Electrical safety standards

{{short description|Standards and procedures intended to protect from the damaging effects of electricity}}

Electrical safety is a system of organizational measures and technical means to prevent harmful and dangerous effects on workers from electric current, arcing, electromagnetic fields and static electricity.

History

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The electrical safety develops with the technical progress. In 1989 OSHA[https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3075.pdf Controlling electrical hazard] promulgated a much-needed regulation in the General Industry Regulations. Several standards are defined for control of hazardous energy, or lockout/tagout. In 1995 OSHA was successful in promulgation of regulations for utility.[https://brainfiller.com/2009/07/28/how-did-we-get-here-the-history-of-electrical-safety/ Brainfilter.com]

In 1994 were established Electrical Safety Foundation International non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to promoting electrical safety at home and in the workplace.[http://www.esfi.org/about-us ESFI]

Standard 29 CFR 1910.269 – for electric power generation, transmission, and distribution, contained comprehensive regulations and addressed control of hazardous energy sources for power plant locations

Standards are compared with those of IEEE and National Fire Protection Association.[http://www.plantservices.com/articles/2013/01-arc-flash-history/ The history of electrical safety]{{Cite web |title=A Guide to the 2023 National Electrical Safety Code - IEEE Spectrum |url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/2023-national-electrical-safety-code |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=IEEE |language=en}}

Lightning and earthing protection

Lightning and Earthing protection systems are essential for the protection of humans, structures, protecting buildings from mechanical destruction caused by lightning effects and the associated risk of fire, Transmission lines, and electrical equipment from electric shock and Overcurrent.[http://www.electrical-knowhow.com/2014/01/types-of-lightning-protection-systems.html http://www.electrical-knowhow.com]

= Earthing protection systems =

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File:TT-earthing de.svg

TT system
TN system
IT system[http://www.electrical-installation.org/enwiki/Selection_criteria_for_the_TT,_TN_and_IT_systems Electrical installations]

= Lightning protection systems =

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lightning rod (simple rod or with triggering system)
lightning rod with taut wires.
lightning conductor with meshed cage (Faraday cage)

Physiological effects of electricity

Electrical shocks on humans can lead to permanent disabilities or death. Size, frequency and duration of the electrical current affect the damage.[https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/direct-current/chpt-3/physiological-effects-electricity/ Physiological Effects of Electricity] The effects from electric shock can be: stopping the heart beating properly, preventing the person from breathing, causing muscle spasms. The skin features also affect the consequences of electric shock.[http://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/injuries.htm Electrical injuries]

File:IEC TS 60479-1 electric shock graph.svg

Indirect contact – can be avoided by automatic disconnection for TT system, automatic disconnection for TN systems, automatic disconnection on a second fault in an IT system, measures of protection against direct or indirect contact without automatic disconnection of supply
Direct contact – can be avoided by protection by the insulation of live parts, protection by means of barriers or enclosures, partial measures of protection, particular measures of protection[http://www.electrical-installation.org/enwiki/Direct_and_indirect_contact electrical-installation.org]

Electrical safety conductors

{{USA}} – NEC 2008 Table 250.122 – Safeco Electric Supply