Electrical Safety in the Workplace

Creating a safe work environment is one of the most important tasks that contractors are responsible for. Staying out of harm’s way involves the proper use of equipment, following safe work practices and an up-to-date awareness of the many codes and regulations sanctioned by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

For electrical contractors, safety is a little more involved. Due to the nature of the work, electricians must not only do all of the above, but also pay attention to a few more considerations.

According to OSHA, many electrical-related accidents can be prevented through the proper use of insulation, guarding, grounding and electrical protective devices.

OSHA’s electrical standards are based on the National Electrical Code (NEC), known as NFPA 70, developed by the National Fire Protection Association. In addition to NFPA 70, OSHA refers employers to the NFPA 70E standard, Standard For Electrical Safety In the Workplace, for guidelines on best practices for protecting employees.

“It’s very important for electricians to follow NFPA 70E,” says Doug Douty, owner of D & D Resources, an electrical contracting, general contracting and training firm in Fresno, Calif. “They need to understand how little current it takes to receive an electrical shock or to become electrocuted and die. Even one-tenth of one amp of electrical shock can cause death.”

Safe workplace practices
NFPA 70E provides for practices and procedures for employee safety relative to electrical hazards in the workplace. “A basic tenant of safe workplace practices for persons working on or about electrical equipment is to be aware of the hazards involved, such as electric shock, arc flash and arc blast,” Douty says.

Douty reviews some basic parameters for electrically safe work conditions:

1. Determining all possible sources of electrical supply to the specific equipment
2. Safely interrupting the load current
3. Visually verifying, if possible, that the disconnecting means is fully open
4. Apply lockout/tagout devices
5. Use approved means to verify the absence of voltage

In addition to correct procedures and understanding how electricity behaves, the appropriate tools and equipment are critical, Douty says. “Keep all tools properly maintained and exercise caution when working near energized lines. Use safety test equipment with the proper rating and use the procedures recommended by the manufacturer.”

Personal protection equipment (PPE)
It almost goes without saying that using the appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE) is critical to safety. NFPA 70E calls for wearing the appropriate PPE including rubber gloves, leather protectors over rubber gloves, eye protection and arc-resistant clothing, Douty says. “Code requires electricians to wear this gear but in many cases they don’t know about it, so they don’t wear it. For residential work, safe work practices permit long-sleeve shirts and jeans, but no T-shirts, unless they are flame retardant. Shorts are out of bounds in most cases.”

Kevin Lytle, vice president of Thompson Electric in Omaha, Neb., a contractor that performs commercial electrical work, recommends that contractors take the requirements for worker PPE very seriously. “We follow NFPA 70E for all electrical equipment installation and repairs,” he says, adding, “For high-voltage commercial and industrial-type work, we use special arc flash suits rated for the specific type of electrical work being performed. Hard hats safety glasses and fire-retardant shirts are worn at all times, regardless of the electrical task being performed.”