Let’s Talk Safety: Energized Electric Equipment and Overhead Power Lines Can Be Deadly

This column addresses safety issues of interest to water and wastewater personnel, and will appear monthly in the magazine. The Journal is also interested in receiving any articles on the subject of safety that it can share with readers in the “Spotlight on Safety” column.

Utility workers often encounter situations in which they are required to work with energized electric tools or equipment. The most important thing to remember in these situations is to always consider the electric circuits, apparatus, and tools to be energized and potentially deadly. On average, a construction worker is electrocuted and killed once a day somewhere in the United States and more than 3,000 field workers are severely burned or injured every year by electrical mishaps on the jobsite.

Electricity can hurt, burn, and kill you— even at low voltages. Always keep in mind that electricity travels at the speed of light and that it’s trying to find the path of least resistance to get to ground. Your body is mostly made up of water and therefore is an excellent conductor of electricity. The effects of an electrical current passing through the body range from a mild tingling sensation to severe pain, muscular contractions, and even death. As the current passes through a body, it will burn from the inside out at about 6,000°F.

Before you begin your work survey the jobsite to find overhead power lines, poles, and guy wires. Look for lines that may be hidden by trees or buildings. Conditions change, so check daily. Also do the following: S Point out power lines at all daily work briefings. S Assume all overhead lines are energized and potentially dangerous, including service drops that run from utility poles to buildings. S Remember the 10-foot rule: Keep vehicles, equipment, tools, scaffolding, and people at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines. S If you must work closer than 10 feet, contact your local electric utility in advance to make safety arrangements. S Higher-voltage power lines require greater clearance. Contact your local electric utility for specific clearances. S Clearly mark boundaries to keep workers and equipment at a safe distance from overhead lines. S Use a spotter. Equipment operators need a designated spotter who can help keep them clear of power lines and other safety hazards.

The easiest way to avoid electrical accidents is simply to avoid contact with energized components. Always assume that an electrical circuit is energized and dangerous until you are certain that it’s not. Before working on a circuit, use a voltage meter to determine if the circuit is energized.

Before you work on electrical equipment, turn off the power to it. Use the standard lockout/ tagout procedures before you begin working anywhere near the energized equipment.

To be safe, all electrical equipment and apparatuses must be double-insulated or grounded. If possible, avoid the use of extension cords. When extension devices (an enclosure with multiple sockets) must be temporarily used, the wire gauge of the device must be equal to or larger than the cord on the item being operated. Never attach extension devices to building surfaces using staples, nails, or similar attachments.

Extension devices equipped with surge protectors can be permanently used with equipment that contains microprocessors, such as computers, but surge protectors should not be used in areas subject to moisture, physical or chemical damage, or flammable vapors. Continued on page 50