Technical Services (HQ) Safety Department

Welcome!
The reason for this Program
Electricity is the most commonly used at construction sites. Unsafe use of Electricity can cause serious accidents including electrocution (death).

The goal of this Program

Learn basic fundamentals of electricity. Learn how electricity effects human body. Learn to identify common electrical hazards and protection devices.
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Welcome!
The program is not designed to teach you to work on Electrical Equipment.
If you find any problem with electrical equipment, you should report it to supervisor/engineer.

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Basic Fundamentals of Electricity

Electricity flows through conductors metals, water, the human body etc.
Insulators are non-conductors Rubber, wood etc. The Human Body is a Conductor.

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Basic Fundamentals of Electricity

Voltage.
Current
Electricity Flow Rate in amperes (water flow rate). Electric Pressure (water pressure).

Impedance/Resistance.

Resistance to flow of current/electricity (pipe friction)

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Basic Fundamentals of Electricity

Circuit.
Path of flow of current/electricity. Objects which are part of a circuit and through which current flows. Current flow through an intended path.

Circuit Elements

Fault.

Grounding.

Ground conductor provides connection between equipment and earth. Provides protection from electric shock.
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Basic Fundamentals of Electricity

Basic Rules
Circuit is not live until current flows. Electrical current wont flow until circuit is complete (power source to equipment (load) to power source).

Current prefers to flows through the least resistance path.

Current in a circuit = Voltage/Impedance (Resistance).

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How you get an electric shock?

Electricity travels in closed circuit. You get shock when the body becomes part of electrical circuit current enters the body at one point and leaves at another point.
Shock occurs when a person contacts:
Both wires of an energized circuit. One wire of an energized circuit and ground. A metallic part in contact with an energized circuit while the person is in contact with ground.

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How electrical current affects human body

Three factors that affect the severity of the Shock. Amount of current that flows through the body. Path of the current through the body.

Length of time the body is in circuit.

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How electrical current affects human body

Other factors that may affect the severity of the shock The voltage of the circuit. The presence of moisture in the environment/body. The general health of the person (body resistance).

The phase of the heart cycle when the shock occurs.

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Probable effect of shock on human body

General relationship for a 50 cycles, hand-to-foot shock of one second duration.
1mA 5 mA Slight tingling sensation. Slight shock; not painful but disturbing. Average individual can let go.

6-30 mA
50-150 mA 10004300 mA

Painful shock, muscular control is lost. This is called freezing current.

Extreme painful, respiratory arrest, severe muscular contractions. Death is possible. Ventricular fibrillation (the rhythmic pumping action of the heart ceases.) Muscular contraction and nerve damage occur. Death is most likely.

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Probable effect of shock on human body

Under dry conditions, human skin is very resistant. Human body resistance is approximately 100 kilo ohms Dry condition current = 230/100,000 = 2.3 mA Under wet conditions, wet skin dramatically drops the bodys resistance to approximately 1 kilo ohm. Wet condition current = 230/1000 = 230 mA
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Probable effect of shock on human body

Human Resistance to Electrical Current
Body Area Dry Skin Wet Skin Resistance (ohms) 100,000 to 600,000 ohms 1,000 0hms

Internal body hand to foot

Ear to ear

400 to 600 ohms

(about) 100 ohms

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Probable effect of shock on human body

If the extensor muscles are excited by the shock, the person may be thrown away. This often result in a fall from elevation that may kill the victim.

If muscular contraction caused by stimulation does not allow the victim to free himself from electric circuit, even low voltage could be dangerous, because degree of injury increases with time the body is in contact with circuit.

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Probable effect of shock on human body

Low Voltage does not imply low Hazard. 100 mA for 3 seconds = 900 mA for 0.03 seconds in causing fibrillation.

A difference of less than 100 mA exists between a current that is barely perceptible and one that can kill.

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Probable effect of shock on human body

High Voltage greatly reduces the bodys resistance by breaking down human skin. Once the skin is punctured, the lowered resistance results in heavy current through the human body. At 1000 volts, Current = 1000/500 = 2 Amps. This can cause cardiac arrest and serious damage to internal organs.

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Injuries to human body from electric shocks

Shock related injuries include: Electric Burns. Internal Injuries.

Involuntary muscle contractions.

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Injuries to human body from electric shocks

Electric Burns.
Electric burns are the result of heat generated by the flow of electric current through the body and cause tissue damage. High temperature produced by electric arc or explosion cause flash burns. Thermal contact burns occur when skin comes in contact with overheated electric equipment.

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Injuries to human body from electric shocks

Internal Injuries. Excessive current flowing through the human body cause serious damage to internal organs including internal bleeding, tissue damage, nerve or muscle damage. These internal injuries may not be immediately apparent to victim or others, however if left untreated, these can result in death.

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Injuries to human body from electric shocks

Involuntary Muscle Contraction.
Normal muscle contraction is caused by very small amount of current that is created inside our body. Muscles violently contract when stimulated by excessive current. These can cause damage to muscles, tendons and ligaments and may even cause broken bones. If the victim is holding an electrocuting object, hand muscles may contract, making it impossible to drop the object and prolong contact with current. This may lead to injury or death or victim to fall from elevation.

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Injuries to human body from electric shocks

Severity of Electric Shocks Injuries from electric shock are less severe when the current does not pass through or near nerve centers and vital organs. However in majority of accidents at construction sites the current flows through hand to feet. Since such a path involves both heart and lungs, the shocks are usually serious.

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What are the hazards in use of electricity ?

Contact with Live Parts. Lack of ground fault protection. Path to ground missing or discontinuous.

Equipment not used properly

Improper use of extension and flexible wires/cords.

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What are the hazards in use of electricity ?

Contact with live parts.
Temporary wiring that caries high voltage (over 440 volts) is guarded and fenced to keep out unauthorized personnel. Area around electrical equipment is not used as passageways when energized parts are exposed. There is adequate illumination and those working on the equipment are not endangered by live parts. Theses workers are provided with rubber gloves. Electrical boards or live parts are protected by suitable enclosures and appropriate warning signs displayed. Electrical equipment and wiring are in safe condition.
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What are the hazards in use of electricity ?

Lack of ground fault protection Due to the nature of work at construction site, electrical equipment are prone to excessive wear and tear that results in insulation breaks, short circuits and exposed wires. If there is no ground fault protection, it can cause current through workers body resulting in electric shock.

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What are the hazards in use of electricity ?

Lack of ground fault protection
Use earth leakage circuit breakers for all 230 volt, single phase, 15 amps hand held electric tools.
Provide earth to all 3 phase electric equipment through assured equipment grounding conductor program.

Follow manufacturers recommended testing instructions to ensure GFCI is working properly.

Use tools and equipment according to the manufacturer's instructions. Visually inspect all equipment for fray cords, missing ground links, cracked tool casing etc. Ground conductor is not used as the return path.
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What are the hazards in use of electricity ?

GFCI (Ground-fault circuit interrupter)
A device that detects an insulation failure by comparing the amount of current flowing to electrical equipment with the amount of current returning from the equipment. Whenever the difference is greater than 5 milliamps, the GFCI trips and thereby interrupts the flow of electricity. It is also called ELCB (Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker)

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What are the hazards in use of electricity ?

Path to ground missing or discontinuous. If the power supply to electrical equipment at site is not grounded or the path is broken, fault current may travel through workers body causing accident (electric shocks etc)
Ground all power supply systems, distributions boards, electrical equipment.
Inspect electrical systems frequently to ensure that the path to ground is continuous.

Visually inspect all electrical equipment before use. Remove any defective equipment from service.
Use double insulated tools.
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What are the hazards in use of electricity ?

Equipment not used properly If electrical equipment is used in a manner for which it is not designed, safety feature built in by the manufacture may not work and may damage the equipment or cause injury.
Using circuit breakers or fuses with wrong rating for over current protection e.g. using 20 amp circuit breaker for 15 amp tool. Using tools or cords with worn insulation or exposed wires. Using only two wires for three wired tools. Using multi-receptacle boxes and placing them on ground.
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What are the hazards in use of electricity ?

Improper use of extension and flexible wires/cords. The normal wear and tear on extension/flexible wires can loosen or expose wires and may create hazardous conditions.
Remove cords from receptacles by pulling on the plug, not wire.
Use extension cords that are 3-wired type and are for hard usage.

Flexible cords are not subjected to mechanical injury.

Use flexible cords in continuous length without splices.
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What are the hazards in use of electricity ?

Flexible cords are not placed near/in water/liquids.

Flexible cords are equipped with metal clad industrial plugs.

Flexible cords are used for only portable tools. Inspect cords regularly and remove any defective cords.

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What to do in case of electrical accidents

Electrical accidents are very serious. Knowing what to do can make a life-or-death difference. Respond immediately in case of electrical emergencies. There are: Electrical Fires. Electrical Shocks.

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What to do in case of electrical accidents

Electrical Fires Electrical fires are different from other fires, because water conducts electricity, throwing water may cause the fire to become bigger. Take these steps. Switch off the main power supply. Never use water on electrical fires. Use only dry chemical powder or carbondioxide type fire extinguisher. Call local fire brigade and inform that it is electrical fire.

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What to do in case of electrical accidents

Electric Shock If some one has got an electric shock, it may be possible that he is still in contact with source of electricity. Do NOT touch the person or anything he is touching. You could also become part of electric circuit and get a shock. Take these steps: Switch off the main power supply. Call for help. When the victim is not in contact with electricity you may give first aid. This may include CPR.
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What if some one is injured

Since the most common result of electrical accident is failure of the nervous which controls breathing, it is important the the victim be applied to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
The technique should be continued until victim is revived or death is diagnosed by a physician.

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What if some one is injured

What is Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a lifesaving technique useful in many emergencies including cardiac arrest due to electric shocks.

Cardiac arrest is often caused by an abnormal heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation (VF). When VF develops, the heart quivers and doesn't pump blood. The victim in VF cardiac arrest needs CPR and delivery of a shock to the heart, called defibrillation. Defibrillation eliminates the abnormal VF heart rhythm and allows the normal rhythm to resume.

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What if some one is injured

CPR involves a combination of mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing and chest compression that keeps oxygenated blood flowing to the brain and other vital organs until more definitive treatment can restore a normal heart rhythm. When the heart stops, the absence of oxygenated blood can cause irreparable brain damage in only a few minutes. Death will occur within 8 to 10 minutes.

St. John Ambulance Society provides necessary training on CPR

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What if some one is injured

Possibility of revival of electric shock victim

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Thank you

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