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Electrical safety in the plant

6. Electrical Safety
1.0 Everybody knows that electricity can give shock, if not used properly. The
difference in other type of risks (like fire, water, gas etc) and electricity is the speed at
which electricity gives shock. It is in terms of mille second (and not in second).
Practically speaking, it does not give any time to think.
What are the risks of Electricity?
(a) Electric shock with very minor or no injury
(b) Burns due to Arc flash
(c) Fatality
(d) Fire or explosion

2.0 Types of Electricity

There are three types of electricity, which can harm us or damage/destroy property
also. These are:
• Power electricity –It is widely used in the entire world. Most of the people do not
know about safety while using electricity.
• Static Electricity – Accumulated charge (due to materials property) creates spark
while jumping to ground. This static electricity is very dangerous for industries
handling flammable materials and can result in fire & explosion.
• Lightning – This is uncontrollable phenomena of nature. Charge accumulated at the
bottom portion of the cloud, tries to find way to the earth. When air insulation is
broken by the charge traveling to the earth, we see lightning. If proper protection
is not given to installation, lightning can cause very heavy damage.

3.0 Effects of current on human body:

When current passes through human body, he or she gets shock. (This is also called
electrocution). If the rhythm of the heart is disturbed (such as to effect blood flow), it
can cause death. This is known as Ventricular Fibrillation. If brain does not get
fresh blood for more than three minutes, it can result in death.
Personal sensitivity to electric shock varies from person to person.
During electric shock, brain and heart are very important.
Brain (wt. 1.3 Kg) is the most complex object in the known universe. It works on the
10 watt power and uses 25% of oxygen we take in. O2 is very important for
functioning of the brain. Death can occur if we do not get oxygen for more than three
minutes. Oxygen is supplied by fresh blood.
Heart (wt.300 gm) beats 68 to 70 times per minute (100,000 times in 24 hours).
During electrocution current passes through heart also. 150 mA current passing
through heart for more than one second can cause death. Heart is revived many times
by applying controlled shock. Beating of heart is due to its elastic muscles. When
current passes through the heart, elasticity is affected. Muscles become hard. This is
called ventricular fibrillation In serious injury, heart muscles get ruptured. Unless
skilled attention is given immediately by artificial respiration, V.F. can become
irreversible.
Functioning of heart ultimately affects the brain, which controls all out activities.
Hence, heart also becomes very important during electrocution.

4.0 Factors Governing injury during Electrocution

There are various factors, which affect the injury to the person experiencing electric
shock. These factors are as under:

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Electrical safety in the plant
(a) Amplitude and duration of current: When 50 Hz current passes through human
body, electrical energy is absorbed by the body. In electrical energy, time duration (for
which current flows through body) and amplitude of current (passing through the
body) are two most important factors. Both these factors are inter-related. For both
types of current - Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) - these
relationships are different. For 50 HZ current (AC) passing for one second is shown in
Table-1, the effect with increase in current (keeping time same. Up to 15 mA, person
can detach himself because he has control over his muscles. This value is called Let
go current. Increasing value has different effects, as shown in Table-1.

Table-1 Effect current on human body

Current (in mA) Effect
Up to 1 No sensation
1 to 8 Painful shock, but muscular control still there.
8 to 15 Sensation there, but not painful
15 to 20 Muscular controls lost, resulting in sticking
20 to 50 Severe muscular contraction
50 to 200 Ventricular fibrillation and possible death
200 & above Severe burns, severe ventricular fibrillation resulting in
death.

Fig.1 & 2 show relationship between time and current for AC and DC respectively. For
AC, the route of current is from left hand to feet to earth.
These graph and connected data are taken from IS: 8437(Part-1):1993 & IEC 479-1
(1984) -Guide on effects of current passing through the human body.

Fig.1 Effects of AC on human body

As it can be seen there are four zones of danger, as below:

Zone-1 Usually no reaction effects
Zone-2 Usually no harmful physiological effects
Zone-3 Usually no organic damage is expected. For current duration more than 2
sec, muscular contraction and difficulty in breathing will be there.
Possibility of reversible disturbances of formation & conduction of impulses
is there in the heart.
Zone-4 Dangerous physiological effects – Cardio logical arrest, breathing arrest
and severe burns may occur in addition to the effects of Zone-3

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Electrical safety in the plant
Other factors are as below:
(b) Condition of the body: Dry skin offers 1,00,000 to 6,00,000 ohm resistance to
current. Wet skin offers only 1000-ohm resistance. Current passing though body can
be calculated by Ohm’s law – Current = Voltage / Resistance.
If body is dry and a person working on 250 V gadget gets shock, 2.5 mA current will
pass though his /her body if his/her body/skin is dry. If his/her body/skin is wet, 250
mA can pass through, which can cause fatality.
(c) Sex & age of the person: Average resistance of female is 66% of that of male.
Also, the average resistance of a child is still less. Hence, ladies and children should be
very careful while using electrical gadgets.
(d) Ambient temperature and humidity: When ambient temperature is higher, there
will be lot of perspiration, body becomes wet. If humidity is high, body will not get
dried and wet body offers very low resistance.
(e) Oxygen & carbon dioxide content in surrounding air: Low O2 content & high CO2
content (in the air breathed) reduces body resistance considerably from the value
mentioned in (b). Electrical welder is under great danger because he inhales the air
(from the fumes generated from the job) containing less oxygen & more CO2
(f) Material / Flooring: Wet floor offers less than 100-ohm resistance. For human
protection, insulated rubber mats are laid in front and rear side of HT & LT panels.
Accidents in bathrooms are 99% fatal because person is standing on wet floor when he
gets shock.
(g) AC or DC: As Alternating Current (AC) changes flow direction several times in one
second, AC is more dangerous than DC. (Refer Figure 2 below). In case of 50 Hz
current, during shock, the direction of current through heart changes 100 times. This
kills the person.
Figure-2

1. Route of current – Left hand to feet to earth & for rising current (feet
represent positive polarity.)
2. Boundary between Zones 2 & 3 unknown for times less than 500 mS.
3. Zones details are same as those for AC graph
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(h) Positions of hands and legs: Body posture (during electrocution) decides the path
of current passing through the body to earth. There are about 15 postures. The most
dangerous condition is the one in which current passes through the heart in the
shortest route. If the man gets shock when he is lying on the ground with chest on the
ground and some live object come in his left hand, it the most dangerous posture,
causing death.

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Electrical safety in the plant
(i) Condition of earthing: If condition of earthing is reliable, protection system will
respond to disconnect the faulty equipment. But, if earthing is unreliable, the system
will not provide designed protection.
(j) Protection against Electrocution
For getting protection against electrocution – i.e. electric shock, it is essential to
interrupt the main current, before body absorbs energy to dangerous level. Earth
Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB) is the best protection against electrocution. ELCB gives
very high degree of protection against accidental earth leakage in domestic gadgets.
Design of ELCB takes care of mA (current passing through body) and the mS (time in
which it is disconnected for human safety). ELCBs are widely used in domestic
installations as well as portable equipments used in industry. These are available is
single phase and three phase version. Combined units of ELCB-MCB are also available.
If ELCB is tripping, the cause should be rectified, instead of bypassing the ELCB.
Functionally, Residual current Circuit Breaker (RCCB) also does the same job.
ELCBs are available with either of three sensitivities – 30 mA 100 mA & 300 mA. For
indirect contact 300mA sensitivity is used. For protection against direct contact,
100mA or 30 mA is suitable. In USA, ELCB is known as Ground Fault Current
Interrupter (GFCI). Class A & class B GFCIs have sensitivity of 4mA to 6 mA (for
direct contact) and 20 mA (for indirect contact) respectively.

5.0 Burn injury due to Arc flash

Arc flash is a dangerous condition associated with the release of energy caused by an
electric arc. It is the explosive release of energy when electrical current jumps the
distance from one conductor to another, or when it jumps from a conductor to ground.
“Flash” refers to the release of light & heat energy. Temperature of Arc flash is more
than even sun temperature. Temperature of the surface of the sun is @ 5482 Deg. C.
Temperature of the arc is 19444 Deg. C.!!!
Lightning is an example of arc flash, when current jumps from sky to ground. The
results are heat, light, and a pressure wave which you hear as thunder. In the
workplace, arc flash can be deadly. It can happen anywhere you find energized
electrical equipment or conductors.
Workers may never regain their quality of life and may even die from exposure to an
arc flash event. Severity deciding the damage & injury depends upon:

Power – amount of energy at the arc

Distance – of the worker to the arc

Time – duration of the arc exposure
Probability of Surviving Burns depends mainly upon
(a) How much area of body has been affected by arc burns and
(b) Age of the victim.
Fig.3 (below) shows the % survival based on these two factors. It can be seen that as
the age increases, survival chances gets comparatively reduced.

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Electrical safety in the plant

Fig.3 Age group and % survival after burn injury

6.0 Human Psychology:

Main reasons for electrical accidents are psychological. These are:
(a) Poor knowledge of equipments/ system
(b) Overconfidence
(c) Assumption
(d) Shortcut
(e) Taking a chance or risk
(f) Hurry to start the job
(g) Hurry to complete the job and charge the equipment
(h) Working without concentration
(i) Not following safety procedure
(j) Not using safety appliances / PPA

Once the wrong practice is adopted or shortcut is taken and no accident happens,
person feels that nothing abnormal happens even if he does not work with set (safe)
practice. He gains overconfidence and adopts easy (but unsafe) ways.
Other reasons are
(a) Poor maintenance of system / equipment
(b) Poor quality of tools
(c) Drawings & documents not updated

7.0 Let us observe some basic rules while using electricity

(a) Do not operate electrical equipment with wet hands.
(b) Do not stand on the wet floor while operating electrical equipment.
(c) Maintain Earthing in good condition.
(d) Carry out Safety Audit. Check the installation regularly.
(e) Train the manpower for Hazards of Electricity.
(f) Procure good quality equipments & tools
(g) Temporary repairs are dangerous.
(h) Use ELCB for safety.
(i) Use PPA wherever required
(j) Keep the tools in good condition. Carry out tools audit regularly.
(k) Use tools suitable for particular application.
(l) Carry out preventive maintenance at regular interval.

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