As designers, we don't expect to come into close contact with electrical hazards on a regular basis, and in fact, our day-to-day work rarely requires it. But how many of us have stood looking over the shoulder of a technician troubleshooting a control problem in a motor control center "bucket" or opened a switchgear access panel to verify a cable size? These types of activities, as well as simply being present on job sites where electrical hazards may exist, dictate that we have basic safety training that permits us to recognize and avoid hazardous situations. This column will not to try to provide that training, but to make the case for it by describing some of the hazards and associated regulations that you should be aware of. We'll start this month by discussing "plain old" electrocution, and in the next column I'll address the newer (from a regulatory standpoint) issue of arc flash hazards.
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