Electrical Safety
Basic safety practices to avoid electrical hazards on the job, including power line and equipment safety.
Electrical Safety
⚡ POWER LINES:
– Stay at least 10 feet (3 meters) away from overhead wires during cleanup and other activities.
– If working at heights or handling long objects, survey for overhead wires before starting work.
– Assume all overhead power wires are energized at lethal voltages. Never assume a wire is safe to touch, even if it is down or appears to be insulated.
– Never touch a fallen overhead power line. Call the electric utility company to report fallen electrical lines.
– If an overhead wire falls across your vehicle while you are driving: • Stay inside the vehicle and continue to drive away from the line. • If the engine stalls, do not leave your vehicle. • Warn people not to touch the vehicle or the wire. • Call, or ask someone to call, the local electric utility company and emergency services. • If a vehicle fire starts, jump away from the vehicle without touching it and with your feet as close together as possible. Then, keeping your feet together, hop away from the vehicle.
⚡ ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT:
– Never operate electrical equipment while standing in water.
– Never repair electrical cords or equipment unless qualified and authorized.
– Have a qualified electrician inspect electrical equipment that has gotten wet before energizing it.
– If working in damp locations, inspect electrical cords and equipment to ensure they are in good condition and free of defects – and use a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).