Intelligent Power Today Magazine

Avoid hazards with these suggestions

BY ROB PROSSER & DANIELLE GALLO, Brady

With an increase in accidents and injuries occurring in a variety of industries, employers are looking for ways to reduce hazards and improve safety within their facilities. Even with a plethora of information available to supervisors, the inundation of all of these safety recommendations can be overwhelming and can result in even the most basic of mistakes. If you or your employees can relate, it is important to go back to the basics and review the most common issues contributing to electrical risks within facilities.

DE-ENERGIZE ALL EQUIPMENT...

Absence of voltage testing is a vital step in the process of verifying and establishing a de-energized state of any electrical system. As detailed in NFPA 70E clause 4.2.5., there is a specific and approved approach to establishing an electrical safe work condition with the following steps:

• determine all possible source of electrical supply
• interrupt the load current, open the disconnecting device for each possible source
• verify where possible that all blades of the disconnecting devices are open
• release or block any stored energy
• apply lockout device in accordance with documented and established work procedures
• using an adequately rated portable...