Electrical Safety in the Laboratory

Do's and Don'ts for Working With and Around Electricity

• Don't work with electricity if your hands, feet, or other body parts are wet or when standing on a wet floor.
• Inspect electrical equipment (with power off and unplugged) for frayed cords and damaged connections -- if any are found, do not use the equipment -- report it to the appropriate person for repairs.
• Never attempt to repair electrical equipment yourself - it must be done by qualified staff.
• If you receive even a mild shock from a piece of equipment, turn it in for repair immediately.
• Don't use or store highly flammable liquids near electrical equipment -- some materials, such as ether, can be ignited by sparks from electrical equipment.
• Use 3-prong plugs for 3-prong receptacles -- never break off or alter a 3-prong plug to fit into an outlet.
• Extension cords should not be used in place of permanent wiring -- their use should be temporary and they should not be run under doors, across walkways, through windows or holes in the wall, around pipes or near sinks.
• Don't overload circuits by using power strips or multiple outlets on regular sockets.
• Don't remove or alter safety features of high voltage equipment -- it is there to protect you.
• LOW VOLTAGE LABS (DC 0 to 50V, AC 120V)
• Make sure the power is off when wiring or making changes to circuit.
• Make sure instrumentation is set on proper range for the desired type of measurement, BEFORE ENERGIZING CIRCUIT.
• Make sure components used are of a rating that will withstand applied current and voltage.
• Replace blown fuses with the proper ones specified by type and rating.
• HIGH VOLTAGE LABS (DC 0 to 2000V, AC 1 Phase 120V, 3 Phase 208-600V)
• High Voltage is found in rooms EPH120, ENG308, ENG309, ENG310, ENG327.
• Lab benches in ENG308, ENG309 can supply 3 Phase 208 Volts at 15 Amps. As long as the Lab. power is on, the bench outlets are live.
• To turn main power on and off in labs locate the mains panel and appropriate circuit breakers in each lab before starting any work.
• When making connections to benches or panels a circuit breaker of suitable rating and type must be used between power outlet and your circuit.
• Make sure the power is off when wiring or making changes to circuit.
• Make sure instrumentation is set on proper range for the desired type of measurement, BEFORE ENERGIZING CIRCUIT.
• Make sure components used are of a rating that will withstand applied current and voltage.
• Replace blown fuses with the proper ones specified by type and rating.
• IN THE EVENT OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK:
• ACT FAST. CALL 911. For further information see Community Safety and Security: Emergencies.
• Do not touch the victim until the power has been shut off. See safety devices below.
• Do not remove the victim from the electric source until the power has been shut off.
• If you cannot shut off the power, use an insulator such as a dry rope, cloth or broom handle to drag the person away from the live wire.
• If there is no heartbeat and no breathing, do CPR. Get Emergency Care (CPR to be performed by qualified personal only).
• If there is a heartbeat, but no breathing, immediately start rescue breathing. Get Emergency Care.
• Check for burns and treat as third degree burns. Get Emergency Care.
• If the person is breathing, put them in the recovery position. Get Emergency Care.
• In the event of a mild shock, and the following symptoms are observed, see a doctor: Heart skipping beats, fever or coughing up sputum.
• SAFETY DEVICES IN LABS/BUILDING:
• RED Emergency Power Shut Off (EPO) buttons, know the location of these buttons before starting work.
• Blue Destress Pulls, know the location of the these Pulls.
• Pay phones with RED emergency button, know the location.