Due to the prevailing uncertain situation of COVID-19, people belonging to every walk of life have had to restructure and reassess their daily routine, including work, education, business, and more. Most of the businesses including electrical workers used to use PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) lightly. Sharing PPE between electrical operators used to be a common thing.

Before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, electrical technicians didn’t pay much attention to keeping their PPE clean. There also didn’t use to be many checks on sharing costly PPE like arc flash kits and aluminized clothing with one another regularly. However, now that the concerns over the continual spread of CoronaVirus have taken over, more and more companies are focusing their efforts on sanitizing and using the right PPE.

Now, electrical contractors cannot deny the increased significance of providing the right type of personal protective equipment to every electrician. Essential PPE for electrical works include items such as electrical safety gloves, shoes, vests, helmets, coveralls, and harnesses, cut and heat resistance gloves, eye protection goggles, high-visibility clothing, earplugs, respiratory protective equipment RPEs, and more.

Now, let’s discuss how electrical services can ensure increased safety of their employees by utilizing personal protective equipment PPE for various electrical works during and post COVID-19 era:

Reassessing Basic PPE Requirements

Although the CoronaVirus pandemic has badly affected daily lives, still, one positive we can take out of it is that now safety managers will have increased health and safety budgets due to enhanced focus and overhaul to safety programs. Before COVID-19, the average worker probably didn’t even know about what PPE stood for.

Knowing how vital this protective equipment is to reduce electrical workers’ exposure to different work-related hazards, it’s in the best interests of everyone to plan. Obtaining enough inventory of the below-mentioned electrical safety gear will help you ensure safety for electrical works:

• Safety glasses
• Voltage-rated gloves
• Safety Shoes
• Safety Helmets
• Safety Harness
• Face Shields
• Hearing gear
• Rainwear protection
• Flame-resistant FR clothing
• Eye protection welding goggles
• Arc-rated clothing like vests, coveralls, hats, and full-body suits
  

  Identifying Potentially Unsafe Tools

  Having a consistent supply of PPE at your disposal is crucial to maintaining safety for electrical works during COVID-19 and beyond. However, care should be taken to identify and discard potentially unsafe equipment to be augmented for enhanced safety. It’s the responsibility of safety managers to come up with a more robust solution to replace or upgrade possibly hazardous tools to remove the threat.

  Using Arc-Resistant Equipment

  Instead of utilizing traditional tools like motor-control centers, MCCs and switchgear, you can specify and install arc-resistant versions of this equipment for increased worker safety. Arc-resistant workwear helps in decreasing exposure to an arc flash risk by directing the heat energy away from a worker performing an electrical task like operating a circuit breaker in or out with the doors closed.

  Using Absence Of Voltage Testers

  Both experts, as well as non-expert personnel, are at the constant risk of accessing electrical enclosures without entirely knowing about the possible danger. Utilizing the absence of voltage testers AVTs help prevent accessing electrical enclosures until an absence of voltage gets confirmed. These devices are increasingly easy to operate, hence considered as a smart solution to increasing workplace safety.

  Revisiting The Hierarchy Of Controls HOC

  Knowing the hierarchy of controls HOC and applying its principles effectively is vital for designing an improved safety plan and also identifying gaps in current safety programs. All the safety managers need to brush up their knowledge about HOC as people other than electricians will also need to service or operate the equipment sooner or later. When you make your safety plan around HOC, it will help reduce the risks of electrical incidents for all who use the equipment – IT personnel or machine operators.

  Building Company’s Culture Around Workplace Safety

  COVID-19 is, undoubtedly, a historic event that has made businesses all around the world think about workplace health and safety. Safety managers should take it as an opportunity to engage top leadership by recommending adequate PPE- related safety programs.

  Final Thoughts

  There’s much uncertainty in the business world about how to proceed into the post-COVID workplace. Nonetheless, no matter how you move forward, it’s vital to come up with the required safety measures about the use of various PPE. That’s because even when the viral threat goes away, electrical hazards will still be there and represent a major part of safety and financial risks, requiring due attention.

  About Capital Solutions

  Capital Solutions Islamabad takes immense pride in providing expert workplace safety products and services throughout Pakistan. From providing essential fire safety PPE to integrated fire-control solutions, we do it all. Visit our website for more information or contact us for customized service. For All type of PPE supply in Pakistan Contact at: 051-4446640