Tips on Industrial and Electrical Safety

Electricity is one of the biggest dangers in the workplace, especially if a person is an electrician or works around electrical equipment. By keeping safety in mind, workers can keep themselves safe from most common electrical hazards found in the workplace and at home.

Electrical Hazards

• Electricity is a hazard, regardless of the workplace. According to the OSHA Electrical Safety manual, however, there are three big safety hazards when it comes to electricity in the workplace. These hazards are: unsafe equipment or installation, an unsafe environment or unsafe work practices. Flaws in equipment could be wires or "live" parts of a machine being exposed to workers. A hazard in the work environment could be spilled water. Dangerous work practices could be working without protective equipment being worn.

Grounding

• Mentioned in the OSHA manual in part 1910.305, subpart S, Wiring Design, grounding is one of the major tools for electrical safety. Grounding is when a low-resistance path is purposefully created so electrical charges will flow out of the work area. This means that any built-up electrical charges are initially pulled away from the work area, and that any charges built up while work is going on will likewise be pulled away where they won't cause any harm. Often grounding is built in as a permanent part of an electrical system.

Procedures

• Tagging out electrical boxes and equipment is a major safety precaution that should be followed. Tagging out refers to locking circuit breakers or other start-up panels closed and attaching hazard tags to them so no one accidentally throws the wrong switch. Also according to the OSHA manual, section 1910 sections 1910.331 through 1910.335 detail other safety procedures as well. These include: de-energizing equipment before maintenance, properly maintaining any electrical tools, exercising proper caution when near live electrical lines and wearing proper safety equipment for every job.