If you or your employees are planning to work with electricity in the workplace, it is important that you take safety precautions into consideration. Electrical shock is a big risk when working with electricity, which causes an electric current to travel through the body, causing a variety of different problems. While you may be able to prevent electrical shock in all cases, the following ways greatly reduce the risks. Remember that it might be best to call in a professional when dealing with electrical repairs.
Disconnect the Power
Make sure you always disconnect the power of the room you are working in prior to starting any kind of electrical work. Just turning off the light switch is not enough, as some electrical currents will go through that circuit. Find the electrical box or circuit breaker and disconnect the circuit. You may need to try a few different ones before you get the right one. This also prevents someone else from turning off a switch without thinking about it when you are trying to complete electrical repairs.
Test the Circuit
After the power has been disconnected, be absolutely sure it is off by testing the circuit. There are circuit testers that are quick and easy to use. There are different types of testers, such as a multimeter with a digital or analog display, tick tracers, voltmeters, and neon testers. A neon tester is a good way to test with a light bulb that goes on if there is still power going to that circuit.
Take Off All Metal Jewelry
As an additional safety precaution, make sure you don't have metal jewelry on when working with electrical components, especially rings. The metal jewelry becomes a metal conductor and can increase physical injuries at the result of electric shock. If the hand with metal jewelry touches a voltage source, it could cause more injury because your resistance to the electrical source reduces due to the metal. Metal jewelry can also get stuck on things, such as wires, which is another source of danger.
Have GFCIs Installed
If your place of business doesn't already have it, make sure all electrical outlets and sockets are protected with a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). This is a great way to prevent electric shock as it protects outlets, circuits, adapters, and breakers. While this won't prevent electric shock when you are actually working on the electrical system, it does give general protection in the workplace. These should be installed indoors and outdoors. The GFCI can help detect electric imbalances throughout the workplace and inform you if you need to contact an electrician. It is especially important when using led lights, as the bulbs might pose a hazard without this extra protection.
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