Safety measures while working

Workplace safety system is designed to protect the health and safety of workers. Information must be provided about the safe handling, storage and disposal of hazardous items. Workplace hazards can cause harm and everyone at a workplace must share the responsibility of identifying and controlling hazards. In fact, a technician should be the first to recognise a hazard at the workplace.

A technician may face hazards while installing or assembling components at the workplace. Many of the hazards can be avoided by awareness and appropriate precautions.

Electrical Hazard- An electrical hazard is related to energised equipment or conductor at the workplace. Upon coming in contact with an energised equipment, the technician can get severely injured. Hazard may include electric shock, arc flash burn, thermal burn, or even blast injury. When assembling components in a unit, many of the hazards can be avoided by taking appropriate precautions. This will ensure safety at the workplace.

Check Cords and wires- Work Safely Around an Electrical Panel and Cabinet. Loose cords and wires can trip a person and trigger a short circuit A loose cord or wire should be marked with hazard tape

wear Personal Protective equipment- One must wear personal protective equipment (PPE) while working on a machine. The PPE depends on the machine and the task being performed by the employee. Safety gloves, safety helmets, safety glasses, earplugs and other gear are important to use where necessary. Safety signs can be posted near panels reminding employees to wear PPE. Alertness while working is also important for safety. An absent mind can cause accidents

Use Caution Around Heat Sources- Some equipment get heated while operating. The technician should be aware of this areas and use caution. PPE like gloves or flame-resistant clothing are required.

Be Careful When cleaning- When cleaning around a panel or equipment one should be aware of fire and explosion hazards, the need for PPE during cleaning, and risk of electric shock. Follow Visual and Written Instructions Panel, equipment has signs and labels on them alerting employees of hazards. Caution While Testing, Replacing Components in a Panel. Necessary precautions should be taken while handling equipment with all range of voltage, as anything can cause injury. Do not ignore voltage range that cannot produce electrical shock. Always confirm that the circuit is dead before touching it for repairing, maintenance or any other work. Keep water or liquids away from electricity. Never touch or try to repair any electrical equipment or circuits with wet hands. It increases electrical conductivity of the body for the flow of electric currents. Never use equipment with damaged insulation or broken plugs, If you are repairing an electrical device always turn off the mains supply, Always use insulated tools while working, Never try repairing energised equipment. The technician must know the color coding of electric wire or cable.

Chemical Hazards- Improper storage of chemicals can lead to chemical leakage If the technicians do not take safety measures, these chemicals may cause damage. shows how a technician is filling oil in the transformer carefully and how transformer oil is being drained out. Inadequate training or negligence can lead to mishandling of chemicals. Exposure to toxic substance at workplace may lead to severe diseases or illness To avoid this one must carefully read the labels of the substance. Some of the symptoms of exposure to toxins in the workplace include, chemical burns, itchy burning eyes, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, headaches, fever and rapid heart rate.

Fire Extinguisher- A fire extinguisher is a protection device used to extinguish and control fire. A fire extinguisher is a Hose cylindrical pressure vessel containing an agent that can be discharged to extinguish fire. A fire extinguisher should always be available in areas where people work Nozzle with electrical equipment.

Electrical Rescue Techniques

Approaching the accident
• Never rush into an accident situation.
• Call 108 as soon as possible.
• Approach the accident place cautiously.
Examining the scene
• Visually examine victims to determine if they are in contact with energised conductors
• Metal surfaces, objects near the victim may become energised.
• So you may become a victim if you touch an energised victim or conductive surface. Therefore, do not touch the victim or conductive surfaces while they are energised.
• Switch off the electrical circuits if possible.

Hazards and solutions
• Be alert for hazards, such as heated surfaces and fire, etc.
• In case you cannot switch off the power source, take extreme care.
• Ensure that your hands and feet are dry.
• Wear protective equipment, such as gloves and shoes. Stand on a clean dry surface.
• Use non-conductive material to remove a victim from the conductor.

High voltage rescue
• If high voltage is present on the scene, special training is required for rescue.
• Protective equipment, such as gloves and shoes must be worn

How give First Aid ?

While working on control panel, lack of safety measures may result in an electric shock. In case of medical emergency, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can help save a life during a cardiac or breathing emergency. Steps to perform CPR.

• If the victim is breathing and has a heartbeat, give first aid for injuries and treat for shock.
• Ensure the victim gets medical care as soon as possible.
• The physician attending to the victim must have detailed information to properly diagnose and care for the victim.