Page 24 - May-Jun 19

FEATURE

2. Have I worked on this task
before, and do I have the right
training and experience?
3. Do I have the proper tools for this job?
OSHA REPORTED ELECTRICAL FATALITIES 4. Is the hierarchy of risk controls
Occupations with 10 or more electrical fatalities, 2011–2017 being followed to ensure that
preventive and protective risk
controls are being implemented?
Electricians 117
5. Has a proper risk assessment
Construction laborers 64
been performed?
Laborers, except Constructions 63
6. Are all conductors and circuit parts in
Electrical Power Installers and Repairers 55 an electrically safe working condition?
Tree Trimming Occupations 34 7. Are these parts properly guarded
Electricians’ Apprentices 27 to reduce the likelihood of electrical
Roofers 17 contact or arcing faults?
Electrical and Electronic Engineers 16 8. Are all applicable procedures and job
planning procedures completed?
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigerating Mechanics 16
Machinery Maintenance Occupations 16 9. And am I confident about
completing this job without risk
Painters, Constructions, and Maintenance 14 or putting others at risk?
Farm Workers 11
The goal is for all workers to go home
Welders and Cutters 11
safely at the end of a shift. Electricians
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steam Fitter Apprentices 10 must know the limits of their own
Telcomm: Line Installers and Repairers 10 qualifications. It’s OK to speak up and
pass a job task to a more qualified
Truck Drivers, heavy 10
worker if you’re unsure about having the
Occupation not reported 10 required expertise to complete it safely.

All awareness videos and related
infographics are available at the
Electrical Safety Foundation’s
workplace safety webpage for free:
These men and women follow strict the responsibility of qualified workers, www.esfi.org/workplace-safety.
safety principles that include daily we can help reduce the number of
inspections and evaluating the electrical electrically related fatalities in fields that
equipment; planning out every job are affected but not electrically trained. The Electrical Safety Foundation
International (ESFI) is the premier non-
and conducting job hazard analysis; profit organization dedicated exclusively to
and identifying the electrical hazards promoting electrical safety at home and in
and reducing the associated risks. KNOW WHEN TO the workplace.
SAY WHEN
A typical safety program that Since 1994, ESFI has led the way in
qualified electrical workers go Many electrically related fatalities occur promoting electrical safety across
through includes the importance of when a hazardous situation is misjudged. North America. Over the years, ESFI has
personal protective equipment, safe No matter how simple a task may become highly regarded by industry,
work practices, special precautionary seem, it is always important to stop and media and consumer safety partners
techniques, and risk assessment. reassess a situation if there is ever a alike by constantly reinvigorating the
doubt about a job’s task or a procedure’s way electrical safety is addressed. ESFI
It is important that qualified electrical requirements. A qualified electrical creates unique awareness and educational
workers notify other trades on the worker should always ask themselves: resources designed to meet the diverse
jobsite about the dangers of electricity. 1. Have I been properly trained to needs of a variety of at-risk groups.
By keeping all electrical workers under
safely complete this job task?

22 Insights Magazine | May/June 2019 | www.ieci.org