Working on electrical installations can be dangerous as electrical installations that are not properly connected or maintained pose a serious risk to both people and property, and can lead to injuries or even death. For this reason, DEHN Africa has adopted five safety rules according to the German standard series DIN VDE 0105 to help prevent electrical accidents.

Step 1: Disconnect completely
When working on an electrical installation, it is best to ensure that it is disconnected from live parts on all poles.

Step 2: Secure against reconnection
To prevent an accidental reconnection of an installation where work is in progress, you need to replace the unscrewed fuses in the low-voltage system with lockable lockout devices, or ensure that all breakers on the off position are locked and adequate warnings are placed.

Step 3: Verify that the installation is dead

To verify that the installation is dead, you can use suitable test equipment such as a voltage detector to verify on all poles that the installation is dead. You also need to check the correct function of the voltage detector prior to using it.

Step 4: Use earthing and short-circuiting devices

After verification, connect the cables and the earthing system with short-circuit-proof earthing and short-circuiting devices. It is also important to ensure that the relevant parts must be earthed before they are short-circuited. Only after a successful application of the earthing and short-circuiting devices can the installation be considered dead and safe to work on.

Step 5: Provide protection against adjacent live parts

According to the five safety rules, adjacent parts are located in the vicinity zone. If parts of an electrical installation in the vicinity zone of the work location cannot be disconnected, additional precautions must be taken before work is resumed. In this case, it is essential to use insulating protective shutters or covering material as protection against any accidental contact.

The market leader DEHN, a globally active family-owned electrotechnical company with more than 1,700 employees worldwide, offers innovative products and solutions as well as comprehensive services in the field of surge protection, lightning protection and safety equipment. DEHN focuses on the protection of system and building technology, the transportation, telecommunication and process sector, photovoltaic systems, wind turbines, and more.

The company's continuous growth is based on more than 100 years of tradition and experience as well as highest quality standards and consistent customer and market orientation throughout the world.