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MAINTENANCE OF ELECTRICAL
SYSTEMS
When describing electrical
equipment operation and repair, there are two groups of people that may
work around electricity. These two groups are called Unqualified and Qualified.
Unqualified employees:
are individuals who face the risk of electrical shock, but are not qualified
to make repairs to the electrical equipment. Unqualified employees are generally
the people who work in office buildings and laboratory. An Unqualified person
could also be a maintenance employee from a non-electrical trade (painter).
If you are a Unqualified employee you need to be aware of the following
items:
- There is a risk of severe
injury and death associated with contacting energized electrical equipment.
People can, and have, died because they were not aware of an electrical
hazard in their work area.
- You should not attempt
to repair electrical equipment (extension cords, reset breakers), reach
into panel boxes, etc. These tasks must only be done by Qualified Electrical
Workers. If you need to have electrical repairs made to your equipment,
call the electrical maintenance department.
- As a Unqualified employee
you may see electrical hazard signs and tags that read "Danger Electrical
Hazard Authorized Personnel Only". These signs and tags are posted
for your safety - stay away from the equipment.
- If you are an Unqualified
person and you are working in an elevated position near overhead lines
(roofers), you must position yourself (ladder, boom basket, etc.) so that
the longest conductive object you are using (saws, poles, tools, brooms,
etc.) cannot come closer than at least 10 feet to any unguarded, energized
overhead line.
On the next page, we will
discuss Qualified Employees.
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