SynTerra safety

Leave it to the professionals.

Posted May 8, 2020

Electrical work is best left to those who are licensed and qualified, not to do-it-yourselfers. It’s a serious business, and your life can depend on it. That is why electrocutions fall into the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Fatal Four. Those four perils are: workplace fatalities that involve falls; being struck by an object; being caught between objects; and electrocutions. Approximately 9 percent of all construction-related deaths per year are attributed to electrical hazards, which include: contact with overhead power lines, energized conductors, circuit parts in electrical panels and equipment panels, poorly maintained extension cords, and power tools, as well as lightning strikes. There are four main types of electrical injuries: electrocution (fatal), electric shock, burns, and falls caused as a result of contact with electrical energy.

Posting electrical safety signs protects people from shocks, but it also helps avoid costly damage to equipment and infrastructure.

There is some good news here. For the past 20 years, injuries and fatalities related to electrical work have been on a general decline in the United States. We can thank stricter operating guidelines, safer assemblies in manufacturing, increased tool fail-safes, and workplace awareness. Still, an alarming amount of people fall victim to accidents in which they are exposed to energized equipment in the home or on the job site. Those accidents include burns, electrocutions, shock, arc flashes, fires, and explosions. Some things to prevent these types of accidents include:

Inspect all electrical equipment before and after use. Be sure to check tools for cracks or frays, and check power and extension cords for splits or exposed wires. Take any defective tools out of service for repairs or throw them away. Do not tape a tool back together.
Double-check that energy sources are locked out, tagged out, and tried out. Make sure circuit breakers are off and that on/off switches are in the correct positions before servicing lines. Many injuries come from contacting lines above service areas too, so check your surroundings for other live wires.
Make sure you are using the safest tools for the job. All equipment should be plugged into Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets or cords. Tools should be properly grounded and insulated from worker exposure. Workers should wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as grounding footwear, insulating clothes, and non-conductive gloves.

Working with electricity comes with inherent hazards, even if you are a trained professional. But there are things to look for at home, whether you are qualified for not, that might let you know whether you are in danger.

Be sure that you aren’t using indoor extension cords outside. They are normally rated for smaller energy needs, and most indoor extension cords are NOT waterproof. Using inappropriate cords in wet conditions can cause fire or death from electrocution.
Never chain a power strip into another power strip to lengthen a cord or to increase the number of outlets. Those cords are rated for certain amperage loads and can easily overheat when too many devices are plugged in. Also, only one outlet adapter should be plugged into a single wall receptacle, and there should never be an adapter plugged into another one.
Don’t ever remove the third prong on a plug to use with a two-prong receptacle. The third prong, used in modern power tools, is there as a safety mechanism. It provides a grounding that directs electrical current safely away from a person’s body.

By taking necessary precautions and working with electricians, the workplace and home can be protected from electrical dangers. For more information on how you can practice electric safety at home or work, visit the Electrical Safety Foundation International website.

If you would like to find out how SynTerra can help you achieve Health and Safety goals, email Health and Safety Coordinator Paul Tarquinio at ptarquinio@synterracorp.com or Environmental Services Program Director Bill Husk at bhusk@synterracorp.com.

Kathy Webb, P.G.

Senior Market Leader | Principal

Kathy Webb, who co-founded SynTerra (then known as The Fletcher Group) in 1992, has completed remedial investigations and regulatory compliance projects associated with Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) facilities, state and federal Superfund sites, solid waste landfills, brownfield redevelopment, utility coal combustion residual (CCR) management units, and regulated industrial facilities. She has supported litigation as an expert witness related to chlorinated solvents, metals, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Kathy is known for her practical assessment strategy with the perspective of the client’s business objectives. She routinely evaluates groundwater corrective action systems for effectiveness and progress toward achieving compliance objectives. She has co-authored a trade journal paper with case studies of low-impact remedial strategies. Kathy is a licensed Professional Geologist in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Mark Taylor, P.G.

Principal

Mark has worked more than 40 years in natural-resource based industries. His expertise includes mine geology and mine engineering, hydrogeologic and geotechnical investigations, solid and hazardous waste management, and regulatory negotiations. He has published peer-reviewed papers about coal geology, ore geochemistry, mineralogy, and solid waste management. He is a leading expert in mining and environmental permitting for litigation support.

Mark is licensed as a Professional Geologist in South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Washington. He serves on the boards of the Upstate Red Cross and Upstate Forever. He served on the South Carolina Board of Registration for Geologists for six years. Mark holds a Master’s degree in Geological Sciences from The University of Michigan and a Bachelor’s degree in Geological Science from Harvard University.

Andrea Kehn, P.E.

Vice President of Engineering | Principal

Andrea Kehn, leader of our Civil & Environmental Engineering Business Unit, has 28 years of experience in chemical manufacturing and environmental consulting. She leads and supervises staff professionals on multidisciplinary projects for a variety of industrial clients. Andrea’s vast experience and expertise includes: air quality construction and operating permitting; air quality modeling; air permit record-keeping and reporting; Oil Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) and Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP); NPDES permitting; water quality modeling; process safety management; risk management compliance and auditing; and RCRA compliance.

Andrea is registered as a Professional Engineer in South Carolina. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Technological University.

Ruth Albright, P.E.

Vice President | Principal

Ruth has led projects for major industrial facilities throughout the Southeast and beyond. She built her knowledge of environmental regulations and their application to manufacturing operations while working for the second largest chemical manufacturing company in the United States. At SynTerra, she has expanded both her knowledge and reputation working for chemical manufacturing operations of all sizes. She has also worked extensively with other manufacturing operations, including pulp and paper, industrial equipment, pharmaceuticals, food, and automotive parts and assembly. Her experience includes air and wastewater permit compliance, solid and hazardous waste management, solid waste construction permitting, hazardous materials transportation, wastewater treatment systems, air pollution control equipment operations and maintenance, and ambient air monitoring systems.

Ruth is a professional engineer registered in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Michigan, Arkansas, and Kentucky. She is an active member of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce Environmental Technical Committee and serves as the chair of the water subcommittee. She has previously served as the program and committee chair for the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce Environmental Affairs committee. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University.