The month of May is considered as the National Electrical Safety Month. It is at this time of the year that employers and workers should promote safety preventions when it comes to electricity to raise awareness. It does not matter if you are a licensed electrician in Toronto, an employer, maintenance professional or a safety director, everyone should be aware of these safety prevention ns especially those working around equipment powered by electricity.
It is estimated that during a typical day working, a worker is injured every 30 minutes due to electricity. These incidents require the worker to take a leave from work because recovery time after an electrical shock can be slow and burns are painful.
There are around 3 million workers who are doing their professions that should stand by the procedure known as lockout/tagout. Despite these precautionary procedures, many of these workers are still putting themselves in danger by doing their job while energized or they tend to not follow the lockout/tagout procedures set by the company. It is now considered a violation if these procedures are not followed.
Once electrical injuries happen, there are four types that could be inflicted on an individual: burns from the electrical contact, falling due to sudden contact with energy, electric shock and the most fatal is electrocution because it has the capacity to stop a person’s heart from beating due to electric shock.
It does not matter if you are working in a small or large work area; there are guidelines that should be followed in order to make sure that safety practices regarding electricity is followed.
One of the most important thing an employer should guarantee is that the person they are hiring have undergone a training course and is qualified for the task. A lack of knowledge of what he will do can be the main reason for accidents. Those who are qualified and professionals are even at risk of these accidents. This is the very reason that safety in the workplace should be a number one priority.
Here are some safety tips a worker such as a licensed electrician in Toronto should follow:
- In a work area, know what system could present a safety hazard.
- Use appropriate tools.
- Energy sources should be separated from the equipment.
- Make sure to test everything before touching.
- Start the task only when the source is turned off.
- Prior to working, follow lockout/tagout procedure.
- Use proper clothing and tools should be insulated.