6 Electrical Safety Tips for the Workplace

Ensuring your workplace is safe for all employees and visitors is a crucial duty for any business owner but we appreciate there’s a lot to take on board when it comes to electrical safety. Electricity is, after all, a very powerful, necessary, and potentially dangerous force of nature that needs to be respected if it’s to be properly and safely wielded. With that in mind, here are some essential electrical safety tips for all workplaces.

Prevent contact with live circuits

Those who are unqualified to work with electricity should not come into direct contact with any currents greater than 50V. This means that in areas using greater currents, all panel doors should be closed and there should never be any exposed wires.

Look out for damaged tools or equipment

Electrical safety PPE such as insulated gloves, mats and ladders are essential when carrying out any electrical work. If there is damage to any electrical safety equipment, then it’s going to be more dangerous. So, keep an eye out on your equipment and if you are in a pinch and need to leave wires exposed for any length of time, you can use wire duct to protect wires and cables from damage.

Keep electrics away from water

This should go without saying with water and electricity does not mix. Or rather, it does mix but not in a particularly pleasant way. Unsure that all water and other liquids are kept at a significant distance from all electrical equipment and sources. As an added precaution, installing GFCIs (ground fault circuit interrupters) will help to prevent accidents in case any liquid does manage to find your electrics somehow.

Install physical barriers around electrical hazards

Keeping employees away from exposed wiring should be of paramount concern. This means ensuring that cabinets and panels that contain wiring are always closed. If this isn’t possible, shields, barriers and insulating materials should be used to add extra protection. This can include everything from signs warning employees of electrical hazards to actual barricades if the work is extensive enough to warrant them.

Watch the skies

When working overhead, always be aware that there could be electrical lines running above you. Use accessible ladders with non-conductive side rails and ensure that you’re at least 10 feet away from any exposed overhead lines when performing overhead work.

Make electrical safety training mandatory for all employees

All employees should be trained regarding the importance of electrical safety, the hazards, and signs that something is wrong. This is all about working electrical safety into the culture of the company and including it as part of the onboarding process for new hires. A lot of it is common sense but you’d be surprised how many employees seem to have a lapse in judgement when it comes to electrical safety practices.