Ground faults happen when inadvertent contact occurs between an energized conductor and ground or equipment frame. In his investigations of electrical accidents, Dalziel found that many fatalities occurred from ground faults. Dalziel eventually went on to write “The Effects of Electric Shock on Man,” a very important book that further illuminated the importance of electrical safety. These studies turned out to be a benchmark in electrical safety. At the time, there was no existing data on the subject, so he performed tests on volunteers. In 1956, after being asked to invent a device to electrocute barn flies, Charles Dalziel started to research electric shock. In 1911, the NEC perfected the safety protocols and left the NFPA to update codes as the electrical field evolved. Standards and practices involving the installation of sprinkler systems and electrical systems were necessary to maintain safety for workers and the public. However, they soon found that fires were frequent in unsafe electrical conditions. The NFPA had two primary focuses: water and electricity. The National Fire Protection Associations (NFPA) became the sponsor of the NEC. In 1897, a committee formed the previous year developed and published the National Electrical Code (NEC), one uniform electrical code that any electrician could use. However, with five different codes, it was hard to keep the same standards from job to job. These guidelines were put in place to keep workers safe and ensure uniform installation across the country. In 1895, five different electrical installation codes were developed. However, soon after, an often-overlooked event created the need for electrical safety: the first electrical shock from an industrial generator. Both of these industrial feats made great strides in the development of the modern world. They discovered that AC proved to be the superior system because it could transfer power over longer distances. Edison’s generating station produced direct current (DC) electricity, and just a few years later, Nicola Tesla and George Westinghouse created a system that produced alternating current (AC). It produced 100 kilowatts of power, which lit 50 incandescent lamps, even though it generated enough wattage to light 1,200. On September 4, 1882, Thomas Edison started the first commercial electrical power system. With a long-storied history, electrical safety continues to evolve with the times. As technology advances within the electrical field, new guidelines are created to maintain consistent worker safety and prevent accidents. Today, we have OSHA, the NEC, and many other protective guidelines in place to ensure safe working conditions for all electrical workers. Safety is important in any job, but in the electrical industry, safety is truly a life or death matter. May is National Electrical Safety Month, so we are spotlighting electrical safety in our industry through the ages.
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