Always Practice Safety at Work

The most important part of being an electrician is to always practice safety at work.

Statistically, more injuries occur in the home than on the job, but workplace injuries are usually more serious, especially when working with electricity.

Being an electrician is one of the most dangerous jobs there is. Some electricians are at a greater risk than others, but when electricity is involved, there is always a very real risk of being hurt.

Safety is one of the first things you learn on any new job. Working safely and staying alert can prevent serious injuries and may save your life.

Safety begins with a clean working environment. When you have cords, conduit and tools laying all over the place, you greatly increase you chances of getting hurt. You may step back and trip over a piece of equipment, get your feet tangled up in cords or slip on a loose piece of conduit.

As an electrician you have to be strong and physically fit, so you may think a minor slip and fall won’t cause too much damage, but don’t be fooled.

You can hit your head in a way that can result in brain damage or even death. You can break a bone or twist something out of place so severely that you won’t be able to work for an extended period of time.

 When you work on a ladder or scaffolding, a fall can kill you.

Safety At Work is Your Responsibility!

Electrical Injuries

Electricity runs through a conductor. The current needs a continuous flow to and from the conductor in order to form a loop or path. When you plug in a power tool, electricity flows from the power source through the tool and back again to complete the circuit.

If you somehow become a part of this circuit, you will be seriously injured.

Coming in direct contact with live electricity can give you an electric shock which may lead to a fall, cause serious burns, or electrocution.

When electricity flows through your body, it interferes with your own electrical signals. This may lead to irregular breathing, muscle spasms or even stopping your heart from pumping.

When you are working with live wires electricity may “jump” out. Since electricity needs to complete its circuit, it may look for a conductor to help find a ground. Humans are great conductors, so if you are standing in between the flow and the ground, it will pass through you.

Injuries are also caused when electricity arcs or flashes. An electrical arc can cause severe burns, blindness or start a fire if it lands on your clothing or other nearby flammable materials. When the arc “blasts”, it creates a powerful wave of pressure.

This pressure can damage machinery, rupture your ear drums, collapse a lung or throw you back against a sharp object.

Practicing Safety at Work

Most injuries can be avoided. Good safety at work practices will go a long way in preventing accidents. The number one rule is to always be alert and aware of potential dangers.

To keep yourself safe when working with electricity always:

• Inspect power cords, tools and electrical components for damage or wear before you use them. If you see any damage or excessive wear, repair it right away. No matter how rushed you may be at the time, taking a few minutes to repair the equipment will save you a lot of time later, maybe even save your life.
• Use battery operated tools whenever possible. If you must use extension cords, keep them out of the way. Tape the cords to the floor or onto the wall so that you don’t get tangled up or trip over them. Make sure to use tape – nails or staples can damage the wires inside the cord presenting the risk of electrical shock, plus if the damage is too great, you will have to buy a new cord, which is an extra expense you don’t need.
• Make sure your tools are rated for the amperage or wattage required for the job you are doing. Not enough power will make the job more difficult and too much can cause an excessive current. This may cause a fire to break out.
• Don’t wear loose clothing or jewelry that may get caught up in your tools or catch on equipment.

Using Power Tools

Power tools are very dangerous when not used properly. Always treat your tools with the utmost care and keep in mind how dangerous they can be.

Remember, if a saw can cut through conduit, what do you think it can do to your skin? To practice safety at work:

Never pull the plug from the outlet without turning the tool off first. When you leave the switch in the “on” position it will begin to run the next time you plug it in. This can cause all sorts of damage or injuries.

Never make adjustments to any equipment with the power on. Always disconnect all power sources first.

Ground your tools properly. Never break off the third “ground” prong. If the outlet you want to use doesn’t have a ground socket, use a different outlet. Test your tools with a ground fault circuit interrupter if there is any chance you may not be grounded properly.

The company you work for will do everything possible to ensure you have a safe working environment, but it is your responsibility to make sure you always practice safety at work.