When performing ArcFlash Hazard Analysis, a safety auditor collects data about the power distribution of a power facility. What data should be collected: A one-line drawing of all components with nameplate specifications of every device Details of the lengths and cross section area of all cables Utility information including the minimum and maximum fault currents that can be expected at the entrance to the facility

With all the new Safety at Work regulations and the recent insistance of insurance companies and standards authorities for PAT Testing procedures to be in place within companies, you have to ask: “Which PAT Tester is the right one?”

When there is a danger of being exposed to an electric arc, personnel are advised to wear arc approved protective clothing. IEC 61482-2 is the overall standard that covers protective clothing against the thermal arc hazards of an electric arc. The IEC 61482-2 standard also covers various aspects of the garment design. This is a requirement for selling garments for arc flash protection within the EU. Garments complying with all of these requirements outlined under IEC 61482-2 should be marked with the IEC 61482-2 symbol as well as the level of protection it meets.

Safety padlocks serve to lockout a specific piece of equipment or machinery, or even an entire area during preventive maintenance or repair. They are an integral part of industrial safety measures and are of equal importance in any environment housing heavy machinery or electrical installations. What To Look For When Choosing A Safety Padlock? Safety padlocks are hard to get past, and prove more effective in restricting access than safety tags and other purely visual indications, which may go unnoticed. Here are some factors that can help with the selection. Durability Durability of safety padlocks needs careful attention. The material … Continue reading →

This is a synopsis of power quality case study regarding the phenomenon of Voltage Sag experienced at a pharma plant. A pharmaceutical company site in Dublin had been experiencing some critical sags at their incoming supply. Read more about the power quality issues faced, and learn what solutions were offered by Powerpoint Engineering Ltd.

What is PAT Testing? Portable appliance testing (commonly known as PAT or PAT Inspection or PAT Testing) is a process by which electrical appliances are routinely checked for safety. Portable Appliance Testing (PAT testing process) begins by simply observing a portable appliance, followed by a formal visual inspection, concluding with a formal inspection by a person deemed competent to perform the testing.

This is a synopsis of a case study that focuses on the role of thermal imaging in the predictive maintenance programs of Electrical Substations. Substations require a predictive approach to maintenance, as failure can be costly in terms of lost production and revenues and unreliable service. Degradation of an electrical component can show up as overheating and abnormally cool operating temperatures, and so require a test solution such thermography.

Substation safety awareness has been gaining prominence, have a read through this in-depth look into several aspects of substation safety, primarily focusing on personal protective equipment (PPE) essentials, risks, danger-tackling tips and training requirements. Personal protective equipment is an integral part of substation safety requirements. It serves to provide adequate protection against hazards of different severity levels that personnel are likely to be exposed during their routine jobs at the substation. It is the responsibility of the employer to accurately assess the various risks in the work environment, determine their severity and accordingly choose PPEs that offer the best protection. … Continue reading →

See how you can use the Fluke 434 Power Quality Analyzer to assess power quality and curb undue operating expenses caused which may be caused by equipment damage/downtime, poor performance/data loss, increased power consumption or numerous other factors. The Fluke 434 can help to detect possible problems which may occur that erode power quality and ultimately find a resolution for them before they prove costly. Continue reading →

In the present day, when energy drives our lives, we need to keep a check on our consumption and control the same. Our customers at Powerpoint Engineering regularly pose questions relating to Energy Metering. In this article, I have put together the following information that I hope will give you a better understanding of Energy Metering and the process of monitoring and tracking energy consumption.

  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations and standards regarding lockout/tagout are aimed at protecting the workplace, staff and machinery from accidents that may occur during maintenance or repairs. Despite elaborate recommendations and audits, fatalities still continue and their severities range from mild shocks and missing fingers to lost lives. While using suitable lockout/tagout devices from specialist dealers such as lockoutsafety.com is a must to ensure adequate safety, it is equally important for the staff and technicians to strictly follow charted lockout processes to prevent any accidental damages. A comprehensive range of lockout devices at lockoutsafety.com can help … Continue reading →

Our customers for Arc Flash PPE regularly ask us questions regarding Arc Flash Rated Underwear and if there is a need for it. We have put together the following information that we hope will help in providing a better understanding of why you should consider Arc Flash Rated Underwear and the benefits it provides to the wearer. The IEC offers comprehensive directions on how to establish an electrically safe work environment, right from identifying and evaluating the risks involved, choosing suitable protective clothing and accessories, taking all precautions and safety measures to protect the workplace and its inhabitants, and imparting … Continue reading →

Calibration has become a neccessity in Ireland in recent years due to health and safety regulations and quality control. It is critical that every company and service supplier under- stands their role in relation to calibration. Calibration has been a daily occur-rence in the manufactur-ing industry for many years as an essential tool for ensuring their methods are held to a high standard and allowing them to obtain high quality certification, i.e. ISO9001 etc.. Due to Health and Safety regulations, the need for calibration with service providers has increased dramatically. The CER has been devoting themselves to raise the standard … Continue reading →

The requirement for PAT Testing is relatively new here in Ireland. Apart from the regulation many insurance companies and standards authorities are insisting on companies developing PAT Testing within their organisation. The risks to employees, employers and businesses are very real – not only from the risk of electrical shock but also the risk of fire caused by faulty appliances. So what exactly does the law say about PAT Testing?

In scientific labs, instruments are calibrated to help maintain their performance and accuracy. Hence, it’s a process that is an integral part of any instrument. The manufacturer has to keep in mind the calibration factor and design the product accordingly. This article gives a basic understanding of the level of importance calibration holds to the manufacturer of the device. Calibration and its Relevance to Manufacturing Calibration is the process of finding the relationship between two unknown readings. Broadly speaking, it is a process of comparison. The readings may be shown by an instrument such as a voltmeter. Every value that … Continue reading →

1. Class Leading Image Quality Fluke puts great emphasis on image quality and performance of the camera. Thanks to the high resolution sensors and 100 % diamond turned germanium lenses the resulting images are simply excellent. The built in regular image camera allows to blend the thermal image with regular depicting surroundings of the measurement area giving clear indication to where the camera is pointing to. 2. Communication Without Boundries Did you ever think that your tools could speak to one another? Now they can! Every Fluke Thermal Imaging Camera has the wireless communication module built in to enable communication … Continue reading →

The importance of effective and total energy isolation cannot be over-emphasised at every possible instance, given the heavy damage accidental re-energisation of equipment under maintenance continues to cause. Be it due to the lack of awareness, the absence of clear-cut processes and guidelines, or poor implementation of Lockout Tagout processes, it has been observed that de-energisation is a key contender for close attention, especially when working with automated and integrated processing systems. Energy Isolation in Complex Systems It is but natural for complex and integrated systems comprising a series of heavy machinery to be powered by multiple energy sources – … Continue reading →

In certain industries, it is vital for employees to wear personal protective equipment for their safety. This includes those working in industries such as oil and gas, Data Centres, the military, electronics, and Large Manufacturing facilities amongst others. Some types of jobs within these and other industries put workers at risk of heat and fire related injuries, which is why the use of PPE is so important. One type of protection that has been used for many years by those working in these industries is FR clothing, which stands for Fire Resistant clothing. This type of clothing is designed to … Continue reading →