Electrical shock is dangerous because you never know how strong the current flow will be, or when it will take a lethal path. Creating an electrically safe work condition to reduce the risks is the best defense.
This week our EPSCO One Moment electrical safety series takes a look at the primary factors affecting the likelihood of electrical shock.
The age and condition of the equipment play heavily into the likelihood of an incident. Older equipment might not have the same safety features that you expect. If you aren’t familiar with a piece of equipment, there’s a higher risk you might accidentally make a mistake. Equipment that hasn’t been properly cleaned or maintained can also increase the likelihood of electrical shock.
The task at hand also plays a role with risk. The more complicated the procedure, the higher the hazard of shock becomes.
Environmental conditions at the job site are a key component to be aware of too. High humidity increases conductivity. And extreme weather conditions of any kind always add another layer of risk.
The top factor that increases the likelihood of electrical shock is the presence of power. The best thing you can do to mitigate the risk is to remove power from the circuit you’re working on. EPSCO online safety training will help you understand why it’s critical to create an electrically safe work condition, wear your PPE, use insulated tools, and see that there’s never a reason to work energized if you can avoid it.
If you do get shocked, it’s important to take care of your injuries immediately, even if they seem minor. You might feel fine at first, but electrical burns can worsen over time and cause problems for you down the road.
Being aware of all these factors when you go into the job can help you mitigate the risk of electrical shock and make your workplace safer.
