Trained Staff Only

If there is some type of electrical hazard in the office, it is important that only a trained staff member or professional interacts with the hazard. This can include live electrical currents greater than 50V or any obvious electrical issue. Other electrical hazards could include malfunctioning light switches, outlets, or appliances that have shorted out.

Proper Training for Equipment

If there is equipment that must be used which is electrical, it is essential that all staff members that will be using it are trained properly. This is definitely not an area where corners can be cut or shortcuts taken.

Proper Use of Common Electrical Items

It is also important that any electrical items in the workplace are used properly. This can include things as simple as the printer or microwave in a break room. Be sure that simple electrical safety is followed, such as:

• Unplug a cord at the plug rather than yank on the cord
• Do not stretch electrical cords
• Do not fasten cords to other surfaces using staples
• Do not allow electrical equipment to dangle from a cord

Regular Inspection

To ensure that electrical equipment is in proper working order, it is a good idea to have regular inspections of the equipment. This gives you the opportunity to identify any bad cords or damage that could pose an electrical hazard later on.

Install Barriers Around Hazards

If there is an electrical hazard that is being repaired, it is crucial that proper barriers are installed around the area to ensure that no one is injured. If electrical professionals are on site performing repairs or maintenance, all staff must be aware to stay out of that area.

Training for Electric Shock Emergencies

It is also essential that the workplace have staff members on site each workday who are trained in CPR to deal with an electric shock emergency. A severe electric shock can cause someone to go unconscious, stop breathing or have a cardiac arrest.

If this happens at the workplace, it is important that staff is prepared to administer CPR. Workplace first responders are a crucial part of an office’s safety plan. It is also important that there be an AED device on sight and that qualified staff is trained to use it in an emergency.

There should be at least one workplace first responder per shift or per work area to assist with these types of emergencies. Electric shock is not the only instance in which a workplace first responder, CPR, or an AED device might be needed. 

Use these electrical safety tips for the workplace to keep employees and staff safe. 

Demand for Reliable Power Is Rising, and So Are Safety Needs

The demand for reliable power sources is constantly on the rise. Population growth is a major driver of this, but it is also true that people simply want to be able to flip on a switch and have access to the power that they need. Both of those things are true at the same time, and they are both urgent needs that we should all pay attention to. Therefore, it is time to consider the critical power supplies safety needs that people working in the field need to know about.

Regulatory Codes Keep Us Safe

It might seem like a burden or an annoyance to deal with the regulatory codes put in place for workers to deal with when working on time-sensitive projects. They have to jump through various hurdles just to get their work done, and that is never easy to deal with. However, those regulatory codes exist for a reason. They are designed to help keep us safe. 

When you review the regulatory codes and follow what they say to do, you show you truly put the safety of yourself and those who work around you at the top of your list. That is how it should be, and that is the only way to guarantee the safety of everyone you are working near. 

Coming Back From a Serious Disruptive Event

Some situations might cause serious disruption to the power grid. When that is the case, many systems need to be tested to ensure they are doing the work they ought to be doing. It is essential to make sure critical power systems can bounce back even if something has knocked them off kilter. Electrical companies that focus on these safety issues and the backups they need to ensure that all systems are moving forward as designed understand that they are practicing safety by keeping their system from going down because of a disruption. 

Providing Power to Customers

The electric grid is one of the few areas that cannot withstand service disruption without annoying customers. No one likes to deal with disruptions to the services they rely on, but it can be a matter of life and death for people working through a power disruption. They might literally have to figure out what steps they need to take to keep themselves afloat. 

Needless to say, there is nothing particularly fun or endearing about this, but having safety as the top concern for the plant is the best way to go about things. 

Here’s some more information about this analysis and why it may need to be performed by a power supply company.

What is arc flash analysis?

An arc flash analysis is a study used to identify safety protocols for qualified electrical contractors working on electrical equipment and circuit parts that are unable to be placed in a condition safe for electrical work.

In this engineered incident energy analysis, the shock and arc flash boundaries are calculated, which are used to establish protocols, such as appropriate levels of personal protective equipment. This type of analysis will also include updated facility electrical paperwork with one-line diagrams and equipment locations, as well as a short circuit and coordination study.

Why is arc flash analysis important?

This analysis will determine the incident energy available at a specific electrical device, which will reveal how much energy electrical workers may be exposed to while interacting with the equipment at the facility. As mentioned, this helps determine what type of personal protective equipment is needed on-site, which is required by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation 1910.132.

The standard for electrical safety in the workplace, NFPA 70E, states, “The employer shall implement and document an overall electrical safety program that directs activity appropriate to the risk of electrical hazards. The electrical safety program shall be implemented as part of the employer’s overall occupational health and safety management system, when one exists.” This goes on to specifically cite arc flash analysis as a requirement before any work can begin.

The details of NFPA 70E include not only the analysis but also proper labeling containing information about the risk identified through the analysis. It also includes requirements of the host employer to notify the contractor of any hazards that may be encountered, meaning that an arc flash analysis is still required even if the facility owner hires licensed electricians for the work.

How to be compliant as a facility owner

As a facility owner, in order to be compliant with NFPA 70E regulations surrounding arc flash analysis, it’s important to ensure electrical safety and arc flash training of electrical workers on the jobsite. It’s also imperative to properly label equipment with the nominal system voltage, arc flash boundary and either the required personal protective equipment level, available incident energy at working distance or minimum arc rating of clothing.

When you need essential electrical service or mission-critical power specialists, it’s important to work with a power supply company with the right experience for the job. With 24-hour emergency service as well as experience in design, installation and maintenance since 1986, make sure Ham’s Electric, Inc. is your first call for any power supply installation needs. We look forward to assisting you soon.

It’s important to at least have a basic understanding as a homeowner or business property owner of some of the potential electrical hazards you could face. Certain types of electrical hazards can lead to elevated risk of fire or electrocution.

Here’s a quick rundown of how you can go about preventing electrical home hazards in Upland, CA:

• Issues with electrical outlets: Make sure all of the electrical outlets you have around the home are safe. If you have small children, you should get caps for those devices or use tamper-resistant receptacles to prevent children from sticking their fingers or small objects into the outlets. In addition, make sure the outlets are sufficiently tightened, and avoid overloading outlets with multiple plugs or adaptors, as this could create a fire risk.
• Use the right bulbs: Make sure you always use the right bulbs for your light fixtures and lamps. If you have a bulb with wattage that is greater than the maximum allotted wattage for that lamp or fixture, it could result in you overloading the wiring and potentially causing overheating or fire. Don’t draw more power than the fixture can take.
• Keep water away: Water and electricity do not mix. Make sure you keep water away from your electrical devices. If you drop an electrical device in water, make sure you shut off the power supply first, and then unplug the appliance before you go to retrieve it. If you see standing water near your electrical panel, call a professional electrician rather than attempting to work at the panel yourself.
• Manage your cords: Always be careful with electrical cords. Run the cords under rugs or carpets, and avoid nailing them to walls, running cords across high-traffic areas, running cords under carpets or rugs or sending cords across furniture. Cords should be regularly inspected to make sure they’re in good condition, and extension cords should only be used for temporary purposes.
• Don’t ignore breaker issues: Do you have a circuit breaker that regularly trips? Don’t ignore the issue—be proactive about resolving it as soon as you can. If this happens over and over again, it’ll be a sign that there’s something wrong that could potentially develop into a major safety hazard if you don’t take the appropriate steps to correct the problem.
• Only allow experts to do electrical work: It can be tempting to try to save some money by doing electrical work yourself, but this can quickly turn into a disaster if you don’t have the necessary knowledge or tools to get the job done correctly. You’re better off going with an electrician for your own safety, and to avoid having to do expensive reworking of the system later on.

Interested in learning more about preventing electrical hazards at home in Upland, CA? Contact the team at Ham’s Electric, Inc. for more information.