Injury Illness Prevention Plan - Flipbook - Page 41
13.07 ELECTRICAL AWARENESS – HIGH & LOW VOLTAGE
TEAMWRKX Construction does not have any teammates who self-perform electrical work,
all electrical work is subcontracted out to qualified electrical contractors. The guidelines
of this electrical awareness section when dealing with high and low voltage are included
below so that our teammates can be aware of how to protect themselves and their
teammates and the greater public. Furthermore, all TEAMWRKX field teammates are
provided electrical awareness training. While they are not electrical contractors and do
not perform electrical scope, they move and work around electrical equipment;
therefore, they must understand which hazards are associated with electrical work, and
how to protect themselves. All field teammates must have OSHA30, which contains a
lengthy section on electrical awareness.
TEAMWRKX teammates and others must have safe access to electrical equipment. This
includes a clear path of travel to where electrical equipment is stored, and requires that
teammates who are certified to access the equipment may access it. For storage,
electrical equipment must be kept in a setting that meets the manufacturer’s
requirements and instructions, namely kept out of wet areas, damp areas, or areas that
could become wet or damp. Free-standing water and liquids should be kept away from
electrical equipment at all times. Prior to use, electrical tools must be inspected
thoroughly for sufficient insulation and any damage, malfunctions, moisture, and other
defects. If any such defect is noted, then the tool must be tagged and removed from
service. In particular, if there is not enough insulation or if the equipment is defective,
then it must be promptly tagged and removed from service. Operating electrical
equipment without proper insulation needlessly exposes teammates to electric shock and
other hazards involved with electrical work.
Electrical shock occurs when electricity determines that a teammate’s body is the path of
least resistance. Therefore, electric shock is a sudden discharge of electricity through a
part of the body. To increase the body’s resistance to electric current, insulation must be
used, especially with clothing and tools. Conductive apparel shall not be worn unless it is
rendered non-conductive by covering, wrapping or other insulating means. Any and all
exposed jewelry (especially metal jewelry) must be kept away from the body as well in
order to avoid electrical shock (metal conducts electricity). As for tools of the trade,
electrical tools must be properly insulated to protect the qualified teammate using it.
TEAMWRKX does not provide insulated equipment as that is the responsibility of the
electrical contractor, unless the teammate is a TEAMWRKX Construction teammate.
Lastly, equipment must be marked or tagged with the latest test date or the next required
testing date to ensure the tool is in proper working condition. Other ways to protect
oneself from electric shock include avoiding conductive materials such as water and metal
when working with electricity, avoiding working outside in the event of a thunderstorm,
keeping cords out of standing water, eliminating standing water from jobsites, cleaning
Revised: October 2023
40
