ELEC3307 - Electrical Safety Module Notes

The human body's nervous system sends signals in the millivolts levels to controll the bodys muscles, including vital organs such as the heart and lungs. If a large external current source flows through the body, it can swamp the nervous system control signals and cause death through electrocution, asphysiation, burns and poisoning. The damage to the human body depends on the amount of current flowing through the body and the duration of the current flow.

Because electricity can be a silent, unseen killer, the generation, distribution and use of electricity has become heavily legislated throughout the world to reduce the number of deaths due to electrocution.

This unit is made up of four areas:

Personal Electrical Safety

Electrical Earthing and Circuit Protective Devices

Electrical Regulations and Safe Working Environment

Electrical Safety Testing

Review Questions to test your knowledge of electrical safety.

Each page has highlighted section headings that have embedded links to Energy Safety and WA Regulations to allow the reader to study the full text or publication that relates to the area of discussion.

An understanding of Environmental Health and Safety is essential for the Professional Engineer. Firstly, because the WA Occupational Health and Safety (OH & S) Act 1983 states that manufacturers are responsible for ensuring that their products are safe to operate when properly used. Secondly, employers must ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees. When you design and manufacture products for sale to the public, you have a responsibility to ensure that the product is safe to use and that the manufacturing process does not have an adverse affect upon the employees.

Read the UWA Electrical Safety Pamphlet in full for an overview on electrical safety.

The School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering SAFETY AND HEALTH MANUAL has sections on electrical safety.

Here is some information from EnergySafety

this page updated 26 October 2008