You need electricity to do your job, but if you misuse it, it will cause you pain and, In some cases, kill you. Electrical safety isn’t just for electricians. It is everyone’s responsibility. Keep the following electrical safety tips in mind to protect yourself from electrical hazards like shock, electrocution, fires, and explosions.  Remember these electrical safety tips:

1. If you need an extension cord to power a tool on the jobsite, use only a three-wire cord that is rated for hard or extra-hard usage.

2. Inspect all power cords and extension cords for cuts, exposed conductors, and damaged plugs.

3. Always check power tools to make sure they are double-insulated or have a properly connected third-wire grounding conductor.

4. Take defective electric tools out of service immediately.

5. Never remove the grounding post or prong from a three-prong plug to make it fit into a two-wire extension cord or socket.

6. Always use grounded electric outlets and don’t overload them.

7. Never work on live circuits, and don’t make repairs on electrical equipment, wiring, etc.   Leave that type of work to qualified electricians.

8. If a task requires lockout/tagout, disconnect the power, lock the disconnect in the “off” position, and test the system. Follow company lockout/tagout procedures to the letter.

9. When you need to verify that a circuit is dead, follow company test procedures and make sure that the test equipment is properly grounded.

10. Never test a circuit by touching the wires to ground or by licking your fingers and touching the wires.

11. Avoid working with electricity when you, your tools, your clothes, or the surroundings are wet, because you could become a conductor and get electrocuted.

12. If you must work in damp conditions, plug your electric tools into portable GFCls. A GFCI can save your life by turning off the power when it detects current leakage as small as 5 milliamps.

13. Take off all metal jewelry and watches. Gold, silver, and other metals are excellent conductors.

14. When you work near overhead power lines, always keep yourself and your equipment a minimum of 10 feet from the power lines.

15. Use a non-conductive ladder made of fiberglass or wood around live wires and power lines.

16. Never use makeshift wiring.

17. Know basic first aid and CPR In case someone on your crew is electrocuted.

SAFETY REMINDER

It takes a shockingly small amount of electric current to kill you. Always be careful around electricity,