Over half of all electric arcs occur at 277 volts. There are a few reasons for this. One reason is 277 vac is a single phase circuit of a three phase 480 vac circuit. This circuit typically provides considerable fault current, in amps. A second reason is due to the...
During a recent presentation on flammable and combustible liquids, I was asked about grounding and bonding requirements while dispensing flammable liquids with a flashpoint of 99 degrees Fahrenheit and below. Stewart R. Browne Manufacturing (770.993.9600) has an...
It's been my experience that some of the most significant electric arcs occur during the racking of draw out circuit breakers; I have written on the potential hazards while performing this work task. See the picture below of the inside of a typical rackable circuit...
I have 12 students registered for the NFPA 70E course scheduled for May 10th. I have additional seats available. Please let me know if you're interested: Click here for more information. Jon
Details are still emerging regarding yesterday's (April 17, 2018) explosion at a fertilizer facility. Fertilizer (ammonium nitrate) is highly explosive. click here for more details. In addition, a fire occurred with my previous employer, ExxonMobil at their Beaumont,...
During my NFPA 70E seminars and while working with clients, a constant concern I hear is unqualified workers entering both the arc flash and approach (shock) boundaries. Production supervisors; other employees; and in academia, students, are notorious for entering the...
Many severe electric arc incidents occur while qualified employees are racking electrical circuit breakers. Click here to read my article on the potential hazard while racking circuit breakers. Whenever feasible, it is always a best practice to remotely rack...
A common complaint I receive concerning arc-rated faceshields is the dark tint. Qualified employees complain this reduces their visibility while performing work on energized electrical conductors. BSD has recently manufactured a clear faceshield. According to Thomas...
As a result of the recently revised OSHA Hazard Communication standard, 1910.106 was revised on March 26, 2012. Previously, 1910.106 used the term combustible liquid and flammable liquid. However, the revised standard only uses the term flammable liquid. Flammable...
The August 6, 2012 fire at Chevron's Richmond, California refinery is likely to result in increased OSHA enforcement of their process safety management (PSM) standard. Although OSHA has no enforcement authority in Venezuela, the August 25, 2012 Venezuela Amuay...