Electrical Safety Month is nearly over, but that doesn't mean we should stop thinking about electrical hazards and the harm they can cause. Electrical safety should be a continuing concern for everybody (especially employers, who must always take responsibility for the health and safety of their workers).
With that in mind, we'd like to close Electrical Safety Month with these helpful tips for preventing electrical accidents:
- Only carry out electrical work if you are competent enough to do so. Not all electrical jobs have to be carried out by qualified electricians - for example, most people are capable of changing a light bulb or replacing the fuse in a plug. However, you should NEVER undertake ANY electrical work unless you are completely sure of what to do; if you don't know the correct way to safely complete the task at hand, call someone who does.
- Pay attention to warning signs and labels. If you see an electrical warning sign or safety label, be sure to heed its instructions before continuing. Those warnings are there for a reason!
- Provide warning signs and labels for others. Of course, electrical safety warnings don't magically appear on any potentially hazardous equipment - they have to be put there by a responsible person. If that person is you, be sure to use the correct signs and labels to help protect your employees and the general public from harm.
- If you see something unsafe, report it. It could be an electrical installation that isn't properly labelled, a cable that has become unfit for us, or even a co-worker carrying out electrical work in an improper manner - whatever the hazard, be sure to let somebody know. Report it to the person responsible for health and safety in your workplace, and if they don't take action, contact the Health and Safety Executive for further guidance. You should never stay quiet about a potential safety risk - inaction costs lives!
- Educate yourself and others. It's easier to prevent electrical accidents if you know exactly what can happen. For starters, we recommend visiting the HSE's Electrical Safety page and brushing up on the do's and don'ts of electrical work. Be sure to share the information with others, too - you won't be able to keep everyone safe on your own!
