Electricity can cause severe personal injuries or be fatal by current flowing through the body (electric shock) or arc flash, or by consequences from electric shock or arc flash. Depending on the current, electricity can also cause injury through electrical flash-over even if you are not in contact with the live parts.
Electric shock & Arc flash
Built-in protection from the electrical hazard can be put out of operation during work, for instance by opening compartment doors, enclosures and protective barriers, resulting in the use of supplementary safety measures to minimise the risk of electrical accidents.
According to the statistics many electrical accidents is caused by human error during performance of work activities. Rules and routines are not adhered to and important steps are not performed. In order to minimise the risk, it is of great importance that risk assessment is done in writing.
Electricity can cause risks to machines, tools and equipment. The electric current led to earth at short-circuiting or earth faults can affect the surrounding electricity, phone and data communication networks. The currents can cause fire in the surrounding area or adjacent buildings in the worst case.