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Electrical Safety Healthcare Workers—Unqualified

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Session Objectives You will be able to: Identify electrical hazards Prevent shocks Prevent electrical fires Respond to electrical problems Understand lockout/tagout Respond effectively in an emergency

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc What You Need to Know How electricity works Electrical hazards How to prevent electrical shocks and fires How to respond to electrical problems Lockout/tagout procedures Electrical emergency response

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc How Electricity Works Current Conductors Insulators

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Grounding Grounding keeps current moving on the right path Grounding helps prevent shocks Most electrical equipment is grounded Grounding is often provided by three-pronged plugs

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Other Electrical Safeguards Circuit breakers shut off power in an overload to prevent overheating GFCIs are used in wet locations or outdoors and shut off power to prevent shock

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Electrical Hazards Shock Burns Loss of muscle control Internal damage Cardiac arrest Death

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Electrical Hazards (cont.) The longer the contact with live electricity, the greater the damage It doesn’t take much current to hurt you

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Electrical Hazards (cont.) Fire Explosion

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Prevent Shocks Inspect equipment Check plugs and connections Check insulation on cords and wires Be careful with equipment Remember, water and electricity don’t mix

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Prevent Shocks (cont.) Keep metal away from electricity Take extra care outdoors Report any electrical problems immediately Remove faulty equipment from service, report it, and tag it

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Prevent Fires Don’t overload outlets or circuits Don’t damage cords Be careful where you place cords Use extension cords only when necessary

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Prevent Fires (cont.) Keep combustibles away from electrical equipment Use special cords around flammables Keep equipment clean and properly lubricated Report any faulty electrical equipment

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Electrical Safety Precautions Do you understand the information that has been presented so far?

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Look for and Report Equipment Problems Defective equipment Overloaded outlets Damaged cords and wires Broken plugs or outlets Improperly grounded equipment Combustible or flammable materials near equipment

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Leave Electrical Repairs to Qualified Personnel Only specially trained workers are authorized to make electrical repairs Do not attempt to make repairs if you are not qualified Report problems so that necessary repairs can be made

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Lockout/Tagout Lockout prevents unexpected start-up Locks and/or tags are used keep power off Be sure to obey warning tags Never try to remove a lock or operate locked or tagged out equipment

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Lockout/Tagout: The Steps Notification of shutdown Equipment shutdown Power shut off at source Power locked/tagged out

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Lockout/Tagout: The Steps (cont.) Check for stored energy Double-check that equipment is de-energized Make repairs Bring equipment back online

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Emergency Response: Electrical Shock Don’t touch someone in contact with electricity Turn off the power Call for help Give rescue breathing, if necessary Perform CPR if no pulse

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Emergency Response: Electrical Fires Activate fire alarm Use an extinguisher approved for electrical fires Don’t use water Unplug burning equipment, if possible Don’t touch hot or burning objects

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Emergency Response: Electrical Burns Rinse minor burns with water and cover Don’t use cream, lotion, or butter Get medical attention for serious burns

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Dealing with Electrical Problems Do you understand the information about electrical repairs and emergencies presented in the previous slides?

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Key Points to Remember Be aware of electrical hazards on the job Take precautions when working with electrical equipment to prevent injuries and fires Report electrical problems immediately and leave repairs to qualified personnel Make sure you know how to respond effectively in an emergency