Chapter 4 Occupational Hazard and Control

Electrical hazards
 Electricity
• Electricity is the flow of
negatively charged particles
(electrons) through electrically
conductive material
• Electricity is a natural energy
force and
• Electricity is also a man made
energy force.
• It is essential to modern life and
taken for granted everyday.

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 What is Electricity
• Electricity flows through
conductors.
• Conductors include metals, water,
the Earth and the human body.
• Electricity must have a complete
circuit or path to flow.

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 How Electricity Works
• When electrical tools are
working properly a complete
circuit is maintained between
the tool and the energy source.
• However, if the tool is damaged
the person may come in contact
with the electricity and can
become a path for the current.
• The person will be shocked!

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 Sources of Electrical Hazards
Major causes of electrical shock
• Contact with a bare wire carrying current.
• Working with electrical equipment that lacks the UL
label for safety inspection.
• Electrical equipment not been properly grounded.
• Working with electrical equipment on damp floors or
other sources of wetness.
• Static electricity discharge.
• Using metal ladders to work on electrical equipment.
• Working on electrical equipment without ensuring that
the power has been shut off.
• Lightning strikes.

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 Sources of Electrical Hazards
• Electrical hazard that can cause electrical shock

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 Types of Electrical Hazards
Electrostatic Hazards
• Shocks from static electricity may result from a single discharge or
multiple discharges of static.
• Sources of electrostatic discharge include:
• Briskly rubbing a nonconductive material over a stationary surface.
• Multilayered clothing may also cause static sparks.
• Moving large sheets of plastic, which may discharge sparks.
• Static buildup in farm grain silos and mine shafts
• Conveyor belts may cause static sparks.
• Vehicle tires rolling across a road surface.
• Friction between a flowing liquid and a solid surface.

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Electrostatic discharge in gas tankers
 Types of Electrical Hazards
Arcs and Sparks Hazards
• With close proximity, or contact of conductors to
complete a circuit, an electric arc can jump the
air gap between the conductors, and ignite
combustible gases or dusts.

Combustible and Explosive Materials

• High currents through contaminated liquids may
cause contaminants to expand rapidly and
explode.

Lightning Hazards
• Lightning is static charges from clouds following the
path of least resistance to the earth, involving very
high voltage and current.
• If involves humans, serious disability may result,
including electrocution.
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 Types of electrical hazards
• Improper wiring
• Defective insulation
Insulation prevents conductors from
contacting each other or you.
• Improper Grounding
Grounding is the process used to
eliminate unwanted voltage.
The ground pin safely returns
leakage current to ground.

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 Types of Electrical Hazards
Equipment Failure
• Wet insulation can become a conductor
and cause an electrical shock.
• Portable tool defects can result in the
device's housing carrying an electric
current.
• Broken power lines carry great amperage
& voltage and can cause severe disability.

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 Types of Electrical Hazards
Overhead Power Lines

• Survey the site for overhead power lines.

• Never store materials or equipment under
overhead power lines.
• Maintain a distance of at least 10’ between
tools and equipment and overhead power
lines.
• Shocks and electrocutions occur where
physical barriers are not in place to prevent
contact with the wires.

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 Types of Electrical Hazards
Hazardous electrical equipment location

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 Electrical Hazards to Humans
Current effects on the human body (60-cycle AC current).

• Let-go current is the highest

current level at which a
person in contact with the
conductor can release the
grasp of the conductor.

• “Freeze" level of current in a

person to be the conductor;
the person cannot
voluntarily release his or her
grasp.

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Safety precautions for electrical hazards

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 Control of Electrical Hazards
Grounding
To safeguard people from electrical shocks, reduce the probability
of a fire, and protect equipment from damage.

• Grounding ensures a path to the

earth for the flow of excess current.
• Grounding also eliminates the
possibility of a person being shocked
by contact with a charged capacitor.
• Power surges and voltage changes
are attenuated and usually
eliminated with proper system
grounding.

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 Control of Electrical Hazards
Bonding
• Used to connect two pieces of
equipment by a conductor
• Can reduce potential differences
between the equipment & reduce
sparking.
• Bonding and grounding together are used
for entire electrical systems.

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 Control of Electrical Hazards
Separate equipment grounding
Involves connecting all metal frames of the equipment in a
permanent and continuous manner.
• If an insulation failure occurs, the current should return to the system ground
at the power supply for the circuit.
• The equipment ground wiring will be the path for the circuit current, enabling
circuit breakers and fuses to operate properly.
• The exposed metal parts of the equipment shown must be grounded or
double insulated

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 Control of Electrical Hazards
Equipment requiring grounding or double insulation

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 Control of Electrical Hazards
A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)
• Detect the flow of current to ground & open the circuit, thereby
interrupting the flow of current
• It continually matches the amount of current coming and going to
an electrical device.

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 Control of Electrical Hazards
Lock-out/Tag-out
• Workers must ensure electricity is off and “locked-out” before
work is performed.
• The switch must be tagged.
• The tag lets others know why the switch is off.
• Locks and tags are warning signs.
• Workers must be trained in lock-out/tag-out procedures.

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 Control of Electrical Hazards

• Use barriers and guards to prevent passage through

areas of exposed energized equipment
• Pre-plan work, post hazard warnings and use
protective measures
• Keep working spaces and walkways clear of cords
• Special Training is required for work on electrical
equipment. Such training is for Authorized Employees
and it covers:
i. Safe Work Practices
ii. Isolation of Electrical Sources
iii. Test Equipment
iv. Tools & PPE
• Only Authorized Employees may conduct electrical
work

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 Control of Electrical Hazards

• A willing, positive attitude towards safety will

help make a safer work environment.
• Always consider these safety precautions:
• Inspection tools,
• Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs),
• Lock-out/tag-out.
• Personal protective equipment (PPE),
include:
• hardhats
• rubber or insulating
• gloves
• insulating clothing
• NEVER use damaged PPE!

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