Chapter 2 -related literature -factors of electrical safety This will help co-researchers in their related literatures.

1. Chapter 2
Related literature
This chapter presents the related literature
and studies after the thorough and in-depth
search done by the researchers. This will also
present the synthesis of the art, theoretical and
conceptual framework to fully understand the
research to be done and lastly the definition of
terms for better comprehension of the study.
In the study of Sahbi Boubaker et al(2017)
entitled Assessment of electrical Safety Beliefs
and Practices : A Case Study”, they found out
that the more aware of the electrical safety
practices the people are, the less accidents like
fires occur.
Under the republic act 7290, an act
providing for a more responsive and comprehensive
for the practice, licensing and registration of

2. electrical engineers and electricians provides
safety in electrical installation.
Proclamation No. 193, s.2011 declaring the
month of May of every year as the electrical
safety month whereas there is a real need to
increase public awareness on electrical safety
and educate our people in the safe use of
electrical appliances and gadgets and to bring to
their consciousness the importance of applying
these safety practices.
Dennis K. Neitzel CPE, (2006) electricity is
often referred to as a “silent killer” because it
cannot be tasted, seen, heard, or smelled. It is
essentially invisible. It is a destroyer of
properties if not handle with respect.
Electricity is invisible in nature and it is long
recognized as a serious hazard at residential,
commercial areas, institutions of learning and
other places, despite the importance of
electricity in day to day life. Cadick, Capelli-

3. Schellpferffer and Neitzel (2006) said that in
the late 1800s, hotels had to place signs
assuring their guests that electricity is
harmless, but by late 1900s, signs had to be hung
to remind people that electricity is a hazard.
MacKinnon, (2010) said that the presence of
electricity is increasing in modern live and we
ought to know that more electricity usage means
more potential electrical hazards. As people
continue to put confidence on electricity, so
does the importance of electrical safety
awareness for the electricity users becomes
necessary. People can never be too young to start
learning to use electricity safely. He makes an
estimation that 53,000 electrical fires occur in
homes each year. Most of these can be avoided by
taking simple safety precautions. Electricity is
a powerful and versatile energy but can be
dangerous if it is not used properly. Most of the
accidents that occur are due either to
carelessness or to a lack of awareness of some

4. basic rules that should be observed when using
electricity (Networks, n.d). The use of
electricity is something taken for granted, but
using it safely is very important. By
understanding how electricity works and where it
is found, we can each do our part in preventing
electrical dangers no matter where we are
(MacKinnon, 2010)
Electrical safety is a general practice of
workers who are exposed to handling and
maintaining electrically powered equipment. It is
a set of guidelines they follow to mitigate
electrical hazards and prevent its dangerous
effects in case of an incident.
(safetyculture.com) It is a system of
organizational measures and technical means to
prevent harmful and dangerous effects on workers
from electric current, electric arc,
electromagnetic field and static electricity
(en.wikipedia.org)

5. The study of Saba, T.M. et al (2014)
entitled “The Level of Awareness on Electrical
Hazards and Safety Measures among Residential
Electricity User’s in Minna Metropolis of Niger
State, Nigeria” which stated that the electrical
safety of the residential buildings must start
with the awareness of the electrical hazards and
the danger it can give to the electricity users.
According to New York Engineers (2020) blog
in their article entitled “Common Electrical
Safety Hazards in Homes and Businesses” they
stated that to ensure your building is a safe
space at all times, you must pay attention to all
items connected to the electric power and observe
electrical hazards like damage wiring, outdated
electrical panels, etc.
Factors of Electrical Safety
Outdated electrical panel
According to the blog Energy Today (2016),
entitled 4 Outdated and Unsafe Electrical Panels

6. that could be Hiding in your Home, electrical
panels contain safety devices (either fuses or
circuit breakers) that trip and shut off the
power when too much electricity flows through
them. This helps prevent fires caused by
overheating wires. Yet many Sarasota-area homes
have old, outdated panels that might not work as
intended, leaving them vulnerable to a house
fire.
4 types of unsafe panels you should consider
replacing.
Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Panels
FPE electric panels’ circuit breakers fail to
trip when they should (when there’s a short
circuit or circuit overload). This problem has
lead to thousands of fires across the United
States, including this one in Central Florida.
There are also many reports that FPE circuits in
the off position still send power to the circuit.

7. This can cause electrocution when working on a
circuit you believe to be off.
Zinsco Panel
The circuit breakers inside many Zinsco panels
melt to the main ‘bus bar’. This means the
breaker can’t ever trip, even when there’s a
short or overloaded circuit. So if there ever is
a short or other problems, the surge of power
melts wires and starts fires in your home.
Split-bus
By themselves, split-bus panels aren’t unsafe.
However, these types of panels haven’t been used
for over 40 years. That puts them past their
expected lifespan, meaning the circuit breakers
may not trip as they are designed to. Plus,
electrical code no longer allows for multiple
disconnects
Fuse Box

8. Fuses aren’t inherently unsafe. They work just
like circuit breakers (except they can’t be reset
and must be replaced.) However, most fuse boxes
in homes today are unsafe because they’ve been
modified to try to serve today’s energy demands.
https://energytoday.biz/blog
Moreover, according to Scott Stueber
(2017), there are two brands of circuit breaker
panels manufactured between 1950 and 1990 that
have serious design flaws and put older homes
with these panels at even more risk. They are
Zinsco and Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) panels
along with Stab-Loc circuit breakers. Now
obsolete, millions of homes still have these
panels today. While they may work fine for years,
one overcurrent or short circuit and they can
overheat and start a fire.
Experts report that both FPE and Zinsco
breaker panels have major faults that could pose

9. a real danger for fire, electrical shock, and
injury:
1. They don't meet today's updated safety codes.
2. They have significant design flaws.
3. They may have manufacturing defects.
Inside Federal Pacific panels, there are
several potential problems with the breakers:
overcrowding, loose connections, they can easily
split, and they may still be active when in the
off or down position
In addition to these concerns, the Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found that, when
using UL 289 test conditions, the materials used
to construct the breakers may be weak. As a
result, the breakers may not trip and the panel
could catch fire.
Problems with certain Zinsco panels may not
be easily visible; however, electricians often
find that breakers cannot be removed from the bus

10. bar because they melted together. In that
condition, a breaker would be unable to trip,
allowing an unsafe amount of electricity into the
home. This could lead to a potential fire. A
second known failure is when the breakers blow
out the side, causing an electrical arc
explosion. And a third problem is that even if
they appear to be shut off, they can still be
conducting electricity which puts you at risk for
electrical shock.
https://www.thesilverlining.com/westbendcares/blo
g/
Damage wiring
According to New York Engineers (2020), a top
cause of electrical hazards in homes and businesses
is faulty wiring. When wiring is ripped, faulty or
simply old, there’s always a risk of ground faults,
electric arcs, and even fire.
Never use faulty equipment; it may cause injury
due to electrical shock, fire, or electrocution. A

11. plug or electrical cord should not have exposed
wiring. Exposed wires present a danger of electrical
shock or electrocution (The Young Workers Zone,
2018). In addition, Handy Hints Blog 2010, said that
worn electrical cables/wires might cause
electrocution and can start a fire.
Overloaded socket outlet
According to Chris Deziel (2019), an
overloaded outlet, which is one with more current
running through it than it can handle, can get
hot enough to melt and expose wires, which can
short together and start a fire.
Will Best (2015), states that the risk of
overloading sockets is that it can cause fires
and is therefore extremely harmful to ones
health, even fatal. Overloading a socket can
destroy complete homes and a lifetime’s
possessions; causes financial hardship, incurred
costs, disrupts lives completely
Secondhand and outdated appliances

12. Emilie Martin (2019), stressed that the
charity urges caution if you are shopping for
second-hand appliances. It warns of risk of
inadvertently buying products with worn-out
components, older products that don’t have most
up-to-date safety features or white goods that
have been recalled and which could potentially be
unsafe to use.
Moreover, outdated appliances, like outdated
electrical panels, circuit breakers, and wiring
can affect home’s function value and safety,
poses a significant risk as well. Appliances like
oven or stoves can trigger gas odors and hazards
such as fires and explosions. An old washing
machine or dryer can cause fire and electrocution
as well. Express Electrical Service (2020)