Protecting and Promoting Your Interests
MSHA Safety Alert - Electric Arc Flashes
In the last six months, 11 miners received injuries dues to electric arc flashes.
Best Practices:
- Establish safe procedures before beginning work and discuss the plan with all miners involved in the task.
- Electricians must know how to de-energize and disconnect electrical systems and equipment.
- Use properly rated electrical meters and personal protective equipment, such as electrically rated gloves, insulated blankets or mats, and polycarbonate barriers.
- Lock out and tag out circuits before working on electrical equipment.
- Identify and control all hazardous energy sources before conducting any task.
- Open the circuit breaker or load break switch to de-energize the incoming power cables or conductors.
- Open the visual disconnect to confirm incoming power is off.
- Locktout/Tagout and visual disconnect
- Ground the de-energized conductors.