When it comes to just how real the hazard of electrical injuries really is, it’s crucial that we member that more than 100 people in Australia get hospitalized due to them every year. The problem with electrical hazards in the workplace (other than the obvious risk to life and wellbeing of everyone), specifically in the office, lies in the issues of responsibility and compensation, as well as the involvement of law and insurance organizations. The worst thing about it all is the fact that you could easily avoid all of this, seeing as how the risk of electrical hazards can be diagnosed and solved early on. With that in mind, here are the top four electrical hazards in the office.

Start with the research

The first step in avoiding a trap (or averting a disaster), lies in knowing that there is one, to begin with. So, what you need to do is start with the research of all the potential electrical hazards in the office. Look up the most common causes of electrocution in the workplace. At the very top of the list, you have inadequate wiring, overloads, ground faults, power lines, live parts and temporary wiring. Sure, by eliminating all of these (or at least tending to them for the time being), you’ll already make your office a safer place. Still, don’t just automatically assume that your work here is done.

Don’t overload your grid

The protection of your employees from the risk of electrocution starts long before you even pick your office space. When prospecting a place to lease, try to be realistic about all the equipment you need and the number of people who will work in the office. There’s only so much that each of the sockets can take, and pushing these things too far will backfire horribly. Probably the safest way to do so is to make a list of the max capacity of your office (an optimistic one) and hire a professional electrician to check out the place with you. For instance, if you’re looking for an office in Brisbane, get in touch with a reliable commercial electrician from Brisbane to help you out. Their assessment of the situation may end up saving lives.

Extension cords and power strips are not omnipotent

Previously, we’ve talked about overloading your grid and the fact that there’s only so much that a single socket can take. The problem lies in the fact that a lot of office workers and even managers try to go with a low-cost solution of resolving their socket problem by buying extension cords and power strips. Technically, this could provide you with the extra outlets that you need but you should always keep in mind that all the electricity still has to traverse the bottleneck that is the socket. So, it’s always a smarter move to hire a licensed electrician to install additional outlets where they are needed than to rely on extension cords and power strips. 

Perform regular inspections

Just because things seem to be working fine at the moment, this doesn’t mean that the situation can’t or won’t change in the future. In fact, it always does. You see, it is your duty to inspect electrical cords to see if they’re not frayed or cracked. You can also check the outlets for any discoloration, odd smells, odd noises or any other alarming features. Overall, there are a lot of these simple tests that you could perform on your own. Still, at the end of the day, it might be better for you to go straight to a professional in order to perform regular inspections.

Conclusion

The very last thing you need to understand here is the fact that having a problem with your electrical grid or appliance isn’t just an electrocution hazard – it’s also a potential fire hazard. Sure, fire prevention is a story for another time but this is another reason why you need to understand just how vital it is to tend to electrical hazards in the office as soon as possible.