Dos and Donts in Electrical Safety Dos All electrical wiring and repair jobs including additions, alterations

and repairs to the existing installation are to be carried out by licensed contractor under the direct supervision of a competent license holder as per the Indian Electricity Rules. Get electrical wiring of building having height above 15 meters certified by Electrical Inspector before commencement of Electric Supply. This is mandatory as per IE Ruler Test certificates must be issued by the contractor certified by the supply company for all electrical installation work. Identify Lighting and Power distribution board separately by tags. Use danger Caution Boards on switch boards as per IS code. Place sign Men Working or other warning boards on main switch before commencing work. Use spacious and well ventilated rooms for meter and main switch gears. Keep the rooms neat and clean. Before working on any circuit or apparatus, make sure that the controlling switches are opened and locked and the fuse holders withdrawn. Always treat circuit as live until you have proved them to be dead, the insulation of the conductors may be defective. Cultivate the habit of turning your face away whenever any flash occur. Guard against area as well as high voltages, remember that burns from arcs may be very severe. See that all splices and connections are securely made. Use extreme care when breaking an inductive circuit as dangerously high voltage is likely to result. Thoroughly discharge to earth all cables before working on the cores. When it is very dark and no visibility in the area where controls and switches are located use a flash light before operation the switch or controls. Test rubber gloves periodically particularly just before use.

Place rubber mats in front of electrical panels. Use ISI marked electrical wires, cables and materials of proper capacity and proper insulation. Use fuse wire of proper capacity or use MCB (miniature circuit breaker) of proper capacity to avoid danger of overload or short circuit. Use ISI marked or Quality Control Certified electrical materials and appliances. For any electrical accident, first intimate concerned Electrical Inspector. Get wiring and earthing tested periodically by licensed electrical contractor. Maintain an updated wiring diagram of the building/house to facilitate fault location. Provide copper plate or rod for earthing to electrical wiring an installation. Use three pin plug top with the earthing pin for connecting appliances. In the event of electrical fire switch off mains immediately. Use dry type or CO2 or other recommended medium only for extinguishing electrical fire. Train all concerned in the field of fire fighting and first aid and main fire extinguishers and first aid kits readily available in switch rooms and control rooms. Install Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers (ELCBs) to protect from shock due to leakage circuits. This requirement is mandatory as per Rule 61 A of the Indian Electricity Rules except for low voltage installation up to 51w. Use only insulated tools such as pliers. Use only screw driver which are sleeved with PVC and exposed only at the user end. Check out earthing of portable tools, flexible cable and plug before using. Preferably use double insulated tools. They are safer. Replace flickering tube fittings immediately as they are a potential fire hazard.

Donts Do not employ non-licensed workmen to do electrical work except simple works such as replacement of bulb, fans, fuses, switches etc that too after putting of the mains. Do not construct any house or structure or building below overhead lines and maintain specified horizontal distance of these from the overhead lines. Do not leave doors of distribution boxes and switch panels open after working. Do not close any switch, unless you are familiar with the circuit which it controls and the reason for its being opened. Do not clutter the vicinity of any switch gear or apparatus with unwanted items specially combustible ones. Do not touch or tamper with any electrical gear or conductor, unless you have made sure that it is dead and earthed. High voltage apparatus may give leakage shock or flash over even without touching. Do not work in live circuits without the express order of the person-incharge. Make certain that all safety precautions have been taken and you are accompanied by a second person competent to render first aid and artificial respiration. Do not disconnect earthing connections or render ineffective the safety gadgets installed on mains and apparatus. Do not temper with meter boards and cut outs, unless you are authorized to do so. Do not expose your eyes to an electric arc. Painful injury may result even with short exposure. Do not close or open a switch or fuse slowly or hesitatingly; do it quickly and positively. Do not turn your face and then grope for switch or fuse. Do not use metal case flash light around apparatus which are energized. Do not place any part of your body in circuit either to ground or across the terminal when making connection or operating. Do not use wires with poor insulation.

Do not touch an electric circuit, apparatus or appliance when your hands are wet, or bleeding, from a cut or abrasion. Do not work on energized circuits without taking extra precautions, such as the use of rubber gloves, and wooden or insulated handles on tools. Do not overload any electrical circuit. Do not use temporary wires. Do not use extension socket as far as possible. Do not use wires and cables having joints. Do not use charged electrical wires for drying clothes. Do not run temporary wiring when additional points are required. Do not load multi-outlet plugs beyond capacity. Do not use plumbing lines, gas lines or other available metallic items for earthing. Do not insert bare wires into socket outlets to operate appliances or tools. Do not use water to extinguish electrical fires. Do not keep shelf life expired extinguishers. Do not keep date expired medicines in the first aid box. Do not become complacent having installed ELCB. Test the same for operation from time to time. Do not use bad tools. Do not use portable tools if found to be bad. Do not store old un-serviceable tube fittings in residence or offices. Dispose them off immediately.

Built in safety features in electrical accessories Accessory : Socket Safety Feature Automatic safety shutters Provides user safety by avoiding accidental contact Prevents dust accumulation that could lead to increase in resistance and temperature. Unless the earth pin is pushed in, the pin shutters will remain closed Accessory : Plug Safety Feature Insulated sleeving on plug pins Prevents accidental contact of fingers with pins during insertion or removal of the plug Safety Feature Special cord grip Cord grip effectively restricts the movement of cord near termination, thus preventing termination working loose Accessory : Switch contacts Safety Features Silver contacts Silver contacts provide high quality load carrying contacts, good conductivity, minimizes arcing and prevents overheating.