Even though I’ve been an electrician for many years, it wasn’t until recently that I started thinking about whether or not electricians can wear rings. This thought was prompted by the fact that several co-workers are getting married, leading to conversations regarding whether electricians can wear a wedding band at work? This article is my look into that question and if there are safer alternative rings for electricians to wear at work?
From my research, I’ve learned it is an unsafe practice for electricians to wear most rings because they can get caught easily and also conduct electricity. However, there are now more non-metal rings available on the market, which are considered safer since they don’t conduct electricity.
If you’re interested in learning more about whether or not electricians can wear rings at work, keep reading. This article tells you everything I’ve learned from my look into the topic.
Can Electricians Wear Rings?
My first port of call was the HSE website but their website doesn’t specifically mention the wearing of rings on construction sites. This puts the emphasis back onto us as the electrician to make a risk assessment about the jewellery we choose to wear and the personal protective equipment we select.
In my experience, most risk assessments for electricians make clear that gloves must be worn at all times whilst working. The wearing of gloves may be considered to take away some of the dangers associated with wearing rings.
The work we do in a typical day, and the ring material may play a part in whether or not we should wear a ring whilst at work.
I conducted a quick poll of electricians I know asking them if they wear their rings at work and these were the results
Poll Asking Electricians, Do you wear your ring at work?
| Answer | Number of electricians |
|---|---|
| Yes | 4 |
| No | 14 |
We can see from the poll that 78% of electricians questioned said they do not wear a ring whilst at work. The main reasons they gave for not wearing one was a risk of electrocution and the risk of getting their finger caught.
The Dangers of Electricians Wearing Rings at Work
Historically, electricians were not supposed to wear rings. That’s because most rings, especially wedding rings, are usually made from some sort of metal such as gold, silver or platinum. These metals conduct electricity easily, which makes metal rings a serious safety hazard when working with electricity.
Electricians are not the only tradesmen who are safer not wearing rings. Plumbers, handymen, and welders are also not supposed to wear rings since as well as electrocution risk there is also the danger that a ring can easily get caught.
As an electrician, it’s less likely that your hand will get caught than some of the other trades, but it is a real possibility. Many of us have been shown the video of a man who had his finger ‘degloved‘ when his ring got caught on a construction site.
With these facts in mind, wearing a ring on the job can be dangerous. It seems like wearing tons of rings, especially rings that are conductive due to their selected material, is probably a bad idea as the thought of a finger degloving sends a shiver down my spine!
Can Electricians Wear Wedding Rings?
What about wedding rings and other rings that have deep symbolic meanings and attachments? What if our significant other wants us to wear our ring at all times?
I have known some electricians to wear their traditional wedding bands whilst at work. However, now I stop and think it seems like they are taking a pretty big risk that is hard to justify.
If we can find rings that do not have any conductive metal, then we are reducing some of that risk. However, wearing as few rings as possible is definitely a good idea as even nonmetal rings pose the threat of getting caught on something.
What Rings Are Not Safe For Electricians to Wear at Work?
As electricians, we should never wear a ring that conducts electricity. This includes traditional wedding bands, but many nonmetal rings actually have a metal inner portion that you can’t see. This can make it difficult to know which rings are safe to wear as an electrician.
As a rule of thumb: no ring with conductive materials is safe for electricians, even though I’ve worked with many sparkys who choose to ignore this advice having the opinion that if the ring got electrocuted your finger would of anyway.
What Rings Can Electricians Wear?
If we can’t wear conductive metal rings, do electricians have any options? Absolutely. As of late, there are tons of non-conductive rings that are a bit safer to wear on the job. We want to specifically look for rings that are made from a non-conductive material.
One of the most popular options is silicone rings. Silicone rings don’t look as fancy as metal rings, but they are a great option for electricians. Silicone is a type of rubber, which is non-conductive. It is also stretchy and will fit your hand perfectly reducing some of the risks of the ring getting caught and suffering a nasty injury
Perhaps better yet, silicone rings are notably less expensive than traditional rings so it is a good excuse to save some money during the wedding spending!
If you are a fan of a classier appearance but still want to wear your ring at work, consider wooden rings.
Wooden material is safe, but the ring will look a little bit classier. If you select a wooden ring, be thorough in reading all of the materials used. Some wooden rings still have a metal centre, but you can find safer options.
Don’t Wear Too Many Rings
Even if all of your rings are made from a non-conductive material, don’t wear too many rings at once while at work. Wearing multiple rings can get in your way and cause your finger or hand to get stuck.
Instead, if we really want to wear a ring (and our risk assessment can justify it) only wear one or two special rings that are made from a non-conductive material.
Where Can I Find Rings Safe For Electricians?
Whether you are looking for a work-safe wedding band or just want a new ring that you can wear on the job, knowing where to look can be tricky. Walking into any jeweller is not a good way to find non-conductive rings that you can wear while at work.
Luckily, there are tons of electrician-safe rings that you can find online. You can find silicone rings practically everywhere. I’ve linked to one here on Amazon to get an idea of style and price, but you can also look on speciality websites, such as Groove Life or Enso Rings.
If you want a specially made silicone ring, you can even look on sites like Etsy to have the ring specially made for you.
Looking for wooden rings is a bit more difficult. We recommend shopping with sites like Etsy where you can talk to the creator of the ring directly. Etsy has a pretty good customer service reputation, which means the ring makers will be open and upfront about all of the materials used.
Final Thoughts
To sum up my research into the topic, electricians can wear rings on the job, but they must do so strategically and at risk of injury to themselves.
We can lessen the risk by only wearing one or two rings of heartfelt importance. Additionally, paying close attention to the material used. By only selecting nonconductive rings, such as silicone rings and wooden rings we are lessening the electrocution risk.
However, even these rings made of non-traditional materials carry a significant risk of getting caught. It is for this reason that my own opinion is to not wear any rings whilst at work. Of course, if I one day got married and my partner had a forceful point of view on the subject I may have to reconsider…
If the ring was a present idea and you’ve now decided against it. This article containing 15 electrician gift ideas will come to the rescue
