Page 2 - Occupational Health & Safety - eDITION, August 2017

FROM THE EDITOR
DITION
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REACHING THE STAFF
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Kevin O’Grady Margaret Perry Susan May Scott Newhouse Tammy Renne Sydny Shepard
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Editors can be reached via e-mail, fax, telephone, or mail. A list of editors and contact information is at www.ohsonline.com.
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save in order to consult it for future reference. You’re now reading special issue #2.
We chose Electrical Safety as the focus of both special issues so far because the topic has proven to be of immense interest to our audience—attendance at our webinars and interest shown in the articles we publish on FR/AR apparel and electrical safety demonstrate this. We again asked a blue-chip expert on the subject, e-Hazard’s Hugh Hoagland, and his colleagues to develop the articles to fill it. He, Ken Sellars, Zarheer Jooma, and Mike Doherty wrote them, and we’re indebted to them and others at the company for their contributions again this time. Art Director Dale Chinn of 1105 Media Inc. did the design and production work to complete this special issue, which also includes a very good article from Lewellyn Technology’s Da-
vid Weszely about arc flash PPE selection.
The articles in this special issue address PPE and the elements of The e-
Hazard Safety CycleTM—everything from the electrical safety program (ESP) to risk assessment, training, and incident investigation. The authors bring us up to date on what key electrical safety standards in the United States and Canada require, elements to be covered in an electrical safety plan, shock and arc flash risk assessment, how to carry out electrical safety audits, and more.
OSHA’s Top Ten most-cited standards in fiscal year 2015 included two electrical standards: 1910.305 Electrical, Wiring Methods and 1910.303 Elec- trical, General Requirements. Fatality data from BLS and enforcement actions by OSHA illustrate why workers should follow the recommendations and guidance you’ll find in these articles. You’ll want to read the training recom- mendations in Hugh Hoagland’s article on page 13, such as:
■ Training should be developed by SMEs with a solid track record and expertise in more than just general safety.
■ Training frequency, content, documentation, and measurement (test- ing and auditing) must be part of the plan to be most effective.
■ Don’t substitute more frequent training classes for measurement.
■ Keep the training fresh with the most up-to-date standards and com- pany practices.
■ Customize or add to training packages if your company policies differ.
■ Train the workforce at the level they require for their safety.
■ Documentation and measurement are critical as one step to judge the
effectiveness of the training.
■ Training should generate questions, changes, and even pushback.
ectrical Safety Guidance from Industry Experts
ast fall, we delivered our first digital special issue in the history of Occupational Health & Safety maga- zine, a one-topic product you could use immedi- ately or share with co-workers and other friends and
In the article, he reminds us that NFPA 70E® requires review of your elec- trical safety policies at a minimum of every three years.
OSHA’s guidance to prevent electrical injuries includes these tips:
1. Assume that all overhead wires are energized at lethal voltages. Never assume a wire is safe to touch even if it is down or appears to be insulated.
2. Never touch a fallen overhead power line. Call the electric utility com- pany to report fallen electrical lines.
3. Stay at least 10 feet (3 meters) away from overhead wires during cleanup and other activities. If working at heights or handling long objects, survey the area before starting work for the presence of overhead wires.
4. Never operate electrical equipment while you are standing in water.
5. Never repair electrical cords or equipment unless qualified and autho- rized.
6. Have a qualified electrician inspect electrical equipment that has gotten wet before energizing it.
7. If working in damp locations, inspect electric cords and equipment to ensure that they are in good condition and free of defects, and use a ground- fault circuit interrupter.
8. Always use caution when working near electricity.
JERRY LAWS, EDITOR
Occupational Health & Safety
jlaws@1105media.com
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