Control Hazards of Exposed Live Electrical Parts: Isolate Energized Components
Electrical hazards exist when wires or other electrical parts are exposed. These hazards need to be controlled to create a safe work environment.
Isolation
Isolation of energized electrical parts makes them inaccessible unless tools and special effort are used. Isolation can be accomplished by placing the energized parts at least 8 feet high and out of reach, or by guarding. Guarding is a type of isolation that uses various structures-like cabinets, boxes, screens, barriers, covers, and partitions-to close-off live electrical parts.
Take the following precautions to prevent injuries from contact with live parts:
- Immediately report exposed live parts to a supervisor or teacher. As a student, you should never attempt to correct the condition yourself without supervision.
- Use covers, screens, or partitions for guarding that require tools to remove them.
- Replace covers that have been removed from panels, motors, or fuse boxes.
- Even when live parts are elevated to the required height (8 feet), care should be taken when using objects (like metal rods or pipes) that can contact these parts.
- Close unused conduit openings in boxes so that foreign objects (pencils, metal chips, conductive debris, etc.) cannot get inside and damage the circuit.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
7-6. Isolating energized components can be accomplished by placing the energized parts at least _____ feet high and out of reach, or by guarding.
You forgot to answer the question!