Electrical Safety

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 In this presentation……
Section I
 Electrical hazards
 Electrical accidents – Statistics
 Humans & Electricity
 Electrical Safety Programme elements

Section II
 Global Developments in Electrical Safety

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 Electrical Accidents-Statistics
• 25% of all fires occur due to electricity
• (NFPA)
• 411 deaths from job related electrical
accidents per year
• Electrocution - the leading cause of
death
•42 % of total fires occur due to electrical
sources
• 8% deaths that occur in Indian factories
are due to electricity 3
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENTS- 10 year Period,
Chemical Industry

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5
Electrical Near-Misses &
Accidents- Major Causes
Working on live equipment w/o
authorization or PPE

Wiring mistakes coupled with failure

of safe-energy conditions

Leaving unsafe conditions

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 Electricity and People
A person usually offers a lesser resistance
for the electricity

The person forms a completed circuit when

touching the ground

Electricity always tries to travel to ground

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 ELECTRICAL FIRES ….

ELECTRICAL FAULTS (Contd.)

– STATIC DISCHARGES

– LIGHTNING

– USING ORDINARY ELECTRICAL

EQUIPMENT IN HAZARDOUS AREAS
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Earthing

Most electrical equipment is designed with

a earthing system
Earth all equipment with metallic bod
Carry out ER tests annually as per NFPA
70
Take action on high ER values
Identify all earth pits, maintain a Earth Pit
lay out
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Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers
 ELCBs reduce the likelihood of fatal shocks
 Detect small amount of leakage current and
automatically switch off the power
 Can be used with extension cords and
portable tools
 Fuses and circuit breakers protect
equipment, not people
 Use the right sensitivity ELCBs (30, 100,
300 mA)

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Static Electricity
 Created when materials rub together
 Can cause shocks or even minor skin burns
 Can damage sensitive electronic equipment
 Reduced or prevented by:
– Proper grounding
– Anti-Static rubber matting
– Bonding & earthing of equipment, pipelines

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 Electrical Fire Protection
Use Linear Heat Sensing cables along with
smoke detectors
Consider all major electrical fires.
Install master control switches outside all
stores
Maintain PFEs for electrical rooms.
Consider local flooding systems for critical
panels/ switchgear panels.

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 Case Study
An electrician received a shock while trying to
replace a tube light ballast in live power
condition.
He touched a live conductor. He was not wearing
rubber gloves. Current entered his right hand
through his little finger and exited through his
left hand.
Post Accident Correction:
– Working on live circuits not permitted

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Equipment Operators

Never tamper with electrical interlocks

Do not repair electrical components of
your machine
Properly shut off machinery before
operation
Obey warning signs and follow safe
procedures
Follow procedures strictly
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 Electrical Preventive Maintenance

 Identification of critical Electrical Equipment

 Emergency lighting

 Fire Alarm System

 Protection Supply DC System

 UPS System, Battery Banks

 Electrical Maintenance Procedures to be followed

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Planning for EPM (Electrical Preventive Maintenance)

Personal Safety

Equipment Failure

Production Economics

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Electrical Preventive
Maintenance
 Carry out all tests (ER, IR, transformer oil,
DGA, LP system, transformer protective
devices- simulation, FA system for electrical
rooms, etc.)
 Adopt NFPA 70 E / B for electrical
maintenance
 Adopt Risk Based maintenance
 Use predictive maintenance tools (hotspot
detector, Ultrasonic detectors, Thermography)

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‘All electrical accidents
are preceded by rise in
temperature & sound’

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 ELECTRICAL SAFETY AUDIT

A systematic approach to
critically analyze the existing
Electrical Procedures and
Practices from safety point of
view
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Global Developments in
Electrical Safety

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 Present Status - ES-India
•ES Awareness is slowly growing
•Use of RCCBs in the rise, finer details are yet to
be understood by many
•More ES workshops / seminars are conducted in
India
•Statutory regulations are enforced strictly
(Karnataka, Delhi - Use of RCCBs mandatory in
residential buildings)
•Many industries are re-aligning their Electrical
practices based on international standards
(NFPA, IEEE, etc.) 21
 Evolvement of ES Standards /
organizations-United States

•NFPA - NEC (1897)

•NESC (1913), from IEEE
•NIOSH (Research example: development of
voltage detector that will signal the person if he
gets close to live power)-1970
• OSHA (1970)
•NFPA 70 E & B (1979) -approved by OSHA
•Electrical Trauma Centre, Chicago (1990)
•NESF(1994), by UL, NFPA, NEMA, CPSC
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ES Products...

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 ES Auditing Techniques

• Electrical Risk Assessment using Semi-Quantitative

Risk Ranking (SQRR) technique
•Emergency Lighting Risk Assessment

• Benchmarking against applicable standards:

•NFPA 780 Lightning Protection
•NFPA 70 M Electrical Preventive Maintenance
•NFPA 70 E Personal Safety from Electrical Safety

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 Electrical Risk Assessment (SQRR
Technique)

Risk Ranking based on severity, probability

High Risk- Statutory Non-compliance, F&E hazards,

Shock hazards, Risks that could result in immediate
threat to life & property. Immediate correction
Medium Risk - Maintenance flaws,Operational
issues-correction at the next available opportunity.
Low Risk - Mainly improvement measures, long term
implementation

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RCCB Tripping

How do we solve this problem in

India ?

Bypass it !!!

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 ES related Information
 Indian Electricity Rule, 1956 (2000 rev.):
(MoP, CEA web site,http://powermin.nic.in)
 Lightning Protection Risk Assessment:www.furse.com
 National Electrical Safety Foundation: www.nesf.org
 Free safety Power Point presentations: http://siri.org/
 Electrical Accidents: http://www.safteng.net:
 IEEE IAS ES WS –Delhi Dec. 2004

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Standards & Codes
 NFPA 70 E & B- E-Safety & Maintenance
 NFPA 780- Lightning Protection
 API RP 2003- Static Electricity
 API RP 500- HAC
 OSHA 29 CFR- part 1910- Arc Flash
 NFPA 70- NEC
 IEEE 1584- Arc Flash Protection
 NFPA 77- Static Electricity
 OSHA CFR 1926-Personnel Electrical Safety
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Summary
 Electricity will try to reach ground even if it means
going through a person
 Earthing has an important role in ES
 Always inspect power tools and cords and do not use
them if damaged
 Do not attempt to repair electrical equipment unless
trained and qualified
 Understand effects of Lightning- it could save your life!
 Major fires, explosions occurred due to ESD , lightning
in flammable atmospheres

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THANK YOU

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