Electricity + Control June 2017

ELECTRICAL PROTECTION + SAFETY

Safe Live Working: Complete Protection Against Arc Faults

Alexis Barwise, DEHN Africa

faced. If arc faults occur, workers are exposed to temperatures of more than 10 000°C and will suffer severe burns – unless protected by arc fault tested personal protective equipment.

Arc faults endanger safety and health According to national regulations (such as the Occupational Health and Safety Act), depending on the expected risks, employers should provide tested personal protective equipment to their employees and should ensure that the personal protective equipment is used properly. Arc faults cause skin burns and injuries Without arc fault protection, standard protective gloves do not prevent injury and burns. While wearing helmets without a face shield can result in serious injuries. However, with arc fault protection such as arc-fault-tested protective gloves, adequate protection is provided. A safety helmet with face shield protects the face and head region of an electrician from injuries and burns. Where safety equipment, lightning protection, earthing and surge protection are concerned − top-quality products are non-negotiable. In addition to technical systems, DEHN’s (referred to in this article as ‘the company’) range of arc-fault-tested personal protective equip- ment, called DEHNcare (brand name for all equipment described in this article), can safeguard workers against the thermal effects of an arc fault. According to national regulations, employers must include arc fault protection in their risk assessment, and should this assessment indicate that there is a risk of an arc fault, suitable personal protective equipment must be provided to employees, ensuring that it is worn at all times. In addition, personal protective equipment must be tested and approved by an accredited certification body as well as meeting international standards. The personal protective equipment includes a safety helmet with a visor made of nanoparticles, protective gloves and a suit or coat made of neoprene and leather, which provides maximum protection and is also comfortable to wear. The combination of neoprene and leather makes the suit naturally fire retardant, implying that there is no chemi- cal treating of the suit. Local company, DEHN Africa, provides high-grade protective cloth- ing that is tested by well renowned and accredited institutes in line with international standards. The company’s personal protective equipment is IEC compliant and also certified as follows: • Jacket, trousers and coat: Institut für Ökologie, Technik und Innova- tion GmbH, independent institute with extensive expertise in textiles.

Electrical installations need to be constantly available, meaning that they are frequently left connected during maintenance work. A t the same time, the service life of these installations is increas- ingly extended. The result of these factors is a higher risk of serious injuries, or even death, as a result of an arc fault acci- dent during live working, highlighting the fact that it is more important than ever before that workers be fully protected during this process. Arc-fault-resistant protective clothing Electrotechnical work is carried out all over the world on a daily basis. The fact that arc faults can be caused by technical defects, malopera- tions, contaminants or foreign objects is a serious risk that must be

Electricity+Control June ‘17

34