Using Circuit Safety to Avoid Injuries

Whether you’re an electrician or contractor working on a commercial or residential property, electrical safety is important in any situation. One small mistake can be extremely harmful to not only yourself, but those around you as well. More and more, workers are being injured because they thought a circuit was turned off. Electricians and contractors should consider all circuits live until they are correctly tested.

To avoid electrical-related injuries, here are a few reminders of what to do before you touch a circuit:

1. De-energize the circuit
2. Lock out
3. Tag out
4. Test circuit
5. Verify testing device

The steps below should be followed for every job to ensure you protect yourself and those around you:

1. Before you begin the job, get information about the operations/construction of the electrical equipment you’ll be using.
2. Ensure that everyone on your team is qualified to be working with electrical equipment and that any certifications are up to date.
3. When you arrive at your job site, identify any and all energy sources that could be a potential hazard or danger.
4. Make sure that you and your team are protecting yourself with the correct gear and equipment (googles, gloves, flame-resistant shirts, etc.).
5. Follow the standard protection procedures (lockout/tagout).
6. Verify that the electrical system has been de-energized by testing the circuit.
7. Before and after you use your test equipment, be sure that it is actually working.

If you find that the job has become more dangerous than you initially anticipated, stop and review your plan. One of the most careless mistakes you can make is to assume that equipment is de-energized. Following the proper procedures can prevent injuries and death in some cases!