If you grew up in farm country, chances are that at some point during your childhood, curiosity connected you, a stick and an electric fence. Whether on a dare, or under your own investigative tendencies, the unpleasant tingling sensation provided a lesson for a lifetime: electricity is not something to play with.
Even a small electric current can cause heavy damage. The energy needed for a 100 watt light bulb, 900 millamperes, will cause extreme pain, respiratory arrest, severe muscular contractions, and the inability to let go of the conduit.
To help our team avoid electrical accidents, we provide them with the following safety tips:
- Never perform work around energized electrical conductors
- Do not remove the covers on electrical panels
- Always grab an electrical cord by the plug, and not the cord when removing from an outlet (Yanking on the cord can cause unseen damage that could result in fire or electrocution)
- Never use a 3 prong plug with a missing ground prong (the ground plug prevents electrocution)
- Never use a 3 prong plug in a 2 prong adapter (the ground plug prevents electrocution)
- Have frayed or broken wires fixed by a qualified technician or discard them
- Ensure that all breakers in your breaker panel are clearly identified by a competent electrician, and that there are no empty holes
- Extension cords and power strips should not be used to permanently connect electrical equipment. Use of a surge protector is acceptable for permanent connections.
- Do not connect extension cords to each other for a longer reach. Use one extension cord with sufficient length.
- Make sure electrical outlets near a water source or in damp locations have a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) installed. Never allow electric wires to contact water, as water is a conductor.
Kyle Black is the district manager for Seneca Meadows. Safety is the company’s number one core value, and weekly safety talks with employees are just one way that the company helps foster a safety culture.
