3.1: The Importance of Electrical Safety
With this lesson, I hope to avoid a common mistake found in electronics textbooks of either ignoring or not covering with sufficient detail the subject of electrical safety. I assume that whoever reads this book has at least a passing interest in actually working with electricity, and as such the topic of safety is of paramount importance. Those authors, editors, and publishers who fail to incorporate this subject into their introductory texts are depriving the reader of life-saving information.
As an instructor of industrial electronics, I spend a full week with my students reviewing the theoretical and practical aspects of electrical safety. The same textbooks I found lacking in technical clarity I also found lacking in coverage of electrical safety, hence the creation of this chapter. Its placement after the first two chapters is intentional: in order for the concepts of electrical safety to make the most sense, some foundational knowledge of electricity is necessary.
Another benefit of including a detailed lesson on electrical safety is the practical context it sets for basic concepts of voltage, current, resistance, and circuit design. The more relevant a technical topic can be made, the more likely a student will be to pay attention and comprehend. And what could be more relevant than application to your own personal safety? Also, with electrical power being such an everyday presence in modern life, almost anyone can relate to the illustrations given in such a lesson. Have you ever wondered why birds don’t get shocked while resting on power lines? Read on and find out!