Why is electrical safety important?
Electrical accidents may result in burns, shocks, and electrocution, with potentially fatal outcomes in a worst-case scenario. Electricity is all around us these days, and it is taken for granted because of its ubiquity. However, it is surprising how little people know about its characteristics and potential hazards, which is why electrical safety training is vital.
Statistics on electrical injuries in the U.S. (ESFI)
Let’s look at the data provided by The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) to better understand the significance of electrical safety in the workplace. The most up-to-date statistics cover fatal and non-fatal work-related electrical injuries in 2020.
Fatality rate
There were 2,220 non-fatal electrical injuries, while 5.3% of all electrical incidents resulted in fatalities.
Affected industries
Construction, Maintenance, and Cleaning were the most common industries for electrical accidents, accounting for 64% of all fatalities.
Using or Operating Tools and working with machinery resulted in 22% of electrical deaths.
Occupations accounted for the majority of electrical fatalities
- Construction and Extraction – 44%
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair – 20%
- Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance – 13%
- Transportations and Material Moving – 6%
- Management Occupations – 5%
- Farming, Fishing, and Forestry – 3%
Statistics on electrical injuries in the U.S. (OSHA)
Let’s look at the data provided by OSHA to better understand the significance of electrical safety in the workplace. The statistics cover fatal work-related electrical injuries (OSHA stands for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United States Department of Labor, the agency formed by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970).
Fatality Rate
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are nearly 150 fatalities a year at work due to electrocution (on average from 2016 to 2020).
According to OSHA’s stats, the most frequent causes of electrical injuries are the following hazards:
- Contact with power lines
- Lack of ground-fault protection
- Path-to-ground missing or discontinuous
- Equipment not used in manner prescribed
- Improper use of extension and flexible cords
The most recent data lists “control of hazardous energy” in the top 10 OSHA standards violated in 2021.
Every incident serves as a caution of the hazards of electrical exposures in the workplace. That’s why electrical safety standards are intended to keep employees safe from electric shocks and electrocution.
What are the primary electrical hazards?
Electric shock
This occurs when you become part of an electrical circuit and is caused by contact with electricity that generates a current through the skin, muscles, or hair. Its impact might be mild to severe, with electrocution or death as the worst consequences.
Ignition
The second major hazard of electricity is its ability to cause a fire or explosion. Static electricity, often known as static discharge, can also induce shocks. Static events are not typically dangerous in domestic and workplace settings, although they can be unpleasant. However, their impact on industrial environments may be quite devastating.
Electrical Burn
One of the most dangerous hazards is electrical burns. These burns are mostly internal and result from the electricity passing through tissue or bone. It generates heat and causes tissue damage. Electrical burns can result from an electric shock or a lightning strike. These injuries occur from the inside out.
What are safety controls?
The following safety controls protect electrical safety:
Engineering controls
Reduce or eliminate risk from hazards using engineered equipment or technology. This is where the equipment you employ and the working environment in which you operate have incorporated safety features to protect you from particular threats.
Administrative controls
These restrictions are the rules and regulations that the government or employer has implemented to protect employees’ health and safety. Workplace safety rules can include requiring rest when doing routine activities that put a strain on the body, restricting how long a person is exposed to certain workplace conditions or requiring the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Personal protective equipment
PPE is the equipment used to protect you against a range of threats. Safety glasses, hard hats, steel-toed boots, and gloves are all examples of this.
What is NFPA 70E?
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a worldwide self-funded, non-profit organization formed in 1896. It offers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach, and advocacy.
The NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, also known as NFPA 70E, is a crucial document that assists employers in providing a safe workplace for their staff.
The most recent NFPA 70E, in 2021, clearly establishes safety measures that include policies, procedures, and program controls to reduce all electricity-related dangers to an acceptable degree. The goal is to provide practical, doable electrical safety to assist workers in leaving work safely at the end of the day.
What does our NFPA 70E training course include?
The awareness training consists of the four main units:
- Why is electricity dangerous?
- What is an employee’s responsibility?
- What is the employer’s responsibility?
- The hazards of electricity.
Qualified Worker Training covers the following topics:
- NFPA 70E Article 120: De-Energized Work Procedure & Safety.
- How to perform Energized Work Safely.
- Risk Assessment.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
- Safety-Related Maintenance.
- Additional Precautions.
Why choose Bowtie’s Electrical Safety Training?
Bowtie Engineering offers an online training that enables employees to learn the skills they need to avoid shock, arc flash, and arc blast accidents, all under the instruction of certified instructors with years of classroom and field industry experts.
Online training from Bowtie Engineering offers the most up-to-date virtual learning methods to help your employees close the gap between onsite and online education, ensuring that they understand the information and skills required to fulfill NFPA 70E standards. This not only lowers your costs but also improves the return on your labor investment. You will save money while avoiding additional health risks associated with the physical school. The training course is valuable since it includes many face-to-face student/instructor consultations, group discussions, and amusing stories from years of experience as an electricity safety instructor.
The student will receive a certificate of completion with 8 classroom hours after completing this 1 Day Online Course.
Do you want to provide your staff with training at a reasonable cost? Bowtie Online Training has years of expertise in electrical safety and is up to date on the threats and precautions associated with workplace electrical hazards. You may sign up for our course here: https://www.nfpa70eonlinetraining.com/.