Electrical Safety and Hand Tools Quiz

Electrical Safety and Precautions

• Electrical safety precautions are crucial for handling hazardous chemicals and responding to electrical shocks.
• Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), fire extinguishers, and proper first aid procedures (e.g., CPR, burns) are essential.
• Consistently advocating for safe practices, encouraging others to wear PPE, and reporting hazards is crucial.

Objectives

• Understand the importance of general safety precautions when handling hazardous chemicals.
• Properly respond to electrical shocks.
• Use appropriate PPE and fire extinguishers.
• Accurately apply first aid techniques, like CPR or treating burns.
• Demonstrate proactive safety behaviours by promoting safe practices and reporting hazards to supervisors.

Terminologies

• Ventricular fibrillation is when the heart beats irregularly and stops pumping blood.
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) helps maintain blood circulation and breathing.
• Electrical arc is a discharge of electricity through a gas.
• Qualified personnel are knowledgeable about electrical equipment and its associated hazards.
• Intrinsically Safe equipment is designed to minimise the risk of ignition in hazardous environments.

Importance of Electrical Safety

• Prevention is key: recognize and avoid electrical dangers.
• Adhere to safety procedures and use proper protective gear.
• Ask questions: If unsure about a rule or procedure, seek clarification.
• Accidents are preventable: unsafe actions (carelessness, fatigue, stress) cause most incidents. Report unsafe conditions immediately to supervisors.
• Be responsible: follow safety guidelines and inform supervisors of incidents promptly, seeking medical help when needed.

Electric Circuit

• Electricity flows through a circuit, similar to water flowing through a pipe.
• A circuit needs a source of energy (like a generator or battery) to move electrons and a conductor (wire) to carry the flow.

Open Circuit vs. Closed Circuit

• Open Circuit: A break in the circuit stops the current flow (e.g., switch off).
• Closed Circuit: A complete path allows current to flow. The human body is a conductor, completing a circuit, thus causing electric shock when exposed to live wires.

Current vs Resistance

• Current (Amperes, A): Measures the flow of electricity.
• Resistance (Ohms, Ω): The opposition to the electricity flow in a wire, leading to energy loss (measured in volts, V).

Electrical Hazard Awareness

• Hazards exist—recognize potential and actual threats to people, machinery, and the environment.
• Examples include: contact with overhead wires, maintenance on live equipment, working with damaged electrical equipment, exposure to rain or water-damaged equipment.

How do you respond to electrical incidents?

• If someone is experiencing an electric shock, disconnect the power supply (if possible) whilst ensuring your own safety.
• Take precautions to protect yourself and others.
• Apply first aid principles (e.g., DRSABCD).
• Assess injuries and move casualties to a safe area.
• Seek immediate medical attention if needed.

Apply the first aid principles (e.g., DRSABCD)

• Danger: Check for potential risks to yourself, the victim, and others (e.g., turn off the electricity supply in an electrical incident).
• Response: Check if the person is responsive.
• Send for Help: Call emergency services if the person is unresponsive or needs urgent medical attention.
• Airway: Clear any blockages from the airway (e.g., remove food or vomit from the mouth).
• Breathing: Check for breathing by looking, listening, and feeling.
• CPR: If no breathing, administer CPR: 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths.
• Defibrillation: If an AED is available, administer defibrillation as per the instructions.

Levels of Effect of Electric Current on the Human Body

• Varying levels of electric current cause varying effects on the human body, ranging from slight tingling to death.

You Can Safely Protect Yourself from Electricity!

• Avoid metal objects: metal conducts electricity.

• Turn off power: switch off electricity before working with electrical equipment.

• Wear appropriate clothing: wear non-conductive clothing and rubber-soled shoes.

• Don't touch live parts: do not touch live electrical components.

• Use qualified professionals: Only let trained professionals install or repair electrical equipment.

• Clean and dry leads and plugs.

• Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as insulated gloves when handling electricity.

• Heed warning signs around electrical equipment.

• Use the correct equipment for the task.

• Take care of extension leads: inspect them before use.

• Use residual current devices (RCDs) to protect against electric shocks.

• Use proper fuses and circuit breakers to avoid electrical overloads.

Electric Shock

• An electric shock occurs when a person comes into contact with an electrical current.
• The human body conducts electricity, disrupting bodily functions (especially the heart and muscles) and potentially leading to death.
• The severity of a shock depends on factors like voltage, current, duration, and the path electricity takes through the body.

Key Points About Electric Shock

• How electric shock happens: the body completes an electrical circuit.
• Factors affecting shock severity: voltage, current, duration, path.
• Effects of shock: mild (tingling), moderate (muscle spasms), severe, heart damage.

Prevention of Electric Shock

• Turn off power: always turn off electrical sources before working on equipment.
• Use PPE: wear insulated gloves, rubber soles, and additional gear.
• Avoid water: avoid working with electricity near water.
• Inspect equipment: regularly check tools and equipment for damage.
• Proper training: be properly trained before working with electrical systems.

Staying Alive! Protecting Yourself, Gear Up, Stay Alert

• Flash suits, gloves, head protection (hard hats), safety glasses.

Others (Additional Safety Gear, Procedures, and Equipment)

• Safety harnesses and lifelines, lockout/tagout devices, barricade tape, electrical tools, voltage testers.

Grounding, Ground Faults, and Short Circuits

• Grounding: Connecting electrical systems to the earth to provide a low-resistance path for electrical currents, preventing shocks and damage.
• Ground faults: unintended connections between a live wire and a ground, creating a hazardous situation.
• Short circuits: direct connections between conductors of opposite polarity, causing excessive current, potential damage (wiring, insulation, components), and fire.

Terminologies

• Ground (electrical): any connection between an electronic circuit and the earth.
• Ground fault: any unplanned connection of a live wire to the earth or unintended grounding.
• Grounding structure: a metal frame or structure not connected to earth.
• Ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI): a device that automatically interrupts an electrical circuit if it detects an electrical fault or ground fault.
• Static electricity: unlike current electricity, it involves electrons accumulating on an object.

Key Points About Grounding

• Grounding is about connecting electrical systems to the earth.
• A low resistance path is thus created for faults.
• Shocks and damage are prevented.
• Prevents surges to protect equipment and people.

Summary

• Grounding creates a safe path for current.
• Ground faults occur when live wires touch the earth.
• Short circuits happen when wires of opposing polarity touch, potentially causing damage.

Hand Tools, Power Tools, and Soldering

• Hand Tools: manual instruments (e.g., cutting tools, measuring tools, fastening tools, striking tools, extracting tools) for tasks without power.
• Power Tools: tools that use electricity, batteries, or compressed air (e.g., drills, saws, grinders, sanders, air drills, impact wrenches, chainsaws, lawnmowers) for efficiency and reduced strain during tasks.
• Soldering: joining metal components by using a filler material called solder. This is crucial in the electronics industry for connecting wires and components to circuit boards.

Standards

• Standards are guidelines, specifications, or norms ensuring quality, consistency, and safety in products and processes.
• These are applicable across industries like manufacturing, construction, and electronics.

Key Standards for Electronics in the Philippines

• The Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) sets national standards for electronic products
• Philippine National Standards (PNS) for electronics, such as PNS 166-2014 and IEC 60335, ensure safety.
• International standards like IEC 60364 and IEC 61508 set functional safety standards for electrical and electronic systems.
• ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 ensure product quality and environmental impact.

Importance of Electronics Standards in the Philippines

• Consumer safety: ensures reliable and safe equipment.
• Market access: improves access to international markets.
• Environmental protection: supports sustainable practices in electronics manufacturing.
• Innovation and reliability: promotes technological advancements and the development of efficient devices.