Electrical Safety Level 1

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Owner: WCP

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The objective of this presentation is for the

student to understand the risk associated with
electricity, and how they can be minimized.
The audience is selected employees exposed to
the electricity risk, and the requirement is
assigned locally.
Carefully read this presentation, you then MUST
take the online test; on passing this test your
QUEST certification will be updated accordingly
If you have questions, contact your local QHSE
support

Understanding Electrical
Safety

Schlumberger shall continually evaluate the risks to our workforce, our clients and
the environment. Comprehensive risk assessment will provide the necessary
information to reduce risk and mitigate the impact of our operations on Health,
Safety and the Environment.
Commitment, Leadership and
Accountability
Improvem
ent

Organization and Resources

Contractor and Supplier
Management

Correctio
ns

Risk Management
Business Processes
Performance Monitoring &
Improvement

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Control

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Policies and Objectives

What is Electricity ?

Water reservoir Battery, Generator, Power

station
Pipe Electrical conductor

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Movement of positively or negatively

charged particles
Analogy with water flow

What is Current ?
Flow of electric charge, or electrons

Measured in amperes
Two types
DC or direct current (flows in one direction
only).
AC or alternative current (flows in two
directions at specific rate).
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Flow : quantity of water through pipe in a

given amount of time.
Current: quantity of electrons through
conductor in a given amount of time.

What is Resistance ?
Resistance is like friction for water
Larger wires have less resistance than smaller
wires.

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Resistance induces a drop in voltage

Resistor is a conductor with a given resistance

Ohms Law

V is the voltage in volts

I is the current in amperes
R is the resistance in ohms

Ohms law
currents
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applies

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to

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DC

and

AC

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Current flows in an electric circuit in

accordance with several definite laws
Ohms law states that V = I * R, where :

Hazards of Electricity
Five primary hazards :
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Shock
Burns
Arc-Blast
Explosions
Fires

Danger signs for electrical hazards

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Shock
Human body becomes part of current flow
Direct effect
Indirect effect
Human reaction to current flow may result in falls, or movements
into operating machinery.

Three basic ways:

Contact with both wires of an electrical circuit.
Contact with one wire of an electrical circuit and the ground
source
Contact with ground source and a metal part that is in contact
with a wire of an electrical circuit.

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Injury or death can occur whenever electric current flows through

the human body. Current less than 30 mA can result in death.

Burns and Arc-Blast

Burns

Arc-Blast
Occurs from high amperage currents arcing
through air.
Temperature as high as 35,000 F have been
observed.
Hazards associated with arc-blast:
Thermal Radiation
Pressure wave
Projectiles

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Occurs when a person touches electrical wiring or

equipment that is improperly used or maintained
(typically on the hands).

Explosions and Fires

Explosions

Fires
Electricity is one of the most common causes of fire
both in the home and workplace.
Defective or misused electrical equipment is a major
cause, with high resistance being one of the primary
source of explosion.
High resistance connections occur when wires are
improperly
spliced
or
connected
to
other
components (outlets and switches).

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Occurs when electricity provides a source of ignition

for an explosive mixture in the atmosphere.
Ignition can be due to overheated conductors or
equipment.

Effects of Shocks
The effects of electric shocks on
the human body depends on :
Current and voltage
Resistance
Path through body
Duration of shock

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Current and Voltage

Tingling sensation
Contraction of muscles and sensation of heat
At 15 mA victim cannot let go of the conductive
surface
let-go threshold

At 100 mA ventricular fibrillation of the heart

occurs until death

Heavy current flow can result in severe burns

and heart paralysis.
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Detrimental effects are due to current

flowing through the body. With increasing
alternating current :

Resistance and Path through

Body
Resistance
Electrical resistance of human body varies with :

Wet condition will drastically reduce resistance

Shock severity increases with increasing pressure
The larger the contact area, the lower the
resistance

Path through body

Affects the degree of injury
More severe if heart is in the path (flow from
hand to feet)

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Amount of moisture on skin

Pressure applied to contact point
Contact area

Duration of Shock
Duration of shock has a great bearing
on final outcome

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Short : may only be a painful experience

At fibrillation threshold, a duration of a few
seconds may be fatal
At high currents, death is inevitable if shock
has appreciable duration

Summary of Effects

flow through major portions of the body .

There are recorded cases of delayed death after a person has
been revived following an electrical shock. This may occur
within minutes, hours, or even days after the event has
occurred.

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Current flow greater than the "let go" threshold of an

individual may cause a person to collapse, become
unconscious and can result in death.
Current flow through the chest, neck, head, or major centers
controlling respiration may result in a failure of the
respiratory system.
The most dangerous condition can occur when fairly small
amounts of current flow through the heart area.
Extensive tissue damage, including internal organ damage
due to high temperatures, occurs when very large currents

Minimizing Electrical Hazards

Electrical hazards can be minimized. There are
various ways of protecting from electrical
hazards.
Source of electrical energy isolated
undergoing repair or maintenance

from

equipment

Guarding
Live parts of electrical equipment operating > 50 volts must
be guarded against accidental contact
Entrance to rooms containing exposed live parts must be
marked with warning signs forbidding unqualified persons to
enter

Grounding
A low resistance path to earth is created
Avoid build up of voltage which may result in dangerous shocks
Reduces probabilities of accidents
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Locking and tagging equipment

Minimizing Electrical Hazards ...

Mechanical protection device

Personal Protective Equipment

Specific PPE for electrical workers

Safety work practices

Good judgment and common sense

Operate
equipment
in
accordance
with
manufacturers
recommendations
Unauthorized personnel shall not occupy areas around switch
gear, panel boards, or load centers
When working with electrical equipment, always work with a
partner
Where live parts present an electrical hazard, employees may not
perform housekeeping duties close to the parts, unless protected

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Designed to shut off the current in the event of a ground fault,

overload, or short circuit in a wiring system
Ex: ground fault circuit interrupters, fuses and circuit breakers

Minimizing Electrical Hazards

Electric cords

Plugs and Receptacles

Electric plugs and receptacles are designed for different currents
and voltages, so that only matching plugs and receptacles will fit
together.
Beware of standards changing from country to country.

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Inspect cords regularly for signs of stretching, insulation damage

and kinking.
Never carry an electrical tool by its cord.
When using tools requiring a third wire ground, only use three
wire extension cord with three-pronged, grounding plugs and
three holes electric outlets.
Always remove the cord at the plug. Do not pull on the cord.
Always use the correct extension cord for the job. An undersized
cord can cause a drop in tool power and overheating.
Hands must be dry when plugging and unplugging flexible cords.

Minimizing Electrical Hazards

Connecting a portable computer

Hazard with portable computer

Do not use your computer in or near water (to
avoid the danger of electrical shock).

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Connect the AC adapter to the PC power jack.

Connect one end of the power cord to the AC
adapter.
Connect the other end to the power outlet.