Bulletin No.: 12/1991

Date (Y-M-D): 1991-08-09
 

Subject: Electrical Safety of Portable Tools and Equipment

1. A recent incident which resulted in a fatality demonstrates the need for all persons working on board ships to be familiar with the dangers associated with the removal of the ground pin on the supply cable of portable electrical equipment and electric power extension cables.
2. In this incident, a shore based employee was working on board a ship using a vacuum cleaner which had the ground pins removed from its electrical supply cable and was also plugged into an underground fitting. He came into contact with the vacuum cleaner, which had been improperly reassembled prior to the accident, resulting in the metal case of the apparatus being electrically charged, which in turn caused the electrocution of the employee.
3. Your attention is drawn to Section 68 (2) of the Safe Working Practices Regulations and Section 6.9 (2) of the Marine Occupational Safety and Health Regulations which disallow the removal of the ground pin for the purpose of using the equipment on a two wire power supply.
4. In order to satisfy the intent of these Regulations, Shipowners and masters should ensure that portable electrical equipment used by employees in the course of employment onboard vessels, has been sufficiently inspected and maintained to ensure compliance with prescribed safety standards.

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