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Basics of Electrical Safety

It is imperative to know proper electrical safety, of course for some safety reasons. Not doing so can cause shocks, burns or on worst case scenario, be electrocuted that may lead to one's death. All of this is a result of not having training and knowledge on electrical safety. Having said that, when you are working with or around electricity, it is integral that you make yourself aware of it even on the basics. Read more about ppe training here.

On a job site, one of the most notorious causes of electrical problems are faulty wiring. For this reason, it is vitally important for anyone to use properly power tool equipment because otherwise, it can damage it. You should not be picking up the cords of the power tools when using it as constantly doing such may fray eventually. It is a responsible act to check the power tools regularly for any cracks or damages; this way you can avoid being shock. Check out more info on arc flash analysis here.

In the event that you got to use an extension cord on the job site, then it'll be necessary that the cords used are rated for the power voltage used. If the voltage of the power tool is plugged in an extension cord higher than what it requires, then there is a chance that the cord can become hot that can result to electrical fire. It is your responsibility to take note that you must not be plugging a number of power tools at once to an extension as this at the same time can result to electrical fire.

There are pieces of equipment that use three pronged plugs and some think that it's okay to take out the third one to fit it to a two pronged outlet. Doing any of this actually ground the wire making it unusable and leaving the worker unprotected from sudden shocks when using the equipment. If a 2-pronged outlet is the only outlet available that you can plug into, then it is wiser to use an adapter instead and be sure that its electrical wires are grounded prior to using it.

In reality, electrical safety guidelines are also followed by various manufacturing companies when producing tools. This is exactly the same reason why you find most power tools to be double insulated. In other words, it gives the cord an extra protection to shield electricity away from anyone who uses the tool. Some common power tools that are also offering double insulation are drills and nail guns.

It is integral to follow the basic guidelines for electrical safety whenever you are working with or around electricity because this will lessen the odds of unsuspecting injuries or any issues related to electricity.

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