An electrician’s job can be very dangerous. This is why it is important that electricians have special training and skills to do their work safely. Unfortunately, even the best-trained electrician is exposed to many on-the-job hazards that could result in injury or death.
The dangers of being an electrician vary with the sort of work being done. Electricians work in a hazardous occupation alongside firefighters, lumberjacks, deep sea fishermen, construction laborers, and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
Depending on project deadlines and the expectations and desires of a customer, electricians are sometimes put into stressful situations with a specific end goal to finish certain tasks or jobs faster than normal.
Installing, maintaining, and repairing electrical systems comes with its fair share of dangers – which aren’t always electrical hazards.
Some of these are:
Electrical Shock: This is something that must be avoided, especially when working with a system that has enough electricity in it to kill through electrocution. It is important to avoid anything you are not familiar with because that’s when most people get shocked. It is necessary to have someone with you to help out if you need it so you don’t get hurt because you weren’t paying close enough attention. There are a lot of hazards an electrician can face, but the most common one is electricity since you’ll be working with a number of different electrical wiring situations.
Fire Outbreak: Fires can happen, especially when working with older wiring. Fire outbreaks can happen when precautionary measures are not taken when installing wiring or doing any work that involves getting rid of older wiring, by shutting off live wires, and before turning it back on. An electrical fire may not even start when you are first done. Fire outbreaks can happen at random times if something is not fixed properly or a poor job was done by the electrician, so said electrician needs to be very careful about how they do their job.
Exposure to Lead, Solvents and Other Toxic Chemicals: Another danger electricians face is lead and other hazardous materials they will be working with. Some paints, for instance, have lead in them in older buildings and you may be exposed to things like asbestos, too. It is important to take proper precautions before working in an older building. Find out when it was built from the owner or by researching it and you can get a good idea of what issues there may be. Also, you can ask the owner more about the issues they have faced so you know what to watch out for in the way of hazards.
- Other dangers electricians are exposed to include:
- Danger of electrical smoulders.
- Working in small or tight spaces.
- Welding risks, including UV radiation.
- Extreme temperatures – both hot and cold.
- Cuts and injuries from working with sharp-edged tools.
- Danger of disease from birds or rat droppings.
- Danger of eye damage from flying particles.
Slips, trips, and falls.