Electrical Safety | Electricity Hazards, Shock, Fire, Burns Arc Explosion

                                                      ELECTRICAL SAFETY

ELECTRICITY HAZARDS, ELECTRIC SHOCK, ELECTRICAL FIRE, ELECTRIC BURNS ARC EXPLOSION

Electrical safety| Electric shock, Electric burn

ELECTRIC SAFETY

ELECTRICITY HAZARDS, ELECTRIC SHOCK, ELECTRICAL FIRE, ELECTRIC BURNS ARC EXPLOSION

ELECTRICITY ASSOCIATED HAZARDS

Electricity has long been recognized as a serious workplace hazard, exposing employees to electric shock, electrocution, burns, fires, and explosions of electrical hazards. It is well known that the human body conducts electricity, even at levels as low as 3 mili amperes can also cause injuries in which involuntary muscular reaction from the electric shock can cause bruises, bone fractures, and even death resulting from electric shock.

The hazards associated with electricity are:

·       Electric Shock: The electric shock resulting from current flowing through the body interfering with muscle and central nervous functions.

·       Electrical Burns: The electrical burns result from the heating effect of the current which burns the body tissue.

·       Fire: Electrical fire is caused by overheating and damage to insulation which can be either due to overcurrent or short-circuiting.

·       Explosion: The electrical explosion caused by sparks in a flammable atmosphere.

·       Arc Flash: The Arc flash results from an arcing fault, where the electric arcs and resulting radiation and shrapnel cause severe skin burns, hearing damage, and eye injuries.

·       Electric Field: The field of strong radiation can induce a current capable of delivering an electric shock to persons.

1.       WHAT IS ELECTRIC SHOCK

The electrical shock injury occurs when an electric current runs through a portion of the body of a person, usually from either a man-made source or lightning electricity. The outside of the person’s body may appear to have only minor injuries, but internal injuries may still be significant. As electrical current enters the body source, it causes the surface deep burns, damages muscle and organs as it passes through the body of personnel, and eventually exits at another distant point ground, which causes a second burn or wound. The electrical current may cause to trigger an irregular heartbeat or stop the heart entirely.

Among man-made sources, direct current (DC) tends to throw people from the source after one shock. Alternating current (AC) is more dangerous than direct current. AC alternating current causes muscle spasms that often prolong contact with the power source, which increases the extent of the injury.

2.       ELECTRICAL FIRE

The causes of electrical fires are:

·       Wiring with defects or damage such as insulation failure due to age or poor maintenance of electrical wiring.

·       Overheating of cables or other electrical equipment through overloading with currents above their design capacity of wiring.

·       Incorrect electrical protection selection or settings.

·       Poor connections due to lack of maintenance or unskilled personnel.

·       Poorly maintained or defective motors, heating, and lighting of electrical wiring.

·       Flammable or combustible materials covering electrical equipment which may become hot in the normal operation of the job. 

3.       WHAT ARE ELECTRIC BURNS

Direct

When an electrical current passes through the human body, it heats the tissue of the body along the length of the current flow. This can result in deep burns that often require major surgery and are permanently disabling due to electric current. Electrical burns are more common with higher voltages but may occur from domestic electricity supplies if the current flows for more than a few fractions of second electricity.

Indirect

While working on live electrical equipment, the system is short-circuited by, for example, an un-insulated spanner touching live conductors this will result in a large and sudden current flowing through the spanner. This indirect rapid discharge of energy that follows contact with high voltages not only causes the rapid melting of the spanner but does so with such violent force that molten particles of metal are thrown off with a huge velocity of electricity. Serious burns can occur if this molten metal contacts people near the spanner. It is not necessary to have high voltages to melt a spanner in this way, it can also occur with batteries with sufficient stored energy such as those used on a vehicle or in an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS).

4.       ARC EXPLOSION

The pressure of an arc explosion or blast is caused by the expansion of the metal as it vaporizes and the heating of the air by the arc energy from the electricity. This accounts for the expulsion of molten metal up to 10 feet away. In addition, the sudden expansion of an arc explosion or blast creates loud sounds that can cause hearing damage to the human body.

ELECTRICAL HAZARD IDENTIFICATION

The first step in managing risks related to electricity is to identify all the hazards present in activities that could potentially cause harm to people, the environment, and assets.

Electrical Hazards shall be identified by:

1.       Conducting a walk-through assessment of the workplace activities.

2.       Talking to workers and observing where and how the safe procedure of electrical equipment is used.

3.       Regularly or as per the plan of inspection of electrical tools inspecting and testing electrical equipment and electrical installations as appropriate standards.

4.       Ensure to Read product labels and manufacturers’ instruction manuals for electrical tools or equipment.

5.       Communication to manufacturers, suppliers, industry associations, and health and safety specialists of electrical safety.

6.       Review electrical incident reports.

 

Electrical Hazards from electrical equipment:

1.       The design of equipment in construction, installation, maintenance, and testing of electrical equipment or electrical tools installation.

2.       Design change or modification of electrical equipment.

3.       Inadequate or inactive electrical protection from electrocution.

4.       Ensure where and how electrical equipment is used.

5.       Electrical equipment or tools may be subject to operating conditions that are likely to result in damage to the equipment or a reduction in its expected life span. For example, equipment may be at greater risk of damage if used outdoors or workshop environment of electrical equipment.

6.       Electrical equipment or tools being used in an area in which the atmosphere presents a risk to health and safety from fire or explosion, for example, in confined spaces, hazardous areas, and electrical activities.

7.       Type of electrical equipment, For example, plug-ins or switch on electrical equipment that may be moved around from site to site, including extension leads, are particularly liable to damage to electrical equipment.

8.       The age of electrical equipment and electrical installations should be mentioned as per the manufacturer.

9.       Work carried out on or near electrical equipment or electrical tools installations, including electric overhead lines or underground electric services, for example, work carried out in a confined space connected to a plant or services.

RISK ASSESSMENT

The electrical risk assessment shall be performed before the commencement of the activity to determine the measures to be taken to implement the control of the risk of electricity.

The risk assessment helps to determine:

1.       The severity of an electrical risk

2.       Identify the personnel at risk of exposure

3.       Determine the sources and processes causing the risk of electrical

4.       Identify that proper control measures shall be implemented

5.       Ensure to assess the effectiveness of existing control measures.