Causes and Preventive Measures to avoid any Electrical Mishappening in the industrial environment.

The industry is prone to electrical hazards and substantial accidents. Electrical hazards are estimated to cause more than 300 deaths and 4,000 injuries each year in the United States workforce. 

However, this figure is insufficient since people risk more without necessary caution while working in electrocution-prone areas. 

So no matter how much pro one becomes, there are various unavoidable ways injuries can happen while doing industrial work. But, unfortunately, the preventive measures still fall short, and the hazards continue to cause deaths and gruesome injuries in the workplace. 

Causes of electricity-related accidents:

1. The worker has inadequate training to perform the tasks at hand. 
2. The provided training does not provide sufficient knowledge about electrical hazards. 
3. The electrical circuits are not properly isolated, which results in electrical injuries.
4. The workers are not sufficiently aware of hazard warning signs. The safety signs are meant to prevent injury and ensure that staff and visitors are aware of their current environmental hazards.
5. The employees unknowingly work on electrical equipment, which can result in shocks and brain damage. 

Accidents caused by unsafe equipment installation:

The electrical equipment must be acceptable by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). To be deemed acceptable, the equipment must be marked by NRTL, UL, and FM to be accepted by OSHA. In addition, the equipment must be installed and labeled within its capacity.  

Guarding, grounding, circuit protective devices, and safe work practices help in preventing any accidents. 

Reasons to use circuit protection devices:

• The devices limit the flow of current in the event of a ground fault, overload, or short circuit in the wiring system.
• The circuit breakers open or break the circuit when too much current flows through them and melts the circuits. Thus, they are the primary source of protection of conductors and equipment. 

 

Procedure for site inspection:

• Always follow the written procedure and isolate all written energy sources. This will prevent any automatic startup of the equipment. 
• The employees who are thoroughly trained should only be allowed to maintain and check the electrical equipment.
• One individual lockout device should be issued to each authorized employee responsible for introspecting, and no two lockout devices should be similar to the other. 
• The person who has complete knowledge of electricity and appropriate OSHA standards must be allowed to administer the program. 

Here are some tips to keep electrical injuries from happening in a workplace:

1. The electrical hazards must be labeled with care so that they are easily identifiable. 
2. Keep your equipment away from the source of any energy. You must use only those equipment specifically designed for the job.
3. Ladders, made from non-conductive materials such as wood, help you avoid getting shocks in large amounts. It will also help you avoid falling.
4. Any equipment that is hot on touch indicates bad wiring that can cause electrical firing.
5. Never put nails to keep extension wires in place. It’s always better to avoid electrical chords as much as possible. In addition, it’s important to thoroughly inspect the cords timely so that they do not lead to electrical fires. 
6. Wear protective clothing and use insulated tools that are used around electrical hazards. 
7. Install and learn about safety signs and symbols since they are important safety communication tools. They warn the workers to keep watching out for the hazards by giving required information and safety instructions.

Other ineffable reasons for accidents include old or poor wiring, electrical cords entangled inside the carpet, exposed flammable materials, loose connectors, or substandard wiring. 

Overexertion is another big reason for electrical defaults. So it’s important to keep these minute details in mind to avoid any mishappening in your immediate surroundings.