Within the prevention of occupational risks, electrical risk is one of the most complex. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) indicates that working with electricity groups risks and hazards.

The handling of electrical lines, cables and circuits can cause accidents associated with electric shock, electrocution, fire, and explosions. Engineers, electricians, and other professionals who work with electricity directly are affected by various electrical hazards that can cause burns, electric shocks, and electrocution (death).

Forecasting is the best way to minimize electrical hazards present in your work environment. Training is essential to reduce or eliminate the risk of injury associated with electrical work.

OSHA RECOMMENDATIONS TO REDUCE ELECTRICAL ACCIDENTS

OSHA offers procedures or recommendations that effectively help reduce accidents related to electricity:

• Wear personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Use proper grounding.
• Use the correct size for the fuse circuit.
• Be careful with live electrical parts.
• Use flexible extensions specifically.
• Inspect tools, wiring, and electrical systems before starting work. Use them only if they are in good condition.
• Use Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI).
• Request the energy company to deactivate overhead and underground power lines.
• Disrupt power, attach tags and padlocks.
• Close the electrical panels.

Among the personal protective equipment (PPE) recommended to minimize and prevent electrical accidents are certified plastic safety helmets for electrical use, rubber gloves with electrical risk insulation, special industrial clothing for electrical insulation and safety shoes. dielectrics.

In addition, OSHA offers a wide variety of information on standards, hazards, risks, possible solutions, and training formats to prevent electrical accidents. We recommend visiting the following OSHA links to stay informed:

• OSHA Electrical Construction Regulations.
• Associated standards.
• Risk recognition.
• Possible solutions.
• Training workers.

DIELECTRIC SAFETY FOOTWEAR

The National Institute for Safety and Hygiene at Work (INSHT) indicates which basic way we can distinguish the following types of footwear for worker protection: safety footwear, protective footwear and work footwear.

These in turn, depending on their electrical properties, can be:

Conductive footwear: Protect against load accumulations, one time and with enough energy, to produce an inflammation or explosion in explosive atmospheres, that is, electric shocks in work in high voltage installations (work in voltage to potential).

On works done in tension by the potential method, which must be carried out by qualified persons in the field of electricity. In this case, conductive footwear must be used, which consists of a kind of conductive material that covers the footwear or boot. The manufacturer must indicate in the brochure or the technical data sheet that, when the product is used in combination with conductive clothing and other components from different manufacturers, it is the responsibility of the user to verify the integrity of the complete protection assembly. It is advisable for the user to ensure the compatibility of each of the garments in the set, verify that the electrical resistance of each of the pieces is similar and that the electrical resistance of the connections does not exceed 100 Ω. UNE-EN 60895

Antistatic footwear: Protects against the risks for conductive footwear and provides protection against the passage of electric current (electric shock for voltages below 250 Vac) or electrostatic discharge. There are two types of footwear to connect people to the ground, preventing them from being electrostatically charged:

Conductive footwear C: It has a very low resistance and is used when it is necessary to minimize the electrostatic charge by dissipating it in the shortest possible time, for example, in operations of special risk such as the transfer of flammable substances with a minimum energy of very low inflammation. It should not be used when the risk of electric shock has not been eliminated. UNE-EN ISO 20345 / UNE-EN ISO 20346 / UNE-EN ISO 20347.

Antistatic footwear A: It is used when it is necessary to minimize the electrostatic charge, by dissipating it, to avoid the risk of ignition of potentially explosive atmospheres. Its resistance is greater than that of conductive footwear, so it offers some protection against accidental electrical contacts with equipment or facilities, however, it does not offer adequate protection against electric shock because it is not completely insulating. UNE-EN ISO 20345 / UNE-EN ISO 20346 / UNE-EN ISO 20347

Electrically insulating footwear protects against the passage of an electric current through the human body (for voltages below 1000 Vac). It is used for protection against electric shock in works in low voltage installations. This footwear, when used in conjunction with other electrically insulating protective equipment and materials such as gloves, rugs, sidewalks, poles, etc., prevents the passage of an electrical current through the worker’s feet. For the selection of insulating footwear, the information regarding the maximum stresses for use is relevant, which the manufacturer must indicate in the informative brochure through the footwear class (class 0-red or 00-beige). UNE-EN 50321

All SICURA safety shoes are insulated for electrical jobs. They resist the passage of current generating greater protection for the user. They are designed and certified against electrical risk, withstanding 20 kV / DC at 200 µA of direct current and 14 kV test voltage for alternating current with leakage current less than or equal to 3 milli Ampere (mA). Specific models support up to 30 kV / DC at 50 µA direct current.

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Source: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

National Institute for Safety and Hygiene at Work (INSHT).