Safety in electrical work

Feb 15, 2018

By: Asher Asban

The contractor’s works insurance policy you purchased, as well as the contractor’s liability insurance covering electrical work, is intended to serve as your safety net against claims or compensation for bodily and mental injuries. However, coverage is not automatic in every case; much depends on the safety measures or “risk mitigation provisions” included in the policy you purchased. Problems may arise if the required safety regulations under the law are not followed, or if you deviate from existing standards and procedures. Such deviations may create issues ranging from partial compensation by the insurance company to complete denial of coverage.

To draw attention to this, we present an article by safety expert Mr. Asher Asban on the topic of “Safety in Electrical Work,” which highlights and refreshes the key do’s and don’ts.

Incidentally, refreshing these guidelines is even more important in urban renewal projects requiring policies such as TAMA 38 insurance, because during electrical work, residents may be moving around the site. These residents are often unaware of the hazards, not familiar with safety regulations, and there is no practical way to enforce that they comply with safety instructions.

"Safety in Electrical Work"*

The article was written by Asher Asban, a safety expert and researcher into work accidents on construction sites.
* The article does not purport to provide safety advice to the contractor, who must consult with the authorized authorities.

Many accidents occur due to a lack of awareness of the high level of danger of the subject of "electricity" on construction sites. This danger on construction sites is intensified because the installations and connections are mainly temporary and are frequently assembled or disassembled on site. Below is a set of general guidelines for performing work with electricity and/or using electrically powered equipment.

Any electrical work, electrical installation, or connection and loading of electrical lines, whether for permanent or temporary purposes, must be carried out subject to the provisions of any relevant law, including official standards, and subject to any additional provisions in this procedure.

No person shall engage in electrical work of any kind unless he holds a valid license and is authorized by law to engage in this work, according to the type and scope of the work.

Live electrical work will only be performed if necessary and after receiving a "permit to work on live electrical voltage."
Any employee is prohibited from performing any work near unprotected electrical equipment, electrical circuits, or any other type of electrical system, unless these systems are protected against electric shock by discharging the energy to the ground.

Work near active electrical systems will be performed in accordance with the work and safety procedures of the work site. In the absence of such instructions, the work will be performed with the approval of the safety officer on the site.

Do not operate electrical equipment or tools in areas and/or environmental conditions where there is moisture, high humidity, explosive dust, vapors or flammable liquids. Unless the tools and equipment are designed to work in such conditions.

Panels, cabinets, junction boxes or electrical boxes shall be equipped with means for closing them as well as with means for locking the main circuit breaker. For this purpose, care must be taken to use non-combustible building materials and to ensure that the electrical cabinets are permanently closed at all times.
A person working in electrical work and/or operating electrical equipment will refrain from wearing rings, earrings, bracelets, or any metal equipment or accessories.

Article by Asher Asban, Safety Expert and Construction Site Accident InvestigatorThis article does not provide safety advice to contractors, who must consult the relevant authorized authorities.

Many accidents occur due to a lack of awareness of the high risk posed by electricity on construction sites. This risk is particularly pronounced because installations and connections are mainly temporary, frequently assembled or disassembled on-site. Below is a set of general guidelines for performing electrical work and/or work using electrically powered equipment.

Any electrical work, electrical installation, connection, or loading of electrical lines—whether permanent or temporary—must be carried out in compliance with all relevant laws, including official standards, and according to any additional instructions in this procedure.

No person shall perform any type of electrical work unless they hold a valid license and are legally authorized to perform such work according to the type and scope of the work.

Live electrical work shall only be performed when strictly necessary and after obtaining a “Permit for Live Electrical Work.”

Employees are prohibited from working near unprotected electrical equipment, circuits, or any other electrical system unless these systems are protected against electrocution through grounding.

Work near active electrical systems must follow the site’s work and safety procedures. In the absence of such procedures, work may only proceed with the approval of the site safety officer.

Electrical tools and equipment must not be operated in areas or environmental conditions with moisture, high humidity, explosive dust, fumes, or flammable liquids, unless the tools and equipment are specifically designed for such conditions.

Panels, cabinets, junction boxes, or electrical boxes must be equipped with closures and lockable main switches. Construction materials must be non-combustible, and cabinets must remain closed at all times.

Employees performing electrical work or operating electrical equipment must avoid wearing rings, necklaces, bracelets, or any metal accessories.

Important instructions

The use of extension cords should be minimized and limited as much as possible and for essential and necessary needs only. It is recommended that a long extension cord that is in continuous use not be left rolled up on a drum to prevent overheating and the risk of fire.
Extension cables for use with hand tools and any other equipment will have double insulation, wires and a sheath (adapted for deployment and heavy-duty work – (Heavy Duty) on work sites and in field conditions).
Extension cables for use with hand tools and any other equipment will have double insulation, wires and a sheath (adapted for deployment and heavy-duty work – (Heavy Duty) on work sites and in field conditions).
Extension cord repairs will be performed professionally, with full restoration of the insulation and sealing (using heat-shrinkable insulation tape for sealing). Splitting and branching of extension cords is prohibited.
Powering electrical tools and using electrical cables on work sites in general and construction sites in particular requires ground fault protection for the power source. The circuit breakers on the power line will be of the magnetic/thermal protection type against short-circuit currents. The protections must be checked regularly and at fixed and planned intervals.
In any case of a circuit breaker tripping or protection activation, a qualified electrician must verify the cause of the failure, inspect and repair if necessary, and authorize restart.
Care must be taken to clearly mark circuit breakers and electrical power supply sources, especially when feeding from sources with different voltages.
Follow all safety laws and procedures for working near high-voltage lines. Working near high-voltage lines with lifting equipment requires the presence of a supervisor and/or a nearby lifter.
At a construction site, it is the contractor's responsibility to inspect and inspect, at a regular frequency and at least once a month, the sources of supply of electrical energy, electrical cabinets and junction boxes, circuit breakers, protections, cables and any other electrical equipment on site.