What type of electrical hazards do bonding and grounding practices help mitigate?

Bonding and grounding practices are fundamental safety measures in electrical installations, specifically designed to reduce the risk of electrical shock hazards. Grounding involves connecting the electrical system to the earth to ensure that any stray voltage or fault current can safely dissipate into the ground. This provides a low-resistance path for electricity to follow in the event of a fault, significantly reducing the chance of a person becoming an unintended path for electrical current, which could lead to severe injury or fatality.

Additionally, bonding connects different conductive parts together, ensuring they are at the same electrical potential. This prevents voltage differences that could cause shocks if someone were to touch two different conductive parts at the same time. Together, these practices enhance personal safety and protect individuals from experiencing dangerous electric shocks, which are a crucial aspect of working with electrical distribution systems.

Other options, such as overheating of equipment, power surges, and short circuits, do involve electrical safety, but they are mitigated by different methods such as circuit protection devices, thermal management systems, and surge protectors, rather than specifically through bonding and grounding.