The Safety "Contract" for Electrical Contractors

The $130 billion electrical construction industry1 is a major factor in the U.S.
economy. It demands a major safety effort by everyone in the industry that not only
meets standards, but also aims to reduce the terrible toll that electrical
accidents can take on the workers that bring electrical power to buildings and
communities across the U.S.
Electrical contractors, the magicians that bring light and power to buildings and
keep electrical transmission lines humming, have a lot on their mind. In addition
to managing large staffs of electricians and other workers, overseeing a complex
web of equipment and work orders at job sites, and ensuring that all work is up to
code, many are also entrepreneurs.
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Contractors�whether they manage �inside� operations that provide electricity to
structures or �outside� operations that build or maintain high-voltage power
transmission and distribution lines�run day-to-day operations and bid on new work
that keeps them in business.
But one responsibility is more important than all the others�keeping workers safe.
It�s a daunting challenge because electrical hazards are literally everywhere on a
worksite�whether that site involves new construction or maintenance, repair and
overhaul of existing electrical systems. Thousands of things are just waiting to go
wrong�sometimes with grave consequences. At a base level, contractors must provide
a total safety solution for workers and equip them with the right safety clothing
and safety-rated electrical tools.
Lethal Inexperience
Lack of experience in performing jobs safely can be lethal, a fact borne out in a
study by the National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health. It found that
younger and less experienced workers were the most likely to be killed in
electrical accidents.2
NIOSH analyzed 224 fatal electrocutions between 1982 and 1994, which accounted for
about 7 percent of all workplace deaths. It found that 64 percent of the victims
were under 35, and 99 percent of all victims were men. Also, 41 percent of the
victims had been on the job for less a year. Construction workers had the highest
percentage of electrocutions, at 40 percent. NIOSH found five main causes for the
fatalities:
Direct contact with an energized powerline (28 percent);
Direct contact with energized equipment ( 21 percent);
Boomed-vehicle contact with an energized power line (18 percent);
Improperly installed or damaged equipment (17 percent); and
Conductive equipment contact with an energized powerline (16 percent).
Even if they are not fatal, the consequences of electrical accidents can be grim.
Electricity causes a variety of burns, including surface burns from electrical
current entering and exiting the body, internal tissue burns caused by current
flowing through internal organs and surface burns caused by exposure to an arc
flash.3
Electrical injuries are often more severe than they appear. Injury occurs not only
at the contact site, but also along the path of the electrical circuit and where it
exits the body.4 As a result, extensive muscle damage frequently occurs. These
deep-tissue injuries cause severe swelling that can require a deep
incision�extending from the hand to the shoulder�to relieve pressure, reduce
swelling and save remaining, healthy tissue. Victims often require extensive dead
skin removal to prevent massive infections. After treatment, major scars can
interfere with joint function.4
Electric arc flashes can produce some of the worst electrical injuries. They
produce intense heat (up to 35,000� F) and explosions with very strong air
pressure. All known materials are vaporized at this temperature. Arcs spray
droplets of molten metal at high speeds, and blast shrapnel can penetrate the
body.5

Shocking Situations
While all electrical accidents should be prevented, their effects range from mild
to fatal, depending on how much electricity the victim is exposed to. The following
effects show the range of electrical injuries and the amperages that cause them.3
Threshold of perception: 1 mA for men, 0.7 mA for women;
Painful shock: 9 mA for men, 6 mA for women;
Victim cannot let go of wire or device: 10 mA (this and rest of effects are the
same for men and women);
Ventricular fibrillation: 100 mA shock for 3 seconds or 200 mA shock for 1 second;
Heart failure: 500 mA;
Organ burn and cellular breakdown: 1,500 mA.
The Power of Prevention
Like the three main rules in selling real estate (location, location and location),
the three main rules in electrical safety are prevention, prevention and
prevention.
Electrical contractors must ask themselves every day if:
Employees are provided with and are using personal protective equipment;
There are effective lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures in place;
Employees are properly trained in safe work practices;
Portable electrical tools are grounded or double insulated;
Electrical boxes and fittings have approved covers; and
Ground fault circuit interrupters and/or an assured equipment grounding program are
in place.4
These issues can be addressed in an organized, disciplined way with an Injury and
Illness Prevention Program, of which a key part is electrical safety. An IIPP is
usually required for electrical contractors, either by OSHA standards or state
standards.
While the costs of implementing IIPPs are not inconsequential, they can be more
than offset by preventing the substantial and often unpredictable costs of
accidents.
Those costs include:
Productive time lost by an injured employee;
Productive time lost by employees and supervisors attending to the accident victim;
Cleanup and startup of operations interrupted by the accident;
Time required to hire or to retrain staff to replace the injured worker until his
return;
Time and cost for repair or replacement of damaged equipment and materials;
Cost of continuing all or part of the employee�s wages, in addition to
compensation;
Reduced morale among employees, and perhaps lower efficiency;
Increased workers� compensation insurance rates; and
Cost of completing paperwork generated by the incident.6
Electrical contractors setting up and maintaining IIPPs must make sure they comply
with all applicable regulations. OSHA provides a useful guide to the myriad
regulations that affect electrical contractors.7 Electrical hazards are addressed
in specific standards for recordkeeping in general industry, shipyard employment,
marine terminals and the construction industry.
Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin islands have OSHA-approved state
plans that cover workplace safety for electrical contractors and other employers.
These states and territories have adopted their own job safety and health standards
and enforcement policies, but are required to set standards that are �at least as
effective as� comparable federal standards. For the most part, these states�
standards are identical to those of OSHA. However, some states have adopted
different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement
policies. States have the option to promulgate standards covering hazards not
addressed by federal standards. 8
It�s important to note that OSHA regularly updates its electrical safety standards.
For example, as of 2013, OSHA was in the final stage on rules covering Electric
Power Transmission and Distribution; Electrical Protective Equipment (RIN: 1218-
AB67). The construction industry standard addressing the safety of workers during
the construction of electric power transmission and distribution lines was nearly
40 years old prior to this revision. The rules were expected to be more stringent
than the ones they replace.9
Reading the Roadmap
While OSHA or the states set regulations, the roadmap of how to comply with the
regulations is the National Fire Protection Agency�s (NFPA) 70E standard, which
addresses electrical-safety work practices and procedures. The standard is
applicable to employees working on or near exposed and energized electrical
conductors or circuit parts.
Although not formally adopted by OSHA, NFPA 70E is often the defacto standard
referenced in its citations. It is also a useful guide to implementing specific
policies. For example, NFPA 70E 2012 Ch. 1, Section 130, specifies which workers
can work within certain boundaries based on distance from a live electrical
circuit. They include �approach, restricted and prohibited� boundaries.
Flame Fighters
The use of PPE�such as flame-resistant clothing that meets the performance
requirements of ASTM F1506 when exposure to electric arc flash is possible�is a key
part of any electrical safety program.
Flame-retardant clothing is assigned an Arc Thermal Performance Value (ATPV) rating
by the manufacturer. The ATPV value represents the amount of incident energy that
would cause the onset of second-degree burns. It also signifies the amount of
protection the clothing provides when an electrical arc comes in contact with the
fabric.
Most people working with electricity only require clothing that meets category 1 or
2 protection characteristics under NFPA 70E. Tighter safety standards are aimed at
workers in category 3 or 4 hazard situations. Their clothing must meet ATPV rating
minimums throughout the life of the garment through several cleanings. To meet OSHA
regulations and NFPA 70E, the label on the garment must contain a tracking ID
number, meet ASTM spec F1506, name of manufacturer, size and care instructions,
ATPV rating and must meet ASTM spec F1506.
Tool Time
Insulated tools are another important category of rated safety gear. Insulated hand
tools were part of OSHA's 1990 guidelines for workplace electrical safety and can
help prevent worker fatalities when used near energized circuits. Manufacturers
individually test and certify insulated tool sets for specific working conditions.
Generally, the maximum rated voltage for insulated tools is 1,000 volts AC and
1,500 volts DC.
Some key electrical safety products include:
Insulated tools, such as wire strippers, pliers, knives, screwdrivers, nut drivers,
sockets and ratchets, wrenches, and fuse pullers;
Flame-resistant sleeves;
Heat-resistant sleeves;
Flame-retardant jackets and aprons;
Flame-resistant hood liners, coveralls, pants and hats;
Insulated rubber gloves;
Arc-flash hats and hoods;
Arc-suppression blankets; and
Lockout/tagout kits.
Plugging In to Safety
It would seem that the powerful threat of electrical accidents would be enough to
make workers follow safe practices. But, in reality, it is not enough. Only the
implementation of comprehensive electrical safety programs, combined with the right
safety equipment, can set the stage for electrical workers to perform their work
safely and efficiently.
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