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Introducing Intelligent Power Today

Welcome to Intelligent Power Today Magazine, our publication that explores and explains the who, what, where, when, why and how of intelligent electrical devices, a collection of complex mechanical devices and sophisticated control systems used in industrial, commercial, and institutional facilities—also known as intelligent buildings.

According to the Institute for Building Efficiency, intelligent buildings use smart technologies to improve system functionality, control operating costs, and to keep building occupants safe, secure, comfortable, and, of...

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News & Trends

2024 CE Code Training - Better Understanding of the Rules

CE Code training is intended to do a lot more than instruct about what changes have taken place since the last time Canada issued a national electrical code. We are producing a series of courses across Canada by one of Canada’s leading experts on the 2024 Edition of Canada’s Electrical...

Counterfeiting Kills

Each year, the counterfeiting of well-known brands and products continues to rise, creating an even more threatening problem. Such well-known counterfeited brands, including consumer safety and critical electrical products, are estimated to be five to seven percent of world trade. The International...

Electrical Safety

Infrared and Electrical Safety

Infrared and electrical safety: meeting safety requirements using IR windows and thermal imaging

BY COLIN PLASTOW, FLUKE Electronics

By installing IR (infrared) windows, panes or ports, technicians using thermal imagers can inspect live electrical equipment without removing protective covers. Unlike a port or pane, the additional protection afforded by infrared (IR) windows comes from their crystal optic construction, which is designed to better protect technicians under fault conditions resulting from unexpected component failures or work on other parts of the system. This substantially reduces hazard ratings and, in most cases, allows the thermographer to work more safely, minimizing the need...

CSA Z462 and CSA Z463: A Powerful Combination

I recently viewed a destroyed 600-volt electrical panel board that had exploded when an operator reset an 800-ampere (A) breaker. His leather-palmed gloves had synthetic backs that ignited and seriously burned the back of his hands. His flame-resistant (FR) shirt was untucked and he was burned on his right side.

It is unfortunate that he was not following Canadian Standards Association’s CSA Z462 standard: “Workplace Electrical Safety” clause 4.3.7.3.10 (d). It is incredibly fortunate that his employer provided arc-rated clothing, as only a few years ago, he would have been wearing cotton coveralls.

Consequently, this incident would have resulted...

Popular Electrical Safety Articles

Absence of Voltage Testing – An Update on Accepted Approaches

Absence of voltage testing is a vital step in the process of verifying and establishing a de-energized state of any electrical system. As detailed in NFPA 70E clause 4.2.5., there is a specific and approved approach to establishing an electrical safe work condition with the following...

The Guide to Arc Flash Clothing

A new method to choosing personal protective equipment BY JIM WHITE, Shermco Industries, Inc. Table 130.7(C)(15)(a) in the 2012 edition of NFPA 70E: “Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace”, published by the National Fire Protection Association, has always been difficult for...

Arc Flash Mitigation 101

While the threat of shock and electrocution from inadvertent contact with energized parts has long been recognized, the arc flash and arc blast hazards have only fairly recently been incorporated into the electrical safety standards. The U.S. federal agency the Occupational Safety and Health...

Calculating Incident Energy

Over the last few decades, arc-fl ash hazards have been a significant concern for many electrical workers and employers. Many methods have been developed through the years to assess incident energy.The most common is that of the IEEE 1584, Guide for Performing Arc-Flash Hazard Calculations. These...