Running Head: ELECTRICAL

Electrical

Prepared By:

Submitted To:

Course Title:

University:

October 21, 2014

ELECTRICAL

Abstract

“Electrical Safety is not an option — it is absolutely necessary for workers and employers

alike”.

Safety in the workplace is job number one for employer and employee alike. It is especially

important for those who install and service electrical systems. Nothing can replace a worker or

loved one that has died or suffered the irreparable consequences of an electrical accident. No

matter how much an employer tries to safeguard its workers or how much safety training is

provided; the ultimate responsibility lies with the worker. The human factor is part of every

accident or injury.

The purpose of this paper is to identify electrical safety hazards and present ways to minimize or

avoid their consequences. It is a guide for improving electrical safety and contains information

about governmental regulations, industry-accepted standards and work practices. It presents

ways to meet the standards and reduce the hazards.

I. Introduction

Electricity is very useful and has become essential in modern life. Electric power is used

in houses, farms, factories, public places, and commercial establishment and practically in every

working place for lighting, operating appliances and machines, heating, cooling, chemical

process and transport etc. Electricity is a very good servant but a very dangerous master. Proper

precautions will render its use a safe.

1
ELECTRICAL

Dangers from electricity are due to:

1. Electric shocks resulting in burns, injury, death

2. Electric flashovers resulting I deaths, fires and damages

3. Electric faults resulting in arcing, explosives and fires,

4. Explosive in electrical equipment resulting in damages to installations and deaths

5. Fire hazards resulting in destruction, loss of life, release of smoke, dust gases which

spread over large areas quickly.

Safety precautions to be taken at every stage should be documented in the form of Dos

and Don’ts. Warning signs must be displayed. Entry should be regulated. Personnel involved

must be trained in electrical safety. Safety inspection must be carried out periodically. Indian

electricity rules and Acts (1945) have clauses formulated and enforced to ensure safety of every

user of electrical equipment. This act and relevant rules impose several safety requirements as

electricity supply undertakings/ manufacturers/ contractors/ and users. They are mandatory for

every manufacturers, contractors, and users of electrical installation equipments and electricity

supply undertakings.

Investigation of electrical accidents reveal that at least every accident from small shock to

a major fire disaster is caused by ignorance/ inexperience or carelessness at one or more stages

and failure of safety management.

II. Why is Electrical Safety so Important?

Electrical hazards have always been recognized, yet serious injuries, deaths, and property

damage occur daily. Organizations like the US Department of Labor and the National Safety

2
ELECTRICAL

Council compile statistics and facts on a regular basis. The following table demonstrates the

importance of electrical safety.

III. Who is Exposed?

1. Electric field is invisible and silent. Persons who approach high voltage conductor

encroach into high electric field are exposed to danger of shocks or electrocution.

2. Persons touching non-effectively earthed, faulted metal parts in electrical installations are

exposed.

3. Persons working in substation, power stations, transmission lines, cables etc are exposed.

4. Persons who are unaware of presence of electrical power and are carrying out the work in

the vicinity of live parts are exposed.

In general the following categories of people are normally exposed to hazards of electricity.

1. General construction worker not related with electrical work but working near/ in

electrical installation or moving in electrical field.

2. Electrical machine operators - Any person handling electrical equipments, appliances or

devices.

3. Persons in substations, commercial buildings, residential building etc are also exposed to

electrical hazards.

Besides all the above the following persons are also exposed to electrical hazards. They need

fool proof methods of protection.

1. Innocent persons who work in the danger zone.

3
ELECTRICAL

2. Persons who work regularly in electrical installation and hence tend to be over confident

and negligent.

3. Persons who are exposed to danger due to “mistake of others” or faulty equipment. Eg.

Supply switched on inadvertently while work is in progress.

The sequential effect of an electrical accident is Electrical spark fire smoke, poisonous

gases, flames destructions, deaths, injuries.

Many innocent personnel are victims of injury due to fire and smoke.

IV. Basic Principles of Electrical Safety

Each electrical accident is caused by unsafe act/s by person/ persons and/ unsafe

conditions. The accidents can be prevented by effective safety management.

1. Each accident should be followed by inspection and investigation to identify and pinpoint

the unsafe acts and condition responsible and to recommend corrective action to

eliminate future occurrence of such accidents.

2. Studies indicate the ratio of causes for accidents as follows Unsafe acts - 88% Unsafe

condition – 10% Other unsafe causes - 2%

3. Multiple causes: Behind every electrical accident, there are causes and sub causes.

Investigation should bring out all these.

V. A Sample Case Study

Accident caused by placing a ladder near a line point Inspection and investigation

indicated:

4
ELECTRICAL

Unsafe act: Leaning the ladder near line bus in H.V switch yard

Unsafe condition: Entry in H.V switch yard with ladder

Corrective action: Switchyard should be accessible by pursuit cards only

Approaches to prevent accidents:

Accidents occur suddenly and unexpectedly. We can adopt different approaches to ensure

safety:

1. Enforcement of safety rules and acts. Rules are to be made mandatory. Persons are to be

made accountable for acts. Punishments and rewards are to be used appropriately.

2. Human resource development approach: Training persons to follow safety principles.

Special periodical courses are to be arranged.

3. Psychological approach Awareness of safety is created in the workplace by placing large

signboards, displaying drawings, DO’S and DON’TS conducting drills, distributing.

4. Safety management approach Management is committed to safety and accident

prevention. A safety manager is to be appointed and safety systems are installed. Persons

are made accountable for safety

5. Engineering - analytic approach: This approach lays emphasis on cause and effect

relationship and determination of various methods to eliminate possible causes at the

root. E.g. Short circuits can be handled by automatic protection system.

6. Total quality management approach to safety.

Safety is ensured by quality assurance and quality control at various stages including:

5
ELECTRICAL

Including specification, design of system and product, manufacture, testing, dispatch,

receipt, storage, civil works, installation, testing, commissioning and operation, maintenance and

HRD and safety maintenance.

VII. Fire Prevention and Firefighting:

Electrical power plants and installation have many risk zones of fires and explosives.

Fires occur in flammable materials, flammable gases and liquids and general flammable

materials. Risks of fires are particularly high during storage, handling and commissioning of

equipment with flammable materials during overloads. These fire cause extensive and explosive

damage to life and property.

VII. Electrical Shocks and Their Prevention

Primary and secondary electrical shocks:

Electric shock is a sudden stimulation of the nervous system by flow of electric current

through a part of the body. It is a threat to life. Shocks are caused by direct contact or flashover.

Primary shock is a shock of such a magnitude as to produce direct physiological harm.

The results of primary shocks are: Fibrillation- irregular heartbeat, respiratory - continuous

contraction of muscles.

Secondary shock is a shock of such magnitude that it will not produce direct

physiological harm, but it is annoying and cause involuntary muscle reaction. Results of

secondary shock are annoyance, alarm and loss of balance due to involuntary muscle spasm.

6
ELECTRICAL

VIII. Types of Electrical Faults

Together, current and voltage supply the power we use every day. Any electric current

that exceeds the rating of the circuit is an Overcurrent. When the current exceeds the rated

current carrying capacity of the conductor, it generates excess heat that can damage insulation. If

insulation becomes damaged, personnel may be severely injured and equipment or property

compromised or destroyed. Overcurrents can be divided into two categories: Overloads and

Short Circuits.

IX. Overcurrent Protective Devices

Overcurrent protective devices (fuses and circuit breakers) are used to protect circuits and

equipment against overloads and short circuits (faults). These devices vary in characteristic,

design and function. Fuses and circuit breakers are designed to sense abnormal overloads and

short circuits and open the circuit before catastrophic events occur. Each device, however, has

different time characteristics and must be used and applied according to the appropriate

X. Conclusion:

This paper on Electrical Safety Hazards was developed for general education purposes

only and is not intended to replace an electrical safety-training program or to serve as a sole

source of reference. The information herein is also not intended to serve as recommendations or

advice for specific situations. It is the responsibility of the user to comply with all applicable

safety standards, including the requirements of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health

Administration (OSHA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and other appropriate

governmental and industry accepted guidelines, codes, and standards.

7
ELECTRICAL

References:

Industry Surveys, the NFPA, The National Safety Council, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and

CapSchell, Inc.

H Landis Floyd and et al, Safe guarding electric work place, 2001 IEEE/IAS.

Petroleum and Chemical Industry Technical Conference.

D G Duum and et al, Switch Racks in Hazardous locations, 2002, IEEE

Petroleum and Chemical Industry conference.

Kim easturd and et al, The PCIC and electrical safety, 2001 IEEE/IAS.

Petroleum and chemical industry conference.

S Rao and H L Sabja, Electrical safety, The safety engineering and safety management, Khanna

Publishers

Cadick, John, Mary Capelli-Schellpfeffer, and Dennis Neitzel. Electrical Safety Handbook,

Second Edition. McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2000

“George Westinghouse, Thomas Edison & the Battle of the Currents” Electrical Apparatus,

October 2003.

Doughty, R. L., T.E.Neal, and H.L.Floyd, Predicting Incident Energy to Better Manage The

Electric Arc Hazard on 600 V Power Distribution Systems.