284 Electrical Technician

UNIT 11
Safety Precautions and I.E.
Rules for Wiring
Learning Objectives
After studying this unit, the student will be able
• To learn and practice I.E. rules
• To learn about shock and its effects and about first aid
Introduction
In the performance of his or her normal duties, the technician is exposed to
many potentially many dangerous conditions and situations. No training manual,
no set of rules or regulations, no listing of hazards can make working conditions
completely safe. However it is possible for the technician to complete a full
career without serious accidents or injury. Attainment of this goal requires that
he be aware of the main sources of danger, and he remain constantly aware of
those dangers. He must take the proper precautions and practice the basic rules
of safety. He must be safety conscious at all times, and this safety consciousness
second nature to him.
The purpose of this chapter is to indicate some of the major hazards
encountered in the normal working conditions of the technicians, and to indicate
some of the basic precautions that must be observed. Although many of these
hazards and precautions are general, and apply to all personal, some of them
are peculiar or especially applicable to personal concerned with electrical and
electronic maintenance.
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Most accidents which occur in non-combat operations can be prevented if

the full cooperation of personnel is gained, and care is exercised to eliminate
unsafe acts and conditions. In the following paragraphs some general safety
rules are listed. These rules apply to personnel in all types of activities and each
individual should strictly observe the following precautions as applicable to his
work or duty:
1. Report any unsafe condition or any equipment or a material which he
considers to be unsafe.
2. Warn others whom he believes to be endangered by known hazards or
by failures to observe safety precautions.
3. Wear or use available protective clothing or equipments of the type
approved for safe performance of his work or duty.
4. Report any injury or evidence of impaired health occurring in the course
of work or duty.
5. Exercise, in the event of any unforeseen hazardous occurrence, such
reasonable caution as is appropriate to the situation.
11.1 Safety Precautions
11.1.1 Precuations in handling tools
i. The sharp edged tools such as pocket knife, chisels, scratching and should
be put in pocket without shield and while working with such tools, care
should be taken not to place hand or finger in to path of motions of the
cutting tool.
ii. When cutting with a chisel, always cut away from you rather than towards
yourself.
iii. Before using a hammer, its handle must be examined whether it is properly
secured or not.
iv. When making a cut with a saw, the cut must be guided with a finger and
thumb of one hand, otherwise the blade is liable to brake which may
cause serious injurious.
v. After using tools, they should never be left at the top of the ladder or any
other place since they may all accidentally and cause injury.
vi. Only a suitable tool should be used for the proper purpose.
vii. All injuries must be attended to immediately since delay may cause
infection.
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11.1.2 Precautions to be observed while installing different Electric

Appliances in Houses
Safe practices will protect you and your fellow workers. Study the following
rules discuss them with others and ask your teacher about any that you do not
understand.
1. Do not work when you’re tired or taking medicines that makes you
drowsy.
2. Do not work in poor light.
3. Do not work in damp areas or with wet clothes or shoes.
4. Use approved tools, equipment and protective devices.
5. Avoid wearing rings and bracelets, and similar metal items when working
around exposed electric circuits.
6. Never assume that a circuit is off. Double check it with an instrument
that you are sure is operational.
7. Some situations require a buddy “buddy system” to guarantee that power
will not be turned on while a technician is still working on a circuit.
8. Never tamper with or try to over ride safety devices such as an interlock
(a type of switch that automatically removes power a door is opened or a panel
is removed.
9. Keep the tools and test equipments clean and in good working condition.
Replace insulated probes and leads at the first sign of deterioration.
10. Some devices such as capacitors, can store a lethal charge. They may
store this charge or long periods of time. You must be certain that these devices
are discharged before working around them.
11. Do not remove grounds, and do not use adapters that defeat the
equipment ground.
12. Use only an approved fire extinguisher for electric and electronic
equipment. Water can conduct electricity and may severely damage equipment.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) or halogenated type extinguishers are usually preferred.
Foam-type extinguishers may also be desired in some cases. Commercial fire
extinguishers are rated for the type of fires for which they are effective. Use only
those rated extinguishers for the proper working conditions.
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13. Follow directions when using solvents and other chemicals. They may
be toxic, flammable or may be damage certain materials such as plastic.
14. . A few materials used in electronic equipments are toxic. Examples
include tantalum, capacitors and beryllium oxide transistor cases. These devices
should not be crushed or abraded and you wash your hands thoroughly after
handling them. Other materials (such as heat shink) tubing may produce irritating
fumes if overheated.
15. Certain circuit components affect the safe performance of equipments
and system. Use only exact or approved equipment parts.
16. Use protective clothing and safety glasses when handling high-vacuum
devices such as picture tubes and cathode ray tube.
17. Don’t work on equipment before you know proper procedures and
are aware of any essential safety hazards.
18. Many accidents have been caused by people rushing and cutting corners.
Take the time required to protect yourself and others. Running, horseplay, and
practical jokes are strictly forbidden in shops and laboratories.
Circuits and equipments must be treated with respect. Learn how they
work and the proper way of working on them. Always practice safety: your
health and health depend on it.
11.2 Efects of Shock
Electric shock is a jarring, shaking sensation resulting from contact with
electric circuits or from the effects of lightning. The victim usually feels that he or
she received a sudden blow, if the voltage and resulting current is sufficiently
high, the victims may become unconscious. Severe burns may appear on the
skin at the place of contact muscular spasm may occur, causing the victim to
clasp the apparatus or wire which causes the shock and be unable to turn it
loose.
The amount of current that may pass through the body without danger
depends on the individual or current quantity, type, path and length of contact
time.
Body resistance varies from 1000 to 5, 00,000 ohms for unbroken dry
skin. Resistance is lowered by moisture and high voltage and is highest with dry
skin and low voltage. Breaks, cuts or burns may lower body resistance. A current
of 1 milliamperes can be felt and will cause a person to avoid it. The term
milliamperes is very small amount of current or 1/1000 of an ampere. Current as
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low as 5 milliamperes can be dangerous. If the palm of the hand makes contact
with the conductor, a current of about12 milliamperes will tend to cause the
hand muscles to contract, freezing the body to the conductor. Such a shock may
or may not cause serious damage, depending on the contact time and your
physical condition, particularly the condition of your heart. A current of 25
milliamperes has been known to be fatal.
Due to the physiological and chemical nature of the human body five times
more direct current than alternating current is needed to freeze the same body to
a conductor. Also 50-hertz (cycles per second) alternating current is about the
most dangerous frequency. This is normally used in residential, commercial and
industrial power.
The damage from shock is also proportional to the number of vital organs
transversed, especially the percentage of current that reaches the heart.
Currents especially 100 and 200 milliamperes are lethal. Ventricular fibrillation
of the heart occurs when the current through the body approaches 100
miliamperes. Ventrical fibrillation is the unco-ordinated actions of the walls of
the hearts ventricles. This in turn causes the loss of the pumping action of the
heart.. This fibrillation will usually continue some force is used to restore the co-
ordination of the hearts actions.
Severe burns and unconsciousness are also produced by currents of 200
milliaperes or higher. These currents usually do not cause death if the victim is
given immediate attention. The victim will usually respond if rendered resuscitation
in the form of artificial respiration. This is due to 20 milliamperes of current
clamping the heart muscles which prevents the heart from going in to ventricular
fibrillation.
When a person is rendered unconscious by a current passing through the
body. It is impossible to tell you how much current caused the unconsciousness.
Artificial respiration is to be applied immediately if breathing has stopped.
The effects of electric shock are:
1. There may be fatal paralysis of heart.
2. There may be sudden stoppage of breathing due to paralysis of muscles
used in breathing.
3. Heart may continue to beat, while breathing has stopped. In this condition
the face appears blue.
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4. There may be burns, either superficial or deep. They depend on the

strength of the electric current causing the injuries.
The effects of various current strengths (a.c) are given below:
1mA to 8mA……………just bearable
9mA to 15mA……………painful shocks (sometimes contact muscles)
16mA to 50mA……may stop breathing (if it passes through chest)
51mA to 200A… ...may cause fibrillation (stop beating of heart)
Beyond 200mA…..may stop breathing without fibrillation.
The high voltage causing currents beyond 20mA punctures the outer causing
burns. The average effective resistance of the body may be taken as 50 ohms
when dry and 1k ohms when wet.
11.3 First Aid For Electric Shock
Intelligent and prompt action of first aider is required in case of electric
shock. If the first aider is not cautious, he may also receive severe electric shock
or even die along with the casualty. Therefore every employee or workers in the
electrical field or those who are having electric supply should make themselves
familiar with the instructions given below:
1. Removal from contact: When a person gets back a shock and he is in
contact with the supply or conductor, first switch off the switch off the switch or
main. If the switch or main is not found, cut the cable with the help of axe or
plastic handled knife but don’t use scissors. If the cable cutting is also not possible
in case of LT supply, the first aider should stand on an insulated material which
is dry, if available rubber gloves should be worn, if not dry coat, cap, clothing or
folded newspaper should be used while removing the casualty victim. In case of
HT supply there is greater danger. The casualty may not be in casual contact
with the wire as the current can pass through the gap causing an arc. The first
aider should keep away from the wires and the casualty should be dragged out
by means of walking stick, dry rope, dry bamboo stick etc.
2. See the victim’s clothes and extinguish the spark if smouldering.
3. Check the victim if he/she breathing but unconscious ring/send for a
doctor. If the victim is not breathing, immediately start artificial respiration as
detailed below until first aid doctor or first aid arrives.
3. In case of fire on electrical installation do not throw water on equipment,
because water is a good conductor of electricity.
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5. Use fire extinguishers (CO2) if it is specified for use on electrical

appliances.
6. Don’t energise a line or conductor unless you are sure that it is clear and
no one working on it.
7. Use proper tools for specific work e.g don’t use plier as a hammer.
8. Replaceimmediately broken switches and plugs etc.
9. All metallic parts of electrical equipment should be earthed.
10. The conductor used must be of proper size to carry the load current
safely.
11.4 Indian Electric Rules
11.4.1 Indian electricity rules regarding to internal wiring
1. The minimum size of conductor used in domestic wiring must not be of
size less than 1/1.12mm in copper or 1/1.40mm (1.5mm) in aluminium wire.
2. For flexible wires the minimum size is 14/0.193mm.
3. The height at which meter board, main switchboard are to be fitted 1.5
meters from ground level.
4. The casing will be run at a height of 3.0 meters room ground level.
5. The light brackets should be fixed at a height of 2 to 2.5 meters from
ground level.
6. The maximum number of points in a sub circuit is 10.
7. The maximum load in a sub circuit is 800W.
11.4.2 I.E. Rules regarding
1. I.E. rule no. 48 the insulation resistance between the wiring of an
installation and earth should be of such a value that the leakage current may not
exceed 1/50000 the part or 0.02 percent of the F.L. current.
2. The permissible voltage drop in a lighting circuit is 2% of the supply
voltage plus one volt.
3. The maximum permissible voltage drop in a power industrial circuit should
not be more than 5% of the declared supply voltage.
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4. The insulation resistance should not be more than 50 M / No. of

outlets
5. In any case the value should not be more than 0.5 M  and need not to
be more than one mega-ohm.
6. In case of PVC wires, insulation resistance must be 12.5 M / No. of
outlets
7. The earth resistance should not exceed the value of one ohm. Higher
thanthis value shows that conduit or switch has not been properly earthed.
11.4.2 I.E. Rules regarding to power wiring
1. In a power sub circuit the load is normally restricted to 3000 watts and
number of outlets to two in each sub circuit.
2. All equipment used in power wiring shall be iron clad construction and
wiring shall be of the armored cable or conduit type.
3. The length of flexible conduit used for connections between the terminal
boxes of motors and starters, switches and motors shall not exceed
1.25 meters.
4. Every motor, regardless of its size shall be provided with a switch fuse
placed near it.
5. The minimum cross-sectional area of conductor, that can be used for
power minig of 1.25 mm for copper conductor cables and 1.50 mm for
A1 conductor cables (refer ISI recommendations). Hence VIR or PVC
cables of size lower than 3/0.915 mm copper or 1/1.80 mm A1 can not
be used or motor wiring.
6. For motors below 15 bhp which have a very heavy starting current a
fuse should be of current rating to carry the starting current of motor
safely and cable should be of current rating not lower than half of the
current rating of fuse.
ModelQuestions
Short Answer Type Questions
1. What is the necessity of earthing?
2. State the reasons for fire accidents in electrical system?
3. State at least two reasons for not using fuse in neutral?
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4. On what factors the earth resistances depend?

5. What are the effects of electric shock?
6. Explain the procedure of first aid electrical shock treatment to a
person?
7. Suggest any four precautions required to be taken against shock to a
worker?
8. What is meant by an electric shock?
9. State three factors on which the severity of shock depends?
Activities
1. Play a drama with one student met with fire accident and other students
should play a role of rescuing him. (Mock Drill).