Electrical Safety and Protection

Course Number: 725.2

Examines electrical hazards and stresses the importance of electrical safety. Covers the equipment and procedures necessary to work safely with electricity, including PPE, lockout/tagout, and first aid. Explains the importance of grounding. Describes many kinds of fuses, circuit breakers, and motor protection devices and their uses.

Recommended Contact Hours - 9

Chapter 1: Electrical Hazards

Topics: Electrical safety, shock, arc; Hazardous electrical locations

Learning Objectives:

• List the three main factors that determine the effect of electric current on the human body.
• Explain what to do if a person is a victim of electric shock.
• Name four precautions you can take to guard against electric shock.
• Define the term qualified person.
• Summarize the basic rules of electrical safety.

Chapter 2: Electrical Safety Equipment

Topics: Work clothes; PPE; Foot, head, eye, and face protection; Gloves; Respiratory protection; Lockout devices; Voltage testers

Learning Objectives:

• Describe appropriate clothing and PPE to wear when working with electricity.
• Explain first aid procedures for eyes.
• Describe the devices used to lock out power.
• Tell how to keep plant personnel out of an area where electrical work is being performed.
• Explain the purpose of a voltage tester.

Chapter 3: Electrical Safety Procedures

Topics: Energy control; Lockout/tagout procedures; Power tool safety; First aid for shock victims; CPR overview

Learning Objectives:

• Explain the concepts of energy control and zero energy state.
• Summarize the OSHA lockout procedure.
• Explain how portable power tools are grounded.
• List some common symptoms of electric shock.
• Summarize the steps involved in administering CPR.

Chapter 4: Grounding, Ground Faults, and Short Circuits

Topics: Grounding, Ground Faults, and Short Circuits - Equipment, circuit, and transformer grounding; Effects of impedance; Grounded conductor alarms; Detecting faults automatically; Static electricity

Learning Objectives:

• State the reason why circuits should be grounded.
• Explain how to test a circuit for proper grounding.
• Explain how a ground-fault circuit interrupter works.
• Contrast current electricity and static electricity and explain why each can be hazardous.
• Identify the correct extinguisher to use on flammable liquid fires and on energized electrical equipment fires.

Chapter 5: Fuses and Circuit Breakers

Topics: Purpose of a fuse; Lead-wire, cartridge, power, plug, and glass-tube fuses; Thermal-magnetic and low-voltage power circuit breakers; Circuit breaker tripping

Learning Objectives:

• Explain how a dual-element cartridge fuse works.
• List the NEC rules on installing fuses.
• Explain how a circuit breaker works.
• Describe molded-case circuit breakers.
• Explain the steps involved in fuse replacement and/or circuit breaker reset.

Chapter 6: Motor Protection

Topics: Feeder size; Branch circuits; Motor-running overcurrent protection; Inherent thermal protection; Temperature-sensing devices; Melting-alloy and bimetallic relays; Selecting motor protection; Single phasing; Overload relays

Learning Objectives:

• List the steps in determining the correct rating of the motor feeder protection.
• Explain how to select a thermal overload relay.
• Explain how thermostatic, resistance, and thermocouple detectors work.
• Contrast temperature-sensing devices and current-sensing devices.
• Explain how various relays provide motor protection.
• Define single phasing.