Electric Safety!

Dear Students,

                

This is an important post, as we are going to discuss safety with electrical circuits and parts. As we have previously discussed, there are a lot of factors when it comes to electricity. Some of which, such as Ohm’s Law and the circuits themselves do not pertain to this post as much; but, there are some factors, such as conductors and insulators, that really help us in trying to create a safe environment for all.
                

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) make sure that everything is safe and overall harmless to be around in business environments. They try to ensure that very few electrical mistakes are made because of the fact that over hundreds of people die due to mis-wirings or just bad construction. OSHA provides state plans to assure that safety is a number one priority in the workplace.
               

What are the proper safety guidelines, you may ask?
                

First, you must make sure that no wires are exposed, as they have the potential to electrocute you. Remember, there are billions upon trillions of electrons that are flying through that wire per second, and the human body is a decently good conductor, so beware!
                

Insulated wires, such as wires that are covered in some sort of rubber or plastic, are a MUST. Do not leave your wires unexposed, unless you’re told otherwise by a professional. Also, make sure that there is no water near your circuit or wire, as it will short-circuit and if you touch it, it will electrocute you. However, if you leave it alone, it still produces sort of a mess that needs to be cleaned up.
                

Make sure that if you handle thick metal wires that you wear specifically-designed gloves, or else you will get shards of metal in your hands! We do not think that that is really pleasant. If you get an exposed, running wire under your skin, you will most likely die, as your body is made up of over 70% water (a conductor) and the electrons in the wire are extremely close to the electrons in your body.
                

Also, make sure that your wires are properly covered. If they are underground, double check every now and then and make sure that no wires are exposed to the elements, or else there may be troubles up ahead. Confirm that all electrical sockets in your house (if not in use) are plugged in using those plastic covers. This prevents any small children from being too curious and sticking a fork in the socket.

                

We hope that this helps you become a safer and more aware scientist!
                  ~The Scientists.