The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)’s White paper on Protective Devices and Maintenance states that “Industry Standards for an manufacturer’s of LV power circuit breakers recommend a general inspection and lubrication after a specified number of operations or a least once per year” and “most requirements for LV circuit breaks apply to MV breakers as well. Manufacturers recommend that these breakers be removed from service and inspected at least once per year”. Similar to other aging infrastructure systems in the US, very little maintenance and testing is done to electrical systems, with many LV systems never seeing period maintenance at all. This is very alarming when you consider that electrical personnel have been injured by arc flash incidents where arc flash prediction was Category 0 because upstream breakers failed to trip. A poorly maintained electrical system is a serious hazard present to all who work on or around it, and should not be neglected. “Several studies have shown that LV power circuit breakers which are NOT maintained within a 5 year period, have an average of 50% failure rate”, also stated by IEEE.

Need some help backing up your concerns to decision makers within your facility? Consider the following:

•  The 2012 edition of NFPA 70E states “The arc flash hazard analysis shall take into consideration the design of the overcurrent protective device, including its condition of maintenance”. Refers to Section 21.10 of NFPA 70B-2006 for maintenance of protective devices; this section specifies overcurrent time-current testing of the protective devices.

•  NFPA 70E Article 205.3, General Maintenance Requirements, states, “Electrical equipment shall be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions or industry consensus standards to reduce the risk of failure and the subsequent exposure of employees to electrical hazards.”

Several recent studies have determined that failure rates of LV circuit breakers are increasing, after only a few years of use. One recent survey states that 23% of circuit breakers tested had an issue affecting the protective device operations and over 10% did not function at all. We should assume that all older gear that have not been maintained in accordance with NETA MTS or NFPA 70B, will trip per their overcurrent time-current curves. Such a critical assumption would likely not be included as a description on the equipment arc flash warning label. An arc flash calculation based on actuation of a protective device that has never been maintained will not present accurate and correct data in the models or on the labels. The calculated incident energy depends on how long it takes an upstream protective device to sense, respond to, and eventually clear the arcing fault. If the breaker hasn’t been maintained and tested as required, there is no assurance that it will respond in accordance with its published time-current curve.

Before beginning an Arc Flash Study for your facility, determine whether or not your equipment maintenance has been performed at the acceptable level. If not, there is no promise that the circuit breakers will actually respond to their time-current curves or if they are capable of opening properly at all. It’s important to confirm that Arc Flash calculations are performed using correct data, on properly maintained equipment, so that the arc flash ratings are correct. The safety of personnel depends on it.

Click here for more information on inoLECT’s preventative maintenance services, including breaker refurbishing and reconditioning.

The inoRAC2 Portable Remote Racking System adds mobility to your safety racking procedures. It features the same easy setup, step-by-step instructions, and great features and benefits as the original inoRAC, but allows portability like no other competing product. The control panel and touchscreen have been removed from the base unit, and placed in cases for easy relocation. Watch the video to see just how simple this life-saving product is to use.

Arc Flash Remediation is the process of developing a plan to correct deficiencies within your electrical system. We’ll be hosting seminars in the upcoming months, in different areas of our customer base, to touch on the importance of Remediation planning. We’ll discuss solutions for optimum system performance, for whatever plant size, budget and time constraints you may have. Learn more about the steps you can take to move towards a safe and reliable system. Click here to inquire if there’s a seminar happening near you.

inoLECT is an authorized reseller of Siemens MV Vacuum Roll-in Replacement Breakers. Replacing breakers increases the reliability, safety and performance of your site, while reducing operating and maintenance costs. Siemens offers the best Vacuum Circuit Breaker in the industry, and when paired with a Remote Racking unit, can eliminate the risk of Arc Flash hazards. Regardless of the type of current breakers you have onsite, we will assist you in finding the replacement which best meets your needs. Contact us today for details or a price quote. Click here for more information.

Random samples, the null hypothesis and bell curves are but distant concepts learned taking statistics in a college class long ago.  Yet, statistics are used daily, and one cannot escape using or being a part of a statistic.  Without knowing how well you performed [statistically] it is difficult to forecast any future event.  For example, your favorite baseball team has the lead at the bottom of the 9^th inning.  The coach signals the bullpen to send in the “closer.”  Why?   Based on statistics, the closer is proven to be effective in getting the remaining outs to win the game. 

So what do statistics and baseball have to do with inoLECT?

Many of our readers are customers of inoLECT and take advantage of the many products and services we provide, including the inoRAC Remote Racking device.  Numerous customers have seen an inoRAC demonstration and agree it is a well-engineered product beneficial in removing personnel from hazards and protecting equipment.  Yet, many have not purchased the inoRAC, or any other device, as they do not see any issue for their particular plant.  “We’ve been doing it like this for 20 years without any incident” or “we never perform work, unless we have a dead bus” are some of the statements commonly heard when considering safety equipment in a plant.  Perhaps statistics do not concern them?  Perhaps they think electrical safety is just nonsense born from safety directors with nothing better to do?  Perhaps they believe they are in no danger of being the next plot on a bell curve? 

Consider this: The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that electrocution is the fifth leading cause of work place fatalities in the US.  Electrical Safety Foundation International reports that every 30 minutes during the work day, a worker suffers an electrically induced injury that requires time off the job for recovery.  Over the last ten years, more than 45,000 workers have been injured from on-the-job electrical hazards.  OSHA reports that 80% of electrically related accidents and fatalities involving “Qualified Workers” are caused by arc flash / arc blast.  Between 2007 and 2011, more than 2,880 fines were assessed for not meeting OSHA regulation 1910.132(d) which averages out to 1.5 fines a day.  97% of electricians have been shocked or injured on the job. These are merely just statistics. They really don’t matter, do they?

Consider the facts:

• Arc Flash is the sudden release of electrical energy through the air following a phase-to-phase or phase-to-ground fault.  The resulting force produced is known as the Arc Blast.
• The core of the arc flash can reach temperatures of 35,000℉ (19427℃) in less than 1/1000th of a second, which is four times the temperature of the sun’s surface.
• The intense heat turns copper instantly into a plasma state making it expand 67,000 times its solid-state size.
• The quick expansion of copper causes a pressure wave measured at thousands of pounds, which propels shrapnel, nuts, bolts and debris at speeds up to 700 miles per hour.
• The light flash produced is intense enough to damage human sight.
• The sound wave can exceed 165 dB causing permanent hearing damage.

 The paradigm of yesterday is truth today and the dangers of arc flash are violent and real.  It is imperative that each facility review and regard steps to prevent electrical hazards as a serious matter when presented with statistical data. There are many factors when considering adding safety equipment, such as the inoRAC Remote Racking device. However, the absence of a decision is a decision that is costly.  Statistics and facts are two issues that cannot be eluded. 

It’s the bottom of the 9^th inning.  Are you ready to send in the closer?  Statistically, the inoRAC will help get the win.

We’re excited to be participating in this year’s VPPPA Safety and Health Conference in Nashville, TN. The 29th Annual show will take place on August 26th – 29th, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in the heart of Nashville. Come by and check out booth #1007 in the exhibit hall. We’ll have product demonstrations, prizes and give-aways.

The four-day conference offers attendees countless opportunities to network, learn and advance as leaders in occupational safety and health. Features include: two full days of workshops addressing current safety, health and environmental issues; inspiring keynote and general session speakers; the VPPPA Expo 2013 with vendors showcasing their cutting-edge products and services; and evening receptions and other social activities that provide the perfect setting for attendees to network and exchange best practices.

VPPPA conference participants represent a wide range of individuals involved in safety and health. Safety and health managers, employee safety team members, industrial hygienists, union representatives, consultants, environmental health specialists, human resource managers and government agency representatives from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Department of Energy (DOE) all come together for networking and education. Click here for for registration info.

We all know that every plant requires preventative maintenance to stay healthy and productive, but how often do you test and clean your overcurrent protective devices? Outdated and neglected overcurrent devices can adversely affect results of an arc flash study.  Electrical equipment that is “out of sight, out of mind” is often unattended for long periods, which could result in catastrophic failures. Preventative maintenance is important to maintain a healthy and productive plant and is critical in the protection of personnel and equipment.

Consider this; the IEEE paper Protective Devices Maintenance as it Applies to the Arc Flash Hazard states “several studies have shown that low-voltage power circuit breakers which are not maintained within a 5 year period, have an average of 50% failure rate.”  The same document goes on to state “industry standards for, as well as manufacturers of, low-voltage power circuits recommend a general inspection and lubrication after a specified number of operations or at least once per year, whichever comes first.”

Section 130.5 of the 2012 edition of  NFPA 70E Handbook for Electrical Safety in the Workplace states “the arc flash hazard analysis must also take in to consideration the design of the overcurrent protective device and its opening time, including its condition of maintenance.”

inoLECT’s Field Service Engineers and Technicians are trained and ready to ensure your protective devices operate correctly.  Call us today to schedule your over-current protective device maintenance.

We’re exhibiting at the Saudi Aramco Global Reliability Forum today and tomorrow, at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Houston, TX. If you’re in the area, stop by booth #129 for prizes, give-aways and to see our new Remote Racking product, the inoRAC2. This product is the latest in the inoRAC family of Remote Racking solutions. It’s boasts a high-definition color touchscreen, with easy to follow directions for operation, as well as position indicators for efficient racking. Read more about it here.