White Paper

More Meaningful Connections
5 WHITE PAPER — VeriSafe
™
– Safely Testing for Absence of Voltage
Human Error
Devices that require workers to manually select settings and use
interchangeable test leads are susceptible to user error. Not only could this
produce erroneous readings, it may cause injury if the leads are not properly
installed or applied to the correct test point.
Rating of Test Instruments
With portable equipment, it is important to ensure that the test instrument
is rated for the application. One of the most common causes of voltage
testing errors is the use of an inadequately rated tester. Using a test
instrument on a source that exceeds its voltage rating can result in failure or
damage to the tester and injuries to the worker.
Inadequate or Incomplete Training
Training workers on the selection, maintenance, and use of hand-held test
instruments is crucial to ensuring safety. Hand-held test instruments have
limitations and if a worker does not understand these limitations, errors can
occur. For example, if there is unexpected downtime, a worker in a rush to
repair equipment may use a borrowed tester. If the worker is unfamiliar with
the borrowed tester, errors can occur.
Exposure to Hazards
Another disadvantage of implementing a voltage verication test with a
hand-held tester is that the worker performing it may be inadvertently
exposed to electrical hazards. This could occur before the test when testing
OSHA’s Top 10 Safety
Violations in 2017
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Two of the top ten most frequently
cited OSHA violations are related
to electrical injuries.
1. Fall Protection
2. Hazard Communication
3. Scaffolding
4. Respiratory Protection
5. Lockout/Tagout
6. Ladders
7. Powered Industrial Trucks
8. Machine Guarding
9. Fall Protection – Training
Requirements
10. Electrical – Wiring Methods
10
9
U.S. Department of Labor. “Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards.” Accessed October 3, 2017.
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IEC 61508 Functional Safety of Electrical/Electronic/Programmable Electronic Safety-related Systems.