In response to recent electrical work accidents at Berkeley Lab, a lot of energy has gone into developing a new Electrical Safety Program that affects primarily the work performed by trained qualified electrical workers. But what about the rest of us who do not work closely with electrical equipment - what can we do to keep electrical accidents and fires resulting from faulty electrical equipment from happening?
One thing everyone can do is immediately report anything that looks like an electrical accident waiting to happen to the Division Safety Coordinator or [email protected]. Anything that uses electricity – such as the appliances in the workplace kitchen, the portable heater in your office, or any equipment with exposed wiring could show reportable trouble along these lines:
- Frayed insulation anywhere on a power cord, which often occurs at the ends where the cord attaches to the plug or the appliance.
- Melted electrical equipment housing, including plugs and receptacles
- “Daisy chained” extension cords – never use more than one extension cord, and make sure the one in use is rated for the intended use.
- Exposed metal parts that may conduct electrical energy. For instance, a computer missing its cover or knockout for access could result in electrical shock to another worker.
- Remove any personal electrical equipment that is not approved by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL).
- Old and unused electronic equipment should be sent to salvage.
Over the past few years a number of safety minded coworkers have received Hero Cards, Safety Spot Awards, and even cash awards for substantial safety improvements. It is of great value to the Berkeley Lab community when you report the risks you observe.
Resources that help in knowing what to look for:
Electrical Safety General Field Guides: http://electricalsafety.lbl.gov/resources/field-program-guides/
Portable heater safely: http://electricalsafety.lbl.gov/?s=heater
Getting “grounded” on the topic of electrical safety: review online EHS Training course 260: http://training.lbl.gov/bltCourses.html
