Hiring an electrician needs a bit of attention; you cannot leave the task of electrical repair in the hands of an inexperienced professional. An experienced and professional electrician will guarantee that the work is done by adhering to all the safety standards. But even the most experienced professionals fall prey to hazards caused by negligence. And for electricians, these hazards can be potentially fatal. Here we are with a few rules and safety regulations that you must follow while dealing with electrical equipment.
Safety measure to follow:
1. Do not touch a live circuit at any cost
Make sure you turn off the supply line before coming in contact with electrical wiring and circuitry. If the circuit is live, you might not have a second chance to rectify your mistake, as the consequences can be fatal.
2. Use tools with insulating handles
As an electrician, you should always use tools with insulated handles. This is because you must treat any electrical devices as live or energized. Negligence in this respect can present a potential hazard if the device you're dealing with has a significant body charge accumulated on its surface.
3. Always ground metal surfaces before touching them
Electrical poles and metal surfaces, in general, are excellent conductors of electricity. Grounding these surfaces before working on them is an absolute necessity, as you can never know which wires in the circuitry have shorted or where the insulation has worn off. A high voltage shock from a metal surface can even cause fatal damage to an electrician.
4. Wear your safety equipment while working around electrical devices
Personal protective equipment is a must for those who are dealing with electrical work. PPEs like gloves, rubber shoes and hard hats are a must.
5. Avoid carrying metallic items around you
Metallic pencils, rulers, rings, or wristbands can be life-threatening for you in case of accidents. That is why all electricians are recommended not to keep such items in their working environment. Use insulating materials like wood and rubber while at work.
6. Keep one hand in your pocket if possible
Often electricity finds it very easy to pass from one conducting surface to another through you. Working with one hand while keeping the other in your pocket is a proven method for reducing your body's hazard. This reduces the chances of electricity passing through your chest cavity. An experienced electrician is bound to try and follow this rule in all working environments.
7. Avoid touching metallic equipment near water or chemical spill
As an electrician, you might face situations where the equipment you're working on has water or chemicals spilled on it. In these situations, you must turn off the power and insulate yourself before touching any object around you. There are several documented cases where negligence has resulted in severe damage and loss of life.
8. A charged capacitor has to be drained promptly
High-voltage capacitors can generate dangerous sparks on discharging. Make sure you drain them promptly before touching the circuit wires. Moreover, it is also essential that you short the terminals to avoid accidentally charging them when handling the intricate circuitry. Failure in doing so can damage electrical components and cause sudden fires. It can also become a significant hazard for your crew.
9. Use the back of the hand to touch metal surfaces
While checking for overheated components, an electrician might have to touch surfaces with his bare hand. It is always recommended to connect any equipment with the back of your hand. This is because electrical shocks can cause muscle contraction. This will ensure that when your muscles freeze, your hand does not stick to the metal surface.
Accidents can occur unexpectedly. Hence precaution is better than cure, so, while doing electrical work, one must always ensure complete safety and precautionary measures like the ones mentioned above. The rules and regulations enumerated above must be followed vigilantly to make the workplace safer for any electrician and his crew
Comments