Page 53 - OHS, June 2020

performing a task, such as operating or racking a circuit breaker in or out with the doors closed.
Absence of voltage testers. Both quali- fied and unqualified personnel are at risk of pursuing access into electrical enclosures without being fully aware of the present danger. AVTs prevent enclosures from be- ing accessed until an absence of voltage is confirmed and are typically easy to operate, making them a smart and effective solution to enhance any work environment.
Use This Time to Revisit the Hierarchy of Controls (HOC) Understanding the hierarchy of controls and how to apply its principles is critical to designing a new safety program and identi- fying gaps in current ones.
There’s an abundance of informa- tion out there on the HOC, and educa- tion on the topic warrants a deeper dive into the subject matter than can be pro- vided in this article, but all safety man- agers should brush up on the topic. Ultimately, people other than qualified electricians will need to operate or ser- vice your equipment. Knowing that your safety program was built around the HOC will deliver peace of mind by reducing the risk of an electrical incident for everyone who comes in contact with equipment— machine operators or IT personnel.
Safety Needs to be Engrained
into Company Culture
COVID-19 is a historic event that has peo- ple and companies questioning all aspects of safety and culture at home and at work. This renewed emphasis provides safety managers with an opportunity to improve and affirm worker safety’s place as a critical element of company culture, rather than a set of rules to be followed.
Take this time to engage company leadership by bringing recommendations that elevate safety programs. This can be anything from creating a monthly safety newsletter to creating a safety committee to share information and implement the latest best practices companywide.
After all, beyond the all-important hu- man element, there’s a business case to be made here as well.
Severe electrical faults, like arc flash incidents, can shut down an assembly plant and send hundreds of workers home. It’s also possible that one tragic
No matter how your company proceeds, it’s crucial to not lose sight of safety measures that extend beyond the virus.
event could create a complete plant clo- sure, possibly indefinitely.
Plus, the costs for plant repairs is mini- mal when compared with the costs for medical treatment for employees, which can run into millions of dollars, or other major financial factors like the cost of OSHA fines and litigation.
No Time Like the Present
There’s a lot of uncertainty yet about how to best proceed into the post-COVID work
environment, but no matter how your com- pany proceeds, it’s crucial to not lose sight of safety measures that extend beyond the virus because even when the “new normal” sets in, electrical hazards will still represent significant safety and financial risks that command mitigation.
Rachel Bugaris is a Senior Business Devel- opment Manager at Panduit Corp., where her work focuses on investigating new elec- trical safety technologies for the workplace.
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