NEBOSH International General Certificate

Week 2 Element 5
Electrical Safety

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Electricity: Introduction
Each year in the UK there are:
30 workplace deaths
30 domestic deaths
These deaths are due to:
• Electric shock
• Electric burns
• Electrical arcing
• Fires
• Explosions
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Electrical Terms
Volt (Pressure difference):
The unit of measurement of electrical pressure

Ampere (Current):
The unit of measurement of electric current flow

Ohm (Resistance):
The unit of measurement of electrical resistance

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Electrical Terms
Direct Current (DC):
The current flows in one direction between positive and
negative terminals

Alternating Current (AC):

The electric current is constantly reversing its direction of flow
at a given frequency

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Electrical Terms

Conductors:
A material that allows electricity to flow easily :- e.g. copper,
steel, water

Insulators:
Materials that have a high resistance to electrical current:- e.g.
plastic, rubber, wood

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 Electrical Power
Another useful expression enables the electrical power
(P), represented by the flow of electrical current in a
circuit, to be determined.
Power(P) = Voltage (V) x Current (I)
When:
V is measured in volts (V)
W
I is measured in amperes (A)
V I
W is given in watts (W)
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 Main Dangers of Electricity
1) Electric Shock: Contact with live parts
Direct Contact: Coming in to contact with a conductor that is supposed to be
live
Indirect Contact: Coming into contact with a conductor that is not live in
normal conditions but has become live due to a fault

2) Arcing
3) Fire & Explosion
4) Burns
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 Severity of Electric Shock
• Length of contact time
• Path through the body
• Conductivity/resistance of the body
• The voltage
• Conductivity of the environment
• Nature of the contact
• Age and health status of victim

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First Aid Treatment
If a Person has received an Electric Shock

• Do not touch injured person until the current is switched off.

• If the current cannot be switched off, stand on some dry
insulating material and use a wooden or plastic implement to
remove the injured person from the electrical source.
• Administer first aid if qualified
• Call professional help

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 Main Dangers of Electricity

Arcing: Electricity can jump an air gap causing shock

effects to persons not in contact with conductor
Fire & Explosion: Flow of electricity generates heat. If
large flow passes through unsuitable conductor heat can lead
to fire
Burns: Heat of arcing or excessive flow through body
causes tissue damage

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Fire & Explosion
Causes of Electrical Fire
• Inadequate circuits for the current
• Overloaded circuits
• Incorrect fuses (e.g. nails)
• Damaged wiring and insulation
• Loose connections
• Overheating of cables
• Overheating due to thermal insulation
• Overheating due to lack of ventilation
• Flammable materials to close to electrical equipment

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Effects on Body of Electricity
• Damage to the nervous system
• Fibrillation (irregular heartbeat)
• Tissue burns at entry and exit
• Damage to internal organs
• Muscular contractions
• Physical trauma
• Stopping breathing (respiratory paralysis)
• Stopping the heart (cardiac arrest)

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Secondary Effects of Electrical Shock
• Throw off
– Sudden movement of the body
• Falls from height
• Unintentional movement of
machinery
• Failure of control measures &
security systems
• Loss of information‫ف>>>ق>د ا>>لمعلومات‬
• Corporate reputation‫س>>مع>ة ا>>لشركة‬

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Portable Electrical Equipment
Accidents caused by:
• Using unsuitable apparatus
• Inadequate maintenance or misuse
• Using defective apparatus
• Modifications by unauthorised personnel
• Modifications whilst the appliance is live
• Using equipment in unsuitable environments
• No system of inspection or removal of damaged equipment

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Hazards of Portable Electrical Equipment
Areas to look at for hazards
Plug Cable Joints Appliance
No fuse Run over Makeshift‫تة‬6‫وصلة مؤق‬ Casing
Damage to plug Dragged‫مسحوب‬ Leads pulled out of Worn Connections
casing cord grip‫لفيشة غير مثبتة‬66‫ا‬
Incorrect wiring Trapped Incorrect wiring

Earth wire Heat/corrosive Poor earth

detached chemicals connections
Flexing‫نثي‬66‫ي‬ Wrong connections

Insulation
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Precautions using Portable Equipment
• Reduced voltage operation
• Use of residual current circuit breakers
• Protected against overload
• Cables insulated
• Correct sheathing
• Sufficient socket outlets
• Use of cable drums
• Correct maintenance and repair
• Reduced voltage operation
• Regular inspections and checks
• Properly trained staff

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Electricity Protection Devices
• Fuses
• Circuit breaker
• Earthing
• Isolation
• Reduced voltage
• Battery operated tools
• Residual Current Devices (RCD)
• Double insulation

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Fuse
A specially designed weak link which is designed to melt at a
predetermined value of current
Advantages
• cheap and readily available
• protects equipment
Disadvantages
• will not protect individuals
• slow to operate
• inaccurate
• unsuitable or wrong fuse may
be used
• easy to override
• needs tool to replace
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 Circuit Breakers
Electromagnetic devices which perform the same
function as fuses but operate faster
Advantages Disadvantages
• automatically trip under fault • may be mistaken for an RCD
conditions • do not protect the individual
• no tools required to reset
• not easy to defeat
• Protects equipment from overload

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 Earthing (Earth Leakage Protectors)
Electricity will always try to reach earth and earthing
is a means of providing a low resistance path to earth

Advantages
• Prevent indirect electric shock
• Readily identified
Disadvantages
• specialist testing and
maintenance, professional
installation
• No protection if removed

Earth lead and spike

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 Isolation
Shutting off the electricity supply to an item of equipment and
preventing the system from being mistakenly reconnected

Advantages
• safest option as it eliminates
electricity
• may be physically locked off
Disadvantages
• may isolate other equipment
• may be reconnected without
lock off
• prevents live fault finding

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Reduced Voltage Systems
Reducing the mains voltage by means of a transformer
to a lower safer voltage e.g. 110volts or 55 volts

Advantages
• at 55V - injury is highly unlikely
• colour coded cabling system for
easy recognition
Disadvantages
• specialist equipment e.g.
Transformer required
• lead from supply to transformer
at higher voltages, needing
protection with RCD

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 Battery Operated Tools
Advantages Disadvantages
• little risk during normal use • limited use
• Not restricted by cable • low power output
• No trailing cable • Constant charging required

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 Residual Current Devices (RCD)
Compares the electricity flow to the equipment with the
return flow and if a difference is detected the equipment is
isolated
Advantages Disadvantages
• rapid and sensitive • may isolate crucial equipment if
• difficult to defeat one RCD covers a number of
• easy to use, test and reset distribution points e.g. freezers
and computers
• can not be reset with a fault on the
• mechanical device which could fail
circuit
• no overload protection

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 Double Insulation
Two separate layers‫ طبقتين‬of insulation are provided
which allows for fault detection where one layer has
failed the other still provides protection
Advantages Disadvantages
• two layers of insulation prevent user • physical damage may defeat double
contact with any live parts insulation
• no earth required • No earth therefore no protection if
used with equipment that requires
earth

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Types of Inspection
• User checks- Routine
• Formal visual inspection
• Combined inspection and
test (PAT testing)

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Frequency of Inspection & Test
• Manufacturer’s recommendations
• Age of equipment
• Robustness ‫ق>>وة‬of equipment
• Double insulated or earthed
• Type of cable (e.g. armoured)
• Extent of use
• Users of equipment
• Environment
• Abuse‫ خطأمتعمد‬or misuse‫خطأغيرمتعمد‬
• History of equipment
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Reason to keep records of inspection and
testing of electrical equipment
• Inspection by authorised person
• In case test label removed
• Test frequencies maintained
• Record actions of faults rectified‫مصحح‬

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Electrical Safety in Office Environments
• Equipment of approved standard
• Maintenance of fixed electrical installations
• There is a means of isolation
• Connections, wiring free from defects
• Correct fuses
• Plugs correctly wired
• No overloading of sockets
• Appliances switched off when not in use
• PAT testing in date
• Cables correctly routed
• RCDs used
• System for reporting of defects
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Precautions for on Working Live Equipment
• Trained and Competent Staff
• Accompanied by another person
• Adequate Information about the risks
• Suitable insulated tools
• Insulated barriers or screens
• Suitable instruments and test probes
• Personal protective equipment/rubber mats
• Permit to work
• Restricted access‫دخولمقيد‬
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