TECHNICAL ADVICE
THE ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS’ ASSOCIATION (ECA) IS THE AUTHORATIVE VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY AND IRELAND’S ELECTRICAL MAGAZINE PROVIDES A FORUM FOR THE ORGANISATION TO HIGHLIGHT ITS IMPORTANT WORK...
DON’T CUT CORNERS… PLAN, TEST, ISOLATE! ECA’s newelectrical installer safety campaign aims to raise awareness
Y ou wouldn’t drink and drive, so why would you work on a circuit without isolating it? Every year, people working on electrical installations suffer avoidable electric shock and burn injuries, some of which are tragically fatal. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), between 2015 and 2020, 21 fatalities were reported under RIDDOR which were caused by contact with electricity. ECA’s new electrical installer safety campaign, ‘Don’t cut corners! Plan, Test, isolate’ aims to raise awareness of this issue, promote safe isolation procedures, and ultimately reduce the number of injuries caused by incorrect isolation of low-voltage circuits. What is isolation? Isolation means safely establishing a break in the electricity supply to an installation. This also means making sure any inadvertent reconnection is not possible. One of the key principles of safe isolation is that the person carrying out the work should have full control of the point of isolation. If
you are working on an installation, you should know exactly what has been done to isolate it, along with the risks that may be involved, as well as what to do in an emergency. Securing the point of isolation should be by a combination of the following methods: • A padlock, with a unique key or combination • A locked switch-room door, or locked distribution box • Circuit breakers should be locked off using an appropriate locking-off clip with a padlock • Removal of the relevant circuit fuse Employers, what are your obligations? The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 sets out the general health and safety duties of employers, employees and the self-employed. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 are also key as they require precautions to be taken against the risk of death or personal injury from electricity during work activities.
“At the end of the day, safe isolation could save your life. Don’t cut corners, and don’t leave your, or your employees’ safety to chance.” Don’t cut corners In the coming weeks, ECA will share a range of guidance and materials, including a step-by-step video to help you, your colleagues and your employees to ensure safe isolation procedures are followed and the risk of electric shock is kept to an absolute minimum.
More info...
Keep an eye on ECA’s social media channels and www.ecatoday.co.uk for more information and resources. ECA will also soon be launching an animation video outlining 10 key steps to safe isolation…so watch this space!
www.eca.co.uk
ECA - T: Alfie Watterson NI and ROI Regional Manager, +44 (0)7971 141911 - E: alfie.watterson@eca.co.uk
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