Choosing a career as an electrician might raise some safety concerns for you. It’s understandable, given the job involves working with high-voltage electricity, where the stakes are undeniably high.
Of the almost 735,000 Electricians currently employed in the United States, only a tiny fraction suffer fatal injuries on the job. And it’s more likely that you’ll die from falling than from getting electrocuted.
The use of electricity is integral to modern living. In its absence, electrical appliances such as lights, laptops, and mobile phones would cease to function.
However, it needs the expertise of a professional electrician to properly create the connections that enable electricity to flow into our homes and workplaces. Getting the electricity in a structure to work properly is not only challenging, but also dangerous.
Contents
The Dangers of Working As An Electrician
Being an electrician has a lot of perks. There are a few dangers you should really be aware of before enrolling in an electrical technician training course, and we’ll get to them in a moment.
The following are some of the dangers you should think about seriously.
You Can’t Expect to Immediately Launch a Successful Career as an Electrical Technician.
Embarking on a career as an electrical technician isn’t an instant path to success. There’s a common misconception that completing a training program is all it takes to excel in the electrical field. Yet, the reality involves a more substantial commitment to mastering the craft.
To become an electrician, you must attend a trade or vocational school. However, this is just the beginning of your new professional life.
You will also need to put in some time as an apprentice to a master electrician. This electrician will serve as your mentor and provide you with the training you need to become an expert in your field.
It’s unlikely that you’ll be asked to perform any particularly hazardous tasks while you’re still an apprentice. However, you will be forced to take on many tasks that more seasoned electricians would rather avoid. You’ll have to put in your time as an apprentice before you can call yourself an electrician.
Your Schedule Will Be Very Unusual.
Expect an unconventional schedule in this profession. The typical 9 to 5 routine doesn’t apply to electricians, as emergency calls for power restoration can come at any hour. Being ready for late-night emergencies is part of the job, ensuring that your community remains powered.
People in your area will look to you for assistance with all of their electrical requirements. And if you want to prove that you’re a person they can rely on, you’ll have to put in extra hours at the office on occasion.
You’ll need to be able to keep your mind on the job even if you’re working late into the night. In the world of electrical work, the smallest misstep can have catastrophic consequences for you and those around you.
Physical Effort Is A Regular Requirement Of Your Job.
Regular physical effort is part and parcel of being an electrician. While it might seem like the work is straightforward, such as changing a light bulb or installing a new outlet, the job often demands more than meets the eye, requiring both physical stamina and mental acuity.
Of course, there will be occasions when your limits are tested as an electrician. In order to complete a task, you may need to ascend steep staircases or scurry through dusty cellars.
These tasks won’t seem so daunting when you’re 25, 30, or even 35. In contrast, you won’t have the same mobility at age 40, 45, 50, or beyond.
Performing the physical demands of electrical work can be tough on the body. Ahead of time, make sure you realize how strenuous it might be physically.
There Will Be Risky Tasks in Your Work as Well
Working with electricity always carries some level of danger, regardless of how well trained you are or how long you have been an electrician.
If you are hired to run new wires or install a new electrical panel for a homeowner or business owner and you make a mistake, you could be harmed. Almost 200 electricians lose their lives in the line of duty each year.
Only a small fraction of the industry’s electricians are represented here. The incident serves as a sad reminder, however, that electrical work can be extremely risky.
What Are The Threats And Precautions?
Electricians may spend their days (or nights) working inside or outside of houses, companies, or construction sites, depending on the nature of the job at hand.
In order to access to the spots where electrical work needs to be done, they often have to crawl through narrow passages or scale tall ladders.
Injuries among electricians are most commonly caused by slips and falls, electrical burns, toxic substance exposure, and working in confined places or adverse weather.
Falls
When working on a roof or trying to reach power wires, electrical workers are at a heightened risk of falling. It is also important that they have access to the electrical wiring in the ceiling or attic. An electrician’s danger of injury from falls increases when working at these heights.
Electric Shock
An electrician’s greatest risk of injury is from electric shock. An electric shock occurs when a current flows suddenly through a body part
Severe burns, disorientation, breathing difficulties, heart rhythm disruption, cardiac arrest, muscle pain and contractions, seizures, loss of consciousness, and even death are all possible outcomes of an electric shock.
Electrocution
The term “electrocution” is reserved for the most severe forms of electric shocks that might cause death. Even exposure to only a modest amount of electricity can lead to death. Although it is a possibility, luckily, electrocution is not as frequent as other injuries.
Burns from Electricity
A burn to the skin or other tissues generated by an electric current is known as an electrical burn. In most cases, only the outermost layers of skin will show signs of injury. However, in some cases, deeper tissue and even nerves might be damaged by a severe burn.
Safety Training Programs for Electricians
Mastering electrical safety comes from in-depth, hands-on training. This approach equips you with the skills to navigate complex challenges safely, ensuring you’re prepared for real-world situations with confidence and competence. You can expect to spend the majority of your time working on real electrical units using real-world industrial machinery, outside of the classroom.
And when you first start out, a master electrician will show you the ropes and make sure you know how to do your job safely. Understanding how to answer safety questions in the actual world can serve you well in the Electrician licensing exam. After you have obtained your certification, your company is obligated to give you with on-the-job training. A full-time safety officer may be employed by large companies to hold regular safety meetings where topics like as shock prevention, ladder safety, and reenactments of actual accidents that can cause injuries are discussed. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates that they give their workers a certain amount of safety training.
Conclusion
Of the 735,000 electricians in the United States, only a tiny fraction suffer fatal injuries on the job. There are a few dangers you should really be aware of before enrolling in an electrical technician training course. An electrician’s workday often does not consist of 9 to 5 and there are late-night call-outs that need to be covered. Electricians spend their days and nights working inside or outside of houses, companies, or construction sites. The smallest misstep in the world of electrical work can have catastrophic consequences for you and those around you.
Almost 200 electricians lose their lives in the line of duty each year. An electrician’s greatest risk of injury is from electric shock. Exposure to even a modest amount of electricity can lead to death. The best way to learn about electrical safety is through extensive hands-on instruction. After you have obtained your certification, your company is obligated to give you with on-the-job training.
Content Summary:
- You may be concerned about the safety of the electrician profession if you’re thinking about making it your career path.
- After all, you might be exposed to high-voltage electricity in your line of work, which could kill you with a single spark.
- Of the almost 735,000 Electricians currently employed in the United States, only a tiny fraction suffer fatal injuries on the job.
- However, it needs the expertise of a professional electrician to properly create the connections that enable electricity to flow into our homes and workplaces.
- Getting the electricity in a structure to work properly is not only challenging, but also dangerous.
- Being an electrician has a lot of perks.
- There are a few dangers you should really be aware of before enrolling in an electrical technician training course, and we’ll get to them in a moment.
- The following are some of the dangers you should think about seriously.
- You Can’t Expect to Immediately Launch a Successful Career as an Electrical Technician.
- Some people believe that the above electrical technician training program is all that is required to enter the field of electrical wiring.
- To become an electrician, you must attend a trade or vocational school.
- However, this is just the beginning of your new professional life.
- You will also need to put in some time as an apprentice to a master electrician.
- This electrician will serve as your mentor and provide you with the training you need to become an expert in your field.
- It’s unlikely that you’ll be asked to perform any particularly hazardous tasks while you’re still an apprentice.
- You’ll have to put in your time as an apprentice before you can call yourself an electrician.
- Your Schedule Will Be Very Unusual.
- An electrician’s workday often does not consist of 9 to 5.
- And if you want to prove that you’re a person they can rely on, you’ll have to put in extra hours at the office on occasion.
- You’ll need to be able to keep your mind on the job even if you’re working late into the night.
- In the world of electrical work, the smallest misstep can have catastrophic consequences for you and those around you.
- Physical Effort Is A Regular Requirement Of Your Job.
- The majority of electrical work is not as complicated as it may seem.
- Changing a light bulb or putting in a new outlet isn’t exactly back-breaking work for a homeowner.
- Of course, there will be occasions when your limits are tested as an electrician.
- In order to complete a task, you may need to ascend steep staircases or scurry through dusty cellars.
- Performing the physical demands of electrical work can be tough on the body.
- Ahead of time, make sure you realize how strenuous it might be physically.
- Working with electricity always carries some level of danger, regardless of how well trained you are or how long you have been an electrician.
- If you are hired to run new wires or install a new electrical panel for a homeowner or business owner and you make a mistake, you could be harmed.
- Almost 200 electricians lose their lives in the line of duty each year.
- Only a small fraction of the industry’s electricians are represented here.
- The incident serves as a sad reminder, however, that electrical work can be extremely risky.
- What Are The Threats And Precautions?
- Electricians may spend their days (or nights) working inside or outside of houses, companies, or construction sites, depending on the nature of the job at hand.
- In order to access the spots where electrical work needs to be done, they often have to crawl through narrow passages or scale tall ladders.
- An electrician’s danger of injury from falls increases when working at these heights.
- An electrician’s greatest risk of injury is from electric shock.
- The term “electrocution” is reserved for the most severe forms of electric shocks that might cause death.
- Even exposure to only a modest amount of electricity can lead to death.
- Although it is a possibility, luckily, electrocution is not as frequent as other injuries.
- A burn to the skin or other tissues generated by an electric current is known as an electrical burn.
- The best way to learn about electrical safety is through extensive hands-on instruction.
- To help you become a better problem-solver and safer worker, you will be exposed to realistic scenarios in a safe setting.
- You can expect to spend the majority of your time working on real electrical units using real-world industrial machinery, outside of the classroom.
- And when you first start out, a master electrician will show you the ropes and make sure you know how to do your job safely.
- Understanding how to answer safety questions in the actual world can serve you well in the Electrician licensing exam.
- After you have obtained your certification, your company is obligated to give you with on-the-job training.
- A full-time safety officer may be employed by large companies to hold regular safety meetings where topics like as shock prevention, ladder safety, and reenactments of actual accidents that can cause injuries are discussed.
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates that they give their workers a certain amount of safety training.
