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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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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

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...

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 technicians and safety professionals to use in the field. Even though it has an outstanding record since being introduced in the 2000 edition of NFPA 70E, some members of the technical committee have been solidly against it.

One of those committee members stated that if the tables were eliminated, everyone would be forced to have an incident...

Popular Electrical Safety Articles


Safe Electrical Maintenance Checklist

Reduce the risk of arc flash hazards with CSA Z462 BY ROBERT BURGESS, Lineman’s Testing Laboratories Safe electrical maintenance practices and on-going personnel training can minimize the likelihood of electrical injuries and fatalities due to electrical shock, electrocution, arc flash and arc...

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...

Frequently Asked Questions about Arc Flash Relays

Answering frequently asked questions about arc flash relays BY BOB ZWEIFEL, Littelfuse The dangers of an arc flash incident—burns, blast, molten metal ejected at ballistic speeds—are by now familiar to every electrical worker. Most electrical professionals have read about strategies to minimize...

Electrical Safety Lessons Learned

How to reduce electrical-related deaths and injuries to zero BY JENIFER ROBERTSON, Electrical Safety Authority Consider this scenario: An electrician is modifying an electrical circuit in a ceiling space at an educational institute. To perform the task, he de-energizes his specific circuit, but...