Electrical and Arc Flash Safety » Public Electrical Safety

ME Allows Two Apprentices per Licensed Electrician

Hugh Hoagland — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:50:25 +0000

A bill allowing licensed electricians to supervise two apprentices at a time instead of just one was signed into law by Maine Governor Paul LePage on 4-19-12. In addition, the law also removed the fee required for students to get a helper’s license when enrolled in high school or college electrical programs. The intent is to attract more young people from Maine to enter electrical careers. So the economy isn’t as bad if you are an electrician?? That’s right. With automation, we are really seeing growth in trained skills. If you can push a button or carry loads, you might not have a job, but if you can fix a robot, you are in HIGH demand.

Click here to read the article dated 4/22/12.

MI Legislation Introduced to Revise Electrical Inspections

Hugh Hoagland — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:45:30 +0000

House Bill 456 circulating in MI Legislature would revise electrical and building code updates from 3 years to 6 years. The electrical codes however change every three years. This will leave MI legally behind on the electrical codes.

Click here to read the article and view the video dated 4/26/12.

“How Do You Know” Workplace Safety Program Available from ESFI

Hugh Hoagland — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:44:10 +0000

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) just launched its free “How Do You Know” electrical safety awareness program to assist in answering if your workplace is properly protected from electrical hazards. Included is a self-assessment tool and video series.

Click here to read the ESFI article dated 4/16/12.

Maintenance Worker Electrocuted in Jakarta

Hugh Hoagland — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:42:02 +0000

An employee from the South Jakarta Sanitation Agency was electrocuted when he touched the railing of a pedestrian bridge. He had been taking a break from cleaning ditches and was lying on his back on the bridge; a frayed power cable from a nearby utilty pole adhered to the bridge, transmitting the current to the man’s hand when he touched the railing. Electrical systems built according to codes and properly maintained do not cause these types of incidents. There are many standards in IEC on proper power line design. In the US the proper standard is NESC. Maintenance is critical for public safety.

Click here to read the article dated 4/11/12.

Explosion in Congo Killing 200+ Linked to Faulty Wiring

Hugh Hoagland — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:10:41 +0000

A munitions depot in the Congo exploded on Sunday morning, killing over 200 and injuring an estimated 1500. An electrical short circuit / faulty wiring has been listed as the cause of the explosion. The blasts scattered ammunition across the city of Brazzaville, and they were continuing to explode, causing more fatalities.

Click here to follow the story dated 3/6/12.

Click here for photos of devastated area.

Warning: Counterfeit UL Mark on Electrical Outlet Boxes

Hugh Hoagland — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:09:27 +0000

Outlet boxes with the product name listed below have not been UL tested for safety, and subsequently it is not known if they comply with UL’s safety requirements. UL is notifying electricians that these boxes bear a counterfiet UL Mark.

Click here to read this Public Notice dated 2/28/12.

Name of Product:	Metallic Outlet Box Cat. Nos. 52151-3/4VT,
	72171-3/4VT and TB-135GGarvin Industries52151-3/4-VT or72171-3/4-VT orTB-135G

Electrocution in Cornfield due to Irrigation System

Hugh Hoagland — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 18:15:39 +0000

No charges filed following electrocution of several youth working in Illinois cornfield when lightning struck the fields’ irrigation system while they were removing tassels from the corn.

Stories on this incident indicate the irrigation system may not have been properly grounded and/or bonded resulting in several youths being injured and two fatally. OSHA and the NEC requires proper wiring be installed and maintained in any worksite. Though wiring is not the primary field of a farmer. Installations must be maintained in a safe operating condition and adequate training should be provided even to temporary workers.

Click here to read more about electrical shock fatalities to young farm workers.

Teen Electrocuted on High Voltage Tower

Hugh Hoagland — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 18:11:51 +0000

So much energy was pulsing through the transmission lines of the electric tower that Blake Hubbard climbed that the teen may not have touched anything before he was shocked and fell. A report submitted Monday by Duke Energy officials to the state utility commission indicated Blake, 14, could have been shocked because he might have touched a transmission line or because he had climbed too close to the high-voltage equipment, a Duke Energy spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Con Edison Video Documentary on FR Clothing: The Importance of Wearing It

Hugh Hoagland — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:50:04 +0000

ConEdison tested FR clothing in real-life utility situations inside manholes, transformer vaults, and bucket trucks. The testing gives individuals the opportunity to view the results of various clothing options.

Click here to view the 5 minute video of testing results.

Battle between electrical safety inspections and regulatory burden

Hugh Hoagland — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:38:20 +0000

Safety inspections following electrical work on Iowa farms is expected to result in a legal battle as being an unnecessary regulatory burden. Families of farm workers killed in IL on a farm while detasseling corn and coming into contact with an improperly grounded irrigation pump might disagree.

Click here to read more about farm safety rule as being burdensome.

See fatal electrocution of two youths due to improperly installed or maintained electrical equipment on a farm.