As many of you may know, working with electricity does have its risks and tradesmen working with the hidden dangers of household and industrial electricity on a daily basis should be on their guard, exercising safety and caution at every turn. According to a recent survey by Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) in the past decade 46,000 workers have been injured on the job by industrial electrical hazards, but what can you do to ensure you don’t form part of this statistic?
Check out the following four safety tips for industrial professionals to ensure they get through their working day safely and without encountering all-too-common hazards and resulting electricity-related accidents…
Never Assume Safety
Forgetting the basics of electrical safety, whether working with industrial alkaline batteries on a small installation or live conductors at a large scale manufacturing plant, results in the majority of injuries, such as electrocution, electric shocks, burns and falls. Never assume that an electrical component you are handling is safe, always run the necessary checks to ensure that the component you are working with is free from hazards before starting your project.
Know the Warning Signs
The second part of the ‘never assume safety’ rule is knowing how to confidently determine the warning signs and dangers that come with electricity and electrical components. If you are unsure about how to identify these hazards, then get clued up before you take on the project with professional training and assistance from a more qualified industry expert. After all, even if you have experience working with household voltages, this does not mean that you can work safely with commercial or industrial application voltages.
Use the Right Safety Equipment
As well as using your industry knowledge to identify the warning signs of electrical safety, it is also necessary to know what type of safety equipment is appropriate when dealing with electrical faults, devices, panels and other equipment to avoid serious injury. Always wear the appropriate safety gear; safety glasses, ear protectors, gloves, dust masks and rubber soled shoes are all essential accessories for completing an electrical project.
Test, Test and Test Again
Testing all electrical components before you start work is also an important step in electrical safety and testing should be completed thoroughly before checking whether a device is even on or off, or industrial batteries are energised. A non-contact voltage tester is every electrician’s best friend so make it yours; this handy tester can pinpoint whether a circuit is on before you even touch the switch or remove the panel to view its internal wires. Keep up to date with the latest electrical safety equipment and see the risk of electrical injury diminish!
Bio: Brittany is from Steatite Batteries, a market leading supplier of industrial technology solutions. Using over 75 years of experience, Steatite design and manufacture custom battery packs and industrial alkaline batteries.