though he were being shocked. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (C*+) was administered to thevictim about 0 minutes later. -e was pronounced dead almost 2 hours later as a result of his contact withan energied electrical conductor.&o prevent an incident like this, employers should take the following steps? /stablish proper rules and procedures on how to access electrical control cabinets without gettinghurt.? ake sure all employees know the importance of de"energiing (shutting off) electrical systems beforeperforming repairs.? /$uip voltage"regulating e$uipment with color"coded wiring.? &rain workers in C*+.
&maintenance man rode 2 feet above the floor on a motoried lift to work on a 211"volt light fi'ture.
-e did not turn off the power supply to the lights. -e removed the line fuse from the black wire,which he thought was the hot3 wire. 4ut, because of a mistake in installation, it turned out that thewhite wire was the hot3 wire, not the black one. &he black wire was neutral. -e began to strip the whitewire using a wire stripper in his right hand. /lectricity passed from the hot3 white wire to the stripper, theninto his hand and through his body, and then to ground through his left inde' finger. 5 co"worker heard anoise and saw the victim lying face"up on the lift. he immediately summoned another worker, who loweredthe platform. C*+ was performed, but the maintenance man could not be saved. -e was pronounceddead at the scene.6ou can prevent in7uries and deaths by remembering the following points? 8f you work on an electrical circuit, test to make sure that the circuit is de"energied (shut off)9? :ever attempt to handle any wires or conductors until you are absolutely positive that their electrical
supply has been shut off.? 4e sure to lock out and tag out circuits so they cannot be re"energied.? 5lways assume a conductor is dangerous.
,9,*05I*I02
Summary of Section $?ou &ill receive an electrical shoc% if a part of your body completes
an electrical circuit by J J J
touchin6 a live &ire and an electrical 6round, or
touchin6 a live &ire and another &ire at a different volta6e5
Section $ Page @&l'ay tet a circuit to makeure it i de#energi1ed before
'orking on itI S D&N;,5O<S
Section !Danger of ,lectrical ShockThe severity of in=ury from electrical shoc% depends on the amount
of electrical current and the len6th of time the current passes
throu6h the body5 0or e1ample, *8*. of an ampere (amp) of electricity
6oin6 throu6h the body for =ust seconds is enou6h to cause
death5 The amount of internal current a person can &ithstand and
still be able to control the muscles of the arm and hand can be less
than *. milliamperes (milliamps or mA)5 $urrents above *. mA
can paraly@e or Kfree@eL muscles5 7hen this Kfree@in6L happens, a person is no lon6er able to release a tool, &ire, or other ob=ect5 In
fact, the electrified ob=ect may be held even more ti6htly, resultin6in lon6er e1posure to the shoc%in6 current5 0or this reason, handheld
tools that 6ive a shoc% can be very dan6erous5 If you canGt let
6o of the tool, current continues throu6h your body for a lon6er
time, &hich can lead to respiratory paralysis (the muscles that control
breathin6 cannot move)5 ?ou stop breathin6 for a period of
time5 People have stopped breathin6 &hen shoc%ed &ith currents
from volta6es as lo& as !+ volts5 >sually, it ta%es about /. mA of
current to cause respiratory paralysis5
$urrents 6reater than #' mA cause ventricular fibrillation (very
rapid, ineffective heartbeat)5 This condition &ill cause death &ithin a
fe& minutes unless a special device called a defibrillator is used to
save the victim5 Heart paralysis occurs at ! amps, &hich means theheart does not pump at all5 Tissue is burned &ith currents 6reater
than ' amps5The table sho&s &hat usually happens for a ran6e of currents
(lastin6 one second) at typical household volta6es5 Eon6er e1posuretimes increase the dan6er to the shoc% victim5 0or e1ample, a current
of *.. mA applied for / seconds is as dan6erous as a current of
+.. mA applied for a fraction of a second (.5./ seconds)5 The muscle
structure of the person also ma%es a difference5 People &ith less
muscle tissue are typically affected at lo&er current levels5 2ven lo&
volta6es can be e1tremely dan6erous because the de6ree of in=ury
depends not only on the amount of current but also on the len6th of
time the body is in contact &ith the circuit57O* 8O79:;E DOES <O9 !E:< 7O* &:=:$D>z ampere (amp)/the unit used to
measure currentz milliampere (milliamp or m&)/;,000 of an amperez hocking current/electrical currentthat passes through a part of thebodyz 2ou 'ill be hurt more if you canAtlet go of a tool gi+ing a hockz 0he longer the hock3 the greater the in-ury
Page B Section !
D&N;,5S O ,9,Defibrillator in ueSometimes hi6h volta6es lead to additional in=uries5 Hi6h volta6es
can cause violent muscular contractions5 ?ou may lose your balance
and fall, &hich can cause in=ury or even death if you fall intomachinery that can crush you5 Hi6h volta6es can also cause severe
burns (as seen on pa6es + and *.)5
At ".. volts, the current throu6h the body may be as 6reat as
! amps, causin6 dama6e to internal or6ans such as the heart5 Hi6h
volta6es also produce burns5 In addition, internal blood vessels may
clot5 Nerves in the area of the contact point may be dama6ed5
9uscle contractions may cause bone fractures from either the contractions
themselves or from falls5
A severe shoc% can cause much more dama6e to the body than isvisible5 A person may suffer internal bleedin6 and destruction of tissues,
nerves, and muscles5 Sometimes the hidden in=uries caused byelectrical shoc% result in a delayed death5 Shoc% is often only the
be6innin6 of a chain of events5 2ven if the electrical current is too
small to cause in=ury, your reaction to the shoc% may cause you to
fall, resultin6 in bruises, bro%en bones, or even death5
The len6th of time of the shoc% 6reatly affects the amount of in=ury5
If the shoc% is short in duration, it may only be painful5 A lon6er z High +oltage caue additionalin-urie.z Higher +oltage can caue larger current and more e+ere hockz Some in-urie from electricalhock cannot be een
Section ! Page C*05I*&9 SHO*,ffect of ,lectrical *urrentE on the =ody!
*urrent 5eaction$ milliamp Just a faint tingle.@ milliamp light shock felt. <isturbing, but not painful. ost people can let go.3-owever, strong involuntary movements can cause in7uries.BF!@ milliamp (women)= *ainful shock. uscular control is lost. &his is the range where freeingGF%" milliamp (men) currents3 start. 8t may not be possible to let go.3@"F$@" milliamp /'tremely painful shock, respiratory arrest (breathing stops), severe musclecontractions. >le'or muscles may cause holding on? e'tensor muscles maycause intense pushing away. <eath is possible.$3"""F>3%"" milliamp @entricular fibrillation (heart pumping action not rhythmic) occurs. uscles(AB.! amps) contract? nerve damage occurs. <eath is likely.
$"3""" milliamp Cardiac arrest and severe burns occur. <eath is probable.(0 amps)$@3""" milliamp owest overcurrent at which a typical fuse or circuit breaker opens a circuit9(D amps)E/ffects are for voltages less than about F00 volts. -igher voltages also cause severe burns.=<ifferences in muscle and fat content affect the severity of shock.
shoc% (lastin6 a fe& seconds) could be fatal if the level of current is
hi6h enou6h to cause the heart to 6o into ventricular fibrillation5This is not much current &hen you reali@e that a small po&er drill
uses /. times as much current as &hat &ill %ill5 At relatively hi6h
currents, death is certain if the shoc% is lon6 enou6h5 Ho&ever, if
the shoc% is short and the heart has not been dama6ed, a normalheartbeat may resume if contact &ith the electrical current is eliminated5
(This type of recovery is rare5)The amount of current
may have a resistance of *..,... ohms or more5 7et
s%in may have a resistanceof only *,... ohms5 7et
&or%in6 conditions or bro%en
s%in &ill drastically
reduce resistance5 The lo&
resistance of &et s%in
allo&s current to pass into
the body more easily and
6ive a 6reater shoc%5 7hen more force is applied to the contact point
or &hen the contact area is lar6er, the resistance is lo&er, causin6
stron6er shoc%s5
The path of the electrical current throu6h the body affects the severity
of the shoc%5 $urrents throu6h the heart or nervous system aremost dan6erous5 If you contact a live &ire &ith your head, your nervous
system &ill be dama6ed5 $ontactin6 a live electrical part &ith
one hand—&hile you are 6rounded at the other side of your body—
&ill cause electrical current to pass across your chest, possibly in=urin6your heart and lun6s5z 0he greater the current3 thegreater the hock.z Se+erity of hock depend on+oltage3 amperage3 and reitancez reitance/a materialGs ability to
decrease or stop electrical currentz ohm/unit of measurement for
electrical resistancez 9o'er reitance caue greater currentz *urrent acro the chet are +erydangerou
Page Section !
D&N;,5S O ,9Po'er drill ue %" time amuch current a 'hat 'ill killz N,*/National ,lectrical *odea comprehensive listing of practices to protect workers ande$uipment from electrical haardssuch as fire and electrocution
Section ! Page G,*05I*&9 SHO*
&male service technician arrived at a customer%s house to perform pre"winter maintenance on an oil
furnace. &he customer then left the house and returned H0 minutes later. he noticed the servicetruck was still in the driveway. 5fter 2 more hours, the customer entered the crawl space with aflashlight to look for the technician but could not see him. he then called the owner of the company, whocame to the house. -e searched the crawl space and found the technician on his stomach, leaning on his
elbows in front of the furnace. &he assistant county coroner was called and pronounced the techniciandead at the scene. &he victim had electrical burns on his scalp and right elbow.
5fter the incident, an electrician inspected the site. 5 toggle switch that supposedly controlled electricalpower to the furnace was in the off3 position. &he electrician described the wiring as haphaard andconfusing.3&wo weeks later, the county electrical inspector performed another inspection. -e discovered that incorrectwiring of the toggle switch allowed power to flow to the furnace even when the switch was in the off3
position. &he owner of the company stated that the victim was a very thorough worker. *erhaps the victimperformed more maintenance on the furnace than previous technicians, e'posing himself to the electricalhaard.&his death could have been prevented9I &he victim should have tested the circuit to make sure it was de"energied.I /mployers should provide workers with appropriate e$uipment and training. sing safety e$uipmentshould be a re$uirement of the 7ob. 8n this case, a simple circuit tester may have saved the victim%s life.I +esidential wiring should satisfy the :ational /lectrical Code (:/C). 5lthough the :/C is not retroactive,all homeowners should make sure their systems are safe.
,lectrical burn on hand and arm
D&N;,5S O ,9There have been cases &here an arm or le6 is severely burned by
hi6h3volta6e electrical current to the point of comin6 off, and the
victim is not electrocuted5 In these cases, the current passes throu6h
only a part of the limb before it 6oes out of the body and into another conductor5 Therefore, the current does not 6o throu6h the chest area
and may not cause death, even thou6h the victim is severely disfi6ured5
If the current does 6o throu6h the chest, the person &ill almost
surely be electrocuted5 A lar6e number of serious electrical in=uries
involve current passin6 from the hands to the feet5 Such a path
involves both the heart and lun6s5 This type of shoc% is often fatal5
Page $" Section !&rm 'ith third degree burn fromhigh#+oltage line
Summary of Section !The dan6er from electrical shoc% depends on J J Jthe amount of the shoc%in6 current throu6h the body,
the duration of the shoc%in6 current throu6h the body, and
the path of the shoc%in6 current throu6h the body5
,*05I*&9 SHO*Section ! Page $$
Section %=urn *aued by ,lectricityThe most common shoc%3related, nonfatal in=ury is a burn5 Curns
caused by electricity may be of three types- electrical burns/ arc
burns/ and ther+al contact burns5 2lectrical burns can result &hen
a person touches electrical &irin6 or eDuipment that is used or maintainedimproperly5 Typically, such
luminous electrical dischar6e that occurs &hen hi6h volta6es e1istacross a 6ap bet&een conductors and current travels throu6h the air5
This situation is often caused by eDuipment failure due to abuse or fati6ue5 Temperatures as hi6h as /',...M0 have been reached
in arc3blasts5
There are three primary ha@ards associated &ith an arc3blast5
(*) Arcin6 6ives off thermal radiation (heat) and intense li6ht, &hich
can cause burns5 Several factors affect the de6ree of in=ury, includin6
s%in color, area of s%in e1posed, and type of clothin6 &orn5
Proper clothin6, &or% distances, and overcurrent protection can
reduce the ris% of such a burn5
() A hi6h3volta6e arc can produce a considerable pressure &ave
blast5 A person feet a&ay from a ',...3amp arc feels a force of
about !. pounds on the front of the body5 In addition, such an
e1plosion can cause serious ear dama6e and memory loss due toconcussion5 Sometimes the pressure &ave thro&s the victim a&ay
from the arc3blast5 7hile this may reduce further e1posure to thez ,lectrical hock caue burnz arc#blat/e'plosive release of moltenmaterial from e$uipment caused byhigh"amperage arcsz arcingthe luminous electrical discharge
(bright, electrical sparking)through the air that occurs when highvoltages e'ist across a gap betweenconductors
Page $! Section %
=<5NS *&<S,D*ontact electrical burn 0heknee on the left 'a energi1ed3and the knee on the right 'agroundedthermal ener6y, serious physical in=ury may result5 The pressure
&ave can propel lar6e ob=ects over 6reat distances5 In some cases,
the pressure &ave has enou6h force to snap off the heads of steel bolts and %noc% over &alls5
(/) A hi6h3volta6e arc can also cause many of the copper and aluminum
components in electrical eDuipment to melt5 These droplets
of molten metal can be blasted 6reat distances by the pressure &ave5
Althou6h these droplets harden rapidly, they can still be hot enou6h
to cause serious burns or cause ordinary clothin6 to catch fire, even
if you are *. feet or more a&ay5
Section % Page $%
=2 ,9,*05I*I02
ive technicians were performing preventive maintenance on the electrical system of a railroad maintenance
facility. Kne of the technicians was assigned to clean the lower compartment of an electrical
cabinet using cleaning fluid in an aerosol can. 4ut, he began to clean the upper compartment aswell. &he upper compartment was filled with live circuitry. #hen the cleaningspray contacted the live circuitry, a conductive path for the currentwas created. &he current passed through the stream of fluid, into thetechnician%s arm, and across his chest. &he current caused a loude'plosion. Co"workers found the victim with his clothes on fire. Kneworker put out the fire with an e'tinguisher, and another pulled the victim
away from the compartment with a plastic vacuum cleaner hose.&he paramedics responded in D minutes. 5lthough the victim survivedthe shock, he died 2B hours later of burns.&his death could have been prevented if the following precautionshad been taken? 4efore doing any electrical work, de"energie all circuits ande$uipment, perform lock"out;tag"out, and test circuits ande$uipment to make sure they are de"energied.? &he company should have trained the workers to performtheir 7obs safely.? *roper personal protective e$uipment (**/) should alwaysbe used.? :ever use aerosol spray cans around high"voltage e$uipment.
$> Section %
,lectrical ireElectricity is one of the +ost co++on
causes of fires and ther+al burns in
ho+es and ork0laces efective or
misused electrical eDuipment is ama=or cause of electrical fires5 If
there is a small electrical fire, be
sure to use only a $lass $ or multipurpose
(AC$) fire e1tin6uisher, or you mi6ht ma%e the problem &orse5
All fire e1tin6uishers are mar%ed &ith
letter(s) that tell you the %inds of fires they
can put out5 Some e1tin6uishers containsymbols, too5
The letters and symbols are e1plained belo& (includin6 su66estions on ho& to remember them)5
&(thin%- :shes) paper, &ood, etc5
=(thin%- Barrel) flammable liDuids
*(thin%- Circuits) electrical fires
Here are a couple of fire
e1tin6uishers at a &or%site5
$an you tell &hat types of
fires they &ill put outB
0hi e4tinguiher can onlybe ued on *la = and*la * fire0hi e4tinguiher can only
=<5NS *&<S,D9earn ho' to ue firee4tinguiher at 'ork
Ho'e+er3 do not try to put out fire unle you ha+e recei+ed
proper training If you are not trained3 the bet thing you cando i e+acuate the area and call for helpThermal burns may result if an e1plosion occurs &hen electricity
i6nites an e1plosive mi1ture of material in the air5 This i6nition can
result from the buildup of combustible vapors, 6asses, or dusts5
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards,
the N2$, and other safety standards 6ive precise safety reDuirements
for the operation of electrical systems and eDuipment in such dan6erous
areas5 I6nition can also be caused by overheated conductors
or eDuipment, or by normal arcin6 at s&itch contacts or in circuit brea%ers5
Summary of Section %Curns are the most common in=ury caused by electricity5 The threetypes of burns are J J J
electrical burns,
arc burns, and
thermal contact burns5z OSH&/Occupational Safety andHealth &dministrationthe >ederalagency in the .. <epartment of abor that establishes and enforcesworkplace safety and healthregulations
=2 ,9,*05I*I02Section % Page $@Page $B
Shut off the electrical current if the victim is still in contact
&ith the ener6i@ed circuit5 7hile you do this, have
someone else call for help5 If you cannot 6et to the
s&itch6ear Duic%ly, pry the victim from the circuit &ith somethin6 that does not
conduct electricity such as dry &ood5 Do not touch the victim yourself if he or
she is still in contact with an electrical circuit! ?ou do not &ant to be a victim,
too
o not leave the victim unless there is absolutely no other option5 ?ou should stay
&ith the victim &hile 2mer6ency 9edical Services (29S) is contacted5 The caller
should come bac% to you after&ards to verify that the call &as made5 If the victim
is
not breathin6, does not have a heartbeat, or is badly in=ured, Duic% response by a
team of emer6ency medical technicians (29TGs) or paramedics 6ives the best
chance
for survival5
What Should I Do If a *o#Worker IShocked or =urned by ,lectricity69earn firt aidirt &id act SheetPage $C
Once you %no& that electrical current is no lon6er flo&in6 throu6h the victim, call
out
to the victim to see if he or she is conscious (a&a%e)5 If the victim is conscious,
tell the victim not to move. It is possible for a shoc% victim to be seriously in=ured but
not reali@e it5 uic%ly e1amine the victim for si6ns of ma=or
bleedin65 If there is a lot of bleedin6, place a cloth (such
as a hand%erchief or bandanna) over the &ound and apply
pressure5 If the &ound is in an arm or le6 and %eeps bleedin6
a lot, 6ently elevate the in=ured area &hile %eepin6
pressure on the &ound5 :eep the victim &arm and tal% to
him or her until help arrives5
If the victim is unconscious, chec% for si6ns of breathin65 7hile you do this, move
the victim as little as possible5 If the victim is not breathin6, someone trained in$P< should be6in artificial breathin6, then chec% to see if the victim has a pulse5
uic% action is essential To be effective, $P< must be performed &ithin !
minutes
of the shoc%5
If you are not trained in $P< or first aid, now is the time to 6et trained— before
you
find yourself in this situation As% your instructor or supervisor ho& you can
become
certified in $P<5 ?ou also need to %no&the location of (*) electricity shut3offs
What Mut =e Done to =e Safe6>se the three3sta6e safety model - reco6ni@e, evaluate, and control
ha@ards5 To be safe, you must thin% about your =ob and plan for
ha@ards5 To avoid in=ury or
death, you must understand
and reco6ni@e ha@ards5 ?ou
need to evaluate the situation
you are in and assess your
ris%s5 ?ou need to control ha@ards
by creatin6 a safe &or%
environment, by usin6 safe
&or% practices, and by reportin6
ha@ards to a supervisor or teacher5
If you do not reco6ni@e, evaluate,
and control ha@ards, you
may be in=ured or %illed by the
electricity itself, electrical
fires, or falls5 If you use the
safety model to reco6ni@e,
evaluate, and control ha@ards,
you are much safer5
($) 5ecogni1e ha1ardThe first part of the safety model is reco6ni@in6 the ha@ards around
you5 Only then can you avoid or control the ha@ards5 It is best todiscuss and plan ha@ard reco6nition tas%s &ith your co3&or%ers5
Sometimes &e ta%e ris%s ourselves, but &hen &e are responsible for
others, &e are more careful5 Sometimes others see ha@ards that &e
overloo%5 Of course, it is possible to be tal%ed out of our concernsz <e the afety model to recogni1e3e+aluate3 and control ha1ardz Identify electrical ha1ardz DonAt liten to reckle3dangerou people
Page $ Section >
OJ,5JI,W O 0H,5eport ha1ard to your uper+ior
or teacher by someone &ho is rec%less or dan6erous5 onGt ta%e a chance5
$areful plannin6 of safety procedures reduces the ris% of in=ury5
ecisions to loc% out and ta6 out circuits and eDuipment need to be
made durin6 this part of the safety model5 Plans for action must be
made no&5
(!) ,+aluate ha1ard7hen evaluatin6 ha@ards, it is best to identify all possible ha@ards
The first step to&ard protectin6 yourself is reco6ni@in6 the many
ha@ards you face on the =ob5 To do this, you must %no& &hich situations
can place you in dan6er5 :no&in6 &here to loo% helps you to
reco6ni@e ha@ards5
q InadeDuate &irin6 is dan6erous5
q 21posed electrical parts are dan6erous5
q Overhead po&erlines are dan6erous5q 7ires &ith bad insulation can 6ive you a shoc%5
q 2lectrical systems and tools that are not 6rounded or double3insulated
are dan6erous5
q Overloaded circuits are dan6erous5
q ama6ed po&er tools and eDuipment are electrical ha@ards5
q >sin6 the &ron6 PP2 is dan6erous5
q >sin6 the &ron6 tool is dan6erous5
q Some on3site chemicals are harmful5
q efective ladders and scaffoldin6 are dan6erous5
q Eadders that conduct electricity are dan6erous5
q 2lectrical ha@ards can be made &orse if the &or%er, location, or
eDuipment is &et5z Worker face many ha1ard
on the -ob
Page !! Section @
S&,02 MOD,9 S0&;, $Section @ Page !%
/5,*O;NIKIN; H&K&5DSWorker 'a electrocuted 'hile remo+ingenergi1ed fih tapeih tape
&n electrician was removing a metal fish tape from a hole at the base of a metal light pole. (5
fish tape is used to pull wire through a conduit run.) &he fish tape became energied, electrocutinghim. 5s a result of its inspection, K-5 issued a citation for three serious violations of the agency%s construction standards.8f the following K-5 re$uirements had been followed, this death could have beenprevented.I <e"energie all circuits before beginning work.I 5lways lock out and tag out de"energied e$uipment.I Companies must train workers to recognie and avoid unsafe conditions associatedwith their work.
Inade:uate 'iring ha1ardAn electrical ha@ard e1ists &hen the &ire is too small a 6au6e for the
current it &ill carry5 Normally, the circuit brea%er in a circuit is
matched to the &ire si@e5 Ho&ever, in older &irin6, branch lines to permanent ceilin6 li6ht fi1tures could be &ired &ith a smaller 6au6e
than the supply cable5 EetGs say a li6ht fi1ture is replaced &ith another
device that uses more current5 The current capacity (ampacity) of the
branch &ire could be e1ceeded5 7hen a &ire is too small for the current
it is supposed to carry, the &ire &ill heat up5 The heated &ire
could cause a fire5
7hen you use an e1tension cord, the si@e of the &ire you are placin6
into the circuit may be too small for the eDuipment5 The circuit
&ires or other electrical partsare e1posed5 7ires and partscan be e1posed if a cover is
removed from a &irin6 or
brea%er bo15 The overhead
&ires comin6 into a home
may be e1posed5 2lectricalz 'ire gauge/wire sie or diameter (technically, the cross"sectional area)z ampacity/the ma'imum amountof current a wire can carry safelywithout overheatingz O+erloaded 'ire get hot.z Incorrect 'iring practice can
caue fire.z If you touch li+e electrical part3you 'ill be hocked
Page !> Section @
S&,02 MOD,9 S0&;, $0hi hand#held ander hae4poed 'ire and hould notbe uedterminals in motors, appliances, and electronic eDuipment may be
e1posed5 Older eDuipment may have e1posed electrical parts5 If youcontact e1posed live electrical parts, you &ill be shoc%ed5 You need
to recognize that an exposed electrical component is a hazard
O+erhead po'erline ha1ard9ost people do not reali@e that overhead po&erlines are usually not
insulated5 9ore than half of all electrocutions are caused by direct
&or%er contact &ith ener6i@ed po&erlines5 Po&erline &or%ers must
be especially a&are of the dan6ers of overhead lines5 In the past,. of all lineman deaths &ere caused by contactin6 a live &ire
&ith a bare hand5 ue to such incidents, all linemen no& &ear special
rubber 6loves that protect them up to /!,'.. volts5 Today, most
electrocutions involvin6 overhead po&erlines are caused by failure
to maintain proper &or% distances5z O+erhead po'erline kill many'orker.
Section @ Page !@
/5,*O;NIKIN; H&K&5DSWatch out for e4poed electrical 'ire around
electronic e:uipment,lectrical line 'orker need pecial trainingand e:uipment to 'ork afelyShoc%s and electrocutions occur &here
physical barriers are not in place to prevent
contact &ith the &ires5 7hen dump truc%s,
cranes, &or% platforms, or other conductive
materials (such as pipes and ladders) contact
overhead &ires, the eDuipment operator or
other &or%ers can be %illed5 If you do not
maintain reDuired clearance distances from po&erlines, you can be shoc%ed and %illed5
(The minimum distance for volta6es up to'.%Q is *. feet5 0or volta6es over '.%Q, the
minimum distance is *. feet plus ! inchesfor every *. %Q over '.%Q5) Never store
materials and eDuipment under or near overhead
po&erlines5 You need to recognize that
overhead powerlines are a hazard 5
Defecti+e inulation ha1ardInsulation that is defective or inadeDuate is an electrical
ha@ard5 >sually, a plastic or rubber coverin6 insulates &ires5
Insulation prevents conductors from comin6 in contact &ith each
other5 Insulation also prevents conductors from comin6 in contact
&ith people5z inulation/material that does notconduct electricity easily
Page !B Section @
S&,02 MOD,9 S0&;, $Operating a crane near o+erhead 'ire i+ery ha1ardou
ive workers were constructing a chain"link fence in front of a
house, directly below a 1,200"volt energied powerline. 5s theyprepared to install 2"foot sections of metal top rail on the
fence, one of the workers picked up a section of rail and held it upvertically. &he rail contacted the 1,200"volt line, and the worker waselectrocuted. >ollowing inspection, K-5 determined that theemployee who was killed had never received any safety trainingfrom his employer and no specific instruction on how to avoid thehaards associated with overhead powerlines.8n this case, the company failed to obey these regulationsI /mployers must train their workers to recognie and avoid unsafeconditions on the 7ob.I /mployers must not allow their workers to work near any part of an electrical circuit <N9,SS the circuit is de"energied (shut off)
and grounded, or guarded in such a way that it cannot be contacted.I Lround"fault protection must be provided at construction sites toguard against electrical shock.
21tension cords may have dama6ed insulation5 Sometimes the insulation
inside an electrical tool or appliance is dama6ed5 7hen insulation
is dama6ed, e1posed metal
parts may become ener6i@ed if a live &ire inside touches them5
2lectric hand tools that are old,dama6ed, or misused may have
dama6ed insulation inside5 If
you touch dama6ed po&er tools
or other eDuipment, you &ill
receive a shoc%5 ?ou are more
li%ely to receive a shoc% if the
tool is not 6rounded or doubleinsulated5
(ouble3insulated
tools have t&o insulation barriers
and no e1posed metal
parts5) You need to recognize
that defective insulation is a
hazard 5
Improper grounding ha1ard7hen an electrical system is not 6rounded properly, a ha@ard e1ists5
The most common OSHA electrical violation is improper 6roundin6
of eDuipment and circuitry5 The metal parts of an electrical &irin6
system that &e touch (s&itch plates, ceilin6 li6ht fi1tures, conduit,
etc5) should be 6rounded and at . volts5 If the system is not 6rounded
properly, these parts may become ener6i@ed5 9etal parts of motors,
appliances, or electronics that are plu66ed into improperly 6rounded
circuits may be ener6i@ed5 7hen a circuit is not 6rounded properly, aha@ard e1ists because un&anted volta6e cannot be safely eliminated5
If there is no safe path to 6round for fault currents, e1posed metal
parts in dama6ed appliances can become ener6i@ed521tension cords may not provide a continuous path to 6round
because of a bro%en 6round &ire or plu65 If you contact a defectivez If you touch a damaged li+e po'er tool3 you 'ill be hocked.z & damaged li+e po'er tool that inot grounded or double#inulatedi +ery dangerou.z fault current/any current that is notin its intended pathz ground potential/the voltage a
grounded part should have?0 volts relative to ground
Section @ Page !C
/5,*O;NIKIN; H&K&5DS0hi e4tenion cord idamaged and houldnot be uedelectrical device that is not 6rounded (or 6rounded improperly), you
&ill be shoc%ed5 You need to recognize that an improperly grounded
2lectrical systems are often 6rounded to metal &ater pipes that serve
as a continuous path to 6round5 If plumbin6 is used as a path to 6round
for fault current, all pipes must be made of conductive material (a type
of metal)5 9any electrocutions and fires occur because (durin6 renovationor repair) parts of metal plumbin6 are replaced &ith plastic pipe,
&hich does not conduct electricity5 In these cases, the path to 6roundis interrupted by nonconductive material5
: ground fault circuit interru0ter/ or ;?CI, is an ine1pensive lifesaver5
F0$IGs detect any difference in current bet&een the t&o circuit
&ires (the blac% &ires and &hite &ires)5 This difference
in current could happen &hen electrical
eDuipment is not &or%in6 correctly,
causin6 lea%a6e current5 If lea%a6e
current (a 6round fault) is detected in a
F0$I3protected circuit, the F0$I s&itches
off the current in the circuit, protectin6 you
from a dan6erous shoc%5 F0$IGs are set at about
' mA and are desi6ned to protect &or%ers fromelectrocution5 F0$IGs are able to detect the loss of
current resultin6 from lea%a6e throu6h a person &ho is be6innin6 to
be shoc%ed5 If this situation occurs, the F0$I s&itches off the current
in the circuit5 F0$IGs are different from circuit brea%ers because theydetect lea%a6e currents rather than overloads5
$ircuits &ith missin6, dama6ed, or improperly &ired F0$IGs may
allo& you to be shoc%ed5 You need to recognize that a circuit
improperly protected by a C" is a hazard .
O+erload ha1ardOverloads in an electrical system are
ha@ardous because they can produce heat
or arcin65 7ires and other componentsin an electrical system or circuit have a
ma1imum amount of current they can
carry safely5 If too many devices are
plu66ed into a circuit, the electrical current
&ill heat the &ires to a very hi6h
temperature5 If any one tool uses too
much current, the &ires &ill heat up5z If you touch a defecti+e li+ecomponent that i not grounded3you 'ill be hockedz ;*I/ground f ault circuitinterruptera device that detects
current leakage from a circuit toground and shuts the current off z leakage current/current that doesnot return through the intended pathbut instead Mleaks3 to groundz ground fault/a loss of current from
a circuit to a ground connectionz o+erload/too much currentin a circuitz &n o+erload can lead to a fire or
S&,02 MOD,9 S0&;, $;*I receptacleO+erload are a ma-or caueof fire
The temperature of the &ires can be hi6h enou6h to cause a fire5 If their insulation melts, arcin6 may occur5 Arcin6 can cause a fire in
the area &here the overload e1ists, even inside a &all5
In order to prevent too much current in a circuit, a circuit brea%er or
fuse is placed in the circuit5 If there is too much current in the circuit,
the brea%er KtripsL and opens li%e a s&itch5 If an overloaded
circuit is eDuipped &ith a fuse, an internal part of the fuse melts,
openin6 the circuit5 Coth brea%ers and fuses do the same thin6- open
the circuit to shut off the electrical current5
If the brea%ers or fuses are too bi6 for the &ires they are supposed to
protect, an overload in the circuit &ill not be detected and the current
&ill not be shut off5 Overloadin6 leads to overheatin6 of circuit
components (includin6 &ires) and may cause a fire5 You need torecognize that a circuit with improper overcurrent protection
devices#or one with no overcurrent protection devices at all#
is a hazard .
Overcurrent protection devices are built into the &irin6 of someelectric motors, tools, and electronic devices5 0or e1ample, if a tool
dra&s too much current or if it overheats, the current &ill be shut off
from &ithin the device itself5 ama6ed tools can overheat and cause
a fire5 You need to recognize that a damaged tool is a hazard 5
Wet condition ha1ard7or%in6 in &et conditions is ha@ardous because you may become an
easy path for electrical current5 If you touch a live &ire or other
electrical component—and you are &ell36rounded because you arestandin6 in even a small puddle of &ater—you &ill receive a shoc%5z circuit breaker/an overcurrentprotection device that automaticallyshuts off the current in a circuit if anoverload occursz trip/the automatic opening(turning off) of a circuit by a L>C8 or circuit breaker z fue/an overcurrent protectiondevice that has an internal part thatmelts and shuts off the current in acircuit if there is an overloadz *ircuit breaker and fue that
are too big for the circuit aredangerouz *ircuit 'ithout circuit breaker or fue are dangerouz Damaged po'er tool can caueo+erloadz Wet condition are dangerou
Section @ Page !G
/5,*O;NIKIN; H&K&5DSDamaged e:uipment can o+erheat and
caue a fireama6ed insulation, eDuipment, or tools can e1pose you to live
electrical parts5 A dama6ed tool may not be 6rounded properly, so
the housin6 of the tool may be ener6i@ed, causin6 you to receive a
shoc%5 Improperly 6rounded metal s&itch plates and ceilin6 li6htsare especially ha@ardous in &et conditions5 If you touch a live electrical
component &ith an uninsulated hand tool, you are more li%elyto receive a shoc% &hen standin6 in &ater5
Cut remember- you donGt have to be standin6 in &ater to be electrocuted5
7et clothin6, hi6h humidity, and perspiration also increase
your chances of bein6 electrocuted5 You need to recognize that all
wet conditions are hazards5
&dditional ha1ardIn addition to electrical ha@ards, other types of ha@ards are present at
=ob sites5 <emember that all of these ha@ards can be controlled5
q There may be chemical ha@ards5 Solvents and other substances
may be poisonous or cause disease5
q 0reDuent overhead &or% can cause tendinitis (inflammation) in
your shoulders5z &n electrical circuit in a dampplace 'ithout a ;*I i dangerou.& ;*I reduce the dangerz 0here are non#electrical ha1ard at
-ob ite3 too
Page %" Section @
S&,02 MOD,9 S0&;, $O+erhead 'ork can cauelong#term houlder painq Intensive use of hand tools that involve force or t&istin6 can
cause tendinitis of the hands, &rists, or elbo&s5 >se of hand
tools can also cause carpal tunnel syndrome, &hich results &hennerves in the &rist are dama6ed by s&ellin6 tendons or contractin6
muscles5zPP,/personal protectivee$uipment (eye protection,hard hat, special clothing,etc.)
Section @ Page %$
/5,*O;NIKIN; H&K&5DSre:uent ue of ome hand tool can caue 'ritproblem uch a carpal tunnel yndrome
&22"year"old carpenter%s apprentice was killed when he was struck in the head by a nail
fired from a powder"actuated nail gun (a device that uses a gun powder cartridge todrive nails into concrete or steel). &he nail gun operator fired the gun while attemptingto anchor a plywood concrete form, causing the nail to pass through the hollow form. &he nailtraveled 21 feet before striking the victim. &he nail gun operator had never received trainingon how to use the tool, and none of the employees in the area was wearing **/.8n another situation, two workers were building a wall while remodeling a house. Kne of theworkers was killed when he was struck by a nail fired from a powder"actuated nail gun. &hetool operator who fired the nail was trying to attach a piece of plywood to a wooden stud. 4utthe nail shot though the plywood and stud, striking the victim.
4elow are some K-5 regulations that should have been followed.I /mployees using powder" or pressure"actuated tools must be trained to use them safely.I /mployees who operate powder" or pressure"actuated tools must be trained to avoid firinginto easily penetrated materials (like plywood).I 8n areas where workers could be e'posed to flying nails, appropriate **/ must be used.
q Eo& bac% pain can result from liftin6 ob=ects the &ron6 &ay or
carryin6 heavy loads of &ire or other material5 Cac% pain can
also occur as a result of in=ury from poor &or%in6 surfaces suchas &et or slippery floors5 Cac% pain is common, but it can be disablin6
and can affect youn6 individuals5
q $hips and particles flyin6 from tools can in=ure your eyes5 7ear
eye protection5
q 0allin6 ob=ects can hit you5 7ear a hard hat5
q Sharp tools and po&er eDuipment can cause cuts and other
in=uries5 If you receive a shoc%, you may react and be hurt
by a tool5
q ?ou can be in=ured or %illed by fallin6 from a ladder or scaffoldin65
If you receive a shoc%—even a mild one—you may lose
your balance and fall5 2ven &ithout bein6 shoc%ed, you could
fall from a ladder or scaffoldin65q ?ou e1pose yourself to ha@ards &hen you do not &ear PP25
$ll of these situations need to be recognized as hazards%
Page %! Section @
S&,02 MOD,9 S0&;, $9ift 'ith your leg3 notyour back.
2ou need to be epeciallycareful 'hen 'orking oncaffolding or ladder
Summary of Section @?ou need to be able to reco6ni@e that electrical shoc%s, fires, or falls
result from these ha@ards-
InadeDuate &irin6
21posed electrical parts
Overhead po&erlines
efective insulation
Improper 6roundin6Overloaded circuits
7et conditions
ama6ed tools and eDuipment
Improper PP2
Section @ Page %%
/5,*O;NIKIN; H&K&5DSSection BSafety Model Stage !/,+aluating Ha1ardHo' Do 2ou ,+aluate 2our 5ik6After you reco6ni@e a ha@ard, your ne1t step is to evaluate your ris%
from the ha@ard5 Obviously, e1posed &ires should be reco6ni@ed as
q A cable, fuse bo1, or =unction bo1 that feels &arm may indicate
too much current in the circuits5
q A burnin6 odor may indicate overheated insulation5
q 7orn, frayed, or dama6ed insulation around any &ire or other
conductor is an electrical ha@ard because the conductors could bee1posed5 $ontact &ith an e1posed &ire could cause a shoc%5
ama6ed insulation could cause a short, leadin6 to arcin6 or a
fire5 Inspect all insulation for scrapes and brea%s5 ?ou need to
evaluate the seriousness of any dama6e you find and decide ho&
to deal &ith the ha@ard5
q A F0$I that trips indicates there is current lea%a6e from the circuit5
0irst, you must decide the probable cause of the lea%a6e by
reco6ni@in6 any contributin6 ha@ards5 Then, you must decide
&hat action needs to be ta%en5
Summary of Section BEoo% for KcluesL that ha@ards are present5
2valuate the seriousness of ha@ards5
ecide if you need to ta%e action5
onGt i6nore si6ns of trouble5
Section B Page %@
!/,J&9<&0IN; H&K&5DS
&n N"year"old male worker, with D months of e'perience at a fast food restaurant, was plugging a toaster
into a floor outlet when he received a shock. ince the restaurant was closed for the night, the floor had been mopped about 0 minutes before the incident. &he restaurant manager and another employeeheard the victim scream and investigated. &he victim was found with one hand on the plug and the other handgrasping the metal receptacle bo'. -is face was pressed against the top of the outlet. 5n employee tried to take
the victim%s pulse but was shocked. &he manager could not locate the correct breaker for the circuit. -e thencalled the emergency s$uad, returned to the breaker bo', and found the correct breaker. 4y the time the circuitwas opened (turned off), the victim had been e'posed to the current for ! to N minutes. &he employee checkedthe victim%s pulse again and found that it was very rapid.&he manager and the employee left the victim to unlock the front door and place another call for help. 5nother employee arrived at the restaurant and found that the victim no longer had a pulse. &he employee beganadministering C*+, which was continued by the rescue s$uad for H0 minutes. &he victim was dead on arrivalat a local hospital.ater, two electricians evaluated the circuit and found no serious problems. 5n investigation showed that thevictim%s hand slipped forward when he was plugging in the toaster. -is inde' finger made contact with anenergied prong in the plug. -is other hand was on the metal receptacle bo', which was grounded. Currententered his body through his inde' finger, flowed across his chest, and e'ited through the other hand, whichwas in contact with the grounded receptacle.&o prevent death or in7ury, you must recognie haards and take the right action.I 8f the circuit had been e$uipped with a L>C8, the current would have been shut off before in7ury occurred.I &he recent mopping increased the risk of electrocution. :ever work in wet or damp areas9
Section CSafety Model Stage %/*ontrolling Ha1ardSafe Work ,n+ironmentHo' Do 2ou *ontrol Ha1ard6
&t about BD a.m., two 7ourneyman electricians began replacing bulbs and making repairs on light
fi'tures in a spray paint booth at an automobile assembly plant. &he 7ob re$uired the twoelectricians to climb on top of the booth and work from above. &he top of the booth was filled withpipes and ducts that restricted visibility and movement. >lashlights were re$uired.
&he electricians started at opposite ends of the booth. Kne electrician saw a flash of light, but continuedto work for about D minutes, then climbed down for some wire. #hile cutting the wire, he smelled a burningodor and called to the other electrician. #hen no one answered, he climbed back on top of the booth.-e found his co"worker in contact with a single"strand wire from one of the lights. :eedle"nose wire stripperswere stuck in the left side of the victim%s chest. 5pparently, he had been stripping insulation from animproperly grounded D!0"volt, single"strand wire when he contacted it with the stripper. 8n this case, theelectricians knew they were working on energied circuits. &he breakers in the booth%s control panel werenot labeled and the lock used for lock"out;tag"out was broken. &he surviving electrician stated that locatingthe means to de"energie a circuit often takes more time than the actual 7ob.&he electrician would be alive today if the following rules had been observed.I 5lways shut off circuitsthen test to confirm that they are de"energiedbefore starting a 7ob.I witchgear that shuts off a circuit must be clearly labeled and easy to access.I ock"out;tag"out materials must always be provided, and lock"out;tag"out procedures must alwaysbe followed.
&l'ay tet a circuit to make ure it ide#energi1ed before 'orking on it9ock#outLtag#out a+e li+ePage % Section C
S&,02 MOD,9 S0&;, %/*ON05O99IN;
9ock#OutL0ag#Out *hecklit &oc'(out)tag(out is an essential safety procedure
that protects &or%ers from in=ury &hile &or%in6 on
or near electrical circuits and eDuipment5 Eoc%3outinvolves applyin6 a physical loc% to the po&er
source(s) of circuits and eDuipment after they have
been shut off and de3ener6i@ed5 The source is thenta66ed out &ith an easy3to3read ta6 that alerts other
&or%ers in the area that a loc% has been applied5
In addition to protectin6 &or%ers from electrical
ha@ards, loc%3out8ta63out prevents contact
&ith operatin6 eDuipment parts- blades, 6ears,
shafts, presses, etc5Also, loc%3out8ta63out prevents the une1pected
release of ha@ardous 6asses, fluids, or solid matter
in areas &here &or%ers are present5&n employee 'a cutting into a metal pipe uing ablo'torch Dieel fuel 'a mitakenly dichargedinto the line and 'a ignited by hi torch 0he'orker burned to death at the cene&ll +al+e along the line hould ha+e been lockedout3 blanked out3 and tagged out to pre+ent thereleae of fuel =lanking i the proce of inertinga metal dik into the pace bet'een t'o pipeflange 0he dik3 or blank3 i then bolted in place
to pre+ent paage of li:uid or gae throughthe pipe& 'orker 'a replacing a J#belt on a dut collector blo'er =efore beginning 'ork3 he hut do'n theunit at the local 'itch Ho'e+er3 an operator in thecontrol room retarted the unit uing a remote'itch 0he 'orkerA hand 'a caught bet'een the
pulley and belt of the blo'er3 reulting in cut anda fractured fingerWhen performing lock#outLtag#out on machinery3you mut al'ay lock out and tag out &99 energyource leading to the machinery
4 Identify all sources of electrical ener6y for the
eDuipment or circuits in Duestion5
4 isable bac%up ener6y sources such as 6enerators
and batteries5
4 Identify all shut3offs for each ener6y source5
4 Notify all personnel that eDuipment and
circuitry must be shut off, loc%ed out, andta66ed out5 (Simply turnin6 a s&itch off is
NOT enou6h5)
4 Shut off ener6y sources and loc% s&itch6ear
in the O?? position5 2ach &or%er should
apply his or her individual loc%5 o not 6ive
your %ey to anyone5
4 Test eDuipment and circuitry to ma%e sure
they are de3ener6i@ed5 This must be done by a
Dualified person5R
4 eplete stored ener6y by bleedin6, bloc%in6,
6roundin6, etc5
4 Apply a ta6 to alert other &or%ers that anener6y source or piece of eDuipment has been
loc%ed out5
4 9a%e sure everyone is safe and accounted for
before eDuipment and circuits are unloc%edand turned bac% on5 Note that only a Dualified
person may determine &hen it is safe to reener6i@e
circuits5
ROSHA defines a KDualified personL as someone &ho has
received mandated trainin6 on the ha@ards and on the
construction and operation of eDuipment involved in a tas%5
*ontrol inade:uate 'iring ha1ard2lectrical ha@ards result from usin6 the &ron6 si@e or type of &ire5?ou must control such ha@ards to create a safe &or% environment5
?ou must choose the ri6ht si@e &ire for the amount of current
e1pected in a circuit5 The &ire must be able to handle the current
safely5 The &ireGs insulation must be appropriate for the volta6e and
tou6h enou6h for the environment5 $onnections need to be reliable
q run throu6h door&ays, &indo&s, or similar openin6s (unless
physically protected)
q attached to buildin6 surfaces (e1cept &ith a tension ta%e3up
device &ithin " feet of the supply end)
q hidden in &alls, ceilin6s, or floors or q hidden in conduit or other race&ays5z fle4ible 'iring/cables withinsulated and stranded wire thatbends easilyz DonAt ue fle4ible 'iring 'here itmay get damaged
Section C Page >$
H&K&5DS S&, WO5 ,NJI5ONM,N0
&2H"year"old male welder was assigned to work on an outdoor concrete platform attached to the
main factory building. -e wheeled a portable arc welder onto the platform. ince there was not anelectrical outlet nearby, he used an e'tension cord to plug in the welder. &he male end of the cordhad four prongs, and the female end was spring"loaded. &he worker plugged the male end of the cord intothe outlet. -e then plugged the portable welder%s power cord into the female end of the e'tension cord. 5tthat instant, the metal case around the power cord plug became energied, electrocuting the worker.
5n investigation showed that the female end of the e'tension cord was broken. &he spring, cover plate,and part of the casing were missing from the face of the female connector. 5lso, the grounding prong onthe welder%s power cord plug was so severely bent that it slipped outside of the connection. &herefore, thearc welder was not grounded. :ormally, it would have been impossible to insert the plug incorrectly. 4ut,since the cord%s female end was damaged, the bad3 connection was able to occur.<o not let this happen to you. se these safe practices? &horoughly inspect all electrical e$uipment before beginning work.? <o not use e'tension cords as a substitute for fi'ed wiring. 8n this case, a weatherproof receptacleshould have been installed on the platform.? se connectors that are designed to stand up to the abuse of the 7ob. Connectors designed for
light"duty use should not be used in an industrial environment.<e the right e4tenion cordThe si@e of &ire in an e1tension cord must be compatible &ith the
amount of current the cord &ill be e1pected to carry5 The amount of
current depends on the eDuipment plu66ed into the e1tension cord5
$urrent ratin6s (ho& much current a device needs to operate) are
often printed on the nameplate5 If a po&er ratin6 is 6iven, it is necessary
to divide the po&er ratin6 in &atts by the volta6e to find the current
ratin65 0or e1ample, a *,...3&att heater plu66ed into a *.3volt
circuit &ill need almost *. amps of current5 EetGs loo% at another
e1ample- A *3horsepo&er electric motor uses electrical ener6y at the
rate of almost #'. &atts, so it &ill need a minimum of about # amps
of current on a *.3volt circuit5 Cut, electric motors need additionalcurrent as they startup or if they stall, reDuirin6 up to .. of the
nameplate current ratin65 Therefore, the motor &ould need *! amps5
Add to find the total current needed to operate all the appliances
supplied by the cord5 $hoose a &ire si@e that can handle the total
The len6th of the e1tension cord also needs to be considered &hen
selectin6 the &ire si@e5 Qolta6e drops over the len6th of a cord5 If a
cord is too lon6, the volta6e drop can be enou6h to dama6e eDuipment5
9any electric motors only operate safely in a narro& ran6e of
volta6es and &ill not &or% properly at volta6es different than thevolta6e listed on the nameplate5 2ven thou6h li6ht bulbs operate
(some&hat dimmer) at lo&ered volta6es, do not assume electricmotors &ill &or% correctly at less3than3reDuired volta6es5 Also,
&hen electric motors start or operate under load, they reDuire more
current5 The lar6er the si@e of the &ire, the lon6er a cord can be
&ithout causin6 a volta6e drop that could dama6e tools and
eDuipment5
Wire i1e$" &W;$! &W;$> &W;$B &W;
Handle up to%" amp!@ amp$ amp$% ampz po'er/the amount of energy usedin a second, measured in wattsz $ horepo'er C>B 'attz Do not ue e4tenion cord thatare too long for the i1e of 'ire
Page >! Section C
S&,02 MOD,9 S0&;, %/*ON05O99IN;The 6roundin6 path for e1tension cords must be %ept intact to %eep
you safe5 A typical e1tension cord 6roundin6 system has four components-
q a third &ire in the cord, called a 6round &ire
q a three3pron6 plu6 &ith a 6roundin6 pron6 on one
end of the cord
q a three3&ire, 6roundin63type receptacle at the other end
of the cord and
q a properly 6rounded outlet5
*ontrol ha1ard of e4poed li+e electricalpart iolate energi1ed component2lectrical ha@ards e1ist &hen &ires or other electrical parts are
e1posed5 These ha@ards need to be controlled to create a safe &or% environment5 Isolation of ener6i@ed electrical parts ma%es them inaccessible
unless tools and special effort are used5 Isolation can be
accomplished by placin6 the ener6i@ed parts at least feet hi6h and
out of reach, or by 6uardin65 Fuardin6 is a type of isolation that uses
various structures—li%e cabinets, bo1es, screens, barriers, covers, and partitions—to close3off live electrical parts5z Make ure the path to ground icontinuou
grounded properly0hi e4poed electrical e:uipment i guardedby an #foot fence <e co+er to pre+entaccidental contact 'ithelectrical circuitTa%e the follo&in6 precautions to prevent in=uries from contact &ith
live parts-
q Immediately report e1posed live parts to a supervisor or teacher5
As a student, you should never attempt to correct the condition
yourself &ithout supervision5
q Provide 6uards or barriers if live parts cannot be enclosed
completely5
q >se covers, screens, or partitions for 6uardin6 that reDuire toolsto remove them5
q <eplace covers that have been removed from panels, motors, or
fuse bo1es5
q 2ven &hen live parts are elevated to the reDuired hei6ht ( feet),
care should be ta%en &hen usin6 ob=ects (li%e metal rods or
pipes) that can contact these parts5
q $lose unused conduit openin6s in bo1es so that forei6n ob=ects
(pencils, metal chips, conductive debris, etc5) cannot 6et inside
and dama6e the circuit5
*ontrol ha1ard of e4poure to li+eelectrical 'ire ue proper inulationInsulation is made of material that does not conduct electricity(usually plastic, rubber, or fiber)5 Insulation covers &ires and prevents
Page >> Section C
S&,02 MOD,9 S0&;, %/*ON05O99IN;
&20"year"old male laborer was carrying a 20"foot piece of iron from a welding shop to an outside
storage rack. 5s he was turning a corner near a bank of electrical transformers, the top end of thepiece of iron struck an uninsulated supply wire at the top of a transformer. 5lthough the transformerswere surrounded by a F"foot fence, they were about ! feet taller than the fence enclosure. /achtransformer carried B,F0 volts.#hen the iron hit the supply wire, the laborer was electrocuted. 5 forklift operator heard the iron drop to
the ground at about NBF a.m. and found the victim D minutes later. -e was pronounced dead on arrivalat a local hospital.I 5ccording to K-5, the enclosure around the transformers was too short. &he fence should have beenat least N feet tall.I &he company in this case did not offer any formal safety training to its workers. 5ll employers shoulddevelop safety and health training programs so their employees know how to recognie and avoid lifethreateninghaards.
0hi co+er cannot be remo+ed'ithout pecial toolconductors from comin6 in contact &ith each other or any other
conductor5 If conductors are allo&ed to ma%e contact, a short circuit
is created5 In a short circuit, current passes throu6h the shortin6
material &ithout passin6 throu6h a load in the circuit, and the &ire
becomes overheated5 Insulation %eeps &ires and other conductors
from touchin6, &hich prevents electrical short circuits5 Insulation prevents live &ires from touchin6 people and animals, thus protectin6
them from electrical shoc%5Insulation helps protect &ires from physical dama6e and conditions
in the environment5 Insulation is used on almost all &ires, e1cept
some 6round &ires and some hi6h3volta6e transmission lines5
Insulation is used internally in tools, s&itches, plu6s, and other electrical
and electronic devices5
Special insulation is used on &ires and cables that are used in harsh
environments5 7ires and cables that are buried in soil must have an
outer coverin6 of insulation that is flame3retardant and resistant to
moisture, fun6us, and corrosion5
In all situations, you must be careful not to dama6e insulation &hile
installin6 it5 o not allo& staples or other supports to dama6e the
insulation5 Cends in a cable must have an inside radius of at leastz Make ure inulation i the righttype and in good condition
Section C Page >@
H&K&5DS S&, WO5 ,NJI5ONM,N0
&2H"year"old male maintenance worker was found at !BD a.m. lying on his back and convulsing.
4eside him were an overturned cart and an electric welding machine, both lying in a pool of water on the concrete floor. 5rcing was visible between the welding machine and the floor. &he worker was transported to the closest hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
5n e'amination of the welding machine showed that there were e'posed conductors in the machine%scables. &here were numerous cuts and scrapes in the cables% insulation. Kn other parts of the machine,
insulation was damaged or missing. 5lso, the machine did not have a ground connection.8nvestigators concluded that the maintenance worker was electrocuted when he tried to turn off the weldingmachine, which was sitting on the cart. &he metal frame of the machine had become energied due tothe damaged insulation. #hen he touched the energied frame, he completed the conducting path toground. &he current traveled through his body to ground. ince he was probably standing in water, the riskof a ground fault was even greater.6ou must take steps to decrease such haards in your workplace? Lround circuits and e$uipment.? Oeep all e$uipment in good operating condition with a preventive maintenance program.? :ever use electrical e$uipment or work on circuits in wet areas. 8f you find water or dampness, notifyyour supervisor immediately.
' times the diameter of the cable so that insulation at a bend is not
dama6ed5 21tension cords come &ith insulation in a variety of types
and colors5 The insulation of e1tension cords is especially important5
Since e1tension cords often receive rou6h handlin6, the insulationcan be dama6ed5 21tension cords mi6ht be used in &et places, so
adeDuate insulation is necessary to prevent shoc%s5 Cecause e1tension
cords are often used near combustible materials (such as &ood
shavin6s and sa&dust) a short in an e1tension cord could easilycause arcin6 and a fire5
Insulation on individual &ires is often color3coded5 In 6eneral, insulated
&ires used as eDuipment 6roundin6 conductors are either continuous
Eea%a6e current occurs &hen an electrical current escapes from its
intended path5 Eea%a6es are sometimes lo&3current faults that can
occur in all electrical eDuipment because of dirt, &ear, dama6e, or
moisture5 A 6ood 6roundin6 system should be able to carry off thislea%a6e current5 A 6round fault occurs &hen current passes throu6h
the housin6 of an electrical device to 6round5 Proper 6roundin6 protectsa6ainst 6round faults5 Fround faults are usually caused by
misuse of a tool or dama6e to its insulation5 This dama6e allo&s a
bare conductor to touch metal parts or the tool housin65
7hen you 6round a tool or electrical system, you create a lo&resistance
path to the earth (%no&n as a 6round connection)5 7hen
done properly, this path has sufficient current3carryin6 capacity to
eliminate volta6es that may cause a dan6erous shoc%5
Froundin6 does not 6uarantee that you &ill not be shoc%ed, in=ured,
or %illed from defective eDuipment5 Ho&ever, it 6reatly reduces the
possibility5
Section C Page >C
H&K&5DS S&, WO5 ,NJI5ONM,N0;rounding#typereceptacle;rounding rod inthe earth2Duipment needs to be 6rounded under any of these circumstances-
q The eDuipment is &ithin feet vertically and ' feet hori@ontally
of the floor or &al%in6 surface5
q The eDuipment is &ithin feet vertically and ' feet hori@ontally
of 6rounded metal ob=ects you could touch5
q The eDuipment is located in a &et or damp area and is not isolated5
q The eDuipment is connected to a po&er supply by cord and plu6
and is not double3insulated5<e ;*IAThe use of F0$IGs has lo&ered the number of electrocutions dramatically5
A F0$I is a fast3actin6 s&itch that detects any difference in
current bet&een t&o circuit conductors5 If either conductor comes in
contact—either directly or throu6h part of your body—&ith a
6round (a situation %no&n as a 6round fault), the F0$I opens the
circuit in a fraction of a second5 If a current as small as ! to " mA
does not pass throu6h both &ires properly, but instead lea%s to the
6round, the F0$I is tripped5 The current is shut off5
There is a more sensitive %ind of F0$I called an isolation F0$I5 If
a circuit has an isolation F0$I, the 6round fault current passes
throu6h an electronic sensin6 circuit in the F0$I5 The electronicsensin6 circuit has enou6h resistance to limit current to as little as mA, &hich is too lo& to cause a dan6erous shoc%5
F0$IGs are usually in the form of a duple1 receptacle5 They are also
available in portable and plu63in desi6ns and as circuit brea%ers
that protect an entire branch circuit5 F0$IGs can operate on both
t&o3 and three3&ire 6round systems5 0or a F0$I to &or% properly,
the neutral conductor (&hite &ire) must (*) be continuous, () have
lo& resistance, and (/) have sufficient current3carryin6 capacity5
F0$IGs help protect you from electrical shoc% by continuously monitorin6
the circuit5 Ho&ever, a F0$I does not protect a person from
line3to3line ha@ards such as touchin6 t&o KhotL &ires (!. volts) at
the same time or touchin6 a KhotL and neutral &ire at the same time5
Also be a&are that instantaneous currents can be hi6h &hen a F0$Iis tripped5 A shoc% may still be felt5 ?our reaction to the shoc% could
cause in=ury, perhaps from fallin65Test F0$IGs re6ularly by pressin6 the KtestL button5 If the circuit
does not turn off, the F0$I is faulty and must be replaced5z ;*IA ha+e their limitation
Page > Section C
S&,02 MOD,9 S0&;, %/*ON05O99IN;Portable ;*IThe N2$ reDuires that F0$IGs be used in these hi6h3ris% situations-
q 2lectricity is used near &ater5
q The user of electrical eDuipment is 6rounded (by touchin6
6rounded material)5
q $ircuits are providin6 po&er to portable tools or outdoor
receptacles5q Temporary &irin6 or e1tension cords are used5
Specifically, F0$IGs must be installed in bathrooms, 6ara6es, outdoor
areas, cra&l spaces, unfinished basements, %itchens, and near
&et bars5
=ond component to aure grounding pathIn order to assure a continuous, reliable electrical path to 6round, a
bondin6 =umper &ire is used to ma%e sure electrical parts are connected5
Some physical connections, li%e metal conduit comin6 into az <e ;*IA to help protect peoplein damp areaz bonding/ 7oining electrical parts toassure a conductive path
Section C Page >GH&K&5DS S&, WO5 ,NJI5ONM,N0
&female assistant manager of a swim club was instructed to add a certain chemical to the pool. he
went down into the pump room, barefoot. &he room was below ground level, and the floor wascovered with water. he filled a plastic drum with !D"B0 gallons of water, then plugged a mi'ingmotor into a 20"volt wall outlet and turned on the motor. &he motor would be used to mi' the water andthe chemical, then the solution would be added to the pool. #hile adding the chemical to the water in thedrum, she contacted the mi'ing motor with her left hand. 5pparently, the motor had developed a groundfault. 4ecause of the ground fault, the motor was energied, and she was electrocuted. 5 co"worker foundthe victim slumped over the drum with her face submerged in water. &he co"worker tried to move thevictim but was shocked. &he assistant manager was dead on arrival at a local hospital.
5n investigation showed that the mi'ing motor was in poor condition. &he grounding pin had beenremoved from the male end of the power cord, resulting in a faulty ground. &he circuit was e$uipped witha L>C8, but it was not installed properly. 5 properly wired and functioning L>C8 could have sensed theground fault in the motor and de"energied the circuit.&ake a look at what could have been done to prevent this death.I &he employer should have kept the motor in better condition. *ower cords should be inspectedregularly, and any missing prongs should be replaced.I 5ll pool"area electrical circuits should be installed by $ualified electricians.I &he victim should have worn insulating boots or shoes since she was handling electrical e$uipment.I &he employer should have followed the law. &he :/C re$uires that all pool"associated motors have a
permanent grounding system. 8n this case, this regulation was not followed. 5lso, electrical e$uipmentis not permitted in areas without proper drainage.I K-5 re$uires employers to provide a work environment free of safety and health haards.
Intall bonding -umperaround nonconducti+ematerial
bo1, mi6ht not ma%e a 6ood electrical connection because of paintor possible corrosion5 To ma%e a 6ood electrical connection, a bondin6
=umper needs to be installed5A metal cold &ater pipe that is part of a path to 6round may need
bondin6 =umpers around plastic antivibration devices, plastic &ater
meters, or sections of plastic pipe5 A bondin6 =umper is made of
conductive material and is ti6htly connected to metal pipes &ith
scre&s or clamps to bypass the plastic and assure a continuous
6roundin6 path5 Condin6 =umpers are necessary because plastic does
not conduct electricity and &ould interrupt the path to 6round5
Additionally, interior metal plumbin6 must be bonded to the 6round
for electrical service eDuipment in order to %eep all 6rounds at the
same potential (. volts)5 2ven metal air ducts should be bonded to
electrical service eDuipment5
*ontrol o+erload current ha1ard7hen a current e1ceeds the current ratin6 of eDuipment or &irin6, a
ha@ard e1ists5 The &irin6 in the circuit, eDuipment, or tool cannot
handle the current &ithout heatin6 up or even meltin65 Not only &ill
the &irin6 or tool be dama6ed, but the hi6h temperature of the conductor
can also cause a fire5 To prevent this from happenin6, an
overcurrent protection device (circuit brea%er or fuse) is used in a
circuit5 These devices open a circuit automatically if they detect current
in e1cess of the current ratin6 of eDuipment or &irin65 This
e1cess current can be caused by an overload, short circuit, or hi6hlevel
6round fault5z bonding -umper/theconductor used to connectparts to be bonded
Page @" Section C
S&,02 MOD,9 S0&;, %/*ON05O99IN;<e o+ercurrent protection de+ice(circuit breaker or fue) in circuitOvercurrent protection devices are desi6ned to protect eDuipment
and structures from fire5 9hey do not 0rotect you fro+ electrical
shock> Overcurrent protection devices stop the flo& of current in a
circuit &hen the ampera6e is too hi6h for the circuit5 A circuit brea%er
or fuse &ill not stop the relatively small amount of current that
can cause in=ury or death5 eath can result from . mA (5.. amps)throu6h the chest (see Section )5 A typical residential circuit brea%er
or fuse &ill not shut off the circuit until a current of more than
. amps is reached
Cut overcurrent protection devices are not allo&ed in areas &here
they could be e1posed to physical dama6e or in ha@ardous environments5
Overcurrent protection devices can heat up and occasionallyarc or spar%, &hich could cause a fire or an e1plosion in certain
Plan your 'ork and plan for afetyTa%e time to plan your &or%, by yourself and &ith others5 Safety
plannin6 is an important part of any tas%5 It ta%es effort to reco6ni@e,
evaluate, and control ha@ards5 If you are thin%in6 about your &or%
tas%s or about &hat others thin% of you, it is hard to ta%e the time to
plan for safety5 Cut, 5O !S9 -7:<5
Plannin6 &ith others is especially helpful5 It allo&s you to coordinateyour &or% and ta%e advanta6e of &hat others %no& about identifyin6
and controllin6 ha@ards5 The follo&in6 is a list of somethin6s to thin% about as you plan5
q *ork ith a buddy —o not &or% alone5 Coth of you
should be trained in $P<5 Coth of you must %no& &hat to do
in an emer6ency5
q no ho to shut off and de.energi%e circuits —?ou must find
&here circuit brea%ers, fuses, and s&itches are located5 Then, the
circuits that you &ill be &or%in6 on (even lo&3volta6e circuits)
!S9 BE 9$<ED O??> Test the circuits before be6innin6
&or% to ma%e sure they are completely de3ener6i@ed5z Plan to be afez DonAt 'ork alone
Section Page @@
H&K&5DS S&, WO5 P5&*0I*,S
&B0"year"old male meter technician had 7ust completed a 1"week basic lineman training course. -e
worked as a meter technician during normal working hours and as a lineman during unplanned outages.Kne evening, he was called to repair a residential power outage. 4y the time he arrived at
the site of the outage, he had already worked 2 hours of overtime and worked B straight hours the daybefore. 5t the site, a tree limb had fallen across an overhead powerline. &he neutral wire in the line wassevered, and the two energied 20"volt wires were disconnected. &he worker removed the tree limb andclimbed up a power pole to reconnect the three wires. -e was wearing insulated gloves, a hard hat, andsafety glasses.-e prepared the wires to be connected. #hile handling the wires, one of the energied wires caught thecuff of his left glove and pulled the cuff down. &he conductor contacted the victim%s forearm near the wrist.
-e was electrocuted and fell backwards. -e was wearing a climbing belt, which left him hanging upsidedown from the pole. *aramedics arrived D minutes after the contact. &he power company lowered his deadbody !0 minutes later.everal factors may have contributed to this incident. 4elow are some ways to eliminate these risk factors.I 5sk for assistance when you are assigned tasks that cannot be safely completed alone. &he taskassigned to the victim could not have been done safely by only one person.I <o not work overtime performing haardous tasks that are not part of your normal assignments.I /mployees should only be given tasks that they are $ualified to perform. 5ll employees below the
7ourneyman level should be supervised.
q -lan to lock out and tag out circuits and eAui0+ent —9a%e
certain all ener6y sources are loc%ed out and ta66ed out before
performin6 any &or% on an electrical circuit or electrical device5
7or%in6 on ener6i@ed (KhotL) circuits is one of the most dan6erous
thin6s any &or%er could do5 If someone turns on a circuit
&ithout &arnin6, you can be shoc%ed, burned, or electrocuted5The une1pected startin6 of electrical eDuipment can cause severe
in=ury or death5
Cefore :<5 &or% is done on a circuit, shut off the circuit, loc%
out and ta6 out the circuit at the distribution panel, then test the
circuit to ma%e sure it is de3ener6i@ed5
Cefore :<5 eDuipment inspections or repairs—even on so3called
lo&3volta6e circuits—the current must be turned off at the s&itch
bo1, and the s&itch must be padloc%ed in the O00 position5 At
the same time, the eDuipment must be securely ta66ed to &arneveryone that &or% is bein6 performed5 A6ain, test circuits and
eDuipment to ensure they are de3ener6i@ed5
No t&o loc%s should be ali%e5 2ach %ey should fit only one loc%,and only one %ey should be issued to each &or%er5 If more than
one &or%er is &or%in6 on a circuit or repairin6 a piece of eDuipment,
each &or%er should loc% out the s&itch &ith his or her o&n
loc% and never permit anyone else to remove it5 At all times, you
must be certain that you are not e1posin6 other &or%ers to dan6er5
7or%ers &ho perform loc%3out8ta63out must be trained and
authori@ed to repair and maintain electrical eDuipment5 A loc%edout
s&itch or feeder panel prevents others from turnin6 on a circuit5
The ta6 informs other &or%ers of your action5
q $e+ove 6eelry and +etal ob6ects —<emove =e&elry and other
metal ob=ects or apparel from your body before be6innin6 &or%5
These thin6s can cause burns if &orn near hi6h currents and can6et cau6ht as you &or%5
q -lan to avoid falls —In=uries can result from fallin6 off scaffoldin6
or ladders5 Other &or%ers may also be in=ured from eDuipmentand debris fallin6 from scaffoldin6 and ladders5
&worker was attempting to correct an electrical problem involving two non"operational lamps. -e
e'amined the circuit in the area where he thought the problem was located. -e had not shut off thepower at the circuit breaker panel and did not test the wires to see if they were live. -e was electrocutedwhen he grabbed the two live wires with his left hand. -e collapsed to the floor and was founddead.I /mployers should not allow work to be done on electrical circuits unless an effective lock"out;tag"outprogram is in place.I :o work should be done on energied electrical circuits. Circuits must be shut off, locked out, andtagged out. /ven then, you must test the circuit before beginning work to confirm that it is
de"energied (dead3).!CC JO90 9&MPS<S, =O
To prevent in=ury &hen climbin6, follo& these procedures-
*5 Position the ladder at a safe an6le to prevent slippin65 The hori@ontal
distance from the base of the ladder to the structure should
be one3Duarter the len6th of the ladder5 If you donGt have a &ay
to ma%e this measurement, follo& the steps belo& to determine if
the ladder is positioned at a safe an6le5
4 Put your feet at the base of the ladder and e1tend your arms
strai6ht out5
4 If you can touch the closest part of the ladder &ithout bendin6
your arms, the ladder is probably at the correct an6le54 If you have to bend your arms to touch the closest part of the
ladder or if you canGt reach the ladder at all, the ladder is not
positioned at a safe an6le5
5 9a%e sure the base of the ladder has firm support and the 6round
or floor is level5 Ce very careful &hen placin6 a ladder on &et,
icy, or other&ise slippery surfaces5 Special bloc%in6 may be
needed to prevent slippin6 in these cases5
/5 0ollo& the manufacturerGs
recommendations for
proper use5
!5 $hec% the condition of the
ladder before usin6 it5 ;ointsmust be ti6ht to prevent
&obblin6 or leanin65
Page @ Section
9adder Safety act Sheet'5 7hen usin6 a stepladder, ma%e sure it is level and fully open5
Al&ays loc% the hin6es5 o not stand on or above the top step5
"5 7hen usin6 scaffoldin6, use a ladder to access the tiers5 Never
#5 o not use metal ladders5 Instead, use ladders made of fiber6lass5
(Althou6h &ooden ladders are permitted, &ood can soa% up &ater
and become conductive5)
5 Ce&are of overhead po&erlines &hen you &or% &ith ladders andscaffoldin65
9earn ho' to ue ladder and caffolding properlySection Page @GPage B" Section
S&,02 MOD,9 S0&;, %/*ON05O99IN;q Do not do any tasks that you are not trained to do or that you
do not feel co+fortable doing>
&crew of 1 workers was painting a !!"foot sign at a shopping mall. &he crew used tubular
welded frame scaffolding that was ! feet tall and made up of several tiers. &he sign waspartially painted when the crew was instructed to move the scaffolding so that concrete could be
poured for an access road. &he crew moved the scaffolding !0 feet without disassembling it. 5n overheadpowerline was located about 0 feet away from the scaffolding. 5fter the concrete hardened, the workers liftedthe scaffolding to move it back to the sign. &he top tier came loose, fell, and contacted the powerline. 5llseven workers were knocked away from the scaffolding. &wo died? five were hospitalied.6ou must take certain precautions when working with scaffolding.? caffolding should not be moved until all potential safety haards are identified and controlled. 8n this case,the scaffolding should have been taken apart before it was moved.? ocking pins must be used to secure tiers to one another.? 5lways make sure you have enough time to complete your assignment safely. 8f you are rushed, you maybe more likely to take deadly short"cuts (such as failing to dismantle scaffolding before moving it).? /mployers must have a written safety program that includes safe work procedures and haard recognition.
&company was contracted to install wiring and fi'tures in a new office comple'. &he third floor was
being prepared in a hurry for a new tenant, and daily changes to the electrical system blueprintswere arriving by fa'. &he light fi'tures in the office were mounted in a metal grid that was fastenedto the ceiling and properly grounded.
5 2!"year"old male apprentice electrician was working on a light fi'ture when he contacted an energiedconductor. -e came down from the fiberglass ladder and collapsed. 5pparently, he had contacted the hot3conductor while also in contact with the metal grid. Current passed through his body and into the groundedgrid. Current always takes a path to ground. 8n this case, the worker was part of that path.-e was dead on arrival at a nearby hospital. ater, an investigation showed that the victim had cross"wiredthe conductors in the fi'ture by mistake. &his incorrect wiring allowed electricity to flow from a live circuiton the completed section of the building to the circuit on which the victim was working.4elow are some safety procedures that should have been followed in this case. 4ecause they wereignored, the 7ob ended in death.I 4efore work begins, all circuits in the immediate work area must be shut off, locked out, and taggedoutthen tested to confirm that they are de"energied.
I #iring done by apprentice electricians should be checked by a 7ourneyman.I 5 supervisor should always review changes to an original blueprint in order to identify any new haardsthat the changes might create.
Section Page B$
&+oid 'et 'orking conditionand other danger<emember that any ha@ard becomes much more dan6erous in damp
or &et conditions5 To be on the safe side, assume there is dampness
in any &or% location, even if you do not see &ater5 2ven s&eat can
&worker from an electrical service company was changing bulbs in pole"mounted light fi'tures in a shopping
center parking lot. &he procedure for installing the bulbs was as follows &he worker would parkthe truck near the first light pole. &he truck was e$uipped with a roof"mounted ladder. &he worker woulde'tend the ladder high enough to change the bulb, then drive to the ne't pole without lowering the ladder.
5fter the worker replaced the first bulb, he got back in the truck and drove toward the ne't light pole. 5s thetruck moved along, a steel cable attached to the top of the ladder contacted an overhead powerline. &he worker realied something was wrong, stopped the truck, and stepped onto the pavement while still holding ontothe door of the truck. 4y doing this, he completed the path to ground for the current in the truck. 4ecause theladder was still in contact with the powerline, the entire truck was now energied. -e was engulfed in flamesas the truck caught fire. >ire, police, and paramedic units arrived within D minutes. tility workers arrived inabout 0 minutes and de"energied (shut off) the powerline. &he victim burned to death at the scene.4elow are some ways to prevent contact with overhead powerlines.? 5 safe distance must be maintained between ladders (and other e$uipment) and overhead lines. K-5re$uires that a clearance of at least 0 feet be maintained between aerial ladders and overhead powerlinesof up to D0,000 volts.? oving a truck with the ladder e'tended is a dangerous practice. Kne way to control this haard is to installan engine lock that prevents a truck%s engine from starting unless the ladder is fully retracted.? 8f there are overhead powerlines in the immediate area, lighting systems that can be serviced from groundlevel are recommended for safety.
? 8f the worker had been trained properly, he may have known to stay inside the truck.? *re"7ob safety surveys should always be performed to identify and control haards. 8n this case, a surveywould have identified the powerlines as a possible haard, and appropriate haard control measures (suchas lowering the ladder between installations) could have been taken.
Ne+er ue a three#pronggrounding plug 'ith the thirdprong broken offcords &ith insulation mar%ed KSL (hard service) rather than cords
mar%ed KS;L (=unior hard service)5 9a%e sure the 6roundin6
pron6 is intact5 In damp locations, ma%e sure &ires and connectors
are &aterproof and approved for such locations5 o not
create a trippin6 ha@ard5
q Check 0oer cords and eGtensions —2lectrical cords should be
inspected re6ularly usin6 the follo&in6 procedure-
*5 <emove the cord from the electrical po&er source before
inspectin65
5 9a%e sure the 6roundin6 pron6 is present in the plu65
/5 9a%e sure the plu6 and receptacle are not dama6ed5
!5 7ipe the cord clean &ith a diluted deter6ent and e1amine for
cuts, brea%s, abrasions, and defects in the insulation5
'5 $oil or han6 the cord for stora6e5 o not use any other methods5
$oilin6 or han6in6 is the best &ay to avoid ti6ht %in%s, cuts, and
scrapes that can dama6e insulation or conductors5?ou should also test electrical cords re6ularly for 6round continuity
usin6 a continuity tester as follo&s-
*5 $onnect one lead of the tester to the 6round pron6 at one end
of the cord5
5 $onnect the second lead to the 6round &ire hole at the other
end of the cord5
/5 If the tester li6hts up or beeps (dependin6 on desi6n), the
cordGs 6round &ire is o%ay5 If not, the cord is dama6ed and
should not be used5
q Do not 0ull on cords —Al&ays disconnect a cord by the plu65
q se double.insulated tools —Portable electrical tools are classified
by the number of insulation barriers bet&een the electricalconductors in the tool and the &or%er5 The N2$ permits the use
of portable tools only if they have been approved by
>nder&riterGs Eaboratories (>E Eisted)5 2Duipment that has t&o
insulation barriers and no e1posed metal parts is called doubleinsulated57hen used properly, double3insulated tools provide
reliable shoc% protection &ithout the need for a third 6roundz <e the right tool and e:uipmentz Do not 'ork on energi1ed circuit
Section Page B@
&n employee was climbing a metal ladder to hand an electric drill to the 7ourneyman installer on
a scaffold about D feet above him. #hen the victim reached the third rung of the ladder, hereceived an electrical shock that killed him. 5n investigation showedthat the grounding prong was missing from the e'tension cord attached tothe drill. 5lso, the cord%s green grounding wire was, at times, contacting theenergied black wire. 4ecause of this contact with the MhotM wire, the entirelength of the grounding wire and the drill%s frame became energied. &he drillwas not double"insulated.&o avoid deadly incidents like this one, take these precautionsI ake certain that approved L>C8%s or e$uipment grounding systems areused at construction sites.I se e$uipment that provides a permanent and continuous path to ground.
5ny fault current will be safely diverted along this path.I 8nspect electrical tools and e$uipment daily and remove damaged or defective e$uipment from use right away.
DonAt 'ork on energi1edcircuit like thi one.&l'ay follo' correct
lock#outLtag#out procedureH&K&5DS S&, WO5 P5&*0I*,S&ire5 Po&er tools &ith metal housin6s or only one layer of effective
insulation must have a third 6round &ire and three3pron6 plu65
q se +ulti0le safe 0ractices —<emember- A circuit may not be
&ired correctly5 7ires may contact other KhotL circuits5 Someone
else may do somethin6 to place you in dan6er5 Ta%e all possible
precautions5
Wear correct PP,OSHA reDuires that you be provided &ith personal protective eDuipment5
This eDuipment must meet OSHA reDuirements and be appropriate
for the parts of the body that need protection and the &or%
performed5 There are many types of PP2- rubber 6loves, insulatin6shoes and boots, face shields, safety 6lasses, hard hats, etc5 2ven if
la&s did not e1ist reDuirin6 the use of PP2, there &ould still be
every reason to use this eDuipment5 PP2 helps %eep you safe5 It is
the last line of defense bet&een you and the ha@ard5zWear and maintain PP,
&22"year"old male carpenter was building the wooden framework of a laundry building. -e was using
portable power tools. /lectricity was supplied to the tools by a temporary service pole D0 feet away.&he service pole had not been inspected and was not in compliance. 8t was also not grounded. &hecarpenter plugged a homemade3 cord into the service pole and then plugged a "approved cord into the
homemade cord. -is power saw was plugged into the "approved cord.&he site was wet. -umidity was high and the carpenter was sweating. +eportedly, he was mildly shockedthroughout the morning and replaced the e'tension cord he was using in an effort to stop the shocks. 5t onepoint, as he was climbing down a makeshift ladder constructed from a floor truss, he shifted the power sawfrom his right hand to his left hand and was shocked. -e fell from the ladder into a puddle of water, still holdingthe saw. &he current had caused his hand to contract, and he was locked3 to the saw. 5 co"worker disconnected the power cord to the saw. C*+ was given, but the shock was fatal.
5ttention to these general safety principles could have prevented this death.? 5ny and all electrical e$uipment involved in a malfunction should be taken out of service immediately. &hecarpenter should have taken the saw out of service, not 7ust the e'tension cord. (5s it turns out, the sawwas the source of the shocks, not the cord.)? 5lthough the homemade e'tension cord does not seem to have contributed to this incident, it should nothave been used.? &he floor truss should not have been used as a ladder. >or climbing, use only approved ladders or other e$uipment designed specifically for climbing.
? <o not work in wet areas. &he water should have been removed from the floor as soon as it was found.-umidity and perspiration can also be haards. &ry to stay as dry as possible, be alert, and take action toprotect yourself when needed.? K-5 re$uires that all receptacles at construction sites that are not part of the permanent wiring haveL>C8%s.? 4e aware that shocks can cause you to lose your balance and fall, often resulting in more severe in7ury.
Section Page BCWear afety glae to a+oid eye in-ury&rcing electrical burnthrough the +ictimAhoe and around the
rubber oleDonAt 'ear hardhat back'ard.
H&K&5DS S&, WO5 P5&*0I*,SPage B Section PP2 is the last line of defense a6ainst &or%place ha@ards5 OSHA defines PP2 as UeDuipment for the eyes, face, head, and e1tremities, protective clothin6, respiratory devices, protective shields and
barriers5U 9any OSHA re6ulations state that PP2 must meet criteria set by the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI)5
Head ProtectionOSHA reDuires that head protection
(hard hats) be &orn if there is a ris% of
head in=ury from electrical burns or fallin68flyin6ob=ects5
&renAt all hard hat the ame6 No5 ?ou must &ear the ri6ht hat for the =ob5 All hard
hats approved for electrical &or% made since *++#
are mar%ed U$lass 25U Hard hats made before *++#
are mar%ed U$lass C5U These mar%in6s &ill be on a
label inside the helmet or stamped into the helmetitself5 Ne&er hats may also be mar%ed U,ype -U or
U,ype .5U Type * hard hats protect you from impacts
on the top of your head5 Type hard hats protect
you from impacts on the top and sides of your head5
Ho' do I 'ear and care for myhard hat6Al&ays &ear your hat &ith the bill for&ard5 (Hats
are tested in this position5) If you &ear a hat differently,
you may not be fully protected5 The hat
should fit snu6ly &ithout bein6 too ti6ht5 ?ou shouldclean and inspect your hard hat
re6ularly accordin6 to the manufacturerGs
instructions5 $hec%
the hat for crac%s, dents, frayedstraps, and dullin6 of the
finish5 These conditions canreduce protection5 >se only
mild soap and &ater for cleanin65
Heavy3duty cleaners and
other chemicals can dama6e
the hat5H,&D P5O0,*0ION
*la ,3 0ype $ hard hat *la = hard hatDonAt 'ear another hat
PP, act Sheet/0he 5ight ,:uipment/Head toSection Page BGo not UstoreU anythin6 (6loves, &allet, etc5) in thetop of your hard hat &hile you are &earin6 it5 The
space bet&een the inside harness and the top of the
hard hat must remain open to protect you5 o not
put stic%ers on your hat (the 6lue can &ea%en thehelmet) and %eep it out of direct sunli6ht5 If you
&ant to e1press your personality, hard hats come in
many colors and can be imprinted &ith custom
desi6ns by the manufacturer5 Some hats are available
in a co&boy hat desi6n or &ith sports lo6os5
<e your head and protect your head.Ne+er 7tore8 anything in the topof your hard hat 'hile you are'earing it*la = hard hat in a co'boyhat deigneep your hard hat out of direct unlight 'hen you are not 'earing it.
0oeoot Protection7or%ers must &ear protective foot&ear
&hen there is a ris% of foot in=ury from
sharp items or fallin68rollin6 ob=ects—
or &hen electrical ha@ards are present5 As
&ith hard hats, al&ays follo& the manufacturerGs
instructions for cleanin6 and maintenance
of foot&ear5 <emember that cuts, holes, &orn
soles, and other dama6e can reduce protection5
Ho' do I chooe theright foot'ear6The foot&ear must be ANSI approved5 ANSI
approval codes are usually printed inside the ton6ue
of the boot or shoe5 0oot&ear &ill be mar%ed U E/ U
if it is approved for electrical &or%5 (The ANSI
approval stamp alone does not necessarilymean the foot&ear offers protection
the type and amount of protection is not al&ays the
same5 ifferent foot&ear protects you in different
&ays5 $hec% the productGs labelin6 or consult themanufacturer to ma%e sure the foot&ear &ill
protect you from the ha@ards you face5OO0 P5O0,*0ION
DonAt take rik becaue you are 'earing PP,PP, i the lat line of defene againt in-ury.* P *ompression ratingQ&his code is more comple' thanthe others. -ere is how to read it!0 P ,000 pounds?D0 P ,1D0?C@ P 2,D00 (in this e'ample)RM0 P Metatarsal (top of the foot)protection rating (C@ foot pounds inthis e'amplecan also be !0 or D0)
&NSI K>$ P 5:8 footwear protection standardP0 P Protective 0oe sectionof the standardG$ P year of the standard(in this e'ample HH)M P Male footwear ( P emale footwear)I P Impact rating(C@ foot pounds inthis e'amplecanalso be !0 or D0)
9o receive infor+ation about occu0ational safety and health 0roble+s/ call <IOS& at
1.,.3".<IOS& 1.,.3"'.4'(4
?aG nu+ber) "13 "33.,"(3
E.+ail) 0ubstaftJcdcgov
or visit the <IOS& *eb site at cdcgov@nioshDHHS (NIOSH) Publication No !""!#$!%Deli+ering on the NationA promieSafety and health at 'ork for all peoplethrough reearch and pre+ention