Warmer weather brings an increase in
outdoor work in many parts of the country, both on the job and
at home. Increasing electrical safety awareness can help
ensure those activities do not result in injuries and deaths,
according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI).
Thousands of workers are injured or killed
each year due to electrical hazards. Electricity ranks sixth
among all causes of occupational fatalities, according to
studies developed by the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health, and published by the National Safety
Council (NSC). The construction industry alone accounted for
approximately 44 percent of electrical fatalities, according
to NSC data.
Studies from the U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC) indicate that while the death rate
due to electrocution may be on the decline, more can be done
to increase electrical safety awareness. The total number of
electrocutions that were related to consumer products dropped
35 percent from 1991 to 2001.
"Whether working construction or
working around your home, taking steps to avoid some of the
primary causes of electrocutions and injuries can help keep
you safe on the job," notes Michael G. Clendenin,
executive director of ESFI.
Awareness of the more frequent causes of
electrical injuries—and following basic electrical safety
guidelines—can help reduce electrical safety hazards for
you, your family, friends and coworkers.
-
In the workplace,
contact with overhead power lines caused approximately 40
percent of job-related fatalities, NSC data shows.
-
Contact with
electric current from machines, tools, appliances, light
fixtures or electrical wiring was a major cause of injuries
and time away from the job, according to NSC statistics. CPSC
listed large appliances as a cause of 34 percent of
consumer-related electrocutions.
-
CPSC studies found
that ladders coming into contact with power lines caused 9
percent of consumer-related electrocutions.
-
Gardening, lawn and
farming equipment resulted in approximately 7 per-cent of the
consumer-product electrocutions in the CPSC study.
ESFI notes that following safety rules can
reduce electrical deaths and injuries:
-
Water does not mix
with electricity. Avoid damp conditions—including wet grass—when
using electricity.
-
Ladders—even
those made of wood—carried in an upright position can
contact a power line with potentially fatal results.
-
Unplug outdoor
tools and appliances when not in use.
-
Inspect power tools
and appliances for frayed cords, broken plugs and cracked or
broken housing and repair or replace damaged items.
-
Use ground-fault
circuit interrupters (GFCIs) on outdoor receptacles. Portable
GFCIs are available from most hardware and home improvement
stores.
For electrical safety information, visit
www.electrical-safety.org, and be sure to download the Outdoor
Electrical Safety Check, in ESFI’s Library.
Founded in 1994 through a joint
effort between Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), the
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the
National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA),
the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is
North America’s only non-profit organization dedicated
exclusively to promoting electrical safety in the home,
school and workplace. |
