We cannot imagine our lives without electricity. We require the power supply for our mobile phones, IoT devices, home security systems, and even basic necessities like cooking and washing. But not many of us know beyond switching on and off our equipment. Therefore learning a little bit about electricity can be helpful for the entire lifetime.
Attending an electrical training workshop at a young age could be beneficial. You get to learn practically about the power generation and supply system. Moreover, you can get sufficient pocket money too. In the future, it can become an opportunity for entrepreneurship. But working with electricity is not a child’s play. A simple mistake or a bit of carelessness could cost even your life. So, one has to take up various precautionary measures while attending an electrical training session, and below are the must-follow ones.
1. Recognize Hazards:
As a first step towards safety, it is essential to know the problem-causing situation that commonly occurs in the electrical circuits, power supply systems, and in the devices. You should understand that inadequate wiring, exposed electrical parts, and overhead power lines are hazardous. Heated equipment indicates overloading and could be a potential threat. They may cause extensive instrument damage and even spark a fire. You should never compromise on using the required tools for the repair and inspection work. Using wrong or damaged tools could lead to both minor shocks and serious injuries.
2. Use the Right Gauge and Type of Wire:
Wires come in different gauge sizes. They can be stranded or solid models. Large the gauge size of the cable, higher is its current carrying capacity. They should know about the standards and use appropriate wires according to the size and distribution of electrical load. While working with wires, you should always wear personal protective equipment. One should always check for the presence of corrosive material, dampness, and sudden temperature difference along the cable. These indicate problems like damaged parts and overloading. If detected, you should immediately cut the supply and then proceed cautiously with the help of an expert.
3. Isolate Energized Components:
Electricians often need to work on or near live wires. At times even the devices might get energized. The live parts and circuits must be separated and guarded. People use fences, covers, boxes, and screens to indicate the presence of live equipment. They can be kept at a higher level so that it is out of reach. Such guarding material should not have any open conduits where you could place a pencil or tester by mistake. One must wear proper protective equipment (PPE) like rubber gloves, insulating shoes and boots, face shields, and safety glasses. You should always lockout and tag the switch gears to prevent sudden start-up of the system while doing repair and maintenance work.
4. Use the Right Extension Cord:
You might often need to use extension cords for testing purposes. One should be very careful while using them. A slightly broken prong of the plug could result in a bad connection. You should always plug them with a weather-proof receptacle and ensure that the cords do not run through holes in walls, ceilings, and floors. The wire should have the capacity to draw the amount of power. Cables with higher gauge numbers can carry more current safely. You should also consider the fact that voltage drops with the length of the wire. And lower voltage might damage the equipment, or you may not be able to fix the issue. Thus a 100 ft extension cord needs to have a higher gauge than that of a 50 ft cord.
5. Beware of Stored Energy and Oxidizing Reactions:
You would always turn off the power before doing repair work like replacing a part. But electronic components like capacitors have stored energy. They should be depleted by blocking or grounding, as they may cause electrical shock. You can tag and lockout the low voltage ones, whereas you have to use up the energy of high voltage capacitors by connecting a simple light bulb.
Aluminum wires and connections can become loose due to high temperatures. The presence of heat sources such as kitchen gas can worsen the situation. They also tend to oxidize and can cause electrical arching. So one needs to use special clamps for aluminum connection and should apply the anti-oxidizing paste.
6. Assure Grounding Path:
You need to check and ground all electrical systems. Switchplates, wiring boxes, conduits, and cabinets should be at zero volts relative to ground. If energized a little, these may cause an electric shock. But high voltages due to lightning strikes, line surge, or contact with a powerful line can be dangerous. Ground wire offers a low resistance path for the excess current to flow and prevent equipment and people. You should use safety devices like GFCIs (ground fault circuit interrupter), over-current protection devices, and circuit breakers.
As an electrician, you need to be cautious and work safely. You should always consider the devices as energized and disconnect the power source before checking anything. In general, your tools should have insulated handles, and you should not wear any metallic jewelry or watch while working. You should dry the damp parts and not let water or any chemical spill on the equipment or near you.
Electricity is one of the greatest inventions of humankind, but it is also our responsibility to use it safely and judiciously.
Author Bio:
Jessica is an avid reader who enjoys getting lost in the world of books. Holding on to her passion for fitness, She Believes that a healthy diet is a key to healthy living.
You can learn more about electrical training and safety preclusion from Liberty Electrical.
Insightful post indeed!
From my experience, I can say that all electrical frameworks can possibly cause hurt. Your body is a characteristic channel of power, and is helpless against electrical stuns and consumes.