OHS Training

Program

ELECTRICAL SAFETY LECTURE

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh
Dr. Vo Viet Cuong
 OHS Training
Program
BASIC CONCEPTS

Introduction

Electrical accidents

Effects of current on human body

Factors impact on electrical accident

Step voltage

Touch voltage

Classification of buildings and electrical appliances

Main causes of electrical accidents

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program
INTRODUCTION

 Electricity is used in many places and fields:

Manufacture, commercial, service

Living activities

Industrial

City

Countryside
 The dangers of electricity are only known when person coming into
contact with electricity carrying parts. However, it may cause
emergency situations or death.
 More people work with electricity.
Have to care about electrical safety.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT

 Types of electrical accident.

Electric shock

Fire, explosion Electrical accidents Electrical burn

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT
ELECTRIC SHOCKS

 Direct contact  Indirect contact

Contacting with conductor Contacting with a exposed –
which is live in normal conductive – part which is not
circumstances. normally alive.

Direct contact Indirect contact

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong
 OHS Training
Program
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT
ELECTRICAL BURNS

 Short – circuit produce an arc.

 High voltage electrical discharge.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT
FIRE, EXPLOSION

 Current exceeds a given

value melts wire’s isolation
and produces an arc.
 Chemical location near high
current devices, high
temperature cause explosion.
 Fire, explosion occur in high
fire risk: dust, chemical
location, …

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program EFFECTS OF CURRENT
ON HUMAN BODY
EFFECTS OF EXCITEMENT

 Respiratory system, circulatory system.

Chest muscle shrunken, heart muscle pulsate irregularly.

Heart lacks of oxygen  Stop of breathing

 Nervous system.

Electric shock strong reaction at first

Paralysis insensibility death

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program EFFECTS OF CURRENT
ON HUMAN BODY
EFFECTS OF TRAUMA (HURT)

 The arc destroy skin. More dangerous is the destruction

to muscle, fat, tendon, bone.
 Electrical burn increases body heat and lead to death if
the current and time values existed for a long time.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program EFFECTS OF CURRENT
ON HUMAN BODY
EFFECTS OF PSYCHOLOGY

 Dizziness, panic

 Fear

 More afraid of using electrical devices

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program FACTORS IMPACT
ON ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT

AMPERE – TIME CURVE

 Safe current value through body :

Alternating current (50 – 60 Hz) must be less than 10mA.

Direct current must be less than 50mA.

 The higher of electrical shock time, the more dangerous.

 Imax value and duration of current flow for heart doesn’t stop
beating.

Imax current (mA) 10 60 90 110 160 250

Duration of 30 10 3 2 1 0.4
current flow (s)

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program FACTORS IMPACT
ON ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT
AMPERE – TIME CURVE
 I = f(t) curve with frequency (15÷ 100 Hz)
Up to 50%
Up to 5% probability of probability of
ventricular fibrillation ventricular
fibrillation

More than 50%

Imperceptible probability of
ventricular
fibrillation

Heart stop
Muscular contraction, beating and
Not effect
probability of heart breathing
on
physiology fibrillation if current
and time increased

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program FACTORS IMPACT
ON ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT
AMPERE – TIME CURVE

 The relationship between touch voltage UT(V) and

duration of current flow
through body.
 UT < 50V duration of current
flow through body is unlimited.
 UT = 50V duration of current
flow through body is
5 seconds.

Safe curve
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong
 OHS Training
Program FACTORS IMPACT
ON ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT
BODY RESISTANCE

 It is resistance value measured between two electrodes

put on human body.
 Body resistance also
R1, C1: Skin resistance
C1 R1 and capacitance at Ing
varies depends on: position flow through

Calluses body.

Rng: Body internal organ

Touching area Ung Rng resistance.

Touching pressure
R2, C2: Skin resistance
and capacitance at Ing

Touching time position flow out of body.

Touching environment C2 R2

Ing
 To be safe, body
resistance is often chosen Body resistance equivalent diagram
equal 1,000Ω.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong
 OHS Training
Program FACTORS IMPACT
ON ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT
DIRECTION OF CURRENT THROUGH THE BODY
 Dangerous levels are difference depend on direction of
current through the body.
Direction of Factor Dangerous levels
current
Left hand to left 1 Danger, rarely occur
1,3
1,5 foot
0,7
0,3
Right hand to 0,8 Danger, usually occur
right foot
0.7
Back to left hand 0,7 More danger
Back to right hand 0,3 Less danger
Chest to left hand 1,5 Most danger, rarely occur
Chest to right hand 1,3 Very dangerous
0,8 1
Ass to hand 0,7 More danger
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong
 OHS Training
Program FACTORS IMPACT
ON ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT

CURRENT, FREQUENCY CURRENT

 Direct current is less dangerous than alternating current.
 Industrial frequency alternating current (50÷ 60Hz) is
especially dangerous.
 The higher of frequency, the less dangerous we get.
Effects of frequency band on body
Frequency band Name Application Effect

DC- 10kHz Low frequency Civil and Heating, destroy

industrial circuit cells
100kHz ÷ 100MHz Radio frequency Electrical burn, Dielectric cells
electrical heat heating
100MHz ÷ 100GHz Microware wave Microwave oven Water heating

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program FACTORS IMPACT
ON ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT

SORROUNDING ENVIRONMENT
 The higher of humidity, the smaller of body resistance.

 Sweat, chemical substances increase skin’s conductance.

 High temperature  body resistance will be decreased.

 Dirty body also decrease skin resistance.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program FACTORS IMPACT
ON ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT

ALLOWED TOUCH VOLTAGE

 Is a voltage value that person can stand for a long time.

 Allowed touch voltage value depends on :

Distribution system (IT, TT, TN)

Fault disconnecting time of protective device
 In normal circumstances (UT or UC = 50V) IEC 60038
standard defines :

TT system, the maximum allowed of touch voltage is 50V

TN system

IT system

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program FACTORS IMPACT
ON ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT
ALLOWED VOLTAGE

 In wet circumstances (UT = 25V) IEC 60364 standard defines:

TN system IT system
Rated voltage tmax (s) Rated voltage tmax (s)
U0(V) U0/U(V)
Without With
neutral neutral
120 0,35 120/240 0,4 1
230 0,20 230/400 0,2 0,5
277 0,20 277/480 0,2 0,5
400,480 0,05 400/690 0,06 0,2
580 0,20 580/1000 0,02 0,08

Maximum disconnecting time for TN and IT system

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong
 OHS Training
Program
STEP VOLTAGE

 Is a voltage that a person have when 2 feet are standing

on two positions on the ground or floor. Potential
difference because of stray current through the ground.
 Equidistant fault positions
produce equipotential
circles.
 Touch voltage values
depend on short current,
earth resistance,
arrangement of earth
system.

Voltage arrangement positions on the ground

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong
 OHS Training
Program
STEP VOLTAGE
 The longer distances to earth fault is, the smaller Ub value
we have.
 Ub = 0 if person’s feet stand
on an equipotential circle.
Ub = Ux – Ux+a

Ub = Iρa/2πx(x+a)

 Outside 20m, consider Ub = 0

 The allowed value of Ub didn’t
regulate.

Step voltage
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong
 OHS Training
Program
STEP VOLTAGE

 Low value Ub is not dangerous because physiological

characteristic of current flows from foot to foot.
 With Ub = 100÷ 250V, the feet can be contracted then
person can be fall down. It is dangerous because the
current flows from hand to foot.
 To prevent step voltage, they determined values of
maximum allowed earth resistance for each situation.
 When earth fault happens  Restricted distances for
people are :

4 ÷ 5 meters for indoor installation.

8 ÷ 10 meters for outdoor installation.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program
TOUCH VOLTAGE

 Is a voltage put on person (hand - foot) when person

contacted with a conductor which is live in normal
circumstances.

Fault device
voltage to earth

Earth
system

Touch voltage
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong
 OHS Training
Program
TOUCH VOLTAGE
 The longer distances to earth electrode is, the higher of
touch voltage value.
 Touch voltage value
put on person:
UT = α.Uñ
α: touch factor
 The allowed value for
UT didn’t determine.
However:

UT < 50V (without
protective devices)

UT < 250V (with
Touch voltage in fault area
protective devices)

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program
TOUCH VOLTAGE

 The greater the distance of earth electrode is, the higher

of touch voltage value.
 Touch voltage value put on
person : 2. Combination of
earth clamps
UT = α.Uñ
α: touch factor 1. One earth clamp

 Touch voltage value will be

smaller if earth system
spread over a large area.
Voltage distribution curve in stray
current area of 1 phase fault

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program
STEP VOLTAGE

Fault circuit equivalent diagram

 Assumed that touch voltage from hand to foot

Voltage value put on person in stray current area :
Ung1 = Uñ - Ux1 – Un

Outside of stray current area :
Ung2 = Uñ - Un
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong
 OHS Training
Program
TOUCH VOLTAGE

IEC standard determined maximum disconnecting time

when the assumed value of UL = 50V
Assumed touch Maximum disconnecting time for the
voltage (V) protective device (second)
Alternating current Direct current
<50 5 5
50 5 5
75 0,60 5
90 0,45 5
120 0,34 5
150 0,27 1
220 0,17 0,40
280 0,12 0,30
350 0,08 0,20
500 0,04 0,10
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong
 OHS Training
Program
TOUCH VOLTAGE

IEC standard determined maximum disconnecting time

when the assumed value of UL = 25V

Assumed touch Maximum disconnecting time for the

voltage (V) protective device (second)
Alternating current Direct current
25 5 5
50 0,48 5
75 0,30 2
90 0,25 0,80
110 0,18 0,50
150 0,12 0,25
230 0,05 0,06
280 0,02 0,02

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program CLASSIFICATION OF BUILDINGS
AND ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES

CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES

 Less dangerous buildings :

Dry work environment, without electrical dust, to < 25oC.

Without earth connected metal parts.

With isolated floor.
 Dangerous buildings :

Work environment with humidity 75 - 97%, with electrical dust, to ≤ 30oC.

With some earth connected metal parts.

With electric floor.
 Very dangerous buildings :

Work environment with humidity > 97%, with electrical dust, to > 30oC.

With many earth connected metal parts. (60% work area)

With metal floor.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program CLASSIFICATION OF BUILDINGS
AND ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES
CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES

 For voltage:

High voltage electrical appliances U ≥ 1000V

Low voltage electrical appliances U < 1000V
 For location of electrical appliances:

Fixed appliances

Portable appliances

Handle appliances

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program MAIN CAUSES OF
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT
LOW- VOLTAGE NETWORK
 Main cause is direct contact:

Electric wires have no isolation.

Isolation is broken or downgraded.

No protection caps

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program MAIN CAUSES OF
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT
HIGH-VOLTAGE NETWORK

 Main cause is arc flash:

When people come near
appliances or cables at high
voltage  might have electrical
accident even do not touch.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program MAIN CAUSES OF
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT

STEP VOLTAGE

 When electric wire is cut off and

grounded, the current flows into
the earth  every position on
the ground has different
voltages and higher when closer
to the grounded point.
 If a person stands in this place
will have “step voltage“.
 The longer steps are, the higher
voltage put on between 2 feet.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program MAIN CAUSES OF
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT
DO NOT FOLLOW
ELECTRICAL SAFETY PROCEDURE
 Climb the electrical pole without permission.
 Violate electrical safety corridors.

 Do not turn off the switch before repairing electrical

devices .

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program MAIN CAUSES OF
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT

DO NOT FOLLOW
ELECTRICAL SAFETY PROCEDURE
 Do not use electrical devices for the right way.
 Using electricity disorderly and wrong purposes.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program MAIN CAUSES OF
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT

PEOPLE WHO USE ELECTRICITY

 People, who are using electricity, are not educated, or
their electrical safety knowledge is unsure and not
systematic.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong

 OHS Training
Program MAIN CAUSES OF
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT
ELECTRICITY SUPPLYER
 System design, installation, M&O is not good.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Quyen Huy Anh Dr. Vo Viet Cuong