Electrician Equipment Safety
Follow these details from the University of California about electrical
safety and operating electrical equipment. SOURCE:
Electrical Safety Program
Summary:
This program applies to all work operations at UC Irvine involving
electrical systems of 600 volts or less where employees may be exposed
to live parts and/or those parts that have been deenergized.
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1.
Program Description
The purpose of this program is to prevent injuries and accidents and protect
University employees from low
voltage electrical hazards. “Low Voltage” is defined by Cal/OSHA as work
performed directly on or in proximity of systems of 600 volts, nominal, or less.
Work unit specific safety procedures for preventing electric shock or other
injuries resulting from direct/indirect electrical contact to employees working
on or near energized or deenergized parts will be developed and implemented as
required.
2.
Scope
This program applies to all work operations at UC Irvine involving
electrical systems of 600 volts or less where employees may be exposed to live
parts and/or those parts that have been deenergized. Any work on energized
equipment may be done only after it has been determined that this type of work
must be performed with the equipment energized. While some lab and Facilities
Management employees may work with equipment in the 120 to 600 volt range, most
University employees normally work in areas with electrical appliances that
operate at 120 volts or less.
3.
Definitions
Current - (measured in amps/amperage) Term used to describe
electric flow. It is current that can cause electric shock.
Deenergized – Electrical devices that are disconnected
from all energy sources including direct electric connections, stored electric
energy such as capacitors, and stored non-electrical energy in devices that
could reenergize electric circuit parts
Energized Electrical Work – Work conducted by an employee
on or near an exposed energized circuit greater than 50 volts and less than or
equal to 600.
FM - Factory Mutual –An independent product safety
testing and certification company.
GFCI – Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, provides
additional protection from shocks by shutting off current to equipment when a
change in electricity is sensed.
Grounding - P rovides a safe path between electricity and
the earth, preventing leakage of current. The creation of a conductive path for
electricity between a circuit or the equipment to ground.
High Voltage – Electrical systems or equipment operating
at or intended to operate at a sustained voltage of more than 600 volts.
Low voltage - Electrical systems or equipment operating at
or intended to operate at a sustained voltage of 600 volts or less.
Polarized Plug - Helps reduce the potential for shock with
easily identifiable plugs. One prong is wider than the other and can only be
inserted into outlets one way.
Qualified Person – A person, designated by UC Irvine, who
by reason of experience or instruction has demonstrated familiarity with the
operation to be performed and the hazards involved. An employee is considered a
qualified person only after they have successfully completed the UC Irvine
Electrical Safety Awareness and Advanced Electrical Safety trainings.
Note One: Whether a person is considered to be a “qualified person” will
depend upon various circumstances in the workplace. It is possible and, in fact,
likely for an individual to be considered “qualified” with regard to certain
equipment in the workplace, but “unqualified” as to other equipment.
Note Two: An employee who is undergoing on-the-job training and who, in the
course of such training, has demonstrated an ability to perform duties safely at
his or her level of training and who is under the direct supervision of a
qualified person is considered to be a qualified person for the performance of
those duties.
Qualified Electrical Worker – A qualified person who by
reason of a minimum of two years of electrical training and experience with high
voltage circuits and equipment and who has demonstrated by performance
familiarity with the work to be performed and the hazards involved. Only a
Qualified Electrical Worker is allowed to work on energized conductors or
equipment connected to energized high-voltage systems. With the exception of
replacing fuses, operating switches, or other operations that do not require the
employee to contact energized high voltage conductors or energized parts of
equipment, clearing trouble or emergencies involving hazard to life or property,
no such employee shall be assigned to work alone.
An employee is considered qualified only after they have successfully
completed the UC Irvine Electrical Safety Awareness, Advanced Electrical Safety,
and Hazardous Electrical Voltage trainings, and have demonstrated a minimum of
two years experience working on the specific equipment under the oversight of
another Qualified Electrical Worker. This training will be provided when the
employee is initially assigned to the job with refresher training every three
years after.
Resistance - The ease with which electricity flows through
the material (conductor). Materials (conductors) with higher resistance
properties can become hot. (Measured in ohms)
UL - Underwriters Laboratories is an independent product
safety testing and certification organization.
Voltage - Electric potential or potential difference
assigned to a circuit or system expressed in volts.
4.
Responsibilities
The goal of the electrical safety program is to ensure that all employees
understand the hazards associated with electric energy and are capable of
performing the necessary steps to protect themselves and their coworkers.
Primary responsibilities include:
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Hazard identification
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Training
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Reporting/correcting safety hazards
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UCI Employees
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Are aware of electrical safety issues
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Comply with safe operating procedures when working with electrical
equipment
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Attend appropriate safety training.
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Report safety concerns
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Managers
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Ensure staff are trained, qualified, and authorized to work on
electrical equipment
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Conduct periodic hazard analysis of work areas
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Correct identified safety hazards
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EH&S
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Provide assistance in identifying electrical safety issues
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Provide electrical safety training for campus staff
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Review electrical equipment safe operating procedures as necessary
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Facilities Management
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Ensure that all authorized or qualified persons have received
appropriate levels of training
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Ensure appropriate Personal Protective Equipment is provided to
authorized or qualified staff who work with electrical equipment
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5.
Program Components
All employees use electric powered equipment and systems throughout the
campus. Whether in an office, lab or workshop, electricity is used continuously,
usually without incident.
Voltages as low as 12 volts can be dangerous. When working with or around
electrical equipment, one may inadvertently become part of an electrical
circuit. Only trained and authorized or qualified individuals should do any
repair or work on electrical equipment.
As part of the Injury
and Illness Prevention Program , departments are required to conduct a
hazard analysis of the workplace. This analysis will provide a mechanism for
defining work unit specific hazards associated with electricity and create a
plan for hazard mitigation and employee training.
General Precautions for All Staff
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Never work on “hot” or energized equipment unless it is necessary to
conduct equipment troubleshooting
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Use extension cords only as temporary power sources.
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Do not connect too many pieces of equipment to the same circuit or
outlet as the circuit or outlet could become overloaded.
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Be sure that ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) are used in
high-risk areas such as wet locations (GFCI's are designed to shut off
electrical power within as little as 1/40 of a second).
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Plug strips, such as those used on computers, should be plugged directly
into outlets and not into extension cords or other plug strips.
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Inspect all equipment periodically for defects or damage.
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All cords that are worn, frayed, abraded, corroded or otherwise damaged
must be replaced.
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Grasp the plug to remove it from a socket - never pull the cord.
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Keep all cords away from heat, oil and sharp edges.
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Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for use and maintenance of
all electrical tools and appliances.
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Keep equipment operating instructions on file.
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Never touch an electrical appliance and plumbing at the same time.
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Always unplug electrical appliances before attempting any repair or
maintenance.
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All electrical devices must be properly grounded with approved three
wire plugs unless they are "double insulated". Grounding provides
a safe path for electricity to the ground, preventing leakage of current in
circuits or equipment.
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All electrical equipment used on campus should be UL or FM approved.
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Keep cords out of the way of foot traffic so they don't become tripping
hazards or become damaged by traffic.
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Never use electrical equipment in wet areas or run cords across wet
floors.
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Ensure energized parts of electrical equipment operating at 50 volts or
more are guarded against accidental contact.
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Only properly trained employees should work on electrical equipment.
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Know how to respond to emergencies such as electric shock incidents or
fires.
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Localized Electrical Outage
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All Staff should immediately report electric outages
to Facilities Management Service Desk at 949-824-5444.
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If possible, identify the defective equipment or the
cause of the failure and remove it from service.
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Report this information to Facilities Management
personnel upon their arrival.
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Labs and Facilities Management
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NEVER work with electricity greater
than 600 volts without specific permission, training and written procedures.
Notify your supervisor immediately if you have any questions.
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Be able to recognize electrical safety hazards in
your work area.
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Ensure that all authorized or qualified persons have
received appropriate training in order to operate or repair equipment.
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Keep equipment in good working order to help prevent
electrical accidents.
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Maintain a three-foot clearance around electrical
panels.
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Electrically operated equipment must be deenergized
before work may commence.
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Always follow lockout/tag-out procedures when working
on electrical equipment (Lockout/Tag-out
Program) and wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such
as safety glasses, rated rubber gloves, rated rubber sleeves, insulated
boots, or face shield.
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Never override safety devices such as electrical
interlocks.
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Remove all rings, key chains or other metal objects
when working around electricity.
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Wear appropriate personal protective equipment, such
as eye protection or insulated gloves, as needed.
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Never use metal ladders when working near energized
wiring.
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Damp or wet environments may be dangerous when
working with electricity.
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Never plug in cords that are wet or touch electrical
equipment with wet hands.
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Employees working with lasers, performing hardware or
software testing, or other activities that do not require direct contact
with electrical components, should be aware of electrical safety issues and
be alert to the possibility of other employees conducting energized work in
the area.
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6.
Reporting Requirements
Damaged or Defective Electrical Equipment
Report malfunctioning equipment or devices to your supervisor or Facilities
Management at 949-824-5444. Typical issues include:
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Damaged cords, plugs or outlets;
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Receiving a shock when touching the equipment; and
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Arcing, sparking, smoking, or otherwise malfunctioning equipment.
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Any electrical equipment not operating properly should be:
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Taken out of service immediately.
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Tagged or labeled as “Do Not Use”.
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Reported to the appropriate department or individual for repair.
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Do not attempt to repair any electrical equipment yourself unless you are
properly trained and authorized to do so.
If safety issues persist, please notify your supervisor or submit a Report
of Safety Concern
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