8 Critical Electrical Rules - SPEED TIP
Electricity Kills - Think Before You Act
Subcontractor Management
Ensure that electrical tools and equipment used by subcontractors are
in safe working order (i.e tools are inspected, tagged, color coded)
Assess subcontractor’s employees knowledge on electricity, train
them on general hazards, risks and needed controls.
Employees assigned for mechanical installation shall not do electrical work.
Energy Control Program
Live working is not allowed
Apply LOTO procedure on each dangerous task/equipment identified.
Provide employees and subcontractors with LOTO equipment and train
them to use correctly & verify energy state to be zero prior to work.
• Ensure that LOTO is personnel tool
• Train the team where to apply and how to use multimeter
• Remove conductive accessories before work
Inspection of electrical safety devices
If electrical protective device was assembled locally, it must be
tested by competent person before initial use
Every RCD/ELCB/GFCI shall have a test button, which should be
regularly checked to ensure correct operation.
It is important to note that ELCBs only operate when a fault to earth
occurs and they do not provide overload protection.
It shall be regularly checked and the same has to be recorded.
Portable Electrical Tools and Cords
Always inspect power tools and cords before each use
Portable electrical tools should be inspected daily, visually and
regularly by PAT/Testing Device. Apply tagging and color coding
accordingly.
Report any faults on tools and take out of use immediately & label the
defective tools with a ‘Do Not Operate/Use’ tag.
Always disconnect tools when not in use, or when servicing & never
carry a tool by the cord or hose & keep cord away from heat, oil, and
sharp edges.
Double Insulation
Always ensure that tools and cords are double insulated
If equipment has a metal enclosure, precautions must be taken to
prevent the metalwork from becoming live.
This can be achieved by double insulation in which the live parts of
the equipment are covered by two layers of insulating material.
Each layer is capable of adequately insulating the live parts alone,
but together they ensure that the occurrence of insulation failure and
its associated danger is extremely improbable.
Personal Protective Equipment
Always wear the personnel protective equipment
Provide employees and subcontractor’s employees with suitable PPE
and train them to use as and when required (e.g.: insulated gloves,
helmets and goggles, insulated screens, mats, etc)
Electrical Protective Device
All permanent and temporary electrical equipment shall be
protected; We shall not rely on the main contractor/client protective
devices, but we shall use our own electrical protective devices
Devices: commonly known as residual current devices (RCDs) or
sensitive current operated earth leakage circuit breakers (ELCBs).
Mechanism: current-operated and interrupt the supply in the event of a
small leak of current to earth, by means of automatic circuit breakers.
The type of RCD usually used on part of a distribution system will
function on an earth leakage current of 30 milliamps (mA) and trip the
circuit in not more than 30 milliseconds (ms).
Training and Qualifications
All employees shall be trained on general electrical hazards/risks and
controls
All electrical works must be done only by trained and competent
technicians (i.e technician with electrical experience/knowledge/
qualification) and be under appropriate supervision.
The inspection and maintenance of electrical appliances and do not
break word should be carried out only by a competent person.
“No job is so important or urgent
that it cannot be done in a safe way”
Remember! The first wrong touch could be the last!