By Keira Collin
Electrical safety is paramount to any industrial workplace setup. Besides, workers in an industrial area are surrounded by electrical hazards from exposed cables and machinery to electrical wiring. These hazards may cause accidents, injuries, or death if not managed. That makes the following safety precautions critical in any working environment.
Conduct a Risk Assessment
Before allowing any workers to the industrial site, a risk assessment should first occur. It aims to identify any possible or potential risk that workers may face. During industrial power supplies assessment, ensure to factor in:
- The various types of electrical devices or equipment used and how they are installed or used.
- The electrical task to be performed
- The risk of performing a specific electrical job
- Review the risks and provide a possible solution for adequate implementation
Conduct a Complete Lockout Procedure
Lockout, tag-out procedure is a safety plan used in industrial workplaces to ensure that harmful machines are shut off to prevent re-energizing during the repair or maintenance.
Therefore, before any industrial electrical management, constructors should ensure they turn off all the machines and lock their respective areas. This provides employees work in safer environments.
Offer Adequate Training to All Employees
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends workers within any industrial setup be trained about electrical safety. To avoid unnecessary injuries, make the employees aware of any conductive and cleaning tools. While working in any electrical area, one should always assume that every electrical part is alive and avoid using conductive tools.
Even better, train the employees on various relevant tips, rules, and regulations dictated by the electrical code. Make the employees aware of the risk of overloading circuits or touching electrical wires with bare hands and leave electrical work for qualified personnel. Training provides the most proactive way to eliminate accidents and death associated with electricity.
Make Good Use of Safety Signs
Safety signs are instrumental in preventing injuries. For instance, they warn employees and visitors against specific hazards. To be effective, position warning signs closer to the proximity of the danger, equipment, or area they represent. Even better, prevent employees from electrical injuries by installing physical barriers near or around any electrical hazards.
Proper Equipment Maintenance
Proper maintenance is the best way to keep industrial machinery healthy, safe, and durable. So, check for any tear and wear, and replace broken or damaged parts.
Also, wash and oil any moving parts of machines to keep them running. Such activities reduce the chances of machine malfunction and improve employees’ productivity. Besides, working with damaged and un-maintained equipment lowers work rate or productivity. So, the best solution is to replace the old or shattered appliances with new ones that are safer and effective.
Always Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
The safety of workers should be the industrial work priority. Therefore, every industrial employee must protect themselves with protective gear. Wear gloves and a helmet, among other protective clothing.
A safe working environment demands that contractors conduct adequate risk assessments and shut down all the electrical equipment during repair or maintenance. Also, it’s necessary to provide proper training on electrical safety precautions. Contact us for any quality electrical, industrial supplies.
