WORKING WITH ELECTRICITY

Electricity can kill or severely injure people and cause damage to property from the effects of fires and explosions. Every year accidents at work involving electric shock or burns are reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Electric shocks do not always cause lasting injury but in certain circumstances can result in death, known as electrocution. The sudden muscular contraction during the shock can result in injuries from, for example, falling. Electric current flowing through the body can cause deep burns.

Most electrical accidents occur because people are working on or near equipment that is:

Thought to be dead but which is live
Known to be live but those involved do not have adequate training, appropriate equipment or have not taken adequate precautions

Controls when working with electricity include:

Correct selection and use of equipment
You must select equipment that is suitable for the environment in which it is used, for example cables and equipment in heavy industries such as sheet metal works need to be protected against mechanical damage. You should consider adverse environmental factors when working on equipment.
You must assess the situation before work is carried out on or near equipment. Working on equipment may result in removal of components and parts that provide protection for people against electric shock when the equipment is in normal use.
Where possible, you must avoid live working during commissioning and fault-finding; e.g. by using suitably designed equipment with in-built test facilities and diagnostic aids. There must be adequate space, access and lighting to work safely. Temporary systems and equipment should be designed, constructed, installed and maintained to avoid danger.

Refer to the HSE ‘Electricity at Work’ Safe working practices document HSG 85