National Electrical Safety Month
With National Electrical Safety Month around the corner. MSC Safety Solutions would like to take some time to educate you about the precautions of working with electricity and facts within this topic.
What is Electrical Safety?
Electrical safety is the practice of handling and maintaining electrically powered equipment to prevent incidents. Training is required to identify and eliminate or control hazards to keep the surrounding area safe.
Fatal Facts
- Electricity ranks sixth among all causes of occupational injury in the United States.
- Since 2011, there have been an annual average of 150 exposures to electricity fatalities and 2,428 exposures to electricity injuries
- Construction and extraction occupations accounted for 127 of the 150 annual electrical fatalities
- Four main types of electrical injuries: Electrocution, Electric shock, Burns/Arc Blast, Fatal falls from caused as a result of contact with electrical energy
- Electricity is the cause of more than 140,000 fires each year, resulting in 400 deaths, 4,000 injuries, and $1.6 billion in property damage
Electrical Precautions
- Look out for powerlines before operating equipment such as excavators, forklifts, scissor and aerial lifts
- Keep electrical equipment away from water. It is recommended that GFCI’s are used to help prevent electrical hazards, fires and destruction of wire insulation
- Inspect your work area to ensure that wires are free of damage, tools and equipment are grounded
- Ensure that lockout tagout training is provided and employees can perform the actions specific to lockout tagout
- Ensure that your company has a GFCI Policy if using this equipment
Final Thoughts
National Electrical Safety Month highlights the dangers and precautions to take when dealing with electricity. With electricity being one of the most known hazards on the jobsite, it is imperative that we know how to protect the health and safety of our employees. With this blog, you’ll be able to understand the hazards and precautions to take. Please discuss this with your employees to increase awareness and decrease the potential for injuries, on your jobsite.
What can MSC Safety Solutions do for you?
- MSC Safety Solutions offers an Electrical Safety Course in both English and Spanish. This course will go over the fundamental concepts of electricity, electrical hazards, electrical safety devices, and safe work practices. This course will allow students to take prompt action when faced with electrical hazards.
- We provide training to help meet every company’s safety goals and mandatory obligations. Please, contact us to learn more about our specialized training courses, as well as safety consulting. Our team of safety professionals are dedicated to delivering the best results for the overall health and safety of your company.
