1. Electricity is all around us. It is an essential element in all our daily lives.

Nearly everything we do is connected with electricity.

2. Working around electricity is always safe when work hazards are properly
identified and mitigated.
3. Proper training, experience, qualification needed to handle electrical
equipment. Particularly in operation and repair. Inadequate training, lack of
experience or failure to recognize hazards will cause electric shock or arc
flash.
4. Electric shock (explain V=IR): Occurs when worker comes in contact with
exposed energized conductor/ equipment. Can vary from tingling sensation to
involuntary muscle contraction causing respiratory paralysis, ventricular
fibrillation (disruption of hearts rhythm) and severe internal and external
burns. Also physical harms like falling from heights can occur.
Affects the Heart, Injures Body Tissues, Causes Muscle Contraction.
Injury from electrical shock depends upon these factors:
1) Current* 2) Electrical Voltage (low voltage doesnt mean low hazard)** 3)
Resistance 4) Time.
Human bodies let AC through easily than DC as it possesses some capacitive
properties. So, compared to DC, AC hurts more at lower voltages and higher
frequencies.
The most common shock-related injury is a burn. Burns suffered in electrical
accidents may be of three types: a) Electrical b) Arc (result of high temp.) c)
Thermal contact(when skin comes in contact with hot surfaces of overheated
electric conductors/conduits/other energized equipment).

Electrical burns are the result of the electric current flowing through
tissues or bone.
Tissue damage is caused by the heat generated by the current flow
through the body
Electrical burns are one of the most serious injuries you can receive and
should be given immediate attention.

5. Arc Flash: Results from two electrical components sustaining an arcing fault.
If conditions support arc fault may followed by a blast wave containing
vaporized metal and toxic gases.
6. For an accident to take place, three things should fall in place: Hazard,
Exposure, Trigger (Triangle)
7. Electricity has the power to seriously harm you, but the risks of electrical
shock can be mitigated and work can be safely carried out without incidents.

These include: proper insulation, guarding; grounding; electrical protective

devices; and safe work practices.
8. Electrical Safety properly begins with field level safety assessments and
identifying potential hazards. This can protect you and your colleagues and
any outsider visiting your shop area.
9. While performing your walk through across your shop or work place LOOK,
LISTEN & SMELL.
10.Adequate light levels are required in your work areas. While working around
electrical equipment, de-energizing the equipment is a general practice.
Never remove some other partys tags, danger boards, sign boards placed at
your work premises without confirming the same. Know the location of fire
extinguishers on your site.
11.High voltage hazards can also be in the ground. Call the electrical personnel
before you dig.
12.Safe operating distances must be maintained from high voltage circuits.
13.Look out for abnormal conditions of electrical equipment: Smoke, Fire, Arcing,
exposed cables, open electrical panels.
14.Water Hazards: High conductivity, if you cannot rectify a hazard by yourself
ask questions and seek solutions from authorized personnel. Do not take
electricity for granted.
15.Use PPE: Foot wear (Safety Shoes Shock resistant, static dissipative) , Safety
Hat(Class Type E/G), Safety Glasses and Work Gloves (Rubber insulated).
Remember PPE is the Last Line of Defence. Dont try to bypass, remove or
control and existing hazards.
16.Know what you are doing. Plan ahead, identify all electrical sources, never
work live, dont work alone, and isolate all sources of electricity, test before
you touch.

Where there is electricity, there may be a risk. Have any body of

you got or experienced an electrical shock?.... people assume that
large amount of current is required for a person to die. This
assumption is wrong. For that matter, never assume anything with
electricity. Always check and confi rm. As little as 6/1000 of an amp
can be fatal if this crosses your heart. Death by electrocution is due
to bad timing than to the amount of electricity.

Hazards of Electricity:

* A difference of less than 100mA exists between a current that is barely perceptible
and one that can kill. Muscular contraction caused by stimulation may not allow the
victim to free himself or herself from the circuit, and the increased duration of
exposure increases the dangers to the shock victim. For example, a current of
100mA for 3 seconds is equivalent to a current of 900mA applied for 0.03 seconds
in causing ventricular fibrillation.
**The so-called low voltages can be extremely dangerous because, all other factors
being equal, the degree of injury is proportional to the length of time the body is in
the circuit.