Thursday, October 1, 2009

Shock Resistant: Preventing Arc-Flash Hazards in the Hospital Setting

By David L. Stymiest, P.E., CHFM, FASHE (in Health Facilities Management)

With the 2009 edition release of the National Fire Protection Association's NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, increased attention is being focused on electrical power system safety and the dangers associated with electrical arc flashes. Why is there ever- increasing emphasis on electrical system safety?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH), electrical hazards cause more than 300 deaths and 4,000 injuries in the workplace each year. Some electrical injuries are instantly fatal, while up to 40 percent of electrical injuries are ultimately fatal, according to a paper written by three critical care physicians and referenced in a recent electrical industry magazine article. A research and consulting firm specializing in workplace injuries has compiled often-quoted statistics indicating that five to 10 reported electrical equipment arc-flash explosions occur per day in the United States.

Read entire article here: Shock Resistant