Electrical Safety is Needed Globally

Workers in North America and other developed areas employ some of the best electrical safety standards the industry has to offer. The general public in these same areas can access a lot of good information on staying safe around electricity. But those in developing countries need help becoming safer. An early 2019 article in Industry Applications Magazine brought the issue of global electrical safety to the forefront.

The article states several reasons for the high numbers of deaths by electrocution in these developing countries. The general public do not have access to electrical safety education. Workers and supervisors suffer from lack of proper electrical safety training. Safety practices are inadequately enforced.

One senior member of the IEEE IAS (Industry Applications Society) created an informational video with the help of the IAS board and an IEEE SIGHT committee. Developed in 2015, the video’s aim is to raise awareness of electrical hazards and how to prevent those hazards. The video showcases proper safety practices in relation to farming and power lines.

Much more needs to be done to improve electrical safety habits in entire countries. The article’s author calls for industry leaders to donate money, time, and/or talent toward improving safety habits around the world.

Read the full article, published in the March/April 2019 issue of IEEE Industry Applications Magazine, online.

Watch the safety video here or on YouTube.