Electrical Safety

Qualified Employee: an employee that has been trained and is licensed or authorized by management to conduct electrical work.
Unqualified Employee:any employee that has not been trained, nor is licensed or authorized by management to conduct electrical work.

All employees, Qualified and Unqualified, must follow these precautions:

• Inspect work daily for such hazards as flickering lights, warm receptacles, sticking switches, burning ordors, loose connections, and damaged wires.
• Report problems to your supervisor immediately.
• Select proper cords and connections for each job, and make sure portable cords are suitable in terms of gauge size, flexibility, strength, and ability to withstand chemicals.
• Make sure all electrical equipment is properly grounded.
• Plug into a ground fault circuit interrupter (CFCI) in wet areas and outdoors.
• Disconnect energy sources before performing maintenance and repairs, and lock and tag out disconnected power.
• Don’t use a metal ladder or wear metal or metal hard hat around electricity.
• Don’t touch anything electrified when your hands are wet, when you’re standing on a wet floor, or when you’re in contact with a wet surface.
• Don’t overload outlets or circuits.
• Use an ABC or CO2 fire extinguisher on electrical fires: never use water.

Electrical equipment is defined as a cord or plug type electrical device which includes the use of a flexible or extension cord. Examples of portable electrical equipment includes but not limited to powered hand tools, powered bench tools, fans, radios, etc. The following safety rules apply to portable electrical equipment:

• Portable electrical equipment shall be handled in such a manner as to not cause damage. Power cords may not be stapled or otherwise hung in a way that may cause damage to the outer jack or insulation.
• Portable electrical equipment shall be visually inspected for damage, wear, cracked or split outer jacks or insulation, etc. before each use or before each shift. Any defects must be repaired, replaced, or put out of service.
• Always check the compatibility of cord sets and receptacles for proper use.
• Ground type cord sets may only be used with ground type receptacles when used with equipment requiring a ground type conductor.
• Attachment plugs and receptacles may not be altered or connected in a way that would prevent the proper continuity of the equipment grounding conductor.
• Only portable electrical equipment that is double insulated or designed for use in areas that are wet or likely to contact conductive liquids may be used.

Electrical power and lighting circuits are defined as devices specifically designed to connect, disconnect or reverse circuits under a power load condition. When these circuits are employed, the following rules apply:

• Cable connector fuses, terminal plugs or cable splice connectors may not be used, unless an emergency, to connect, disconnect or reverse in place of proper electrical circuits.
• After a protective circuit is disconnected or opened, it may not be connected or closed until it has been determined that the equipment and circuit can be safely energized.
• Over current protectors of circuits or connected circuits may not be modified, even on a temporary basis, beyond the installation safety requirements.
• Only qualified employees may perform tests on electrical circuits or equipment.
• Test equipment and all associated test leads, cables, power cords, probes and connectors shall be visually inspected for external damage before use. Any damage or defects shall be repaired before use or taken out of service.
• Test equipment shall be rated to meet or exceed the voltage being tested and fit for the environment in which it is being used.
• Where flammable or ignitable materials are stored, even occasionally, electrical equipment capable of igniting them may not be used unless measures are taken to prevent hazardous conditions from developing.