Electrical Maintenance and Repair: What’s the number one mistake maintenance technicians make while conducting an electrical repair?

One of the most common mistakes made by maintenance technicians while working with electrical components is not following proper safety procedures and guidelines. Many of these technicians who have been working with electrical circuits and devices for a long period of time begin to have a false sense of security that leads them to ignore safety procedures, and they think that all these safety guidelines apply only to technicians who are just starting in the business, creating the possibility of serious accidents, and even death.

It is critical that all technicians, regardless of their tenure in the business, follow all safety precautions. Besides taking care of themselves and those around them, a technician complying with safety regulations will protect the physical assets of the company they work for.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the government agency that creates and implements safety standards and guidelines to ensure employees are working in a safe environment. One of the safety procedures required by OSHA when working with electrical is called Lock-Out Tag-Out Procedure. Unfortunately, this is one of the most common procedures ignored by maintenance technicians, causing many accidents that result in serious injuries and in some cases death.

According to OSHA, "Compliance with the lock-out/tag-out standard prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year. Workers injured on the job from exposure to hazardous energy lose an average of 24 workdays for recuperation."

Following Lock-out/Tag-out procedures when working with electrical is not optional. Companies are required to comply with OSHA by providing employees with the proper Lock-out/Tag-out devices and training technicians how to use these devices properly when working with electrical. Each technician must have his or her own Lock-out/Tag-out device.

The Lock-out/Tag-out Procedure is the process of turning the source of energy off to an electrical device. In addition, a technician must:

• attach a special lock to the energy source to prevent someone from turning it back on;
• attach a tag to the energy source explaining why it is turned off with instructions not to turn it on; and
• check the electrical device with an electrical meter to confirm that energy is off before working on it.

Additionally, another OSHA requirement when working with electrical devices is to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This equipment includes:

• electrical gloves;
• goggles;
• electrical testers;
• insulated hand tools; and
• fiber glass ladders.

 Apartment companies are required to provide maintenance employees with this equipment to ensure they are working in a safe environment when conducting electrical repairs.