Electrical Safety

Health Safety and Environment

Presentation By

asudhir
Electrical Safety

 Course not designed to teach you to

work on electrical equipment.
 You will not be qualified to work on
electrical equipment.
 If you spot problems with electrical
equipment you should report it to your
supervisor.
Electrical Safety

Be familiar with the fundamental concepts of electricity.

Be familiar with the effects of electricity on human body.

Be able to recognize common electrical hazards.

Be familiar with electrical protective devices

Fundamentals Electrical Hazards

 To flow electricity must have a complete

path.
 Electricity flows through conductors
– water, metal, the human body
 Insulators are non-conductors
 The human body is a conductor.
Fundamentals Electrical Hazards

Have You Ever Been Shocked?

THE BASICS
Fundamentals Electrical Hazards

 More than 3 ma
painful shock
 More than 10 ma
muscle contraction “no-let-go” danger
 More than 30 ma
lung paralysis- usually temporary
 More than 50 ma
possible ventricular fib. (heart dysfunction, usually fatal)
 100 ma to 4 amps
certain ventricular fibrillation, fatal
 Over 4 amps
heart paralysis; severe burns. Usually caused by >600 volts
Fundamentals Electrical Hazards

Minimum distance from overhead lines

10 ft.
Inspect all electrical tools and equipment

Frayed, cut, broken wires

grounding prong missing
Improper use of cube taps
improperly applied or missing strain relief
Electrical Protection

 Circuit Breakers
– Provided to protect EQUIPMENT not people
– Do not reset breakers with a line voltage higher than 120V
and only reset if you know why it tripped

• GFCI’s
- Provided to protect people
- Trip range 4-6ma
- Monthly test
Electrical Protection

Distance
– If you sense the presence of an electrical
hazard or exposed conductors that may
be energized, keep your distance and
STAY AWAY
Terminology
Electrical Grounding
Electrical Grounding
Electrical Grounding
Electrical Grounding
Fundamentals of Electrical
Hazards
Voltage
– electrical pressure (water pressure)
Amperage
– electrical flow rate (gallons/min)
Impedance
– restriction to electrical flow (pipe friction)
Fundamentals of Electrical
Hazards
•Circuit
–path of flow of electricity

•Circuit Element
–objects which are part of a circuit and
through which current flows.

•Fault
–current flow through an unintended path.
Fundamentals of Electrical
Hazards
What is Grounding?
– Protection from electric shock
• normally a secondary protection measure
A ground is a conductive connection
– between electrical circuit or equipment
and earth or ground plane
– creates a low resistance to the earth.
Basic Rules of Electrical Action

Electricity isn’t live until current flows

Electrical current won’t flow until there is

a complete loop, out from and back to the
power source.
Preventing Accidental Electrical
Contact

Electrocution Prevention

Time
GFCI
Do’s and Don'ts

 Do plug power equipment into wall

receptacles with power switches in the Off
position.
 Do unplug electrical equipment by grasping
the plug and pulling. Do not pull or jerk the
cord to unplug the equipment.
 Do not drape power cords over hot pipes,
radiators or sharp objects.
Do’s and Don'ts

Do check the receptacle for missing or

damaged parts.
Do not plug equipment into defective
receptacles.
Do check for frayed, cracked, or
exposed wiring on equipment cords.
Do’s and Don'ts

Do check for defective cords clamps at

locations where the power cord enters
the equipment or the attachment plug.

Extension cords should not be used in

office areas. Generally, extension cords
should be limited to use by
maintenance personnel
Do’s and Don'ts

“Cheater plugs”, extension cords with

junction box receptacle ends or other
jury-rigged equipment should not be
used.
Do’s and Don'ts

Consumer electrical equipment or

appliances should not be used if not
properly grounded. (Look for the UL
Label)
Do’s and Don'ts

Employees should know the location of

electrical circuit breaker panels that
control equipment and lighting in their
respective areas. Circuits and
equipment disconnects must be
identified
Do’s and Don'ts

Temporary or permanent storage of

any materials must not be allowed
within 3 feet of any electrical panel or
electrical equipment.
Any electrical equipment causing
shocks or with high leakage potential
must be tagged with a Danger tag or
equivalent.
Myths and Misconceptions

Electricity takes the path of least

resistance.
Electricity wants to go to ground.
If an electric tools falls into a sink or tub
of water, the item will short out.
Myths and Misconceptions

AC reverse polarity is not hazardous.

It takes high voltage to kill; 120 volts is
not dangerous.
Double insulated power tools are
doubly safe and can be used in wet
and damp locations.
 In this presentation……

Section I
 Electrical hazards
 Electrical accidents – Statistics
 Humans & Electricity
 Electrical Safety Programme elements

Section II
 Global Developments in Electrical Safety
 Electrical Accidents-Statistics

• • 25% of all fires occur due to electricity (NFPA)

• 411 deaths from job related electrical accidents
per year (NIOSH)
• Electrocution - the fifth leading cause of death
(1982 - 1990) NIOSH
•About 12 deaths due to electrocution NCRB,
(India)
•42 % of total fires occur due to electrical
sources (Source -OISD)
• 8% deaths that occur in Indian factories are due
to electricity
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENTS- 10 year Period,
Chemical Industry
Electrical Near-Misses &
Accidents- Major Causes
Working on live equipment w/o
authorization or PPE

Wiring mistakes coupled with failure of

safe-energy conditions

Leaving unsafe conditions

Electricity and People

A person usually offers a lesser resistance

for the electricity
The person forms a completed circuit when
touching the ground
Electricity always tries to travel to ground
 ELECTRICAL FIRES ….

 ELECTRICAL FAULTS (Contd.)

– STATIC DISCHARGES

– LIGHTNING

– USING ORDINARY ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT IN

HAZARDOUS AREAS
Earthing

 Most electrical equipment is designed with a

earthing system
 Earth all equipment with metallic body (TVs?)
 Double & Single earthing- differentiation?
 Carry out ER tests annually as per NFPA 70
 Take action on high ER values
 Identify all earth pits, maintain a Earth Pit lay out
Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers

 ELCBs reduce the likelihood of fatal shocks

 Detect small amount of leakage current and
automatically switch off the power
 Can be used with extension cords and portable
tools
 Fuses and circuit breakers protect equipment,
not people
 Use the right sensitivity ELCBs (30, 100, 300
mA)
Static Electricity

 Created when materials rub together

 Can cause shocks or even minor skin burns
 Can damage sensitive electronic equipment
 Reduced or prevented by:
– Proper grounding
– Anti-Static rubber matting
– Bonding & earthing of equipment, pipelines
 Electrical Fire Protection

Use Linear Heat Sensing cables in cable

cellars along with smoke detectors
Consider all major electrical fires in EMP
Install master control switches outside all
stores
Maintain PFEs for electrical rooms
Consider local flooding systems for critical
panels/ switchgear panels
Case Study

 An electrician received a shock while trying to

replace a tube light ballast in live power
condition.
 He touched a live conductor. He was not wearing
rubber gloves. Current entered his right hand
through his little finger and exited through his
left hand.
 Post Accident Correction:
– Working on live circuits not permitted
– LOTO to be strictly enforced
Equipment Operators

Never tamper with electrical interlocks

Do not repair electrical components of
your machine
Properly shut off machinery before
operation
Obey warning signs and follow safe
procedures
Follow PTW procedures strictly
Electrical Preventive Maintenance

 Identification of critical Electrical Equipment

 Emergency lighting

 Fire Alarm System

 Protection Supply DC System

 UPS System, Battery Banks

 Electrical Maintenance Procedures to be aligned with NFPA 70 B

Planning for EPM

Personal Safety

Equipment Failure

Production Economics
Electrical Preventive
Maintenance
 Implement EPM without slippage
 Carry out all tests (ER, IR, transformer oil,
DGA, LP system, transformer protective
devices- simulation, FA system for electrical
rooms, etc.)
 Adopt NFPA 70 E / B for electrical maintenance
 Adopt Risk Based maintenance
 Use predictive maintenance tools (hotspot
detector, Ultrasonic detectors, Thermography)
‘All electrical accidents are
preceded by rise in temperature
& sound’
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY AUDIT

A systematic approach to critically

analyze the existing Electrical
Procedures and Practices from safety
point of view
Global Developments in
Electrical Safety
 Present Status - ES-India
•ES Awareness is slowly growing
•Use of RCCBs in the rise, finer details are yet to
be understood by many
•More ES workshops / seminars are conducted in
India
•Statutory regulations are enforced strictly
(Karnataka, Delhi - Use of RCCBs mandatory in
residential buildings)
•Many industries are re-aligning their Electrical
practices based on international standards
(NFPA, IEEE, etc.)
Evolvement of ES Standards / organizations-
United States

•NFPA - NEC (1897)

•NESC (1913), from IEEE
•NIOSH (Research example: development of
voltage detector that will signal the person if he
gets close to live power)-1970
• OSHA (1970)
•NFPA 70 E & B (1979) -approved by OSHA
•Electrical Trauma Centre, Chicago (1990)
•NESF(1994), by UL, NFPA, NEMA, CPSC
ES Products...
 ES Auditing Techniques

• Electrical Risk Assessment using Semi-

Quantitative Risk Ranking (SQRR) technique
•Emergency Lighting Risk Assessment

• Benchmarking against applicable standards:

•NFPA 780 Lightning Protection
•NFPA 70 M Electrical Preventive
Maintenance
•NFPA 70 E Personal Safety from Electrical
Safety
 Electrical Risk Assessment (SQRR
Technique)

Risk Ranking based on severity, probability

High Risk- Statutory Non-compliance, F&E hazards,

Shock hazards, Risks that could result in immediate
threat to life & property. Immediate correction
Medium Risk - Maintenance flaws,Operational issues-
correction at the next available opportunity.
Low Risk - Mainly improvement measures, long term
implementation
RCCB Tripping

How do we solve this problem in

India ?

Bypass it !!!
 ES related Information
Indian Electricity Rule, 1956 (2000 rev.):
(MoP, CEA web site,http://powermin.nic.in)
Lightning Protection Risk
Assessment:www.furse.com
National Electrical Safety Foundation:
www.nesf.org
 IEEE IAS ES WS –Delhi Dec. 2004
Standards & Codes
 NFPA 70 E & B- E-Safety & Maintenance
 NFPA 780- Lightning Protection
 API RP 2003- Static Electricity
 API RP 500- HAC
 OSHA 29 CFR- part 1910- Arc Flash
 NFPA 70- NEC
 IEEE 1584- Arc Flash Protection
 NFPA 77- Static Electricity
 OSHA CFR 1926-Personnel Electrical Safety
Summary

 Electricity will try to reach ground even if it

means going through a person
 Earthing has an important role in ES
 Always inspect power tools and cords and do
not use them if damaged
 Do not attempt to repair electrical equipment
unless trained and qualified
 Understand effects of Lightning- it could save
your life!
 Major fires, explosions occurred due to ESD ,
lightning in flammable atmospheres
Thank You