Hundreds of construction workers suffer shock each year when handling electrical tools and equipment.
One of the big problems in understanding the dangers of electrical shock is the mistaken belief that only high voltages kill. It’s not the voltage that’s lethal but the amount of current that passes through the body. The condition and placement of the body have a lot to do with the chance of getting a shock.
Employers must train their workers about the basic facts regarding the causes of electrical shock when using these tools.
Water and electricity
Damp areas and metal objects can offer good shortcuts for electricity to reach the ground. If a worker’s hands are sweaty, socks and shoes are moist or damp, the floor is wet, or standing in a puddle of water; the moisture may allow more current to pass through the body.
Workers should recognize the hazards and take necessary precautions if work is to be done with metal objects or in damp areas. These include:
- Rubber gloves and boots,
- Rubber mats,
- Insulated tools and
- Rubber sheets that can be used to cover exposed metal.
Also, extra caution should be taken in rainy conditions when working with electrical equipment or near grounded objects.
Other precautions
It’s not just the presence of water that can cause a worker to be electrocuted. Electricity is always dangerous, and workers should take all precautions necessary to avoid injury or death.
It would help if you taught them the following:
- Treat every electric wire as if it were a live one.
- Inspect equipment and extension cords before each use.
- Take faulty equipment or plugs with bent or missing prongs out of service for repair.
- Only qualified electricians should repair electrical equipment or work on energized lines.
- If a plug or receptacle doesn’t have three prongs or three openings, make sure the tool is grounded in some other way before use.
- Never try to bypass an electrical system by cutting off the third prong of a plug.
- Turn off the power and report the smell of hot or burning plastic, smoke or sparks, or the presence of flickering lights.
- Stop using a tool or appliance if a slight shock or tingling is felt.
- Never disconnect an electrical plug by pulling on the cord.
- Whenever working on an electric circuit, it should be turned off and locked out at the circuit breaker or fuse box to prevent accidental turning on.
- Those who regularly work on or around energized electrical equipment should be trained in emergency response and CPR.
The takeaway
Electrical tools require additional precautions on the part of your workers. You must train them in proper usage and how to spot potential dangers of electrocution.
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