In industrial projects and production spaces, electrical risks are always latent if preventive measures are not taken and, in general, there is a good design of the facilities.
They can even be the consequence of general failures in the public supply system, affecting the municipal or national level, generating operational problems and, most unfortunate, injuries and even the death of workers.
These threats towards the operators, collaborators and the production processes and the infrastructure itself, generating losses of human and economic lives.
In the next lines of this material we will show you what are the major and main electrical occupational hazards, as well as the necessary actions to establish an electrically safe working condition.
Before delving into these, it should be remembered that it is essential not to carry out activities on equipment or facilities until the electrical current has been removed and the padlocks and tags indicated by the lockout and tag out procedure have been placed.
- Direct contacts
This unsafe condition is the consequence of a deficient design of the installation, giving rise to “provisional” installations, inappropriate maintenance since the integrity of the electrical installations is not verified, misuse or “accidental” damage to the terminals, and lack of information or warning signs.
It consists of the contact of collaborators, operators and people in general with conductors, or parts of energized electrical circuits, generating a discharge that can cause severe damage, it is also known as electric shock.
In order to face this risk and eliminate it, it is necessary to undertake actions such as: Distancing of active parts It consists of separating the parts in tension from the areas in which the workers carry out their activities, avoiding potential fortuitous or accidental contacts.
It is important to mention that if a “provisional installation” is necessary, the minimum height of the conductors must be greater than 2.5 meters, that is, it must be out of the reach of people.
Coating of active parts
To complement the previous point, the voltage conduits must be covered with materials that function as insulators, thus preventing the electric current from coming into contact with people; this option requires that the power supply be cut off first.
Interposition of obstacles
It is about placing obstacles strategically and consistently to avoid accidental contact and ensure that the distance is respected with respect to electrically energized parts.
Obstacles must be safe, visible and resistant to mechanical movements. Other good practices, in terms of preventing contact discharges, are covering fuses and prohibiting the use of blade conductors that are not sufficiently protected or in poor condition.
- Indirect contacts
They are produced as a consequence of failures in accessories and receiving devices, diverting currents through metallic parts of the installations and other materials that can conduct electricity, including humid air or air with a high concentration of particles.
This fault condition in conjunction with the voltage handled results in the electric arc with its two components, the first characterized by an arc shock emission (which emits heat, splinters of electrical components, molten metal and light energy, temperatures can reaching 5000 C) and arc lightning (which emits sound and shock waves), both phenomena cause serious injuries and even death due to external and internal burns or blows against structural elements.
To prevent this type of situation, it is necessary to take into account the distribution and design of the facilities, the artifacts and materials present, and the dynamics of movement of the personnel.
Based on this, it is convenient to adopt measures such as: Grounding It is nothing more than joining a point of the electrical installation —such as casings and tools— to the earth mass, to divert a possible electrical discharge from people.
Circuit separation
Separating the different circuits from the power source allows their isolation, reducing the threat of electric arc. A source for determining safety distances in energized circuits is the NFPA 70 E “Electrical Safety” standard.
Double insulation
To protect yourself from electric shock due to faulty wiring in a power tool, tools with this feature should be preferred.
It is important that you use materials and insulation methods resistant to corrosion, so that they guarantee protection in the medium and long term.
Equipment that has this feature is marked with:
24V safety currents
They are small security tensions that can neutralize the charges and that serve as a complement to the other actions mentioned.
As in the previous case, these measures lose effectiveness if they are taken into account in isolation. They must be part of a general prevention program and plan, which contemplates different instances and security actions.
- Fires
These are a consequence of collapses and failures of electrical installations and devices, which generate sparks, short circuits.
A fire of electrical origin is a great threat to both the state of the infrastructure, the work space and the integrity of the occupants of a residential, industrial or office facility.
To prevent them, it is necessary, first of all, to consult specialists to design and develop electrical systems and installations. It is of paramount importance to carry out continuous inspections to detect damages in time.
In addition to this, it is essential that every company and project have specific fire prevention and control measures, as well as response plans for this type of disturbing agents.
- Forced stoppages and losses
The failures of the public electrical system also represent great labor threats, especially for organizations that work in the production sectors and industrial projects.
These problems can range from unscheduled service interruptions or damage to transformers or key equipment for the availability and stability of supply.
By causing sudden stoppages, these failures tend to cause loss of inputs in productive companies, and even interfere with the final quality of the product, since the continuity of operations is stopped and compliance with quality standards is difficult.
This threat is prevented with the installation and application of electrical backup sources, such as emergency plants, which can be activated and guarantee the completion of production cycles when the public supply fails.
Today, the market has a wide variety of generators with different capacities and that use different types of fuel, such as diesel and natural gas, so you will be able to find an option adjusted to your budget and your cost standards.
Very well! Now you know what 4 of the main electrical risks are about and what actions you need to take to prevent them or minimize their effects.
Do not forget that poor installation, failure of certain devices and even power supply problems can cause unfortunate and far-reaching accidents that compromise your operations and your main resources, including human talent.
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