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Basic Electrical Safety Training - BESTt
- 1. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 1 “Basic Electrical Safety Training (BEST)”
- 2. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 2 Principles: 1. This training is to inform all participants of the potential hazards of working with or near energized electrical equipment. 2. This is basic information, provided to keep employees safe. 3. The focus is on recognizing, avoiding and reporting electrical hazards. “Basic Electrical Safety Training”
- 3. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 3 1. This training is not intended to provide skills or knowledge to perform any electrical tasks. 2. Participants completing this training will NOT: be “qualified” to perform any electrical tasks at sites. be “authorized” to repair any electrical equipment. “Basic Electrical Safety Training”
- 4. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 4 The Objective is to provide all participants with: 1. the knowledge needed to work safely with or near electrical equipment 2. a basic understanding of how electricity behaves 3. an introduction to the hazards of electricity
- 5. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 5 Participants completing this training will be able to: 1. Recognize real or potential electrical hazards 2. Avoid personal injury and prevent others from being injured 3. Report emergencies and unsafe electrical conditions
- 6. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 6 Birds on a Wire “Why don’t these birds get shocked?”
- 7. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 7 Electricity Is All Around Us We all use electrical devices every day. Some may present safety hazards. To be safe, we must properly handle all electrical devices.
- 8. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 8 Conductor: Anything through which electrical current can flow easily; water, metal, the earth, the human body Insulator: Non-conductors, things that resist the flow of electrical current; dry wood, glass, ceramic, dry concrete, fiberglass Basic Electrical Terms
- 9. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 9 How Electricity Behaves Voltage does not flow, only current flows. Voltage pushes Current flows
- 10. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 10 Current cannot flow unless there is a complete circuit (return path) to the power source. How Electricity Behaves Gen switch Gen switch Switch is open Switch is closed e e
- 11. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 11 If more than one path is present, the current will divide itself among the paths. How Electricity Behaves Gen e e
- 12. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 12 Unintentional paths for current flow can be made by any conducting material, water, metal, damp dirt or dust, chemicals, or a human body. How Electricity Behaves Gen e e e e
- 13. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 13 How Electricity Behaves If a path happens to be through you, you will receive a shock. Gen
- 14. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 14 The Three Hazards of Electricity Shock Arc Flash Blast
- 15. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 15 Shock Hazard An electric shock is electrical current flowing through the body. Electrical current always follows the path of least resistance. In the body that is: Blood vessels, nerves, heart, kidneys, brain, etc. Shocks can cause internal burns, tissue and organ damage.
- 16. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 16 Have you ever been shocked? If so, the sensation you felt was current flow
- 17. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 17 1. Approved Devices Using only “approved” devices. UL in the USA CSA in Canada CE in the EU Most countries have similar rating organizations Preventing Electrical Shocks
- 18. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 18 2. Good Working Order Use only electrical equipment or devices that are in “good” condition. Clean & Dry Water contributes to many electrical shock incidents Intact, no cracks or holes in the case Power cord is in good condition No worn spots or cracked insulation Regularly inspected
- 19. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 19 3. Following Safe Practices Use electrical equipment as it was intended to be used. Follow manufacturers recommendations Follow all site safe practices
- 20. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 20 4. Avoid and Report Hazards If you encounter an electrical hazard: 1. Stay away from the hazard 2. Take steps to keep others away 3. Report the hazard
- 21. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 21 21 Grounding Grounding creates a low- resistance path from a tool to the earth to disperse unwanted current. When a short or lightning occurs, energy flows to the ground, protecting you from electrical shock, injury and death.
- 22. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 22 Call for help immediately. Stand by to warn others. Do not touch or approach! Do not become an additional casualty! Wait for qualified personnel to arrive. Responding to an Electrical Emergency If you encounter a person who appears injured or unconscious, and may be in contact with an electrical circuit:
- 23. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 23 Arc Flash Hazards 1st to 3rd degree burns Hair and clothing can be set on fire. Extremities are often seriously injured. Extremely high temperatures are generated during an electrical arc flash incident. Resulting injuries are typically:
- 24. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 24 Blast Hazard If a severe electrical arc fault occurs, there is a risk of Blast as well as Flash. Extreme heat is generated very quickly during such an event, and the rapidly expanding gases can create an explosion. The pressure wave can be strong enough to knock people down and destroy equipment.
- 25. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 25 Wall Receptacles Properly installed wall receptacle Missing or damaged wall plates
- 26. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 26 Overload Condition A potentially overloaded multi-outlet strip Evidence of overheating
- 27. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 27 Damaged Power Cords Worn or cut cords Ungrounded power cords Careless routing of power cords that could lead to damage
- 28. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 28 Moisture Hazards Power cords and cord connections must be kept dry.
- 29. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 29 Exposed Equipment MCC compartments must not be left open Holes from removed conduits must be closed.
- 30. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 30 “Temporary Wiring” Violates the National Electrical Code “The code does not authorize temporary violations of the code.”
- 31. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 31 Improperly Stored Materials
- 32. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 32 Electrical Protective Devices Fuses & Circuit Breakers Fuses and circuit breakers are over-current devices When there is too much current: Fuses melt Circuit breakers trip open
- 33. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 33 Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters GFCI’s must be used to insure that workers using portable tools are fully protected from shock hazards.
- 34. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 40 Birds on a Wire “Why don’t these birds get shocked?” They are contacting only one wire (and not ground) There is no return path to the source
- 35. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining Lets not wait for this to happen!
- 36. Electrical Safety AwarenessTraining 42 Summary How do we stay safe? 1. Recognize hazards 2. Avoid hazards 3. Report hazards
Editor's Notes
- #4 By “with” we mean operate devices or equipment that use electrical power.
- #6 In the previous slide we clarified that the Earth or Ground is part of the circuit path for most electrical services. These bird are contacting the voltage, but are not experiencing an current flow. “Voltage does not flow, current flows.” Current is what you feel when you’re shocked.
- #8 Voltage does not flow. Impedance is the total opposition to current flow in A.C. Circuits. Short circuits usually cause the circuit protective device (fuse or CB) to open
- #9 To be safe, electrical devices and equipment must be kept clean and dry. Water, chemicals, dust and dirt in electrical devices can cause early failure, shock hazards, fires and explosions.
- #10 To be safe, electrical devices and equipment must be kept clean and dry. Water, chemicals, dust and dirt in electrical devices can cause early failure, shock hazards, fires and explosions.
- #11 To be safe, electrical devices and equipment must be kept clean and dry. Water, chemicals, dust and dirt in electrical devices can cause early failure, shock hazards, fires and explosions.
- #12 To be safe, electrical devices and equipment must be kept clean and dry. Water, chemicals, dust and dirt in electrical devices can cause early failure, shock hazards, fires and explosions.
- #13 To be safe, electrical devices and equipment must be kept clean and dry. Water, chemicals, dust and dirt in electrical devices can cause early failure, shock hazards, fires and explosions.
- #14 We will explain each of these hazards in turn.
- #15 Electrical shocks result whenever a person becomes part of an electrical circuit. The effect of the shock is relative to the actual current that flowed through the person, the time duration of the shock, and the path through the persons body that the current followed.
- #17 Approved devices are those that carry the approval of a legally recognized testing laboratory. COUNTRY-NATIONAL CERTIFICATION BODIES Austria OVE, Australia QAS, Belgium CEBEC, Canada CSA Inter. ULC, China CCEE, Czech Republic EZU, Denmark DEMKO, Finland FIMKO, France LCIE, Germany VDETUV, RhTUV, Greece ELOT, Hungary MEEI, India BISSTQC, Ireland NSAI, Israel SII, Italy IMQ S.p.A., Japan IECEE-JP JETJQATUVRh JP, Korea IECEE-KR, Netherlands KEMA, Norway NEMKO, Poland PCBCBBJ-SEPPREDOM-OBR, Russian Federation GOST Re, Singapore PSB, Slovakia EVPU, Slovenia SIQ, South Africa SABS, Spain AENOR, Sweden SEMKO, Switzerland SEV, Turkey TSE, United Kingdom BEABBSIASTA.
- #18 Power tools and portable appliances must be inspected and tested on a regular basis.
- #19 This person is deliberately removing the ground prong from a plug. This should never be done! Unqualified persons have done this in years past to allow connecting to a two prong receptacle. Ungrounded two prong receptacles have been code violations for over 25 years, and are only found in the oldest of buildings. Today, unqualified persons do this to operate faulty equipment without tripping GFCI’s.
- #20 Notify the department that owns the equipment. Notify the ESO or a safety resource.
- #21 Notify the department that owns the equipment. Notify the ESO or a safety resource.
- #22 How do you report emergencies at this site? What number do you call? Do you have an in house response team?
- #23 Arc Flashes occur when there is a phase to ground or phase to phase fault. These usually last only a few milli-seconds, but generate extreme heat. The flash intensity is relative to the AFI (available fault current). Faults in small branch receptacle circuits will usually generate sparks and a flash, the fault pictured is typical of the energy level found in a common 480V industrial Motor Control Center. Note that this photo shows both flash and blast. This is the hazard level that LVQ technicians are trained to avoid and protect themselves from.
- #24 Note in the photo that the left and right sides of the box are bent outward. This box experienced an arc flash and blast fault that deformed the walls and literally blew the door off it’s hinges. The operator’s hand was severely broken in the incident.
- #25 Report all such conditions.
- #26 Overloaded cords will overheat and can cause fires. Connecting too many devices to an extension cord or receptacle can cause overloading. Causing more current to flow than a cord or circuit is designed to carry or supply, will cause an overload condition. Even slight overloading over a period of time can cause similar damage.
- #31 Not only improperly, but illegally stored. The yellow lines mark a storage free area, NOT a storage area.
- #32 Not only improperly, but illegally stored. The yellow lines mark a storage free area, NOT a storage area.
- #40 In the previous slide we clarified that the Earth or Ground is part of the circuit path for most electrical services. These bird are contacting the voltage, but are not experiencing an current flow. “Voltage does not flow, current flows.” Current is what you feel when you’re shocked.
- #41 In the previous slide we clarified that the Earth or Ground is part of the circuit path for most electrical services. These bird are contacting the voltage, but are not experiencing an current flow. “Voltage does not flow, current flows.” Current is what you feel when you’re shocked.