If you are working with electrical equipment or in the vicinity of machines that are electrified, it is important to take proper precautions. Employers in California and elsewhere are generally required to provide gloves or other safety gear for their employees. Take a look at some other ways to prevent an injury or death due to an electrical shock.
Avoid becoming part of a circuit
To avoid becoming part of a circuit, make use of protective sleeves or grounding cables made of materials such as rubber that are poor conductors of electricity. You may also want to make sure items such as electric drills or saws are connected to a ground-fault circuit interrupter. It can also be a good idea to check for frayed wires or other types of damage that could increase the risk of an electrical spark or faulty circuit.
Don’t hesitate to act quickly
In an emergency situation, you should prioritize the lives of your fellow humans over the equipment that they are using. If a person is part of an electric circuit, take steps to cut off the power to the building or the machine that a person is touching. If that isn’t possible, use a piece of wood or rubber to remove an individual from the circuit that he or she is part of.
Following safety rules may make prevent or minimize the risk of getting hurt on the job. If you are involved in one or more workplace accidents, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. This may be true even if you failed to notice a frayed wire or didn’t use a grounding cable while operating an electric saw. An attorney may help you pursue any compensation that you are entitled to.
