Intelligent Power Today Magazine

It may seem like all flame-resistant (FR) garments are the same. After all, government regulations demand that every FR fabric protects workers to a certain degree. However, the real issue isn’t protection. The issue is compliance. For your workers to be compliant, protection and comfort must go hand in hand. You may have the highest protection in your FR garments, but if your workers leave them in their truck, they cannot provide the necessary protection.

While most discussions about arc flash involve the calculation methods and associated personal protective equipment (PPE), electricians have a number of ways to protect themselves and their gear, including arc-resistant equipment and remote actuation and racking systems that eliminate—rather than reduce—electrical arc-related dangers while providing quantifiable force and other preventive maintenance data that can help avoid future catastrophes.

Similar to any energy source, an electrical circuit is a ticking bomb. It is simply waiting for the right conditions to blow. A twisted pole, faulty interlock, and enough energy will turn an electrical firecracker into a mortal lightning strike. Moreover, what...