SEM 1 2010/2011

ELECTRICAL SAFETY AND HAZARDS

EEPB 423

(GROUP PROJECT REPORT)

QUESTION NO: 2

GROUP NO: 1

KHAIRUN IZALYDIA BT ABDUL JALIL EP 078835

ABDULLAH FAISAL BIN ZAINURI EP 079363

WAN MOHD SHAHRULFARH BIN WAN SHAMSUDDIN EP 078782

NORSHAHIRA BT KHAIRUDIN EE 078890

NUR AIN BT ABD HAMID EE 078973

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PEER EVALUATIONS 1

CASE STUDY SELECTED 3

OVERALL VIEW OF CASE STUDY 4

EVENTS LEADING TO OCCURRENCE OF INCIDENT 6

RECOGNIZING, EVALUATING AND CONTROLLING HAZARD 7

SUGGESTED WORKPLAN FOR SAFETY PROCEDURES 9

CONCLUSION 10

REFERENCES 10
CASE STUDY SELECTED : 02

BACKGROUND
A group of workers were carrying out palm fruit harvesting work in a plantation when the
incident occurred. In the process of cutting the palm fruit from a tree, the victim accidentally
cut into a LV 3x95mm aerial bundle cable. The victim received an electrical shock through the
aluminum pole which he had used as part of his cutting tool. Victim died at the place of
incident.

OVERALL VIEW OF CASE STUDY

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 As we have already learned, electricity requires a complete path (circuit) to continuously
flow. Electricity travels in closed circuits, normally through a conductor. Shock results when the
body becomes part of the electrical circuit where current enters the body at one point and
leaves at another. Typically, shock occurs when a person contacts with:

1. Both wires of an energized circuit.

2. One wire of an energized circuit and the ground.
3. A metallic part in contact with an energized wire while the person is also in contact with
the ground.

There are many ways in which electrical accidents happen. Besides construction workers
that faced risks in their working site, agricultural workers are particularly subject to the hazards
of electricity because tall equipment, such as grain augers, combines, raised dump truck beds
and aluminum pole can become entangled in overhead power lines. Accidents have also
occurred with overhead power lines when moving all these equipments.

Based on the case-study background, the employee died at the place of incident because he
received an electrical shock through the aluminum pole which he had used as part of his cutting
tool. Basically, the third cause as mentioned above is the main cause that leads to the
occurrence of the incident.

Electricity is the flow of electrons from one atom to another in any material. Materials that
allow electricity to flow easily are called conductors. Most metals, such as copper and
aluminum, make good conductors of electricity. Insulators are materials that do not allow
electricity to flow through them. Good examples of insulators are glass, plastic, and rubber.
Unfortunately, our bodies can allow current to pass through them, causing anywhere from a
mild tingling sensation to cardiac arrest and burning.

In addition, the employee should aware that overhead and buried power lines at site are
hazardous because they carry extremely high voltage. Fatal electrocution is the main risk, but
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burns and falls from elevations are also hazards. Using tools and equipment that can contact
power lines increases the risk. Thus below are a few equipments that can contact power lines:

1. Aluminum paint rollers

2. Backhoes Concrete pumpers
3. Cranes
4. Metal building materials
5. Metal ladders
6. Raised dump truck beds
7. Scaffolds

 Electric shock can only occur when contact is made between two points of a circuit-
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when voltage is applied across a victim's body.
  Power circuits usually have a designated point that is "grounded"-firmly connected
to metal rods or plates buried in the dirt to ensure that one side of the circuit is
always at ground potential (zero voltage between that point and earth ground).
 A ground fault is an accidental connection between a circuit conductor (aluminum
pole) and the earth (ground).
 Special, insulated shoes and mats are made to protect persons from shock via
ground conduction, but even these pieces of gear must be in clean, dry condition to
be effective. Normal footwear is not good enough to provide protection
from shock by insulating its wearer from the earth.
 Though dirt is a poor conductor, it can conduct enough current to injure or kill a
human being.

EVENTS LEADING TO OCCURRENCE OF INCIDENT

1. The main course of victim received an electrical shock was because the victim used an
aluminium pole as a cutting tool.

2. Aluminium is a very good conductor. Thus, when the victim tried to cut down the palm
fruit, he accidentally cut the aerial bundle cable which was hanging onto the tree. There
was no insulator present that could act as a shield against the conductor of the cable,
therefore lead to direct contact between the aluminium pole and the conductor of
cable, and the victim created a path to the ground.

3. Another reason which may cause the incident is that there was no sign board or warning
board around that area that could alert the victim about the existence of the cable
which supposed to be the employer’s and authorities’ responsibility before proceeding
the work.

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 4. Besides that, the victim was not wearing proper personal protective equipment, PPE
such as rubber glove and rubber boot that could act as an insulator that limit the current
to avoid electrical flow to the ground.

5. Although the workers worked in a group, the distance of each worker from the other
might be too far. The other workers might not notice that the victim had been in contact
with the live cable and causing the victim in contact for long enough for casualty.

6. Victim might receive electrical flow from his hand through the chest and flowing to the
ground through the leg. Electrical shock that passed through the chest caused the heart
to beat even faster than normal. Thus, the victim experienced a heart failure and it
eventually stopped beating.

7. Every worker should be given a brief of safety measures and an instruction to perform
emergency treatment before the paramedic. In this case, the victim experienced a heart
failure which caused the victim not breathing. The oxygen was not circulating in the
body long enough which caused the death of the victim.

8. The paramedic was taking too much time to arrive to the scene as the plantation was
not equipped with proper emergency exit/road for this kind of accident. Thus, the victim
was unconscious for over 15 minutes.

RECOGNIZING, EVALUATING AND CONTROLLING HAZARD

Recognizing the Hazard

a) Equipment used to pluck the palm fruit.

b) Parasite plants between the cable line and palm fruit.
c) Proper used of PPE.

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Evaluating the Hazard

a) An aluminum pole used as an equipment to pluck the palm fruit has no insulator at the
holder Therefore aluminum, a good conductor allowed the current to pass through the
worker’s body then to the ground as a complete circuit which caused the worker to be
electrocuted.

b) Parasite plants surrounding the cable line and palm fruit had caused some troubles for
the worker to pluck the palm fruit that lead to miss-aim and accidentally cut the cable.

c) The worker himself did not wear proper protective equipment while handling his work
such as proper glove and boot that has its own resistivity to limit the flow of current.

Controlling the Hazard

EMPLOYER:

a) Provide equipment with proper insulated material to reduce the risk of hazard to the
user.
b) Make sure that the area of work is safe and clear.
c) Provide training and supply PPE to the worker.
d) Consult with authority that in charge with the cable line before performing the work.

EMPLOYEE:

a) Aware of any possible hazard around the working area and take a serious safety
consideration.
b) Wear PPE provided by employer
c) Follow safety procedures given by the employer.

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SUGGESTED WORKPLAN FOR SAFETY PROCEDURES

Procedure

To avoid the incident from happen again, a new design of work procedure should be followed
by the workers for their safety. The procedures are:

i. Wear personal protective equipment suitable for the job which includes gloves, rubber
shoes and safety helmet.
ii. Always work in pairs with maximum distance from each other is 5 meters , for the
purpose of the workers can see each other and provide initial help if accident occurs.
iii. Workers should indicate location of any power cables in the plantation before starts
working in the plantation.
iv. Make sure there is no possible electrical path through the workers by using PPE.
v. Checks all equipments used are in good condition and not using any conductive
material.
vi. Starts to work only after all potential hazard is identified and keeping safe distance from
the power cables.

Safety measures

Before start any works to harvest the palm oil in the plantation, there are several safety
measures that need to be followed:

i. Wear all personal protective equipment.

ii. Do not use any harvesting equipment that uses electric conducting material as a pole. As
precautions to avoid workers electrocuted.
iii. Do not harvest the palm oil that is less than 1 meter from the power lines.
iv. Put signs around the power cables path to alert all personals. The signs must use bright
color and clear wording.
v. All workers must attend work safety course and CPR training.

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 vi. All workers must be informed of the location of first aid kit and important number to
contact during emergency.

CONCLUSION

To conclude, electrical safety in the workplace is the most important job of an electrical
worker. No matter how much training one has received or how much employers try to
safeguard their workers, electrical safety is ultimately the responsibility of the electrical worker.
The human factor associated with electrical accidents can be immeasurable. Everyone has the
right to work in a safe environment. No one can replace a worker or loved one that has died or
suffered the irreparable consequences of an electrical accident. Therefore, through cooperative
efforts, employers and employees can learn to identify and eliminate or control the electrical
hazards

REFERENCES

1) Kenneth G. Mastrullo and Ray A. Jones, Jones & Bartlett Learning, “The Electrical safety
Program Book”, 2003.
2) Ek Greenwald, John Wiley & Sons Publisher, “Electrical Hazards and Accidents: their
Cause and Prevention”, 1991.

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