Electrical Safety Month

As we continue through time, our innovations have made us increasingly dependent on electricity. This fundamental resource is needed for daily operations in industries ranging from healthcare to transportation and everything in between. However, electricity can also pose a significant risk to individuals if proper safety measures are not taken. At SafetyNow, we are here to provide advice and guidance on best practices to keep individuals and communities safe and prepared. Even seemingly innocuous encounters with electric currents can have serious and long-lasting effects on the body and negatively impact mental health.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), short exposures to low voltages can be especially troubling. Even individuals who do not present any major physical injuries from an electrical exposure can exhibit long-term psychological symptoms that can significantly impact personal productivity, work output, and exacerbate underlying mental health issues. “Some people who have seemingly minor physical consequences as a result of their injuries have maximal changes in mood, emotion, and thinking abilities,” warns Dr. Neil Pliskin. Electrical safety is important at any level and in any field or occupation, including firefighters, emergency medical responders, and other professionals trained to be resistant to stress. These individuals may now find themselves struggling with issues such as anxiety, depression, and irritability.

Safety is about our community and brings us all together with the common goal of living a safe, long, and happy life. By prioritizing electrical safety and compliance, we can help ensure that individuals and communities are protected from harm and injury. At SafetyNow, we are committed to providing the advice and guidance needed to keep people safe and prepared for any situation. Electricity has become an indispensable part of our lives, powering everything from our homes to our workplaces. However, it is important to remember that electricity can be dangerous and even deadly if not handled properly. Ensuring electrical safety and compliance is crucial for protecting individuals and communities from harm and injury.

The human body is a good conductor of electricity, which means that even small electric currents can cause serious harm. In fact, even brief contact with a low-voltage electrical source can cause muscle contractions, burns, and even stop the heart. It is therefore essential to have proper safety protocols in place to prevent such accidents from occurring. In addition to physical harm, electrical exposure can also have long-lasting effects on mental health. Research has shown that individuals who experience electrical shocks, even if they don’t show any major physical injuries, can exhibit long-term psychological symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and irritability. It is therefore important to prioritize electrical safety at all levels and in all fields and occupations.

To ensure electrical safety and compliance, individuals and organizations must adhere to safety regulations and best practices, such as the use of personal protective equipment, proper training on the use of equipment, regular inspections, and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. By prioritizing electrical safety and compliance, we can protect individuals from harm and injury, and ensure that our communities remain safe and secure.

Electricity is an essential resource that powers our daily lives, but it can also pose significant risks to individuals and communities. Ensuring electrical safety and compliance is crucial for protecting against harm and injury. It is important to prioritize electrical safety in all industries and settings to prevent accidents and promote a safe environment for all.

The best way to safeguard workers from the risk of electrical shock and arc flash is to ensure that equipment is completely deenergized and isolated from its power source before work begins and isn’t put back into an energized state until the work is completed. When lockout and de-energization isn’t practicable, you’ll need to implement alternative safety measures, not the least of which is to ensure that workers use PPE that’s appropriate to protect them from hazards. Here’s an electrical safety PPE policy template that you can adapt for use at your own workplace.

POLICY

Individuals working in areas where there are potential electrical hazards must be provided with and use personal protective equipment (PPE) that’s appropriate for the specific work. Electrical tools and protective equipment must be specifically approved, rated and tested for the level of voltage relevant to the work activity.

INSULATING PPE

Insulating PPE, such as insulating gloves, must be rated for the voltage for which they’ll be exposed. Tests to verify the insulating properties of the PPE must be conducted every 36 months (3 years). ABC Company department heads are responsible for maintaining records of these tests…

Read More…

Electricity has a rich and fascinating history that spans centuries of human innovation and progress. The study of electricity dates back to the ancient Greeks, who discovered that rubbing certain materials together could create a static charge.  However, it wasn’t until the late 17th century that scientists began to truly understand the nature of electricity and its potential applications.

One of the most significant milestones in the history of electricity was the invention of the first practical electric battery by Alessandro Volta in 1800. This battery made it possible to store and transport electrical energy, paving the way for a wide range of new inventions and technologies. Over the next century, inventors and scientists made countless breakthroughs in the field of electricity, from the discovery of electromagnetic waves by James Clerk Maxwell in the 1860s to the invention of the light bulb by Thomas Edison in 1879.

The advent of electricity has had a profound impact on human society, enabling a wide range of new technologies and innovations. Electricity has revolutionized the way we live and work, making possible everything from modern transportation to advanced medical treatments. Today, electricity is a fundamental resource that powers everything from our homes and businesses to our communication networks and entertainment systems. It has enabled countless human achievements and continues to drive innovation and progress in all areas of life.

Keep Your Employees Safe This May

May is Electrical Safety Month, and SafetyNow ILT has the resources you need to keep employees safe.

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A 2022 survey found that 40% of employees feel they have inadequate electrical safety training.
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Last year, 63% of the injuries occurred among workers employed by their organization for at least one year.
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An NFPA survey found that 78% of electricians skip PPE sometimes because it’s inconvenient.
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Last year, nonfatal electrical injuries involving days away from work increased 17%.

Did you know?

  • Annually, electrical hazards are listed as the cause of about 4,000 injuries.

  • While only a small portion of electrical incidents occur on the job, they’re far more likely to be fatal.

  • Electricity ranks fifth among all causes of occupational injury.

  • Before the installation of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs), which de-energize a circuit when they detect a ground fault, eight hundred people died annually from household electrocutions. Now, less than 200 people die annually from household electrocutions.

  • Electricity is also the cause of more than 140,000 fires each year, resulting in 400 deaths, 4,000 injuries, and $1.6 billion in property damage.

  • The total economic losses due to electrical hazards are estimated to exceed $4 billion annually.

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