The electricity in ordinary homes and businesses has enough power to kill. Only qualified, authorized workers should do electrical work; this lesson is about staying safe around it.
How electricity hurts people
There are four main types of injury: electrocution (fatal), electric shock, burns (including from an arc flash) and secondary injuries, such as falling off a ladder after a shock. An arc flash can also damage your eyes and hearing.
Everyday precautions
- Inspect cords, extension cords, plugs and power tools before each use. Repair or replace damaged equipment right away.
- Use extension cords rated for the load. Don't nail or staple cords.
- Wet or damp areas raise the risk of shock. Use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), including a portable in-line GFCI if you aren't sure an outlet is protected.
- Use ladders with non-conductive side rails near electricity.
Overhead power lines
Stay away from power lines. Safe distances vary by jurisdiction and utility, so check before you work, drive or park near them. If your vehicle contacts a power line, stay inside, call 911 and the utility, and wait until the utility says it's safe. If you must get out (for example, the vehicle is on fire), jump clear with your feet together, then shuffle at least 10 m away.
Lockout/tagout: the concept
Machines and systems can hold dangerous energy: electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, mechanical and gravitational. Even after you shut off the main source, stored or residual energy can remain, such as pressure in a line or a compressed spring.
Hazardous energy control prevents unexpected start-up, movement or release of energy while someone is working on equipment. Lockout is one method: the equipment is isolated from its energy sources and locked so it can't be turned back on, and stored energy is controlled, before work begins. Your employer must train you on its procedures. Never remove someone else's lock, and never work on equipment that hasn't been properly locked out under your employer's procedure.
Key takeaways
- Electricity can cause electrocution, shock, burns and secondary injuries.
- Use GFCIs in wet or damp areas and inspect cords before use.
- If your vehicle touches a power line, stay inside and call for help.
- Lockout isolates energy sources and controls stored energy before work starts.