Portable Light Strings - Electrical Safety Follow these precautions when using portable light strings: Inspect the wiring and fixtures before stringing the lights or before they are energized or plugged in. Make sure the outer insulation is not damaged, the plug ends are intact, and the fixtures are not cracked. The light string must be grounded. Make certain the plug has a ground prong. Never cut one off. The quality of the ground must be tested frequently. A good ground could save your life if an electrical fault develops, especially when working in wet conditions or on metal structures. If a...

Report Unsafe Equipment Equipment Hazards Your employer does its best to keep equipment in good condition, but maintenance personnel are only human and can't keep up with all the problems in the field. Some defects will go unnoticed in spite of every effort made. Those of you who work with and around machines and equipment are in a good position to notice hazardous conditions. Get in the habit of reporting things that can lead to accidents so that corrections can be made before they result in costly accidents and/or employee injuries. Keep in mind that the person who sees a situation that should...

Don’t Let This Be You – Electrical Safety A crew of four linemen were installing intermediate poles on an existing single phase 14.4 KV distribution line. Three of the workers were journeymen with 30 or more years of experience. The fourth was an apprentice with almost 3 years experience. The following summary describes a tragic accident: One of the journeymen and the apprentice were belted off below the neutral bracket on a newly installed pole, using hot sticks to tie off the energized conductor. Another journeymen on the ground was using a hold-down to keep the conductor in place while the wraplock...

Understanding Electricity And Breaker Panels The process of forcing electrons to move through a material creates electricity. A standard generator performs this process. The best material for carrying electricity is a "conductor." Most metals are excellent conductors and the most common material used for electrical wiring is copper. In order to provide protection from direct contact with the conductor, an "insulator" is used as a cover around the conductor. Electrons will not move easily through insulators such as most plastics and rubber. Insulators and proper grounding help to prevent electrical shocks. Typically, electricity is provided to your building or facility by way...

Static Electricity Most of us are familiar with static electricity. We all have walked across the rug and reached for the door knob, only to have a spark jump from our hand to the knob. We have also seen the effects of "static cling," when our clothes cling together in the dryer. Static electricity, as a source of ignition for flammable vapors, gases, and dusts, is a hazard common to a wide variety of industries in Alaska. A static spark can occur when an electrical charge accumulates on the surfaces of two materials that have been brought together and then separated (between...

Working Safely Around Electricity Industry runs on electricity. It’s safe to use when you know what you’re doing and take proper precautions. When precautions are not taken, electricity can be a killer. How you are affected by electric shock depends on the following factors: The rate the current flows through your body. This depends on how good your body conducts electricity. If you have dry hands and are standing on a non-conductive surface such as a rubber mat, you may not even feel a shock. If you are perspiring and are standing in water, you could be killed. The length of time...