Provided by HOW To Church Sound Workshops.

 
More often than we’d like, we read of people being shocked while working in churches and on stage.

With all the electronics being installed in churches today, there’s a real possibility of getting shocked or even electrocuted.

Here’s some ways to stay safe around electricity. Also, you’re encouraged to take our survey on if you’ve ever been shocked while on stage, which thus far has generated some very interesting responses.

Church Electrical Safety

1. Test all electrical outlets for proper grounding at least once a year. You can get a simple three-light tester from Radio Shack for $6.00. If an outlet has no ground prong or is improperly wired, call an electrician immediately.
 
2. Install a GFI Breaker (Ground Fault Interrupt) on any electrical outlets near water. This includes baptismal fonts, bathrooms, and outside receptacles. A GFI trips the circuit breaker if any electrical leakage to ground occurs.

3. Never stand in water and touch anything connected to the power line. That includes microphones, lights, guitars and most things connected to sound systems.

4. Wireless mics are completely safe. There’s only a 9-volt battery in them that can’t shock you.

5. Protect wireless mics from being dropped in the baptismal font by putting them in a baggie or covering them in Saran Wrap. There will be a slight loss of fidelity, but they’ll survive being dropped into water. To avoid moisture build-up, remove them from the plastic after the service.
 
6. Never operate any gear with the ground lug (third pin) cut off. Use a smart ground lifter such as an Ebtech Hum X instead of a ground-lift adapter to stop hum.

7. Have your PA system tested with a meter for proper grounding by a qualified electrician. This will assure your microphones are properly grounded.

We hope these tips help to keep you safe. Please feel free to take our survey on if you’ve ever been shocked while on stage, which thus far has generated some very interesting responses.

Mike Sokol is the chief instructor of the HOW-TO Church Sound Workshops. He has 40 years of experience as a sound engineer, musician and author. Mike works with HOW-TO Sound Workshop Managing Partner Hector La Torre on the national, 36-city, annual HOW-TO Church Sound Workshop tour. Find out more here.