WSH Alert Accident Advisory, 12 November 2020: Worker electrocuted during dismantling works

    WSH Alert Accident Advisory, 12 November 2020: Worker electrocuted during dismantling works

    11月 12, 2020

    12 November 2020, Ref: 2021069

    WSH Alert Accident Accident Advisory: Worker electrocuted during dismantling works

    Ref: 2021059 WSH Alert Accident Notification dated 19 October 2020
     
    On 15 October 2020, a worker was dismantling an electrical distribution board within a vacated building when he was electrocuted. He was sent to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
     
                                                               
                                                               Figure 1: The electrical distribution
                                                               board that the worker was dismantling.
     

    Recommendations

    Stakeholders in control of similar workplaces and work activities, such as occupiers, employers and contractors, are advised to consider the following risk control measures to prevent similar accidents:

     
    Competent worker
    •     Deploy only authorised and competent personnel such as licensed electrical
       worker (LEW) to perform all electrical work including dismantling works. There
       are 3 classes of electrical worker licence, namely: Electrician’s Licence,
       Electrical Technician’s Licence and Electrical Engineer’s Licence. Find out more
       about the various licences at the Energy Market Authority’s website. 
    • Provide specialised electrical safety training to workers who need to work with,
       or around live or exposed electrical components. Provide periodic re-training or
       refresher training as necessary.
     
    Isolation of hazardous energy
    •     Isolate and lock out the electrical power source and de-energise the equipment
       prior to working with it. Proper lock-out and tag-out (LOTO) procedures must
       be established and supervisors are to check that LOTO has been correctly
       applied on-site before allowing the work to proceed.  
     
    Personal protective equipment
    •     Equip workers performing electrical work with the necessary personal
       protective equipment (PPE) such as electrical work gloves and rubber-soled
       footwear.
    • Supervisors are to ensure that the PPE provided are worn correctly and at all
       times when performing electrical works.
     
    Safe work practices for workers
    •     Always conduct visual checks on electrical equipment and its wiring before
      starting work. Do not attempt electrical work if the equipment is energised and
      an electrical component or wire has been found to be damaged or defective in
      any way.
    • Avoid carrying out electrical works under wet conditions.
    • Use only tools with non-conducting handles when carrying out electrical work.
    • Work on top of a dry rubber insulating mat where practicable.
    • Use a non-contact voltage detector to detect presence of residual voltage in
       the equipment.
     

    Risk Assessment

    Employers and contractors are reminded to conduct a thorough Risk Assessment (RA) before carrying out electrical works to manage any foreseeable risk(s). The RA should cover, but not limited to, the following areas:

     
    • Presence of live or exposed electrical components and wires.
    • Safe work procedures for electrical work including the LOTO procedure.
    • The need to implement a Permit-to-work system for electrical work.
    • Types of tools and/or equipment available for electrical work.
    • Possibility of wires or cables becoming live during electrical work.
     

    Further Information

    1. Workplace Safety and Health Act 
    2. Workplace Safety and Health (Risk Management) Regulations
    3. Workplace Safety and Health (General Provisions) Regulations
    4. Workplace Safety and Health (Construction) Regulations
    5. Code of Practice on Workplace Safety and Health Risk Management
    6. Electricity Act
    7. Electricity (Electrical Workers) Regulations
    8. SS 638: 2018 Code of Practice for Electrical Installations 
    9. SS 571: 2011 Code of Practice for Energy Lockout and Tagout
    10. Energy Market Authority’s website: http://www.ema.gov.sg/
    11. Energy Market Authority’s “Electrical Safety at Construction Sites”
    12. Energy Market Authority’s Electrical Accident Case Studies & Lessons Learnt
    13. WSH Council’s Activity-Based Checklist on Safe Electrical Maintenance Work 
    14. WSH Council’s 6 Basic WSH Rules for Use of Electrical Equipment
     

    Information on the accident is based on preliminary investigations by the Ministry of Manpower as at
    26 Oct 2020. This may be subject to change as investigations are still on-going. Please note that the recommendations provided here are not exhaustive and they are meant to enhance workplace safety and health so that a recurrence may be prevented. The information and recommendations provided are not to be construed as implying any liability on any party nor should it be taken to encapsulate all the responsibilities and obligations under the law.

     
    We regret that we are unable to reply to emails at this email address. For enquiries or feedback, please email us at contact@wshc.sg.
     
    Visit the WSH Council’s website now for updates on WSH-related matters, information and events.

    This WSH Bulletin is available free of charge, may be printed or downloaded onto electronic, optical or similar storage media provided that such activities are for private research, study, or in-house use only. If such material is to be copied or reproduced, users are asked to ensure that the material is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context, that the status of the material is identified and to acknowledge Workplace Safety & Health Council, Singapore as the source of the material.

    12 November 2020, Ref: 2021069

    WSH Alert Accident Accident Advisory: Worker electrocuted during dismantling works

    Ref: 2021059 WSH Alert Accident Notification dated 19 October 2020
     
    On 15 October 2020, a worker was dismantling an electrical distribution board within a vacated building when he was electrocuted. He was sent to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
     
                                                               
                                                               Figure 1: The electrical distribution
                                                               board that the worker was dismantling.
     

    Recommendations

    Stakeholders in control of similar workplaces and work activities, such as occupiers, employers and contractors, are advised to consider the following risk control measures to prevent similar accidents:

     
    Competent worker
    •     Deploy only authorised and competent personnel such as licensed electrical
       worker (LEW) to perform all electrical work including dismantling works. There
       are 3 classes of electrical worker licence, namely: Electrician’s Licence,
       Electrical Technician’s Licence and Electrical Engineer’s Licence. Find out more
       about the various licences at the Energy Market Authority’s website. 
    • Provide specialised electrical safety training to workers who need to work with,
       or around live or exposed electrical components. Provide periodic re-training or
       refresher training as necessary.
     
    Isolation of hazardous energy
    •     Isolate and lock out the electrical power source and de-energise the equipment
       prior to working with it. Proper lock-out and tag-out (LOTO) procedures must
       be established and supervisors are to check that LOTO has been correctly
       applied on-site before allowing the work to proceed.  
     
    Personal protective equipment
    •     Equip workers performing electrical work with the necessary personal
       protective equipment (PPE) such as electrical work gloves and rubber-soled
       footwear.
    • Supervisors are to ensure that the PPE provided are worn correctly and at all
       times when performing electrical works.
     
    Safe work practices for workers
    •     Always conduct visual checks on electrical equipment and its wiring before
      starting work. Do not attempt electrical work if the equipment is energised and
      an electrical component or wire has been found to be damaged or defective in
      any way.
    • Avoid carrying out electrical works under wet conditions.
    • Use only tools with non-conducting handles when carrying out electrical work.
    • Work on top of a dry rubber insulating mat where practicable.
    • Use a non-contact voltage detector to detect presence of residual voltage in
       the equipment.
     

    Risk Assessment

    Employers and contractors are reminded to conduct a thorough Risk Assessment (RA) before carrying out electrical works to manage any foreseeable risk(s). The RA should cover, but not limited to, the following areas:

     
    • Presence of live or exposed electrical components and wires.
    • Safe work procedures for electrical work including the LOTO procedure.
    • The need to implement a Permit-to-work system for electrical work.
    • Types of tools and/or equipment available for electrical work.
    • Possibility of wires or cables becoming live during electrical work.
     

    Further Information

    1. Workplace Safety and Health Act 
    2. Workplace Safety and Health (Risk Management) Regulations
    3. Workplace Safety and Health (General Provisions) Regulations
    4. Workplace Safety and Health (Construction) Regulations
    5. Code of Practice on Workplace Safety and Health Risk Management
    6. Electricity Act
    7. Electricity (Electrical Workers) Regulations
    8. SS 638: 2018 Code of Practice for Electrical Installations 
    9. SS 571: 2011 Code of Practice for Energy Lockout and Tagout
    10. Energy Market Authority’s website: http://www.ema.gov.sg/
    11. Energy Market Authority’s “Electrical Safety at Construction Sites”
    12. Energy Market Authority’s Electrical Accident Case Studies & Lessons Learnt
    13. WSH Council’s Activity-Based Checklist on Safe Electrical Maintenance Work 
    14. WSH Council’s 6 Basic WSH Rules for Use of Electrical Equipment
     

    Information on the accident is based on preliminary investigations by the Ministry of Manpower as at
    26 Oct 2020. This may be subject to change as investigations are still on-going. Please note that the recommendations provided here are not exhaustive and they are meant to enhance workplace safety and health so that a recurrence may be prevented. The information and recommendations provided are not to be construed as implying any liability on any party nor should it be taken to encapsulate all the responsibilities and obligations under the law.

     
    We regret that we are unable to reply to emails at this email address. For enquiries or feedback, please email us at contact@wshc.sg.
     
    Visit the WSH Council’s website now for updates on WSH-related matters, information and events.

    This WSH Bulletin is available free of charge, may be printed or downloaded onto electronic, optical or similar storage media provided that such activities are for private research, study, or in-house use only. If such material is to be copied or reproduced, users are asked to ensure that the material is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context, that the status of the material is identified and to acknowledge Workplace Safety & Health Council, Singapore as the source of the material.