Hazards of DIY in the Workplace

Electricians are trained and certified for a reason, to avoid unseen electrical hazards when working near exposed energized parts. Benson Electrical Contracting practices safety related work practices to prevent electric shock and injuries that can take place from either direct or indirect electrical contact when work is performed near or on equipment or circuits which are or may be energized.

So, who is qualified to work on electrical equipment?

There are two types of employees in the workplace that may come in contact with electrical equipment on a jobsite: qualified and unqualified. Those who are qualified are:

• trained to avoid electrical hazards when working on or near exposed energized parts
• familiar with the safety related work practices as required by OSHA standards
• able to distinguish exposed live parts of electrical equipment
• knowledgeable of the skills and techniques used to determine the nominal voltages of exposed parts and components

Those who are unqualified have minimal or no training related to electrical hazards but must understand the following:

• be knowledgeable with any electrical hazards in the workplace
• understand procedures to follow and to protect themselves when they work around electricity
• know which tasks that can only be performed by qualified workers (e.g. maintenance and repairs).
• Identify when and how to report electrical problems
• aware of what to do in the event of emergency involving electricity.
• able to inspect electrical tools and equipment before use to make sure insulation and wiring are in good condition

Live parts to which an employee may be exposed must be deenergized before the employee works on or near them unless deenergizing the parts introduces additional or increased hazards or is unfeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations.

Examples of increased or additional hazards include interruption of equipment, deactivation of emergency alarm systems, shutdown of hazardous location ventilation equipment, or removal of illumination for an area.