We all rely on electricity, but sometimes underestimate its capability to cause injury. Even common household current (120 volts) can stop your heart. Municipal staff need to be aware of the hazards electricity poses, such as shock, fire, and explosion, and either eliminate or control those hazards in their work environment.
Shock (Electrocution)
Electrical shock happens when current passes through the body. Electricity travels through closed circuits, and people sometimes tragically become part of a circuit. When a person receives a shock, electricity flows between parts of the body or through the body to ground. This can happen if someone touches both wires of an energized circuit, touches one wire of the circuit while standing unprotected, or touches a metal part that has become energized. Electrocution refers to the injury or lethal dose of electrical energy. Electricity can also cause forceful muscle contractions or falls. The severity of the injury depends on the amount of current flowing through the body, the current’s path through the body, the length of time the body remains in the circuit and the current’s frequency.
Fire/Explosion
Electrical fires may be caused by excessive resistance that generates heat from the following:
Too much current running through wiring where overcurrent protection fails or does not exist
Faulty electrical outlets resulting in poor contact or arcing
Poor wiring connections and old wiring that is damaged and cannot support an electrical load
An explosion can occur when electricity ignites a flammable gas or combustible dust mixture in the air. Ignition from a short circuit or static charge is possible.
What you need to know
Electrical Safety Basics
Don’t work with exposed conductors carrying 50 volts or more
Make sure electrical equipment is properly connected, grounded, and in good working order
Extension cords are not to be used as permanent wiring for an appliance or piece of office equipment. Plug them straight into an outlet. Extension cords should be unplugged and removed when not in use
Surge suppressors with built-in circuit breakers may be used long-term, but don’t use all of the outlet plugs on the device
High amperage equipment such as space heaters, portable air conditioners, copiers, etc. must be plugged directly into a permanent wall outlet
Do not access, use, or alter any building’s electrical service, including circuit breaker panels, unless you are specifically qualified and authorized to do so
Wet environments increase the risk of electrical shock. Use the proper personal protective equipment and tools when working in or with water
Housekeeping and Maintenance
Keep all combustibles and flammables at least 36 inches away from heat-producing sources like hot water tanks, circuit breaker boxes, and HVAC units in your storage closets/rooms
Make sure all circuit breaker spaces are plugged if they don’t contain a circuit breaker and that the panel door remains closed when not being serviced
Avoid Activities that Require Training Unless You Have Training
Working with exposed conductors carrying more than 50 volts
Making repairs or alterations to electrical equipment
Bypassing or removing safety guards/barriers of any equipment that utilizes electricity
Using tools or a meter to measure for the presence of electricity
Resetting a tripped breaker or a blown fuse
Grounding
To prevent electrical hazards, always make sure equipment is properly grounded. Electrical grounding provides an alternate path for electricity to follow, rather than going through a person. Equipment with a grounding prong must be plugged into an outlet or extension cord with a ground; the grounding plug should never be removed from equipment in order to plug it into a non-grounded outlet.
Wet Locations
When using electricity in wet or damp places, a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) must be used. The GFCI ensures that any electrical shock will be brief. Although painful, it wouldn’t be fatal because the GFCI creates a ground fault or leak in the current. GFCI’s should be installed near any sinks or water receptacles that have an electrical outlet within 4 feet of the water.
Lockout/Tagout
When servicing and maintenance tasks involve electricity and electrical equipment, you must prevent unexpected startup of equipment. Always utilize lockout/tagout procedures before beginning work on equipment with electricity.
