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NEBOSH

WEEK 2 – ELEMENT 4

Electrical Hazards
and Control
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Electricity: Introduction
Each year in the UK there are:
30 workplace deaths
30 domestic deaths
• Electric shock
• Electric burns
• Electrical arcing
• Fires
• Explosions
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Electrical Terms (1)

Volt (Pressure difference):
The unit of measurement of electrical pressure

Ampere (Current):
The unit of measurement of electric current flow

Ohm (Resistance):
The unit of measurement of electrical resistance
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Electrical Terms (2)

Direct Current (DC):
The current flows in one direction between positive
and negative terminals

Alternating Current (AC):

The electric current is constantly reversing its
direction of flow at a given frequency

Frequency:
Measured in cycles per second is expressed in Hertz
in UK 50 cycles per second
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Electrical Terms (3)

Conductors:
A material that allows electricity to flow easily :- e.g.
copper, steel, water

Insulators:
Materials that have a high resistance to electrical
current:- e.g. plastic, rubber, wood
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Nature of Electricity
Ohms Law
The higher the electrical pressure (V) or the lower the
circuit resistance (R), the higher is the current that flows
in an electrical circuit:
I = V/R
I is measured in amps (A), which is the electron flow
or current
V is measured in volts (V), potential difference or
pressure
R the resistance is measured in ohms (Ω),
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Ohms Law Example

If the applied voltage is 230V and circuit
resistance is 1,000 ohms then the current flow
will be 0.23A or 230 mA
230
= 0.23
V/I=R 1,000

If we have two values then we are able to

work out the third !
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Electrical Power
Another useful expression enables the electrical power
(P), represented by the flow of electrical current in a
circuit, to be determined.

Power(P) = Voltage (V) x Current (I)

When:

V is measured in volts (V) W

I is measured in amperes (A)
V I
W is given in watts (W)
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Main Dangers of Electricity

1) Electric Shock: Contact with live parts
Direct Contact: Coming in to contact with a
conductor that is supposed to be live
Indirect Contact: Coming into contact with a
conductor that is not live in normal conditions but
has become live due to a fault

2) Arcing
3) Fire & Explosion
4) Burns
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Severity of Electric Shock

• Current in amperes
• Length of contact time
• Path through the body
• Conductivity/resistance of the body
• The voltage
• Conductivity of the environment
• Nature of the contact
• Age and health status of victim
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If a Person has received an

Electric Shock

a) Do not touch injured person until the current is

switched off.
b) If the current cannot be switched off, stand on
some dry insulating material and use a wooden
or plastic implement to remove the injured person
from the electrical source.
c) Administer first aid if qualified
d) Call professional help
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Main Dangers of Electricity

Arcing: Electricity can jump an air gap causing

shock effects to persons not in contact with
conductor

Fire & Explosion: Flow of electricity

generates heat. If large flow passes through
unsuitable conductor heat can lead to fire

Burns: Heat of arcing or excessive flow

through body causes tissue damage
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Causes of Electrical Fire

• Inadequate circuits for the current
• Overloaded circuits
• Incorrect fuses (e.g. nails)
• Damaged wiring and insulation
• Loose connections
• Overheating of cables
• Overheating due to thermal insulation
• Overheating due to lack of ventilation
• Flammable materials to close to electrical
equipment
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Effects on Body of Electricity

• Damage to the nervous system
• Fibrillation (irregular heartbeat)
• Tissue burns at entry and exit
• Damage to internal organs
• Muscular contractions
• Physical trauma
• Stopping breathing (respiratory paralysis)
• Stopping the heart (cardiac arrest)
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Secondary Effects of
Electrical Shock
• Falls from height
• Unintentional movement of
machinery
• Failure of control measures &
security systems
• Loss of information
• Corporate reputation
• Throw off
– sudden movement of the body
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Electricity Protection Devices

• Fuses
• Circuit breaker
• Earthing
• Isolation
• Reduced voltage
• Battery operated tools
• Residual Current Devices (RCD)
• Double insulation
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Fuse
A specially designed weak link which is designed to
melt at a predetermined value of current

Advantages Disadvantages
• cheap and readily • will not protect
available individuals
• protects equipment • slow to operate
• inaccurate
• unsuitable or wrong fuse
may be used
• easy to override
• needs tool to replace
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Circuit Breakers
Electromagnetic devices which perform the
same function as fuses but operate faster

Advantages Disadvantages
• automatically trip under • may be mistaken for an
fault conditions RCD
• no tools required to reset • do not protect the
• not easy to defeat individual
• Protects equipment from
overload
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Earthing (Earth Leakage Protectors)

Electricity will always try to reach earth and earthing
is a means of providing a low resistance path to earth

Advantages Disadvantages
• Prevent indirect electric • specialist testing and
shock maintenance, professional
installation
• Readily identified • No protection if removed

Earth lead and spike

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Isolation
Shutting off the electricity supply to an item of
equipment and preventing the system from being
mistakenly reconnected

Advantages Disadvantages
• safest option as it • may isolate other
eliminates electricity equipment
• may be physically locked • may be reconnected
off without lock off
• prevents live fault finding
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Reduced Voltage Systems (1)

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Reduced Voltage Systems (2)

Reducing the mains voltage by means of a transformer
to a lower safer voltage e.g. 110volts or 55 volts

Advantages Disadvantages
• at 55V - injury is highly • specialist equipment e.g.
unlikely Transformer required
• colour coded cabling • lead from supply to
system for easy transformer at higher
recognition voltages, needing
protection with RCD
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Battery Operated Tools

Advantages Disadvantages
• little risk during normal • limited use
use • low power output
• Not restricted by cable • Constant charging
• No trailing cable required
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Residual Current Devices
(RCD)
Compares the electricity flow to the equipment with the return
flow and if a difference is detected the equipment is isolated

Advantages
• rapid and sensitive
• difficult to defeat
• easy to use, test and reset
• can not be reset with a
fault on the circuit
Disadvantages
• may isolate crucial
equipment if one RCD
covers a number of
distribution points e.g.
freezers and computers
• mechanical device which
could fail
• No overload protection
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Double Insulation
Two separate layers of insulation are provided which
allows for fault detection where one layer has failed
the other still provides protection

Advantages Disadvantages
• two layers of insulation • physical damage may
prevent user contact with defeat double insulation
any live parts • No earth therefore no
• no earth required protection if used with
equipment that requires
earth
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Portable Electrical Equipment

Accidents caused by:
• Using unsuitable apparatus
• Inadequate maintenance or misuse
• Using defective apparatus
• Modifications by unauthorised personnel
• Modifications whilst the appliance is live
• Using equipment in unsuitable environments
• No system of inspection or removal of damaged
equipment
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Hazards of Portable Electrical

Equipment
Areas to look at for hazards
Plug Cable Joints Appliance
No fuse Run over Makeshift Casing
Damage to Dragged Leads pulled Worn
plug casing out of cord grip Connections
Incorrect Trapped Incorrect wiring
wiring
Earth wire Heat/corrosive Poor earth
detached chemicals connections
Flexing Wrong
connections
Insulation
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Precautions using Portable

Equipment
 Reduced voltage operation
 Use of residual current circuit breakers
 Protected against overload
 Cables insulated
 Correct sheathing
 Sufficient socket outlets
 Use of cable drums
 Correct maintenance and repair
 Reduced voltage operation
 Regular inspections and checks
 Properly trained staff
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Types of Inspection
1) User checks
2) Formal visual inspection
3) Combined inspection and
test (PAT testing)
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Frequency of Inspection & Test

• Manufacturer’s recommendations
• Age of equipment
• Robustness of equipment
• Double insulated or earthed
• Type of cable (e.g. armoured)
• Extent of use
• Users of equipment
• Environment
• Abuse or misuse
• History of equipment
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Reason to keep records of inspection

and testing of electrical equipment
a) Inspection by authorised person
b) In case test label removed
c) Test frequencies maintained
d) Record actions of faults rectified
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Electrical Safety in Office Environments

1) Equipment of approved standard
2) Maintenance of fixed electrical installations
3) There is a means of isolation
4) Connections, wiring free from defects
5) Correct fuses
6) Plugs correctly wired
7) No overloading of sockets
8) Appliances switched off when not in use
9) PAT testing in date
10) Cables correctly routed
11) RCDs used
12) System for reporting of defects
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Precautions for on Working Live

Equipment
 Trained and Competent Staff
 Accompanied by another person
 Adequate Information about the risks
 Suitable insulated tools
 Insulated barriers or screens
 Suitable instruments and test probes
 Personal protective equipment/rubber mats
 Permit to work
 Restricted access