Supervisors Safety Brief

Teach Your Workers How To Be Safe Every Day

Electrical Safety Basics
Electricity, even at very low voltages, can be hazardous.  Under the right conditions, a 30 volt circuit can carry enough current to cause severe injury or death.   The most common voltages in electrical equipment at work are 110, 220 and 440 volts.
Hazards of Electricity
An electrical shock  occurs when your body comes in contact with a live electrical source, such as open electrical boxes, bare wires or from equipment that is not properly grounded.

Your body uses small electrical impulses to regulate everything from your heart and breathing to the voluntary movement you make in walking or holding an object.  If your body receives an electrical shock, this current can interrupt and damage the normal   "electrical circuit" in your body.  Effects can range from a mild tingle to cardiac and respiratory failure.  Severe burns can also be the result of electric shock.

 Persons who have been shocked may seem to have no lasting ill effects, however, nervous system damage may not be readily apparent for hours after the event. Anyone who receives even a mild shock should immediately see a qualified physician for a medical check.
Protecting Yourself
ONLY AUTHORIZED EMPLOYEES may repair or adjust  electrical equipment.  Unless properly trained, HANDS OFF is the rule.  These authorized employees have been trained to take special precautions for their protection, including:
  • Use of special electrical personal protective equipment
  • Lockout - Tagout of electrical circuits
  • Use of barriers to prevent foot traffic in work area
  • Use of electrical instruments to detect voltage
  • Grounding of all capacitors before starting work
  • Use of specially insulated tools
  • Removal of rings, watches and other metal objects