1. Electrical Hazards Training
Presented By:
John S. Hillard, CSP
Risk Control Consultant

2. Agenda
Agenda 1.) Purpose 2.) Review of Data and OSHA Citations 3.) Basic Electrical Concepts 4.) Hazards Common in the Industry 5.) Best Practices in the Industry 6.) Areas for Future Improvement

3. Purpose Purpose 1.) Get employees home safely
2.) Improve your electrical safety program
3.) Fulfill the OSHA AMI Alliance Agreement
- Develop and provide training & education programs for the mushroom industry
- Prevent or Reduce:
1.) Fall;
2.) Amputation;
3.) Chemical;
4.) Electrical;
5.) Physical Hazards

4. Review of Data and OSHA Citations
Survey
Results from safety program surveys:
Rank
Program 1
Electrical Safety 2
Hazard Communication 3
Lockout Tagout 4
Slips, Trips and Falls 5
Machine Guarding 6
Personal Protective Equipment 7
Emergency Action Plan 8
Powered Industrial Truck 9
Fall Protection 10
Ergonomics 11
Housekeeping 12
Confined Space

5. Review of Data and OSHA Citations
Electrical Related Citations
Hazard
Standard
Citations
General Duty Clause
5 (a) (1) 2
- Missing Covers
- Damaged exterior panels
Examination, installation and use
303 (b) 1
Overcurrent protection
304 (f) 4
Cabinets, boxes and fittings
305 (b)
Use of flexible cords
305 (g)
Equipment for general use
305 (j)
Portable electrical equipment
334 (a)

6. Have you had any injuries involving electricity at your location?

7. Basic Electrical Concepts
Water Hose Analogy
Voltage (volts) –
pressure or force
Current (amps) – flow rate at a point
Resistance (ohms) – Diameter of hose
Power (watts) – amount of work

8. Basic Electrical Concepts
Types of Injuries
1.) Electrocution (Always Fatal)
2.) Electrical Shock or Shock
3.) Burns
4.) Falls (Secondary Injury)

9. Basic Electrical Concepts
Three ways to get shocked:
1.) Contact both conductors
2.) Contact with one conductor and ground
3.) Contact with energized equipment and ground

10. Basic Electrical Concepts
Factors in Severity
1.) Amount of current
2.) Path of current through the body
3.) Duration of contact
4.) General health of the person

11. Basic Electrical Concepts
Exposure effects
Exposure
Result
1 – 4 mA
Slight tingle
> 5 mA
Noticeable pain increasing as mA increase
> 10 mA
Involuntary muscle contraction
> 20 mA
Severe shock
> 30 mA
Lung paralysis – usually fatal
> 50 mA
Potential ventricular fibrillation (almost always fatal)
100 mA – 4 A
Certain ventricular fibrillation (fatal)
>4 A
Heart paralysis; Severe burns

12. Basic Electrical Concepts
Arc Flash
A short circuit caused by working on energize equipment
- Commonly caused by dropping a tool; or
- Unexpectedly hitting an energized part

13. Basic Electrical Concepts
Arc Flash Injuries
1.) Arc Flash
- Most burns due to ignition of clothing
- Reaches 35,000° F
- Molten metal
- Temporary and permanent blindness
2.) Arc Blast
- Extremely forceful pressure wave
- Molten metal shrapnel
- Loud explosion

14. Basic Electrical Concepts

15. Basic Electrical Concepts

16. Hazards Common in the Industry
Common Issues
1.) Flexible cord issues
2.) Damaged electrical components
3.) Electrically unsafe equipment
4.) Failure to use LOTO
5.) Failure to work on de-energized equipment
6.) Under-trained employees

17. Hazards Common in the Industry
Flexible Cord Issues
Cords passing through window and doorways

18. Hazards Common in the Industry
Flexible Cord Issues
Cut insulation

19. Hazards Common in the Industry
Flexible Cord Issues
Improper repair that is damaged

20. Hazards Common in the Industry
Flexible Cord Issues
Cords used as permanent wiring

21. Hazards Common in the Industry
Damaged Electrical Components
Broken strain relief with exposed conductors

22. Hazards Common in the Industry
Damaged Electrical Components
Missing knockouts

23. Hazards Common in the Industry
Damaged Electrical Components
Damaged plug ends and housing

24. Hazards Common in the Industry
Damaged Electrical Components
Broken connection at box

25. Hazards Common in the Industry
Electrically Unsafe Equipment
1.) Ungrounded equipment
2.) Poorly maintained and damaged equipment
3.) Equipment not suited for the area
4.) Equipment not suited for the use

26. Hazards Common in the Industry
Failure to use LOTO

27. Hazards Common in the Industry
Failure to use LOTO

28. Hazards Common in the Industry
Failure to do work de-energized
1.) “It takes to much time…”
2.) “It is easier this way”
3.) “It is the ONLY way to do it”
L-A-Z-Y

29. Hazards Common in the Industry
Under – trained employees
They think things like this…
1.) Grounding of equipment isn’t necessary
2.) Makeshift repairs
3.) Glaring safety hazards ignored

30. What electrical hazards are the most common at your company?

31. Best Practices in Industry
Common Best Practices
1.) Trained and qualified electricians
2.) Trained employees who handle electrical equipment
3.) All employees trained on electrical hazard identification
4.) Listed pick lights or pick light inspection
5.) Use of GFCI’s

32. Best Practices in Industry
Trained and qualified
1.) As defined by OSHA:
“One who has received training in and has demonstrated skills and knowledge in the construction and operation of electric equipment and installations and the hazards involved.”
2.) As defined by the NEC:
“One who has skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training to recognize and avoid the hazards involved.”
3.) If they don’t meet these requirements they are not qualified electricians

33. Best Practices in Industry
Trained and qualified
1.) Hire qualified electricians
2.) Train your electricians on electrical hazards
3.) Train your electricians on safe work procedures

34. Best Practices in Industry
Employees handling electrical equipment
1.) Review common unsafe conditions
2.) Instruct them to inspect equipment prior to use
3.) Outline procedures for repair of damaged equipment

35. Best Practices in Industry
All employees trained on…
1.) Identifying missing ground plugs
2.) Removing cords with visible damage
3.) Reporting shocks
- “I got zapped”
- “I felt a tingle”
- Etc.

36. Best Practices in Industry
Listed Pick Lights
1.) The only ‘OSHA accepted’ Solution
2.) Designed and rated for wet environments
3.) ‘Expensive’
4.) Listed by national testing labs (ETL, UL, etc.)

37. Best Practices in Industry
Inspecting Non-Listed Pick Lights
1.) NOT an ‘OSHA accepted’ Solution
2.) Simple visual inspection by employees moving lights
3.) Detailed inspection by a qualified person at least annually
4.) Removal of lights with metal ballast housing.
5.) Recordkeeping system

38. Best Practices in Industry
GFCI use (Maintenance)
1.) ‘Pig Tails’ on cord and plug equipment used in maintenance

39. Best Practices in Industry
GFCI use (All Areas)
1.) GFCI’s are required to be used in wet environments
2.) Have been successfully implemented on several farms
3.) Provide superior protection to employees
4.) Other implications with insurance carriers

40. What electrical safety practices have you implemented at your location?

41. Areas for future improvement
Areas of Improvement
1.) Training Efforts:
- Qualified electricians
- Employees moving or working with equipment
- All employees
2.) Proper electrical safety procedures:
- De-energizing
- LOTO
- PPE
3.) Implementation of GFCI protection
4.) Program for identification & repair of damaged equipment

42. Where are you looking to improve this year?

43. Conclusion Conclusion
1.) Our employees face electrical hazards everyday.
2.) Employees working on electrical systems must be qualified
3.) There have been several fatalities and severe injuries related to electrical hazards
4.) Identifying and eliminating hazards can be as simple as telling employees what to look for.
5.) Taking steps to make our areas safer electrically is absolutely imperative

44. Thank You! John S. Hillard, CSP Risk Control Consultant