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With two years of the COVID-19 pandemic impacting how businesses evaluate employee safety and with 2,000 workers treated for arc flash related injuries each year, now is the time for businesses to consider protocols like electrical safety to further protect their workers.
It's important to note that power outages can affect all types of industries and bring operations to a screeching halt, contributing to a loss in productivity, revenue and material. Some electrical failures can even increase the risks of workers facing serious or life-threatening injuries.
National Safety Apparel (NSA) continues to increase their House of Brands with the launch of their newest line of safety products, AG Safety™. This new electrical safety line features products that protect against arc flash and voltage hazards to complement their existing ArcGuard® safety apparel.
Electrical-related fatalities and serious injuries (FSI)* are among the noted FSIs. FSIs represent a safety and health challenge that has gained increasing visibility in the past decade as even organizations with elite environment, health and safety programs struggle to reduce FSI numbers.
For workers on the factory floor, machinery and high-voltage systems can pose serious safety risks. According to OSHA, electrocutions are one of the “fatal four” — the leading causes of fatalities in the workplace.
In 2018 alone, there were 103,600 recorded incidents in commercial buildings. Electrical malfunctions are a leading cause of these events, and they cost businesses $373,400,000 in 2018.
Industrial worksites — like factories, power plants and warehouses — are often dangerous environments for workers. Large equipment and heavy objects, among other threats, pose severe safety risks.
According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), in 2018, nearly one in ten workplace electrical injuries were fatal, and more than half of these occurred in the construction industry.
Any organization utilizing electrical assets in their production environments or facilities will be aware of NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace. This standard is what OSHA uses when assessing companies’ adherence to certain safety standards. However, NFPA 70E is further informed by the standard 1584-2018, which is developed by the IEEE.
On Demand NFPA 70E has some important changes in the 2021 edition, but not as many as prior years. Arc flash will be introduced relative to 70E. This standard has solid legal precedents to have it considered in the legal system.
