Electricity is a good servant but a bad master. It’s critically important to exercise all safety measures when working with any electricity type, no matter the voltage or amperage. You simply can’t compromise on your and others’ safety when it comes to electricity. Whether at work, home, or outdoors, there are various safety rules and guidelines to follow to avoid any hazards. 

According to the Industrial Safety and Hygiene News, about 6000 fatalities occurred to workers in the U.S due to electrical injuries between the years 1992 and 2013. A closer look at these fatalities reveals that workers in construction, installation, repairs, extraction, and maintenance are more prone to electrical hazards. 

For this reason, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) instituted NFPA 70E, the electrical safety standard intended to ensure the prevention of fatalities and injuries related to electricity in the workplace. However, some people still neglect these safety protocols, much to their disadvantage. 

What You Need To Know About Electricity

It’s essential always to remain aware that any electrical system, no matter how small, has the potential to cause severe harm. However, to understand why this is the case, it’s necessary to know what electricity is. Simply put, electricity is the flow of electric charge from one point to another across a conductor. 

Electricity is a naturally occurring energy, and harnessing it has transformed human society and civilization. In the U.S and many other countries, the use of electricity is part of daily life. However, it’s one of the subjects that gets the least attention. Nevertheless, understanding the electric grid and how it works through appliances like extension cords and plugs can significantly reduce electrical accidents. 

Ignorance and negligence result in several injuries every year. However, not all electrical accidents are the same. 

The Kinds of Injuries Caused By Electrical Currents

People sustain different types of injuries after contacting an electrical circuit. The human body is a better conductor of electricity than the earth. This is why electrical current will flow through your body so easily. When this occurs, it may result in four major types of injuries, namely: 

Electrocution – Usually, fatalities caused by direct contact with exposed circuit parts or charged conductors

Burns – Electricity induced ignition or electric arc flash

Electric shock – Electric currents passing through a grounded person

Falls – Reflex reaction or muscle contractions lead to falls from aerial bucks, scaffolds, or ladders. 

Why You Need to Observe Electrical Safety Precautions

It is not enough to have a decent respect for the danger posed by electricity. You also need to understand why management and the respective authorities deemed it fit to implement the various electrical safety precautions. So here are three main reasons why safety protocols matter when dealing with electricity. 

1.Lose of lives  and properties

The first and most obvious reason behind electrical safety precautions is the prevention of fatality caused by electrocutions. There is enough voltage and electrical current in power outlets at homes and offices to cause death. Even an easy task like changing an electrical bulb could be hazardous if you don’t unplug the lamp. Expensive equipment and appliances can sustain damages, and failure to observe safety precautions can void your warranty and cause unnecessary loss. 

2.Penalty for violating safety protocols

For electrical workers who have to deal with electrical circuits every day, electrical safety precautions are not meant only to keep them safe. These precautions also prevent hazards to colleagues and customers. Therefore, negligence can result in serious injuries that will lead to penalties like fines or loss of employment. 

3.Legal actions

In some cases, a customer or worker could take legal actions against management if it comes to their attention that failure to follow safety precautions resulted in electrical hazards. On the other hand, employers can face prosecution for failing to meet electrical safety standards. 

Simple Checklist For Basic Electrical Safety

Now that you know the reason why you should observe electrical safety precautions, you’ll need to remember the safety precautions to protect yourself effectively. The fact remains that electrical safety measures can be complicated and, at times, challenging to remember. This is often the case with new workers. But even seasoned electrical professionals can find themselves violating some rules of electrical safety. 

Here is a simple checklist of basic electrical safety to help keep you safe at all times: 

  • Check plugs and extension cords daily. 
  • Get rid of octopus connections.
  • Never remove any third prong of any plug.
  • Never use extension cords in place of permanent wiring.

Conclusion

If you consider the data on electrical accidents, it’s evident that electrical hazards continue to pose a substantial danger to many workers in the United States. Thus, making electrical safety the leading concern for the power industry in North America. Anytime electrical accidents occur at the workplace (and this happens almost every day), they can be particularly debilitating, even resulting in loss of life. 

Therefore, electrical safety precautions require the highest level of attention and commitment from both employers and workers alike. It doesn’t matter if you don’t work directly with electricity. There is no reason why you shouldn’t follow the appropriate safety precautions and ensure others do too!