[Cuga] Safety Reminders After Three Minor Shock Events- a message from Mary Logue

[Lorelei Chopard]

Colleagues:

There have been three minor electrical shock events over the last 
month.  Fortunately, no one was injured.  In each case, work was stopped 
and proper mitigations were put in place, supervisors were notified, 
workers reported to Occupational Medicine for evaluation, and 
investigations into the events and potential extent of conditions were 
initiated.

The three events are summarized here for your information:
•    A worker in the Low Energy Recirculator Facility (LERF) was in the 
process of removing a DC output conductor from a power supply cabinet.  
Lock, Tag, & Try was applied per the equipment procedure.  The worker 
received an electrical shock when their elbow brushed against the 
grounded cabinet frame.
•    A worker in Hall B was using a heat gun while applying heat-shrink 
tubing.  The heat gun was plugged into a permanent outlet near the wire 
racks in Hall B.  The worker inadvertently touched the metallic end of 
the heat gun while it was powered on and experienced a shock up to his 
elbow that was in contact with the grounded equipment rack.
•    A worker in Hall A was using a portable bandsaw that was plugged 
into an electrical outlet on a JLG-manlift when he felt a slight shock 
in his forearm.

Although not considered contributing causes to these events, here are 
some electrical safety reminders to keep in mind while preparing for and 
conducting work:
•    Check tools and cords before use; look for possible frayed or taped 
cords, damaged plug ends, missing plug prongs, and cracked casings on 
tool bodies. Tag a tool out of service if it is damaged.
•    Incorporate GFCI (ground fault circuit interruption) protection 
when using electric hand tools.
•    Place the GFCI closest to the point where the power is received.
•    Test the GFCI protection before use: Press the test button on the 
front of the outlet (Power to the outlet should now be removed).  Now, 
press the reset button on the front of the outlet (Power to the outlet 
should now be restored). The better tool for testing a GFCI is a 
portable GFCI plug tester; shown below.

Electrical work concerns or questions may be directed to your supervisor 
or to Electrical Safety Engineer, Todd Kujawa, at kujawa at jlab.org.


Thank you for your attention to this important safety message.

Mary Logue
Associate Director, ESH&Q Division
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
12050 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 602
Newport News, VA 23606
757-269-7447

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