Electrical Injuries That Proper Safety Signage Can Prevent

Workplaces are home to many kinds of electrical hazards, ranging from overhead power lines to exposed electrical cords and other harmful conditions. Using proper electrical safety signage is essential for warning people of these hazards — however, if there isn’t adequate signage, an individual may subject themself to a nasty electric shock. Electrical injuries are often incredibly serious and can potentially damage skin, internal organs, and nervous systems and even cause death. As such, implementing safety labels, markers, and other signage is important for preventing high voltage injuries and providing proper warning of electrical hazards. To learn more about why warning signs are so essential, let’s take a look at four of the most severe electrical injuries.

Electrical Burns

Electrical shocks can cause severe burns when electrical energy passes through the body, converting into heat due to skin resistance and tissue resistance. This conversion process is especially noticeable in high-voltage electrical injuries, where the electrical current exceeds the capacity of the skin to resist its flow — leading to significant tissue damage and thermal burns.  An electrical burn can affect not only the skin but also deeper tissues, potentially necessitating a thorough physical examination. Burns account for a substantial portion of serious electrical injuries, which is why adhering to safety standards around high-voltage power lines, electrical outlets, and electrical appliances is of utmost importance.

Nervous System Damage

Electrical shocks can also lead to nervous system damage. The passage of an electrical current through the body can disrupt the normal electrical signals that control the nervous system, which causes symptoms such as loss of consciousness, peripheral nerve damage, and even more severe conditions such as seizures or delayed neurological complications. Immediate and comprehensive care is often vital for addressing the full extent of the injury and preventing long-term health complications.

Cardiac Arrest

Cardiac arrest is among the more serious consequences of an electrical shock. High-voltage electrical energy can disrupt the heart’s rhythm by inducing ventricular fibrillation, a chaotic heart rhythm that leads to the cessation of effective heart function and, if not treated promptly, death.  It’s worth noting that an electrical injury that takes place near the chest or involves significant portions of the body is at a higher risk for cardiac complications, including both cardiac and respiratory arrest. Continuous monitoring in an emergency setting is incredibly important for early detection and treatment of such life-threatening conditions.

Muscle Spasms

Muscle spasms are a common outcome of electrical shock caused by the involuntary contraction of muscles in response to electrical stimulation. This reaction can lead to traumatic injuries if the individual falls or is thrown against objects in the environment.  Additionally, electrical injuries caused by higher voltages are more likely to cause severe muscle spasms due to the higher levels of electrical energy involved. These spasms can result in significant injuries, including fractures or dislocations.

Signage to Help Avoid Electrical Hazards

Keeping your people safe from potential electrical hazards means incorporating appropriate signage throughout your facilities highlighting these danger points. These signs run the gamut of situations and devices that prove hazardous, including the following:

Do Not Climb Signs

These work safety signs for compliance warn unauthorized people, as well as technicians about the safety of climbing towers and dangerous high voltage. Whether they are an employee or an unauthorized person that’s gotten somewhere they are not supposed to, do not climb signs are essential for letting people know that they should not venture any further without the proper tools. 

Danger High Voltage Signs

With so many devices and stations requiring massive amounts of electricity to power them, having readily identifiable high voltage warning signs is paramount. These signs warn of the potentially lethal danger of extremely high voltage, typically used in electrical substations.

Electrical Transformer Labels

If you’re looking to use pad-mounted electrical transformer labels, you must follow strict rules and guidelines regarding their placement. The NEMA standard requires that two transformer safety labels be placed on each transformer; a WARNING label on the outside of the transformer and a DANGER label on the inside of the door to provide a secondary line of defense. 

Arc Flash Labels

Used on electrical panels and switchboards to warn about the hazardous and potentially lethal blasts of electricity that can occur when working on energized electrical equipment.

Cross Arm Signs

These signs are mounted on the cross arms of utility poles to warn of the high voltage running through the utility lines that are carried on the poles.

811 Call Before You Dig Signs and Labels

Warns the public and utility and construction crews to call local utilities before any excavation work to avoid dangerous “dig-ins” to underground utility lines.

For Reliable Safety Signage, Visit LEM Products Today

Even a low-voltage injury can cause lasting damage and permanently alter a victim’s life. As such, it’s important to utilize proper safety signage wherever there are electrical hazards. At LEM Products Inc, we supply businesses across countless industries with the warning signage they need to protect their employees and customers, including warning labels, self-laminating tags, and other products. Call us today to learn more and to order safety signs for your business!