Electricity is all around us. It is in our homes and offices and places of work. Electricity is a great tool for making our personal and working lives more convenient, improve work efficiency and more comfortable. But, like anything that can help us it can hurt us as well. So, a few basic safety practices make sense.
Electricity flows through conductors. Certain metals like copper and aluminum are commonly used in wiring because of their conductive elements. Other materials, like glass, plastic, and porcelain do not conduct electricity and are known as insulators. Humans are conductors and therefore any contact with exposed electrical components can result in an electrical shock to the human. Human contact with electricity should, as you no doubt are aware, need be avoided. At certain levels of electrical contact, an electrical shock can be fatal or result in serious long-term injuries.
Most electric accidents occur from unsafe equipment or insulation, or unsafe environment, or unsafe work practices. Electricity is a most helpful tool but understanding how to work around it and use it safely is important. For more information check out OSHA 3075