Element 5: Electrical safety

1. Identify the possible effects of electricity on the body.

Electric shock severe electric shock can cause involuntary muscle grip, heart fibrillation, respiratory
failure and cardiac arrest.
Burns burns can also result from an electric shock, at the point of contact and at the point that the
current flows out of the body. There may also be internal burns along the current path.
Fire and explosion.
Arcing.
Secondary effects.

2. Outline four factors that may affect the severity of injury from contact with electricity
Several factors influence the severity of injury associated with receiving an electric shock:
Voltage as Ohms law shows there is a simple relationship between voltage and current, the higher the
voltage, the greater the current.
Duration the length of time that a person is exposed to the flow of electricity is critical. For example, a
current flow of 60 mA for 30 milliseconds (30 thousandths of a second) is unlikely to cause a severe injury,
whereas the same current flow over a period of 2 seconds can induce VF and prove fatal.
Frequency of the AC current.
Current path the route that the electricity takes as it flows through the body is also critical. If it runs
through the chest it is likely to affect the heart.
Resistance as Ohms law shows there is a simple inverse relationship between current and resistance -
the higher the resistance the lower the current. Most of the bodys resistance to the passage of electricity
is because of the skin. A person with dry skin has a resistance of about 100,000 ohms, but if their skin is
wet or damaged this reduces dramatically to 1000 ohms. Any clothing that the person is wearing will also
affect their
resistance to the passage of electricity.
Contact surface area the more skin that is in contact with the live surface, the lower the resistance and
the more severe the injury.
Environment any environmental factors that reduce resistance will cause an increase in current flow and
therefore increase the severity of the shock, e.g. wet surfaces, humid air, metal surfaces, etc.

3. In relation to the use of electrical cables and plugs in the workplace identify four examples of faults and
bad practices that could contribute to electrical accidents.
Using unsuitable equipment, e.g. the use of non-intrinsically safe equipment in a flammable atmosphere.
Using equipment in wet, damp or humid conditions.
Misuse, e.g. sticking wires directly into a socket rather than using a plug.
Physical abuse, e.g. pulling the plug out by tugging at the flex; carrying the tool by the flex; allowing the
flex to be pinched, trapped or crushed, driving over the flex, etc.
Repairs carried out by unauthorized personnel or carried out badly, e.g. split flex taped up with insulating
tape.
Continued use of faulty, defective equipment.
Chemical damage to the flex, e.g. by corrosive wet cement.
Lack of routine inspection, testing or maintenance.

4. Explain how earthing can reduce the risk of receiving an electric shock.
Earthing is a way of protecting equipment so that in the event of an electrical fault, current flows
safely to earth rather than flowing through a person who might be touching the equipment. The earth wire
of an item of electrical equipment is usually connected to the outer metal casing or chassis of the
equipment. If a fault develops and the casing or chassis becomes live then a current will flow down this
earth wire. Electricity always takes the path of least resistance, and since the earth wire will have very low
resistance the majority of fault current will flow safely to earth through the wire. Any person touching the
casing will receive a minor shock.

5. Outline the emergency actions to take if a person suffers a severe electric shock.
The action of discovering a person having suffered an electric shock should be to make others aware of
the situation and, at the same time or immediately afterwards, to turn off the supply. If this is not possible,
and the victim is still in contact with, or in close proximity to, the live part, then he/she should be pushed
clear using a non-conductive implement (such as a broom). First-aid should then be administered, which,
depending on the condition of the person, may include cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. If successful, an
airway should be maintained by placing the victim in the recovery position and breathing should be
monitored until medical help arrives.

6. Outline the practical measures to reduce the risk of injury from electricity when using a portable
electrical appliance on a construction site.
Consider the use of battery-powered equipment.
Consider the use of reduced and low voltage (110v) equipment centre tapped to earth.
Provide increased protection through the use of an RCD.
Locate cables carefully, away from hazards, e.g. vehicles which may drive over them.
Consider the use of double insulated equipment.
Carry out pre-use checks of the equipment for signs of damage.
Train operators in safe use of the equipment.
Avoid using in wet conditions (unless the equipment and supply cables are suitable for this).
Implement a programme of routine visual inspection and thorough testing of electrical equipment and
cables.

7. In relation to electrical safety, explain the meaning of the following terms:

(i) isolation (2)
it refers to shutting of the electrical supply to an item of equipment or part of an item of equipment or part
of an electrical system and preventing inadvertent reconnection in order, for instance, to carry out
maintenance work.
(ii) earthing (2)
this means whereby electrical equipment and conductive items are connected to earth by a cable or metal
pope work such that the route to earth provides the path of least resistance to a current flowing under fault
conditions.
(iii) reduced low voltage (2)
Commonly used on construction sites, involves the reduction of local supply voltage by a transformer to a
lower, safer voltage typically 110 or 55volts.
(iv) overcurrent protection. (2)
A method of preventing the flow of excess current by cutting the supply under fault conditions by means of
a fuse or circuit breaker.

8. Identify the electrical hazards that could be discovered by a visual inspection. (8)
Worn cable
Max current capacity exceeded
Overheating
Defective Equipment
Exposed electric cable
Misuse of electrical equipment
Failure to follow safety instruction
Incorrect fuse rating
Poor connections
Bad circuit connections