Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Week 3 – Broken and Frayed Cords

Why this week’s safety topic is important: Damaged electrical cords may result in injuries or fatalities due to electric shock and are a clear fire hazard. Cords are rarely come to mind as a workplace hazard, other than a tripping hazard, but may become damaged or brittle over time or due to unnoticed events.
How to identify this danger: Examine electrical cords regularly for missing groud (rounded third prong) plugs, worn spots, cracks, and exposed wiring. Locations where the cord is pinched between furniture or in a walkway should be examined particularly closely.
How to proactively address the hazard: Always treat cords with care. Avoid placing cords where they can be damaged by pinching from doors, equipment, and furniture. Never run a bare cord across a walkway, even under a rug as the insulation may be damaged by repeated abuse from people and rolling tools. If a cord must be extended across a travel path, use a device specifically designed for such a purpose that protects the cord. Always unplug devices by grasping the plug, never by jerking the cord as this can pull the insulation free from the plug, exposing live wires. Do not remove the ground plug from any cord to make it fit a two prong socket, instead plug the device into a grounded outlet or update the outlet by employing the services of a licensed electrician. If a cord is found to be damaged, unplug the cord, clearly mark the device as damaged so co-workers will not use the device unaware of the danger presented, then repair or replace the cord before using the device again.
For More Information:
www.compliance.gov/wp-content/.../03/fastfacts_damagedpowercords.pdf US Congress Office of Compliance - Damaged Power Cords: Know your electrical supply cord

1 comment:

  1. Every company requires electricity to operate, so there’s always an issue regarding cord safety. Because electrical cords are present in any facility, knowing how to handle them should be a priority of the company. Hence, it’s only right to invest time and money to train employees the proper procedures of electrical cord safety.

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