• An electric service drop is the main electrical

line that runs from the electric company's

overhead lines to the service head at your
house.
• From the main service panel, the current is divided into
individual branch circuits, each of which is controlled by a
separate circuit breaker.

• The main service panel is controlled by the main circuit

breaker that serves as the primary disconnect for the
power supply to the main service panel.

• Below the main circuit breaker, there are two rows of

smaller circuit breakers, and it is these that form the
beginning of the individual branch circuits that run to all
areas of your home to provide power.
• Both 120-volt and 240-volt branch circuits can vary in the
amount of power they deliver—a quantity measured
by amperage.

• The wires attached to that circuit must also be sufficient to

handle the load of the branch circuit;
Branch Circuits
CAUSES OF ELECTRICAL ACCIDENTS
“Every accident is caused by an UNSAFE ACTS or by an UNSAFE
CONDITIONS or BOTH”

UNSAFE ACTS

There are three major causes of electrical accidents:

1. Carelessness
2. Misuse
3. Getting in a hurry

There are two reasons for the above causes of unsafe acts:
1. We know better but intentionally do something unsafe.
2. We don’t know better
Avoid the following unsafe acts:
1. Failure to de-energize, lockout and tagout hazards during
maintenance, repair or inspections of fuse box.
2. Use of defective and unsafe tools.
3. Use of tools or equipment too close to energized parts.
4. Not draining off stored energy in capacitors.
5. Using 3-wire cord with a 2-wire plug
6. Remove and replace wrong fuse.
7. Not verifying power is off when making repair.

UNSAFE CONDITIONS
What can cause electrical accidents?
1. Loose connections
2. Faulty insulation
3. Improper Grounding
4. Defective parts, such as broken outlet cover
5. Unguarded live parts
THREE TYPES OF POTENTIAL INJURIES
1. BURNS (arcs burn with heat and radiation)
2. PHYSICAL INJURIES (broken bones, falls, and muscle damage)
At 10 milli amps, the muscles clamp on to whatever the
person is holding
3. NERVOUS SYSTEM EFFECTS (stop breathing at 30 to 75 milli
amps AC at 60Hz, fibrillation at 75 to 100 milli amps at 60 Hz)

The common safety violations that lead to electrical accidents are:

1. Not guarding live parts of 50 volts or more.
2. Not having reliable equipment grounds run with the circuit
supply conductors.
3. Using extension cords in place of permanent wiring.
4. Custom equipment that has not been reviewed for safety.
5. Failure to de-energize equipment before working on it.
SAFETY PRACTICES

Basic Safety Precautions

1. Never underestimate the danger of 200-volt AC circuits. More
people die from 200-volt AC electrical shock than any other
voltage.
2. Do not operate equipment beyond its rated capacity.
3. Never bypass a fuse.
4. Be sure all current carrying lines are well insulated.
5. Always check a circuit for voltage before servicing.
6. Know where all emergency shutdown switches are located.
7. Work on live circuits only when absolutely necessary.
8. Watch for burned wires on electrical devices.
9. Never touch a conductor without first testing.
10. Look for loose conductors in electrical systems.
11. Do not make any adjustment or repairs to any electrical equipment or
device until all power has been disconnected or the circuit breaker has been
turned off.
12. All electrical equipment and tools should be properly grounded to prevent
any injury to the operator.
13. Do not operate electrical parts with wet gloves or wet clothing.

Safety Practices Around Live Circuits

1. Use a reliable circuit tester or voltmeter to identify live circuits.
2. Stand on dry surface.
3. Use only one hand if possible.
4. Never keep tools lying around live conductors
5. Wear suitable insulated hand covering.
6. Return all tools to pouch when through with them.
Proper Grounding
1. Properly grounded electrical equipment provides a pathway to
ground for stray current that may other wise go through the
operator’s body.
2. Loose wires that touch the case of housing in electrical
equipment can cause an electrical shock to anyone who
touches the equipment it has not been properly grounded.
3. Loose connections can be detected by heat on conductors, a
burning odor, carbon tracking and conductors that are
discolored.