May is Electrical Safety Month and in commemoration of that, the Electrical Safety Foundation International has issued some tips on how workers can stay safe on the job.Electrical injuries are a common cause of workplace injuries resulting in time lost from worker and workers' compensation claims.
"According to ESFI, more than 46,000 workers suffered electrical injuries within the last decade, and nearly 300 workers die every year from exposure to electrical hazards."
These tips will help you stay safe on the job, particularly if you work in a manufacturing facility.
De-energize Equipment
Working on energized equipment greatly increases the risk of injury and death. Power down whenever possible.
Lockout/Tagout
Lockout/tagout procedures safeguard workers from the unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment and also can prevent the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activities. ESFI points out that complying with OSHA's lockout/tagout procedures prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year. Even so, too many workers remain at risk by not following these procedures. Failure to comply with OSHA's lockout/tagout standard regularly is listed as one of the agency's top violations.
Arc Flash Prevention and PPE
According to ESFI, about 2,000 workers are admitted to burn centers each year for treatment of severe arc flash burns. Arc flashes may occur spontaneously or result from conductive dust buildup or bridging electrical contacts with a conducting object. While PPE should always be the last line of defense, wearing proper equipment - such as flame-resistant shirts and pants, safety glasses, face shields and more - can help protect workers in the event of a momentary electric arc, flash fire or exposure to energized equipment.
Work Permits
Work permits should be used when performing work on parts that cannot be de-energized or when testing, troubleshooting or measuring voltage. Work permits include information such as why and how the work will be conducted, safe work practices, appropriate PPE, details about possible hazards and who is authorized to perform the work. These permits require workers to define their work, provide justification for performing it on energized equipment, select proper PPE, define boundaries to prevent unqualified workers from being exposed to hazards and requiring approval to perform the work energized
