Arc Flash Safety Starts with Electrical Distribution Maintenance

摘要

The electricity that flows through the electrical distribution system of any industrial facility is the lifeblood of the entire operation. Production processes, environmental controls and security, lighting and safety systems all require a clean, reliable, and continuously available flow of power. It is well understood that overcurrent protective devices, such as circuit breakers and fuses, have a critical role in protecting the system, and the connected load equipment, from overload conditions, as well as potentially damaging electrical faults. These devices also play a very important role in reducing the level of arc flash hazard if an arcing fault occurs when someone is working on or near the equipment. The incident energy (or thermal energy) that is released in an arcing fault is extremely dangerous to anyone in close proximity to it, such as an electrical worker who may be working on or near energized equipment.