When planning and performing work on electrical systems and equipment, keep these principles in mind:

• Plan every job carefully. Murphy’s Law tells us that “what can go wrong will go wrong.” So think ahead of what possibly could go wrong while working on the project or task at hand and take the necessary steps to make sure these things don’t happen. A little foresight can be better than hindsight.
• Use the right tools for the job. For example, use a clean, nonconductive wooden or fiberglass ladder when working near electricity.
• Follow established procedures and use available resources such as drawings and other documents to do the job safely.
• Isolate or de-energize equipment from energy sources via the circuit breaker. This is known as the lock-out/tag-out procedure – a safety procedure that puts into place a visual alert for anyone that is not working on that circuit or equipment.
• Identify the electric shock hazards and arc flash, as well as other dangers that may be present. Look for identification labels or tags on the equipment, and worn or damaged cords, plugs and outlets.
• Test every circuit and every conductor with a meter or current tester before turning equipment on or off to see if the equipment is electrically charged.
• Minimize risks with protective shields and covers. Equipment such as grinding wheels should have a protective cover installed. For convenience sake, you may be tempted to remove or never install this cover, but it’s there for your protection and should remain intact.
• Use personal protective equipment as a last line of defense in case something goes wrong.
• Ask yourself, "Do I have the skills, knowledge, tools and experience to do this work safely?"

For additional information or to schedule FREE safety programs for your employees, call CPS Energy at (210) 353-2970.