Six Electrical Safety Tips for Construction Workers

By Jeson Pitt, Contributor

The safety of construction workers should be a priority on any construction site.

The safety of construction workers should be a priority on any construction site. Amongst various other hazards, a lack of electrical management is the primary concern. Electrical project supplies such as electrical cable, switches, and other equipment are present all around the site and all increase risk of an accident.

If you are aware of the possible cause of an accident, you can prevent it, for instance using a GFCI outlet to trip quickly to prevent an electrical incident. But that is only one example.

Below are the top six ways to ensure electrical safety for construction workers, creating a safer work environment:

1. Perform Everyday Audits

You should regularly check the new development related to construction electrical safety, like new equipment and site layout change. If there is a new joiner, make him aware of the site layout. Provide him or her knowledge and training regarding the usage of electrical equipment and cables on the site.

You should exchange information with budding contractors and engineers of nearby sites. A new safety measure followed by them may prove to be useful at your site as well.

1. Ensure Residual Current Device (RCD)

RCD is a life-saving supply measure of electricity. All electrical construction equipment should get their electric supply through RCD. It can prevent any fatal shock due to electrical surplus or any other mishap, like open live wires. All electric equipment, such as light sources, kettles, microwaves, etc., should be RCD protected. You can test the active residual current device through test buttons.

1. Fix the Faulty Electrical Equipment

You need to check various electrical equipment for faults and damage. You can face cracked casings, RCDs not working, brittle insulation, damaged guard, overheated cables, and more. Some of the flaws can be repaired. At the same time, you need to throw out or return the beyond-repair electrical project supplies.

No matter how much experience you or anyone else on your team has, appoint qualified and trusted electrical liquidators only to handle this critical task, since they are trained and licensed to identify these kinds of faults.

1. Plan for Natural Hazards

You should also consider the environmental factors of each season and weather. Excessive heat and UV rays are not suitable for specific electrical construction equipment. It would help to protect your cables and wires from dust, corrosion, rain, and humidity. During rain, construction workers should get proper cover as it is not advisable that they come in contact with water.

1. Cover the Leads & Cords

Unorganized and scattered cables and cords can be the reason for the tripping of workers. There is a hazard of open current also if they get damaged. For the sake of the electrical safety of the site, keep the leads and cords arranged or stored away when not in use. Take extra care on high levels of the building.

1. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Every worker should wear PPE without fail to ensure construction electrical safety. In fact, keep some extra at the site. It directly protects you in case of any unfortunate incident. Exclusive electrical gloves, shoes, face shield, helmet, eyewear, earmuffs, etc., are all part of an electric PPE kit.

Jeson Pitt works with the marketing department of D & F Liquidators in Hayward, CA and regularly writes to share his knowledge while enlightening people about electrical products, as well as solving their electrical dilemmas (https://www.dfliq.net).