Understanding Electrical Safety: Is It Just About Protection or True Prevention?

Understanding Electrical Safety

I am asking a question to you all; give me an answer heartily and truly. What is electrical safety? Is it just about saving a person from electrocution, or is there much more to it? Is it about following the LOTO system, or is there more? Is it about observing loose wires, naked wires, or is there more? Or is electrical safety about the prevention of harm to processes, people, equipment, machines, and the environment as well? Whatever method we are using to prevent these issues, please discuss in this open forum.

Special Note

Some people say we are working in a preventive manner. If we ask them, they will only mention the method of protection. Please understand the difference between prevention and protection.

Thanks

Dear Vinod, these questions do not have a simple answer (that's why I take time, don't mistake me) definable in the regulations that we work under on USA sites. The closest thing in print is the OSHA General Duty Clause, which states that employers must furnish employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards.

Prevention

Prevention can be defined as keeping an undesired event from happening. Physical examples of prevention include guards, handrails, covers, etc.

Protection

Protection can be defined as keeping the impacts of an undesired event from causing injury or damage, or mitigating those effects to keep the consequences as low as reasonably achievable. Physical examples include ground fault circuit interrupters, eye and face protection, insulated tools, equipment, clothing, gloves, first aid training, first aid kits, etc.

To achieve prevention and/or protection, the employer may use engineering controls, administrative controls, personal protective equipment, or any combination of the three.

Electrical Safety

Electrical Safety involves both prevention and protection. Current limiters and ground fault circuit interrupters are examples of engineering controls. Control of Hazardous Energy (Lock Out/Tag Out) training is an example of an administrative control. Insulating shoes and gloves are examples of personal protective equipment.

Safety Theory

It is generally recognized that each unit (dollar, dirham, franc, etc.) invested in prevention saves up to four units spent in providing protection, and up to nine units of losses from an undesired event.

Example: It appears that if BP had spent $10 million USD on properly casing the well drilled by the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico, they would not have had to spend $1.2 billion USD on mitigating the losses of 11 people, a floating drill platform, and several million barrels of oil dumped into the ocean.

Electrical Safety is similar - vigilance is required not only in the processes involved but also in the inspections, training, and work methods necessary to keep people from becoming undesired conductors of electricity.

Hope it helps...

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Thanks & Besafe,

Raghu

Dear Vinoddigwal,

Electrical Safety

- Raising awareness of electrical hazards
- Developing competency to recognize electrical hazards
- Providing ways to eliminate, remove, and prevent electrical hazards on the premises
- Emphasizing the extreme importance of observing all electrical safety requirements and practices
- Knowing what to do during an electrical accident and acquiring the desired skills and attitude to manage electrical emergencies.

LOTO is only one of the many precautionary measures. Avoiding loose wires and naked wires are also just minor parts of electrical safety. There is much more than that to ensure electrical safety.

Regards,
Kesava Pillai

I would like to share one fatal accident related to electricity that I heard about from a faculty member during a training session on Electrical Safety. I hope this story can help in understanding the importance of prevention when it comes to Electrical Safety.

Incident Overview

The incident took place inside a government office where a ceiling fan fell on an employee, resulting in his death. After an investigation, the police arrested the Head of the Electrical Department for not conducting any preventive maintenance. There was no schedule in place for preventive maintenance, and since the time of installation (which was more than five years ago), there had been no inspections or maintenance checks on the fans.

I believe my input aligns with our ongoing discussion.

@ Raghu and Keshav Sir, thank you very much for your valuable contributions and excellent explanations.

Dear Vinod,

Understanding Electrical Safety

Electrical safety primarily concerns awareness. The myths about electricity should be taught to employees to clear any mental blocks from working in dangerous environments. Hence, electrical safety should be imparted by educating the fundamentals of electricity, including the hazards if it is not handled properly. The best permissible way for safe electrical work and the best possible ways to prevent electrical accidents should also be emphasized. It is essential to know the location of circuit breakers and the remedial actions for electrical accidents, as well as the first aid for electrical accident victims.

Lockout-Tagout (LOTO) and Safety Drills

Lockout-Tagout (LOTO) does not cover any major emergency drills in electricity. LOTO is covered in the 5S program of a workshop.

Regards,
karunadasp