Articles by Jason Wijas

A fundamental component of your electrical safety program is the arc flash and electrical shock hazard safety standards. These programs guide workers on what are acceptable job tasks to perform on energized electrical components and the required personal protective equipment (PPE) to wear.

A component of a facilities electrical safety program is the maintenance and care of their electrical equipment and devices. With preventative maintenance and testing there is no “one size fits all” solution.

Thermal imaging, or Infrared (IR) scans, can identify an object’s temperature by detecting infrared signatures of light to measure heat. Traditional methods of monitoring an electrical system cannot immediately detect the impact arcing, imbalanced loads, excessive harmonics, loose terminations, corroded terminations, and failing equipment have on an electrical system.

In 1970, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Act was created for the private and public sector to make workplaces safer by providing training and enforcing standards. These OSHA standards are enforced through inspections and fines, and can be triggered by severe injuries or deaths, referrals, worker complaints, high-hazard industries, or a follow-up from a previous violation.

Be aware. Be prepared. Be proactive. NFPA  2018 updates of the 70E (Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace), have a new philosophy for reducing arc flash risk: prevention. Up until now, the standard has typically focused on managing risk, but an emphasis has now been placed on also outlining proactive strategies to avoid arc flash incidents all together. Today, we’re exploring some of the key changes to the manual to help spread the word.