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WorkSafeBC

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Injury Prevention Resources for Construction - General Construction

General Construction | Hazardous Materials | Heavy Construction | Road Construction

Concrete & Masonry | Cranes | Demolition | Electrical | Fall Protection | Hearing Protection | Mobile Equipment | Personal Protective Equipment | Residential | Roofing | Scaffolding | Site Preparation & Excavation | General

The following links list tools, publications, and other resources to help prevent the most common injuries and illnesses in the construction industry. These resources may not meet all the requirements for health and safety in British Columbia. Please check the Workers Compensation Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, and related materials for specific WorkSafeBC requirements.

Electrical

Working Safely around Electricity BK19 (PDF 2.1 MB) space
This booklet explains the dangers of working on and around energized low- and high-voltage equipment and conductors. It is written for supervisors and workers who work around and with electrical circuits and near power lines as part of their job and who are familiar with the basic hazards of electrical contact. The three sections include the dangers of low-voltage contact, the dangers of high-voltage contact, and how to deal with electrical injuries. Workers who work around electrical conductors, such as painters and equipment operators, and who are unfamiliar with all the hazards of electrical contact, will also find the information in this booklet useful.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

High Powered (PDF 160 KB)  new itemspace
"Unseen and unheard, it can maim and kill in surprisingly small doses and it doesn't discriminate. No jobsite is without it and no worker is immune to its potential impact. Yet for most employees - apart from those who work directly with electricity - the source of such enormous power is out of sight and out of mind. Until it's too late." Article from WorkSafe Magazine November/December 2009.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC

Shock Treatment (PDF 265 KB)space
"Any tradesman who fails to maintain a safe distance from overhead power lines is making a deadly error in judgment." Article from WorkSafe Magazine September/October 2009.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC

GFCIs and Assured Grounding Program (PDF 42 KB) space
A WorkSafe bulletin outlining good work practices for the efficient use of ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC

A GFCI Solution You Can Live With space
Custom-made GFCI system helps construction company improve safety. (Prevention at Work)
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC

7 Steps to Electrical Safety space
Electricity is a part of our everyday lives and must be treated with respect. Everyone should know the 7 Steps to Electrical Safety. Learn them and pass them on. Remember, they don't call it power for nothing!
Source: BC Hydro

Electrical Incidents space
OSHA Construction e-tool.
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

Controlling Electrical Hazards space
"This booklet provides an overview of basic electrical safety for individuals with little or limited training or familiarity with electrical hazards."
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

Ground Fault Protection on Construction Sites (PDF 100 KB) space
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

Lockout BK21 (PDF 2.4 MB) space
This booklet defines lockout, explains lockout policy and procedures, and provides guidance on compliance with Regulation requirements.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC

Also available in the following languages:

* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.
Updated: September 2005

OSHA Technical Links: Power Transmission & Distribution in Construction space
List of "technical links" to internal and external online resources.
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

Preventing Electrocutions During Work with Scaffolds Near Overhead Power Lines space
Workers may be electrocuted when erecting, moving, or working from metal or conductive scaffolds near overhead power lines. This Alert describes 13 deaths that occurred in six separate incidents when workers erected or moved scaffolds that came into contact with energized, overhead power lines, or when they contacted overhead power lines while using conductive tools or materials from scaffolds. It recommends precautions to prevent such electrocutions and injuries.
Source: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)

Preventing Electrocutions of Crane Operators and Crew Members Working Near Overhead Power Lines space
Workers are killed each year when cranes contact overhead power lines. This [NIOSH] Alert describes five cases (six electrocutions) that resulted from such hazards and makes recommendations for preventing similar incidents.
Source: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)

Worker Deaths by Electrocution: A Summary of Surveillance Findings and Investigative Case Reports space
"Many American workers are exposed to electrical energy daily during the performance of their tasks. This monograph highlights the magnitude of the problem of occupational electrocutions in the U.S., identifies potential risk factors for fatal injury, and provides recommendations for developing effective safety programs to reduce the risk of electrocution." The construction industry had the highest percentage (40%) and highest rate (2.4 per 100,000 workers) of electrocutions over the period 1980 through 1992.
Source: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)

Industry Standard - Electrical Installations on Construction Sites
"This Industry Standard is designed to assist the construction industry to provide and maintain an acceptable level of electrical safety so as to safeguard construction workers and the general public from electrocution and electric shock."
Source: Victorian WorkCover Authority, Australia



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