The ideal way to keep electricians safe from electrical hazards in the workplace is by strict implementation of procedures and policies to eliminate or reduce various risks. However, it is impossible to have 100 percent effectiveness, and if there is an electrical incident in the workplace, it might be deadly. With this in mind, anyone around or working with electrical equipment like surface mount access panels of electrical wirings must have proper Personal Protective Protection or PPE to reduce the risk and keep them safe during an accident. Here are the following most common types of PPE used by electricians to make their work safer:
Insulated Gloves
Insulated gloves can prevent the electricity from traveling to your palm or skin while working with electrical wiring, exposing your hands to the risk such as short circuit, live wires, and other issues.
Safety Goggles Or Eye Protection
Electricians and wiremen should always wear safety goggles or eye protection when working with electrical lines or equipment. Wearing fully dielectric eye protection with no metal parts is needed as accidental exposure to an electrical arc or electrical hazard can happen. A face shield or a visor can provide double protection against electrical arc in some situations, especially when working in a high voltage circuit to prevent thermal burn hazards during an accident.
Safety Helmet or Hard Hat
Electricians must wear a proper protective helmet to minimize electrical shock hazards while working on electrical equipment to prevent burn and shock. Wearing a hard hat will mitigate the impact from unwanted sticking of low overhead objects or electrical connections that might have a high current.
Insulated Ladders
An insulated ladder will prevent electricity transmission into the person using the ladder because of its non-conductive insulation. In contrast, if the electrician uses an ordinary metal ladder and accidentally touches the live wires, it can be devastating. An insulated ladder can mitigate such electrical issues and concerns.
Insulated Matting
Insulated matting will provide a protective layer between the potential grounded floor and the electrician. It is ideal when working with transformers, high voltage substations, and switchboards. It can prevent electricity transmission from the floor or ground from going to the person's body and reversely eliminate a path for electricity transmission from the person's body to the floor in the event of an accident to avoid severe damage to other electrical equipment.
Safety Footwear
Electricians should have safety footwear made from a non-conductive material that prevents travel from going to the person's body. Aside from matting insulation, safety footwear gives secondary protection and isolation from electrocution or electrical shocks from the ground.
Voltage Detectors
Even after cutting the power source, there can still be some electricity in the electrical system because of its capacitors. Voltage detectors will detect the electricity level of the system at the current time. So it will allow the electrician to wait for the remaining power to drain before starting to work.
An electrical hazard while working on an electrical line or equipment can be deadly. That is why having proper PPE must be strictly implemented in the workplace to minimize those potential risks. Enjoy reading Safety Precautions Every Electrician Should Know - a valuable guide on safely working with electrical lines and equipment.
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