Most electrocutions could have been prevented with proper wiring and by following some basic safety measures.

Recently, a man was electrocuted with 120 volts (the #1 killer voltage of electrocutions) by simply grabbing the bin door as he attempted to enter it. How could this have happened? It was determined the grounding wire was not attached to the motor. The motor shorted out to the case, which energized the bin with 120 volts, and when the farmer came into the contact with the bin he was the path to ground for the current. Most farmers understand that a 240-volt or a 3-phase motor does not need a grounding wire for the motor to operate. However, it does need the grounding wire attached at the motor and at the electrical service panel to protect us.

Many farmers also think that if they install a ground rod at the bin and attach a grounding wire to the bin this is adequate grounding of the electrical wiring of the bin, but it is not. You could still be part of the path to ground for the current. If your bin is wired in this way you should have an electrical contractor make corrections. The electrical contractor will understand proper grounding. There are several ways to prevent accidents like this, as well as other types of electrical accidents around the farm:

• Before doing any electrical projects, disconnect the power, and to confirm the power is off use a volt meter.

• After removing the de-energized panel cover, make sure all screws and connections are tight on the grounding connections, neutral connections and circuit breakers.

• At each 240-volt outlet, make sure all wires are properly attached and tightened at the outlet as well as on the cords that are plugged into the outlet.

• If there are any bare spots on the cords, replace them. Do not wrap electrical tape around them. This is not an acceptable practice according to OSHA.

• At the electric motor, pull the cover off, check for proper wiring, and see if any connections have been hot. Make sure the grounding wire is attached to the motor grounding screw.

• 120-volt receptacles can be checked for proper wiring by purchasing a circuit tester for less than $20. (This won't tell if the connections are a little loose.)

• To comply with the National Electrical Code, change all 120-volt receptacles located outdoors or in wet locations to ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacles.

• Purchase at least one ground-fault drop cord to be used when there is not a GFC1.

• Be very cautious of overhead wires when moving elevated equipment. OSHA states that elevated equipment shall not come within 10 feet of an energized line with voltages ranging from 1,000 to 50,000 volts. (Remember to look up for those wires.)

If you are not sure of your wiring around the farm, please contact one of the local electrical contractors to check it for you and make the appropriate repairs.

Remember, electricity does a lot of great things for us as long as we don't let it use us as a path to ground!

Kyle Finley, who worked for Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative, now farms and provides safety demonstrations to schools, companies and emergency response employees across the state. Contact Finley at: Live Line Demo, 28512 N. 1950 E., Alvin,IL 61811, (217) 759-7916, livelined@aol.com, www.liveledemo.com

14 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING www.aiec.org