SAFETY WORKfor

RME

FRUMENCIO T. TAN

Accredited Safety Consultant

What Does an Electrician Do?

Reading blueprints

For safety, electricians follow the Philippine Electrical Code (OSHS)

Connecting all types of wires and circuit breakers, outlets, and a host of other components

Regular assessments of electrical equipment and electrical systems

Work involves adding and replacing wires, fuses, circuit breakers, connections

Test electrical devices

Electricity - The Dangers

Causes 12% of young worker workplace deaths

Takes very little electricity to cause harm

Significant risk of causing fires

Accident Description

October 11, 2004

SLAC Supervisor directs subcontractor electrician to

install breaker in live 480 volt dist. panel.

Supervisor did not obtain required working “EEW”

permit.

The electrician wore a short sleeved cotton/polyester

shirt, leather gloves over Voltage (V) rated gloves, safety

glasses, and a hardhat.

When the accident occurred, the electrician had

connected phases B and C and was in the process of

connecting phase A.

Identified Key Deficiencies

A Pre Work Hazards Analysis form was not completed

There was no approved Energized Electrical Work Permit

No one in the SLAC management chain had been informed of the

decision by the supervisor to install the circuit breaker in an

energized panel

The workers did not wear the appropriate flame resistant clothing,

and all required PPE

The SLAC safety officials were not involved

The subcontractor laborer was not trained to be a backup for the

electrician

Full Revolution Press Machine

Safety Device: Two-Hand Position Switch

Point of Operation

(Switches Connected in Series)

Substandard Condition:

• By-passed safety device

(2-hand switch)

Substandard Act:

•Failed to LO/TO

•Tampering with safety

device

Foot switch

Ram Movement

Electrical Injuries

There are four main types of electrical injuries:

Direct:

Electrocution or death due to electrical shock

Electrical shock

Burns

Indirect - Falls

Burns

Most common shock-related injury

Occurs when you touch electrical wiring or equipment that is improperly used or maintained

Typically occurs on hands

Very serious injury that needs immediate attention

Electrical Burns

Entrance Wound

Exit Wound

Arc or Flash Burns Thermal Contact Burns

Internal/External Injuries

Involuntary Muscle Contraction

Current flows through the body from the entrance point,

until finally exiting where the body is closest to the ground.

Worst case of electrical-related accident!

AVOID THE FOLLOWING UNSAFE ACTS:

Worker’s attitude such as working without appropriate PPEs.

Improper working method

Wearing of metal objects as watches, necklaces & rings.

Working in wet and/or damp locations

AVOID THE FOLLOWING UNSAFE ACTS:

AVOID THE FOLLOWING UNSAFE ACTS:

AVOID THE FOLLOWING UNSAFE ACTS:

Failure to de-energize, lockout and tagout hazards during maintenance, repair or inspections of fuse box.

Use of defective and unsafe tools.

Use of tools or equipment too close to energized parts.

Not draining off stored energy in capacitors.

Double Insulated Tool

AVOID THE FOLLOWING UNSAFE ACTS:

Using 3 wire cord with a 2 wire plug.

Remove and replace wrong fuse.

Not verifying power is off when making repair.

UNSAFE EQUIPMENT

What equipment can cause electrical accidents:

Faults in facilities such as exposed charged part of electrical machines and equipment

Damaged insulation of electrical wirings

Short Circuit

Overloading

Improper grounding

ELECTRICAL HAZARDS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Loose electrical connections

Cord with frayed insulations

Plugs that do not match their outlets, e.g., 3-prong male plug to 2-plug female outlet

Non-waterproof cords, plugs and outlets used outdoors

Equipment running over capacity

Deteriorated cords, where the exterior

insulation has cracked, exposing the wires

inside.

Cords and/ or plugs produced from

substandard materials.

Use of cords which have no appropriate

current (amp) rating for either the plug or the

equipment.

ELECTRICAL HAZARDS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Electrical Plugs and Extension Cords

Electrical Plugs and Extension Cords

MEASURES TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK

Use grounding system

Install GFCI

Isolation of electrical conductors

Vault & boxes

Warning signs

Safe Clearance

Elevation (at least 10ft/ 3m minimum) of electrical cable specifically at construction site

Minimum approach distance

Contact with Power Lines

Overhead and buried power lines at a construction site are especially hazardous because they carry extremely high voltage. Fatal electrocution is the main risk, but burns and falls from elevation are also hazards. Using tools and equipment that can contact power lines increases the risk.

Examples of equipment that can contact power lines:

Backhoes

Concrete pumpers

Cranes

Long-handled cement finishing floats

Metal building materials

Metal ladders

Raised dump truck beds

Scaffolds

Overhead power lines are

un-insulated and can carry

tens of thousands of volts,

making them extremely

dangerous to employees

who work in their vicinity.

Contact with Power Lines continued…

How Do I Avoid Hazards?

Look for overhead power lines and buried power line indicators. Post warning signs. Contact utilities for buried power line locations.

Stay at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines. Unless you know otherwise, assume that overhead lines are energized.

De-energize and ground lines when working near them. Other protective measures include guarding or insulating the lines.

Use non-conductive wood or fiberglass ladders when working near power lines.

Deaths Due to Contact With Power Lines

Scaffold too close to power line

Eight employees of a masonry company were erecting a brick wall from a

tubular, welded-frame scaffold approximately 24 feet high. The scaffold

had been constructed only 21 horizontal inches across from a 7,620-volt

power line. A laborer carried a piece of wire reinforcement (10 feet long

by 8 inches wide) along the top section of the scaffold and contacted the

power line with it. The laborer, who was wearing leather gloves, received

an electric shock and dropped the wire reinforcement, which fell across

the power line and simultaneously contacted the metal rail of the scaffold,

energizing the entire scaffold. All the workers standing on the work

platform in contact with the main scaffold were electrocuted.

Source: OSHA

Fatality – metal gutter touches power line – from WorkSafe BC

PREVENTIVE MEASURE ON ELECTRIC SHOCK

Insulation

Use double-insulated royal cord for tools

Insure insulation between feet and moist ground

Use Lock-Out and Tag-Out

training and instruction

knowledge of the risks involved

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters

Portable Ground Fault

Circuit InterruptersGFCI Panel Mounts

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters

Electrical insulating rubber shielding

is engineered to protect personnel,

equipment, and work areas from

electrical hazards up to 7,500 volts.

The shielding is flame, oil, ozone, and

puncture resistant, remains flexible to

-60° F, and will not melt. CIP's

insulating shielding is available in

convenient "safety yellow" rolls, and

is 100% tested to meet ASTM

standards.

Type 2 Insulating - Flame, Oil, and

Ozone Resistant

ASTM Standard F2320-03

Electrical Insulating Protective Shielding

Preventing Electrical Hazards - PPE

Switchboard Corrugated Matting

ASTM D178-01 Type I Insulating - Non-

Oil ResistantSwitchboard matting is rubber matting

designed for electrical insulation, as a floor

covering to prevent shock around high

voltage electrical apparatus, fuse boxes,

switchgear, control panels, and heavy

machinery. It meets and exceeds current

ASTM, ANSI, (Plus IEC Division of ANSI,

Tech. Committee-78) specifications for this

material. In addition, OSHA requirement's

intent to eliminate the electrical hazards of

high voltage shock in the workplace is

abundantly clear. CIP switchboard matting

is designed specifically for this purpose. It

is not designed to be used as a "Hot" Rail

Blanket. Also, matting with punctures or

cracks should not be placed in service.

Insulated Hand Tools

Gloves and SleevesComposite Tools

Tool Sets and Kits

Hot Stick Arc Rated Harness Grounding Sets

Safety Rescue Hook Voltage Detector Kits

Non-contact, wide

range of detection, 80

V to 275 kV, audible

and visual indication

275 kV automatic self-

test beep every two

seconds

Dielectric Deep Heel Overshoes provide extra

safety when climbing ladders and poles

where the deep heel cavity can lock onto the

rungs. These boots and overshoes are made

from an ozone resistant yellow rubber that's

100% waterproof. The construction is hand-

layered in full-cut patterns to fit over work

boots. The fabric lining makes them easy to

get on and off. The sole is an anti-skid bar

tread. All of these overshoes meet ANSI Z41

requirements and have been tested to 20,000

volts.

The 17" Super Dielectric Boot offers a high

level of protection from electrical shock to

utility workers, electric contractors, and

others working dangerously close to

electrical hazards. These boots meet ASTM

F1117 requirements, and have been tested to

15,000 volts AC and 45,000 volts DC. The

boots are completely waterproof and resistant

to ozone. The tough fabric lining makes the fit

comfortable and easy to take on and off.

Dielectric Boots

SIMPLE RULES TO FOLLOW

DO NOT GUESS

FOLLOW PEC

USE PROPER INSTRUMENTS

ALWAYS USE SAFETY DEVICES

LOCKING & TAGGING PROCEDURE

EEW PERMIT

ARC FLASH ANALYSIS

JHA

NEVER WORK ALONE

USE DANGER SIGNS

Final Advice

Treat electricity with

the respect it demands,

and it will serve you

efficiently and effectively

THANK YOU ALL!