What is your residual risk level when it comes to performing electrical work? According to electrical safety expert and subject matter expert Terry Becker, of TW Becker Electrical Safety Consulting in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, this is a personal question every electrical professional needs to be able to answer — and the answer isn’t always related solely to electrical hazards.
In this exclusive video interview, Ellen Parson, editor-in-chief of EC&M, sits down with Becker at the PowerTest 24 Conference, held in late February in Dallas and sponsored by the InterNational Electrical Testing Association (NETA) to go over the most important questions electrical professionals should ask when it comes to assessing risk.
According to Becker, there are gaps in safety education and training. Although NFPA 70E and CSA Z462 are detailed, comprehensive, prescriptive standards that will help you determine your personal residual risk level for energized electrical work tasks, he emphasizes that this only occurs if they’re interpreted and used appropriately.
Take personal protective equipment (PPE) as an example. When applying the hierarchy or risk control methods from most effective to least effective, PPE is often the last line of defense. As a result, Becker stresses the importance of electrical professionals answering a slew of questions, including:
- Do I have the right electric shock and arc flash PPE, tool, or equipment?
- What is the arc thermal performance value (ATPV) of my everyday work/task wear arc flash PPE and the arc flash suit I have available?
- Is the electric shock or arc flash PPE, tool, or equipment I will use fit for use and dielectrically tested to the correct frequency?
- Will the electric shock and arc flash PPE expose me to other hazards?
- Has my arc flash PPE been laundered correctly by my employer or by me in my home? Was I provided laundering instructions?
- Are the temporary protective grounds I have adequately rated for the maximum available short circuit current the electrical equipment I am applying them to?
Find out the answers to these questions and more in this key session recap from PowerTest. The bottom line is you are responsible for your own safety. Therefore, Becker maintains that you ultimately control your safety in real time when executing energized electrical work tasks related to any job you’re assigned. You must identify electrical hazards and eliminate or reduce risk to as low as reasonably practicable. That’s why it’s critical to “know and validate” your own residual risk.
