1、Electrical Safety Awareness TrainingAlbert Einstein College of MedicineDepartment of Environmental Health&Safety Evan RousseauIndustrial Hygienist(718)430-4152erousseaaecom.yu.eduTraining Outline?Purpose?Basic Concepts of Electricity?Hazard Recognition?Effects of Electricity on the Human Body?Electr
2、ical Hazard Protection?Work Practices?How to Respond/Report a Problem?Supervisor Responsibilities?Employee Responsibilities?Video Purpose?Raise your awareness to potential electrical hazards.?Instruct you on how to recognize electrical hazards.?Provide ways to eliminate,remove,and prevent electrical
3、 hazards in the workplace.?Emphasizing the extreme importance of observing all electrical safety requirements and practices.?Instructing you on what to do in the event an electrical accident.Purpose?Course is not designed to teach you to work on electrical equipment.?You will not be qualified to wor
4、k on electrical equipment.?If you see problems with electrical equipment,notify your supervisor.Basic Concepts of Electricity?Electricity is the flow of electrons(current)through a conductor.?Requires a source of power:usually a generating station.?Travels in a closed circuit.?When you become part o
5、f the circuit,the injury may be fatal.Hazard Recognition?Cords&Equipment?Power tools and extension cords must be inspected each time they are used.?They must be taken out of service immediately upon discovery of worn or broken insulation.Hazard Recognition?Cords&Equipment?Visually inspect electrical
6、 equipment before each use for damage and/or external defects such as loose,missing or deformed parts,pinched or crushed outer jackets or insulation.This type of external damage may indicate internal damage to the equipment.?Electrical cords that are worn or damaged must be replaced without delay.?B
7、efore cleaning electrical equipment,turn it off and unplug it.Hazard Recognition?Electrical Panels?Electric panels must be kept clear of any obstructions at all times.?Storage is not allowed in electrical vault or service panel rooms.Find another place for storage of materials,products,etc.Hazard Re
8、cognition?Trip Hazards?Dont cause tripping hazards or create pinch points for cords.?If you must run a cord temporarily across the floor,protect your co-workers by covering the cord appropriately.Hazard Recognition?Exposed Wiring?Assume all exposed wiring is energized until proven otherwise.?Stop,pr
9、otect the area,and contact supervision if you encounter this situation.Hazard Recognition?Power Strips?Never daisy chain multi-outlet strips(plugging into each other)Hazard Recognition?Junction boxes,pull boxes,and fittings must have approved covers in place.?Unused openings in cabinets,boxes,and fi
10、ttings must be closed(no missing knockouts).?Report these situations to your supervisor.Effects of Electricity on the Human Body?The four major types of electrical injuries are:?Direct?Electrocution?Electrical Shock?Burns?Indirect?FallsEffects of Electricity on the Human Body:Electrical Shock?Receiv
11、ed when current passes through the body.?Severity of the shock depends on:?Path of current through the body.?Amount of current flowing through the body.?Length of time the body is in the circuit.Effects of Electricity on the Human Body:Electrical Shock?Range of currents lasting 1 second will illicit
12、 the following reactions:?1 milliamp?Just a faint tingle.?5 milliamps?Slight shock felt.Most people can let go.?6-30 milliamps?Painful shock.Muscular control is lost.This is the range were“freezing current”starts.It may not be possible to let go.Effects of Electricity on the Human Body:Electrical Sh
13、ock?50-150 milliamps?Extremely painful shock,respiratory arrest,(breathing stops)and severe muscle contractions.Death is possible.?1,000-4,300 milliamps(1-4.3 amps)?Arrhythmic heart pumping action,muscles contract,and nerve damage occurs.Death is likely.?10,000+milliamps(10 amps)?Cardiac arrest and
14、severe burns occur.Death is probable.Effects of Electricity on the Human Body:Electrical Shock?The longer the exposure,the increased danger of shock to the victim.?Low voltage can be extremely dangerous because the degree of injury depends not only on the current,but on the length of time in contact
15、 with the circuit.?Example:?A current of 100mA applied for 3 seconds is as dangerous as 900mA applied for 0.03 seconds.?Low Voltage Does Not Mean Low Hazard.Effects of Electricity on the Human Body:Electrical Shock?High voltages lead to additional injuries such as:?Violent muscular contractions?Musc
16、le contractions may cause bone fractures from either contractions themselves or from falls.?Internal bleeding,destruction of tissues,nerves and muscles.Effects of Electricity on the Human Body:Electrical Burns?The most common shock related,nonfatal injury is a burn.?Burns caused by electricity may b
17、e of three types:?Electrical burns?Arc burns?Thermal contact burns?Electrical burns need to be given immediate medical attention.Effects of Electricity on the Human Body:Electrical Burns?Electrical burns occur when a person touches electrical wiring or equipment that is used or maintained improperly
18、.?Typically such burns occur on the hands.?Clothing may catch on fire and a thermal burn may result for the heat of the fire.Effects of Electricity on the Human Body:Arc-blast?An arc-blast is a luminous electrical discharge that occurs when high voltages exist across a gap between conductors and cur
19、rent travels through the air.?Temperatures as high as 35,000 F have been reached in arc-blasts.Effects of Electricity on the Human Body:Arc-blast?The three primary hazards associated with an arc-blast are:?Arching gives off thermal radiation(heat)and intense light which causes burns.?A high voltage
20、arc can produce a considerable pressure wave blast.?Example:A person 2 ft.away from a 25,000-amp arc feels a force of about 480 lbs on the front of the body.?May cause copper and aluminum components to melt.?The molten metal can be blasted great distances by the pressure wave.Effects of Electricity
21、on the Human Body:Falls?Electric shock can also cause indirect injuries.?Workers in elevated locations who experience a shock may fall,resulting in serious injury or death.Electrical Hazard Protections?Insulation?Grounding?Guarding?Electrical protective devices?Personal Protective Equipment?Safe wor
22、k practices Electrical Hazard Protections?Insulation?Plastic or rubber coverings that does not conduct electricity.?Insulation prevents live wires from coming in contact with people thus protecting them form electrical shock.Electrical Hazard Protections?Grounding?Grounding is another method of prot
23、ecting you from electric shock.?However,it is normally a secondary protective measure.Electrical Hazard Protections?Grounding?The ground refers to a conductive body,usually the earth,and means a conductive connection,whether intentional or accidental,by which an electric circuit or equipment is conn
24、ected to earth or the ground plane.?By grounding a tool or electrical system,a low-resistance path to the earth is intentionally created.Electrical Hazard Protections?Guarding?A type of isolation that uses various structures to close off live electrical parts.?These structures include:?Boxes?Screens
25、?Covers?PartitionsElectrical Hazard Protections?Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters(GFCI)?Detects the difference in current between two circuits wires.?This difference in current could happen when electrical equipment isnt working correctly.?GFCI are set at about 5mA and are designed to protect worker
26、s and not equipment.Electrical Hazard Protections?Fuses and Circuit Breakers?Fuses and circuit breakers are intended primarily for the protection of conductors and equipment.?They prevent over-heating of wires and components that might otherwise create hazards for operators.?They also open the circu
27、it under certain hazardous ground-fault conditions.Electrical Hazard Protections?Personal Protective Equipment?Foot protection?Footwear will be marked“EH”if its approved for electrical work.?EH=Electrical Hazard?Footwear must be kept dry,even if it is marked“EH”Electrical Hazard Protections?Personal
28、 Protective Equipment?Head protection?Hard hat(insulated-nonconductive)?Class B&E.?Always wear your hat with the bill forward.?Do not store anything in the top of your hat while wearing it.Electrical Hazard Protections?Personal Protective Equipment?Hand protection?Rubber insulating gloves.?Classifie
29、d by the level of voltage and protection they provide.?Should always be worn over rubber insulating gloves to provide the mechanical protection needed against cuts,abrasions,and punctures.Electrical Hazard Protections?Personal Protective Equipment?Use,store and maintain your electrical PPE in a safe
30、,reliable condition.?Wear nonconductive head protection wherever there is a danger of head injury from electric shock or burns due to contact with exposed energized parts.?Wear protective equipment for the eyes or face wherever there is danger of injury to the eyes or face from electric arcs or flas
31、hes or from flying objects resulting from electrical explosion.Electrical Hazard Protections?Personal Protective Equipment?Electrical PPE with any of the following defects may not be used:?If holes,tears,punctures,or cuts are present.?Texture changes:Swelling,softening,hardening,or becoming sticky o
32、r inelastic.?An embedded foreign object.?Any other defect that damages the insulating properties.Work Practices?Employees and others working with electric equipment need to use safe work practices.?Plan your work by yourself and with others.?Allows you to coordinate your work and take advantage of w
33、hat others know about identifying and controlling hazards.?Lock out and Tag out circuits and equipment.?Shut off the circuit.?Lock and tag out the circuit at the distribution panel.?Test the circuit to make sure its de-energized.Work Practices?Do not work in wet conditions.?Avoid overhead power line
34、s.?You should be at least 10 feet away from high-voltage transmission lines.?Use proper wiring and connectors?Avoid overloading circuits.?Test GFCIs monthly.?Make sure switches and insulation are in good condition.?Never use a three prong plug with the third prong broken off.Work Practices?Use and m
35、aintain tools properly.?Inspect tools before using them.?Damaged tools must be removed from service.?Keep tool and cords away from heat,oil and sharp objects.?Using appropriate personal protective equipment?Wear safety glasses to avoid eye injury.?Wear proper foot protection.?Wear a hard hat.?Follow
36、 the manufacturers directions for cleaning/maintaining PPE.How to Respond/Report a Problem?Do not panic;remain calm?In the event of a personal injury:?Call 911 immediately?If a person is being shocked,turn of the source of electricity?Do not touch someone being shocked?Remove the person away from th
37、e electrical source using a non-conductive material?Call Security at X4111 and EH&S at X4150?Notify your supervisorHow to Respond/Report a Problem?In the event of an electrical fire:?Activate the fire alarm system?Do not use a Type A,water extinguisher?If you know how to use an extinguisher,use a CO
38、2or dry chemical fire extinguisher?Alert everyone in the area to evacuate?Notify Security at X4111 and EH&S at X4150?If you are not sure about using a fire extinguisher,leave the area and close any doors behind you?Wait for the Fire Dept.personnel to arriveSupervisor Responsibilities?Review project
39、carefully with your workers,unless they are routine assignments?Emphasize safety practices?Train workers on area-specific policies and procedures?Check your employees work practices to ensure compliance?Check the final product to ensure that no deficiencies exist?Provide the appropriate disciplinary
40、 measures for poor electrical safety practices.Employee Responsibilities?Review each project carefully with your supervisor?Become thoroughly familiar with your assignments?Only perform work in which you are trained?If at all in doubt,ask questions?Have your supervisor review your completed project?
41、Follow your supervisors instructionsEmployee Responsibilities(Continued)?Follow safe work practices?Make sure lines are de-energized before your work on them?Wear any required PPE?Alert your co-workers to any unsafe work practices?Report all problems to your supervisor?Know what to do in the event o
42、f an emergencySummary?Electricity will try to reach ground even if it means going through a person?Even the“small”voltage from your home can cause serious injury?Always inspect power tools and cords before each use and do not use them if damaged?Do not attempt to repair electrical equipment unless y
43、ou are trained and qualified?Always use lockout/tagout procedures to de-energize electrical systemsSummary?Use electrical tools and equipment that are protected by a GFIReview your assignments with your supervisors?Utilize correct PPE?Report all problems to your supervisors?If at all in doubt,ask questionsVideo
