Electrical Safety: Preventing Common Hazards

Common Electrical Risks

The most likely risks in electrical installations are electrical discharges caused by direct or indirect contact. These discharges can cause severe consequences such as muscle contractions, respiratory failure, and burns.

Risks can also be caused by a malfunction of protection systems or a failure of the grounding system.

Types of Electrical Contact Hazards

Direct Contact Risks

Direct contact occurs when a person touches the active parts of an electrical installation, i.e., a live conductor. A poor connection can lead to direct contact due to damaged or fallen insulation.

Indirect Contact Risks

According to the REBT (Low Voltage Electrotechnical Regulations), indirect contact occurs when conductive parts, normally not live, become energized due to an insulation fault, and a person accidentally touches them. These contacts are produced by accident due to failing insulation.

Fire Hazards from Electrical Systems

Electrical fires are caused by poor connections or excessive overloads at various outlets. A bad contact in a socket may cause a fire if there is nearby material that can easily ignite, such as a curtain.

Overhead wiring can also cause fire. If the current is too high, it can lead to overheating of sockets and conductors.

Fire can be caused by sparks or overheating of the conductors. In the case of a short circuit, the current is very high, leading to overheating which can melt the conductor and cause a fire.

If contacts are defective, for example, between plugs and sockets, the contact resistance between the two increases. As power dissipated (P) is calculated by the formula P = R * I², the power dissipated at the junction increases, thus generating more heat. This increased heat can result in sparks and broken insulation, potentially leading to a short circuit and fire.

Other Significant Electrical Hazards

Explosion Hazards

Explosions are produced due to a flash in places where explosive gases or vapors are present.

Mechanical Hazards

Mechanical hazards are produced by the mechanical movement of electrical equipment. It is crucial to always consider their range of motion to prevent incidents.

Understanding Electrical Accidents

Types of Accidents Caused by Electric Current

These accidents are due, as previously discussed, to the nature of electricity itself and the general condition of electrical installations.

To prevent these types of accidents, appropriate protective measures are taken, such as the use of differential circuit breakers, proper grounding, and insulating materials to ensure the safety of workers and users of electricity.

Root Causes of Electrical Accidents

Among the possible causes that may lead to an electrical accident, the following can be enumerated:

• High voltage
• Damp or wet conditions
• Sparks due to false contacts
• Insufficient insulation
• Faults in installation
• Faults in electrical/electronic components
• Mechanical protection in poor condition
• Lack of protective measures
• Failure of protection elements
• Incorrectly installed or faulty protection elements
• Tampering with devices
• Other causes