ELECTRICAL SAFETY

OBJECTIVES
To understand the principles that

apply to electrical safety

To gain knowledge in electrical

safety that may be applied to our

workplace in order to prevent
accidents

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
Basics of Electricity
How Electricity Can harm You
Effects of Electrical Contact in
Human Body
Safe Work Practices

BASICS OF ELECTRICITY
Electrical current will not flow unless it has a
complete path (circuit) that returns to its
source (battery, generator, transformer).
Current flows through a conductor such as
metal, earth and human body.

Current can harm or kill you if it flows

through your body.

BASICS OF ELECTRICITY
Insulators resist the flow of electricity.
Insulating materials such as rubber and
plastics are used to cover electrical wires.
Low voltage does not imply low hazard.

SHOCK IS A PRODUCT OF LIVE LINE

& A GROUNDED BODY CONTACT

Substation
Overhead Lines

Distribution
Transformer

Secondary /
Service Lines
230V

20,000V

Neutral Line

Ground

Ground

Earth ground

HOW ELECTRICITY CAN HARM YOU?

Organ burns: 50006000
Heart paralysis: 250300
Ventricular fibrilation:
75-100
Respiratory paralysis:
30-75
"Let go" threshold: 1040
Pain 3-10
Muscle contraction: 1-5
Perception: 0.5-1.5

Milliamperes

0.1

10

100

1000
1 Amp

10000
10 Amp

HOW ELECTRICITY CAN HARM YOU?

OHMs Law

V = IR or I =

Where: V - potential in VOLTS

I - current in AMPERES
R - resistance in OHMS

V
R

HOW ELECTRICITY CAN HARM YOU?

Sample Computation
Under dry conditions, the resistance offered by the
human body may be as high as 100,000 Ohms. Wet
or broken skin may drop the body's resistance to
1,000 Ohms.

HOW ELECTRICITY CAN HARM YOU?

Sample Computation

V
I=
R
12 Volts
car battery
40 Amperes

Where R =2000 ohms

(Resistance of human body)

I = 12 Volts / 2000 Ohms

I = 0.006 Ampere

HOW ELECTRICITY CAN HARM YOU?

Organ burns: 50006000
Heart paralysis: 250300
Ventricular fibrilation:
75-100

BATTERY

Respiratory paralysis:
30-75
"Let go" threshold: 1040
Pain 3-10
Muscle contraction: 1-5
Perception: 0.5-1.5

Milliamperes

0.1

10

100

1000
1 Amp

10000
10 Amp

HOW ELECTRICITY CAN HARM YOU?

Sample Computation

V
I=
R
110 Volts
line-to-ground
15 Amperes

Where R =2000 ohms

(Resistance of human body)

I = 110 Volts / 2000 Ohms

I = 0.055 Amperes

220 OUTLET

HOW ELECTRICITY CAN HARM YOU?

Organ burns: 50006000

110 OUTLET

Heart paralysis: 250300

Ventricular fibrilation:
75-100

BATTERY

Respiratory paralysis:
30-75
"Let go" threshold: 1040
Pain 3-10
Muscle contraction: 1-5
Perception: 0.5-1.5

Milliamperes

0.1

10

100

1000
1 Amp

10000
10 Amp

EFFECTS OF ELECTRICAL CONTACT

TO THE HUMAN BODY

ELECTRICAL CURRENT CAN BE FATAL

WHEN IT PASSES THROUGH THE HEART

POSSIBLE OUTCOMES AFTER COMING

IN CONTACT ENERGIZED CONDUCTOR
Fall from height

Unconciousness or
head injury from
falls

SEVERE SKIN BURNS RESULT FROM

ELECTRICITY FLOWING IN THE BODY

ELECTRICAL CURRENT ENTERS

AND EXITS THE EXTREMITIES

ELECTRICAL CONTACT CAN BE FATAL

SAFE WORK PRACTICES

CONDUCT TOOLBOX MEETING

Assess work area

Check fitness of workers
Ensure tools and PPEs are in good working condition
Ensure that workers thoroughly understand the
instruction/s and work to be done

WEAR APPROPRIATE PPEs

Safety Glasses

Safety Shoes

Safety Helmets

Working Gloves

Rubber Insulated Gloves

TEST IF LINE IS DE-ENERGIZED

After a line or equipment has been de-energized
for the purpose of working thereon, it shall be
checked as being DEAD using an approved
potential indicator.

Explosion resulting from use of inappropriate test

gadget. Customers load side voltage rating is
480V. The improvised test gadget is rated 240V.

PROVIDE ADEQUATE LIGHTING

CHECK AND CLEAN WORK AREA

AFTER WORK

SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED