Electrical Safety: The Hottest Tips

It’s no secret, electricity is hot! Wires, circuits and terminals should be assumed to always have live wires. Because of this, electrical safety is of utmost importance to you, your shop, employees and customers.

We’ve collected some electrical safety best practices to keep you and others safe from the hot, live wires.

Electrical Safety Guidelines – General

In accordance with OSHA, here are some electrical safety guidelines to keep in mind as you or others are working with electrical parts. These are also great reminders to share with fellow employees or customers you know will be working with or around electrical parts.

• Unplug electrical equipment before repairing or servicing it.
• If a prong from equipment or a tool breaks off inside an outlet, do not attempt to remove it yourself. Call an electrician for assistance.
• Ensure outlets are firmly mounted.
• Keep electrical equipment away from water, unless the appliance is designed specifically for use around water, such as a wet/dry vac.
• Use Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) whenever possible.
• Follow lockout/tagout procedures as appropriate.

Electrical Safety Guidelines – Plug and Cords

• Do not remove the prongs of an electrical plug. If plug prongs are missing, loose or bent, replace the entire plug.
• Do not use an adapter or extension cord to defeat a standard grounding device.
• Use extension cords only when necessary and on a temporary basis. Do not use extension cords in place of permanent wiring.
• Use extension cords that are the correct size or rating for the equipment in use. The diameter of the extension cord should be the same or greater than the cord of the equipment in use.
• Do not run electrical or extension cords above ceiling tiles or through walls.
• Avoid plugging more than one appliance into each outlet. If multiple appliances are necessary, use an approved power strip with surge protection and a circuit breaker.
• Discard damaged cords, cords that becomes hot in use or cords with exposed wiring.
• Never unplug a tool or appliance by pulling on the cord; pull on the plug.

Electrical Safety Guidelines – Other Factors

• Test before you touch. Kimball Midwest has a couple options for testing circuits to make sure they are not live. These include the DC Circuit Check 2, AC Voltage Sensor, Automotive and Truck Circuit Tester and the Lightning Rod™ Multimeter.
• From an application standpoint, proper crimping of electrical terminals is one of the most overlooked aspects of electrical safety. A good crimper, when used correctly, will create a proper connection between the wire and the barrel of the terminal. Incorrect or incomplete crimps can also lead to a loose connection, increasing resistance and heat in the circuit.

Whether you are servicing an electrical outlet or crimping electrical terminals, safety is of utmost importance. If you are interested in electrical safety products offered by Kimball Midwest, reach out to your sales representative. If you don’t have a rep, we can help you