Ontivity Resources

OSHA identifies working with electricity as an ongoing serious workplace hazard. Recent studies show that nearly 3 million workers partake in daily activities that involve electricity. OSHA estimates that every 30 minutes throughout the workday, a worker is injured so severely from working with electricity that time off from work is required for recovery. Four principal injuries can arise because of electrical-related accidents. These injuries include electric shock, burns, falls from encountering electrical energy, and electrocution, all of which can be deadly. Energized electrical work is nothing to take lightly so today we are going to review three points to help keep you safe while working in and around electricity.

Let’s look at three main points regarding electrical safety.

• TREAT ALL ELECTRICAL WIRING AS IF IT IS ENERGIZED

• PROPERLY COLOR CODE AND VERIFY WIRE MARKINGS PRIOR TO SERVICING

• USE THE PROPER PPE WHENEVER WORKING WITH ENERGIZED EQUIPMENT OR PANELS.

TREAT ALL ELECTRICAL WIRING AS IF IT IS ENERGIZED.

When working in and around electricity, you should always assume that all electrical equipment and conductors are energized until lockout/tagout and/or a ground test procedure has been executed. Just like a tower climber might not take working on a ladder as seriously due to being desensitized by working at extreme heights, our electrical folks are equally susceptible to becoming desensitized when working in and around live electrical panels or circuits. The truth is that both scenarios present serious hazards and often, can result in fatal consequences.

PROPERLY COLOR CODE AND VERIFY WIRE MARKINGS BEFORE SERVICING.

Whether you are color coding RF jumpers or conductors for a 2,000-amp service for a charging station, color coding can have drastic effects on the safety and well-being of all parties involved not to mention the equipment. The only difference is that mis-color coding an RF jumper will likely just result in an RSSI or VSWR alarm whereas mis-color coding an electrical conductor could easily result in permanent damage to equipment or, even worse, result in a fatal injury. When ordering wire for a project, always order the wire that is pre-color-coded from the factory. This may not always be possible, in which the wires must be marked using color code tape. When using color code tape, it is always a good idea to mark both ends of the wire before moving on to the next. Make every effort to ensure that the color codes do not get swapped and avoid installing wires without first verifying the color code. Once the wire has been installed in the ladder rack or conduit; it becomes inherently harder to accomplish this with the utmost certainty.

USE THE PROPER PPE WHENEVER WORKING WITH ENERGIZED EQUIPMENT OR PANELS.

Personal protective equipment refers to protective clothing, hard hats, gloves, safety glasses, and other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer’s body from injury. This is why it is imperative to wear clothing and use insulated tools in areas where there is a possible electrical hazard. Only use the correct PPE, tools, and equipment that are rated for the level of amperage or wattage with which you are working. Pay close attention to make sure that your tools never come in contact with a power source inside an energized panel. 29 CFR 1926.97 states that equipment shall be free of physical irregularities that can adversely affect the insulating properties of the equipment. Some of the PPE that we use for energized electrical work is specialized and doesn’t get used every day so inspect first and never assume that it is good. NFPA 70E states that protective equipment and protective tools shall be visually inspected for damage and defects before each initial use and at intervals thereafter, as service conditions require, but in no case shall the interval exceed 1 year unless specified otherwise by the applicable state, federal, or local codes, and standards. If you don’t have the proper PPE that is required or are unsure of what PPE is required for the type of electrical work that you are performing – Stop and Make the Call.

If you would like more information on this topic or any other safety-related topic, please reach out to the Ontivity safety team at safety@ontivity.com, and we will get you taken care of.