Working with electricity has become so customary that we don’t give much thought to how heavily we depend on a reliable source of electricity to perform daily job functions. Some employees like engineers and electricians work with electricity directly while others such as office workers and sales people work with electricity indirectly. Electrical shock, electrocution, fires and explosions are all risks workers are exposed to day-to-day. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognizes these hazards and has designed standards to protect employees from potential injuries. Below are a few electrical hazards prevention tips
- Protection provided by insulation
Shocks, fires and short circuits could all be prevented by using insulators such as glass, mica, rubber, or plastic to coat metals and other conductors to reduce the flow of electrical current. Effective insulation must be suitable for the voltage used and other environmental factors like moisture, oil, gasoline, corrosive fumes or other substances that could cause the insulator to fail.
- Guarding electric equipment
Guarding involves locating or enclosing electric equipment to make sure people don’t accidently come into contact with it. Ensuring only authorized employees qualified to work with electrical equipment has access to it is part of effective guarding.
- Grounding
Grounding an electrical tool or system means to intentionally create a low-resistance path that connects to the earth which prevents the buildup of voltages that could cause an electrical accident. OSHA recommends using guarding as secondary protective measure to substantially reduce the risk of electrical hazards.
- Circuit Protection
Circuit protection devices limit or stop the flow of current automatically in the event of ground fault, overload, or short circuit in the wiring system. Fuses, circuit breakers, ground-fault circuit interrupters, and arc-fault circuit interrupters are all examples of circuit protection devices.
Unintentionally ignoring electrical hazards can lead to serious bodily injuries. By taking proper precaution when dealing with tools or areas that have potential electrical hazards, you ensure that you create a safe and healthful environment for employees.
At Nova Medical Centers, we solely focus on occupational health. We pride ourselves in delivering exceptional services and helping our clients prioritize their health and safety above all else. We ensure clients are up-to-dated with OSHA regulations at our Nova Lunch and Learns . Contact us for more information about any of our services. Our skilled and friendly staff members are ready to meet all your occupational health needs.
Written by Nayda Sanchez
