Another arc flash in a network system. Hawaiian Electric has two workers injured. Most likely they were in arc rated clothing since “one of the men was initially deemed to be in critical condition but was upgraded to serious condition shortly after his arrival at the hospital.” Following the requirements of the NESC and OSHA [...]

“OSHA said the company failed to label electrical equipment with voltage and other ratings information and failed to provide electrical safety training to employees.”

Hugh Hoagland’s new article on common PPE mistakes covers like melting rainwear that says it is flame resistant when it isn’t, failing to train workers and the issues that come up because of this. When following NFPA 70E companies must think things through to give the best PPE program that keeps workers safe and make [...]

“willful and serious citations after an investigation into a fatal explosion at the company’s Griggs Road facility in Houston. Proposed penalties total $1,477,500.

In July 2009, an employee cleaning a tank was killed in an explosion when an altered piece of equipment ignited flammable vapors inside the tank. The fatality was the third death in less than a year at this employer’s facilities; two hydrogen sulfide exposure-related deaths at a related facility, Port Arthur Chemical & Environmental Services LLC (PACES), occurred in December 2008 and April 2009.”

We hear in training all the time. “My guys are not electricians, we don’t need arc flash training.” We don’t just do “arc flash training”. All training must be electrical safety training with an arc flash component. Most fatalities are from shock. NFPA 70E rules would have eliminated this fatality. He should have been wearing [...]

Was this guy following NFPA 70E rules? Most likely not. Rarely do we see any burns when NFPA 70E is followed. Work in a data center must often be done live. If proper electrical safety rules are followed, most folks walk away with little or no injuries. Eaton has some NFPA 70E trainers and I [...]

ArcWear™ Electric Arc Newsletter Your Source for Electrical Safety News In This Issue Arc Test Dates NEW 70E-2009 Out Burn Up The Myth IEEE Electrical Safety Workshop Layering Data Hard to Come By or Wrong NESC Changes to 2007 Version CSA Z462 Now Available 40 cal/cm² Goggle System NEW CLASS Arc Flash Calculations For Utilities [...]

These firefighters had a real challenge putting out a fire in a 4160V switchgear at the TVA plant last week. Interesting comment on how they put the fire, caused by an arc flash, out. Click here to read the news story. Al Havens at e-Hazard.com teaches classes on electrical safety for first responders.