One of man’s many inventions and discoveries is electricity. This form of energy has brought countless changes to mankind. Judging from its domestic and industrial uses, many people consider it to be the greatest, cathartic scientific breakthrough. It’s an integral aspect both at home or in the workplace.
People use electricity for various reasons like cooking, ventilation, cleaning, entertainment, and so much more. Despite these benefits humans get to enjoy, electricity comes with disastrous impacts too, if not properly handled. For instance, there has been roughly 20 deaths in Australia that are caused by electrocution every year. Imagine how many people are electrocuted in a day.
Hence, whether you are a skilled electrician or not, you must always observe crucial safety precautions when working around electricity. Here are few basic yet vital precaution tips you should observe when doing electrical duties.
- Perform Risk Assessments
A qualified electrician Sydney electric power industries have will always do an extensive risk assessment before they start any electrical task. You also should use a similar approach and observe proactive safety measures. By doing this, you’ll considerably reduce the overall risk of an avoidable accident and serious injuries from happening when handling electricity.
When assessing the possible risks, you first start by carefully surveying the working area. This way, you’ll be able to identify every possible electrical hazard, thereby safeguard your wellbeing by steering clear of avoidable mistakes. This way, you’ll be better placed to think of appropriate precautionary measures to implement as now you’ve identified the possible dangers in advance. After doing this, you’ll be able to think of proper safety protocols and plans to prevent any accident.
- Make Sure Your Electrical Tools Are Working Properly
Another crucial safety measure you must always take before you start checking what’s wrong with an electrical system is to making sure your tools are working properly. To confirm this, you’ll need to check whether your electrical tools have any naked wires, frayed cords or loose or missing prongs. Doing this is essential as this is one of the main reasons for short circuits, so it’s best to take these proactive safety measures. In case you notice anything is out of place, stop using the tool right away and get it repaired.
Other safety measures you need to take are inspecting your electrical tool for damaged switches, damaged trigger locks, and cracks on the body casings or handles. You also need to routinely inspect the extension cord’s insulation covering as they’re easily prone to damage.
- Always Wear Personal Safety Gear
Even after observing all the proper electrical safety protocols, never assume that you’re safe from electrocution or any electrical hazard. With this, you should invest in appropriate personal protection as you can never be too sure when an electrical mishap will happen. If an accident does happen, your safety is guaranteed if you have the proper safety gear. Some of the safety gear you’ll need include footwear and electric gloves to help you confidently and safely handle electrical materials. With that said, how much personal safety equipment you should use will depend on your potential electricity exposure. If you’re susceptible to greater electrocution risk, then having additional safety gear is advised.
- Choose The Right Amperage
Every electronic gadget or wire has an ampere or ampere rating, which refers to the maximum current that can be safely carried. Amperage differs depending on the electrical component you’re handling. For example, large appliances (such as electric dryers) can have circuits of 30 to 50 amps or higher, while many standard households have circuits between 15 to 20 amps.
You should always find out the amperage before substituting or installing the devices or wiring different electrical parts. This way, you can be certain that the circuit’s amperage rating is correct.
- Always Use Cord Protectors
While it’s standard electrical safety practice to use outlet strips and safe extension cords when working around electricity, it wouldn’t hurt to implement additional safety measures. One way of doing this is by using cord protectors and cable covers. This way, you’ll prevent anyone from getting tripped by loose cords as they will be visible to anyone passing and be properly fastened in place as they overlap your workspace.
Takeaway
The human body is a natural conductor of electricity. This means everyone is susceptible to electrical shocks, burns, and other electrical hazards. Therefore, it would be best to take proactive measures and prevent electrical burns and shocks in advance. Following these tips might help you ensure safety while doing works involving electricity.
Assessing the risks, checking the tools, wearing appropriate safety gear, selecting the proper amperage, and utilizing cable cords are some of the necessary actions you should observe when handling electricity at work or even at home. Following these tips will probably keep you safe around electricity.
