Common Risks with Electrical Work Sites and Treatment Advice

Working on electrical equipment comes with inherent risks. Anytime you’re dealing with electricity, the possibility of burns and electrocution is present. Safety and prevention are paramount, which includes following OSHA guidelines and standards.

There are three common risks in electrical work in Carlsbad, NM, and numerous ways to mitigate them. Read on to learn more about the risks and treatment:

• Unsafe work equipment: Using safe equipment is one of the simplest ways to prevent accidents and injury. OSHA requires all electricians and electrical workplaces to use equipment they deem “acceptable.” This means it’s tested by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) and judged safe for use. In addition, OSHA requires the equipment to be installed and used according to its listed capacity, so workers don’t overload the equipment and cause accidents. Experienced electricians know how to judge the load capacity of the current job and how to choose the appropriate equipment to handle it.
• Unsafe work practices: Of course, electricians need to use appropriate precautions and safety measures when they’re on the job—they can’t rely entirely on the safe equipment to protect them. This ranges from common-sense measures like shutting off electricity before inspection and repair, to maintaining their tools properly. Professional electricians have safety guidelines and precautions to prevent accidents, including using protective equipment and following standard safety procedures.
• Unsafe environment: Finally, an unsafe environment is also a leading cause of electrical injury. Naturally, working with electricity near water is to be avoided, but working without proper grounding and equipment also constitutes an unsafe environment. Professional electricians will be able to spot an unsafe work environment and either act to remedy it or turn down the job.

Electrical burn treatment solutions

If a worker is hurt while working on electrical components, it can be serious—even fatal. Here are some of the electrical burn treatment options in Carlsbad, NM.

First, the Winchester Hospital of Massachusetts advises workers to shut off power and immediately seek emergency medical help. Electrical burns can cause first-, second- or third-degree burns as well as fainting, arrhythmia and seizures, among other deleterious effects. When the patient arrives at the hospital, they’ll be tested with ECGs, MRIs and urine and blood samples to determine the extent of the damage. CPR and IV fluids might be necessary to keep the body in stable condition.

If the electricity has damaged the patient’s heart, they may need electrical cardioversion. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, electrical cardioversion is used to return an abnormal heartbeat back to normal, using—as you may have guessed—electrical shocks. A strong shock is sent through paddles to the heart, which is designed to stop arrhythmic beating and get the heartbeat back to normal. Often this is a scheduled procedure, but it can be done in emergencies, too.

JB Electric LLC takes the health and safety of our workers very seriously. To learn more about our safety precautions and how we manage the risks of electrical work in Carlsbad, NM, reach out to us today.

Categorised in: Electrical Safety