Construction

Electrical Safety
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• Overhead Power
Lines
– Ten feet safety
distance
– De-Energize them!
– Don’t become a
statistic!
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• OVERVIEW
• Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI)
• Grounding
• Hazardous locations
• Working near live electric
• CITATIONS
• No GFCI or assured equipment grounding program.
• Tools have no grounding conductor or path to ground is not
permanent and continuous.
• No signs or training near power lines.
• Equipment not approved for classified locations.
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY

• Major Points
– GFCI’s monitor between the hot & neutral
conductors. It will interrupt the current if a 5 ma
leak is detected.
– Employers who use defective electrical wiring
will probably be cited if their employees are
exposed whether or not they created the unsafe
condition.
 Subpart K - Electrical
(1926.400 - 449)
Branch circuits - Ground fault protection/
Assured equipment grounding conductor program
404(b )(1)(i) 458

Grounding path
404(f)(6) 259

Ground-fault circuit interrupters

404(b )(1)(ii) 147

Guarding live parts

403(i)(2)(i) 133

Equipment installation and use

403(b )(2) 115
 Effect on Human Body

• Path through body

– Path through heart can be fatal
– Common accidents have flow from hands to feet
• Duration of shock
– Shorter duration may be survivable
– Long duration results in heart damage and death
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY
Summary of Effects
• Current flow beyond “let-go” threshold & 5
seconds can be lethal
• Current flow through chest, neck, head, & nerve
centers cause respiratory failure
• Most dangerous is small current flow through
heart
• Large currents will stop heart (Short duration and no
damage is recoverable)
 Hazards of Electricity
• Explosions
– Ignition of explosive mixture
– Precise requirements for such areas
• Fires
– Electricity most common cause of fires
– Bad connections or repairs create heat
 Hazards Of Electricity
• Shock
– Direct (Flow through body)
– Indirect (Reaction due to shock)
• Burns (Typically on hands)
• Arc-blast
– Thermal radiation (Burn)
– Pressure wave (Ear damage & concussion)
– Projectiles (Molten metal and other objects)
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• Current and voltage
• Path
• Time - relates to proper grounding
• A majority of electrocutions are caused by voltages
less than 600 V
• Voltages as low as 115 volts can cause heart damage
in 3 or 4 seconds.
• The higher the voltage the shorter the time before
fibrillation starts.
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY
Effects of Amount of AC Current
ma=1/1000th of an amp

• 3 ma- painful shock which cause indirect accidents

• 10ma- muscle contraction...”no let go” danger
• 30ma- lung paralysis- usually temporary
• 50ma- possible ventricular fibrillation (heart
dysfunction, usually fatal)
• 100 ma- certain ventricular fibrillation, fatal
• 4 amps- heart paralysis, severe burns
Human Resistance to Electrical Current

Body Area Resistance (ohms)

Dry Skin 1,000,000-600,000

Wet skin 1,000
Internal body-hand to foot 400-600
Ear to Ear (about) 100
Note: Data is based on limited experimental tests, and is not intended to
indicate absolute values.
 Grounding and Bonding
• Path to ground is
– Permanent and continuous
– Ample current carrying capacity
– Low impedance to trip devices
• Bonding
– Electrical continuity of grounding circuit
through proper connections
 Electrical Protective Devices
• Fuses
– Opens circuit by melting metal strip
• Circuit breakers
– Trips when current flow is excessive
– Magnetic and thermal
• Ground fault circuit interrupters
– Not an over current device
– Opens circuit if load return route is incorrect
ELECTRICAL SAFETY

• Watch out for

unguarded electrical
circuits.
• Can a grounded
appliance even be
plugged into this
outlet?
• Common situation in
older facilities.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• Extension cords take a
lot of abuse.
• Protect your cords or
get heavy duty cords
more suited to the
working environment.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY

• The orange wire is a simple

extension cord.
• The blue wire is a heavier
duty, industrial strength
cord.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• This electrical cord has
no ground prong.
• In case of an over current
situation, where will the
electricity go?
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• Use the National Electric Code PLUS
– Ground fault protection 29CFR1926.404(b)(1)
– Protection of lamps on temporary wiring
29CFR1926.405(a)(2)(ii)(E)
– Suspension of temporary lights by cords
29CFR1926.405(a)(2)(ii)(F)
– Portable lighting in wet/conductive conditions
29CFR1926.405(a)(2)(ii)(G)
– Extension cord sets/flexible cords
29CFR1926.405(a)(2)(ii)(J)
ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
– Monitors the difference in current
flowing into the hot and out to the
grounded neutral conductors.
– Provides protection against
ground fault hazards
– “Trips” at 5 ma!!
– Not a substitute for Grounding!!
Equipment must still be grounded!
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• Assured Equipment Grounding Conductor
Program
– Covers all cord sets, receptacles that are not part
of permanent wiring
– Requires
• Written program
• Inspection of equipment
• Test of equipment/cables
• Schedule of tests
• Competent person
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• Assured Grounding Program
– Inspect
• Cord sets
• Cap, plug & receptacle of cord sets
• Equipment connected by cord & plug
• before each days use
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• Assured Grounding Program
– Test
• Continuity of equipment grounding
• Proper terminal connection
• Before each use
• After repair
• After suspected damage
• Every 3 months
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• Assured Grounding Program
– Inspect
• Cord sets
• Cap, plug & receptacle of cord sets
• Equipment connected by cord & plug
• Before each days use
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• January White Equipment to be repaired
• February White & Yellow should be tagged in brown
• March White & Blue

• April Green Wrap the appropriate

• May Green & Yellow color tape on the end of
• June Green & Blue of the cable after testing

• July Red
• August Red & Yellow
• September Red & Blue

• October Orange The National Electrical Contractors

• November Orange & Yellow Association recommends this color
• December Orange & Blue
scheme for marking electrical cords
for the Assured Grounding Program
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• Hazardous Locations
– Class I - gas or vapor
– Class II - dust
– Class III - fibers and flying debris
• Kinds of Conditions
– Normal
– Abnormal
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY

• Potential sources of ignition

– Arcs and sparks
– High temperatures
– Electrical equipment failure
– Overheated electrical lines