Intelligent Power Today Magazine

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...

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 arc flash hazards, including arc flash relays. Now many of them are seriously considering integrating arc flash relays, but they have many questions about how to install this unfamiliar technology and exactly what the benefits will be.

Electrical Source Magazine and Littelfuse, based on the company’s frequently asked questions, offer some insight on how to apply these valued...