Monthly Archives: March 2012

India reporting large amount of deaths due to Electrical Mishaps

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The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is losing far too many personnel to electrical mishaps on the job. Between June 2011 and February 2012 -24 staffers and contract workers of the KSEB have died in electrical mishaps, according to statistics tabled in the Assembly.

Eleven contractor’s workmen, four electricity workers, six linemen, one overseer, one sub-engineer and one assistant engineer lost their lives during this short period.

The Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed admitted that the number of deaths had been increasing during the past two years.

On the ‘Equipment Side,’ the report recommended phased replacement of old and obsolete equipment, periodical maintenance, modification of fire fighting facilities and safety training for all workers. More recommendations were made and have yet to be implemented.

 

Agro Farma Inc. fined $178,000

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In Syracuse, New York, The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Agro Farma Inc. for 34 alleged violations of workplace safety and health standards at its New Berlin facility. The company which manufactures Chobani Greek Yogurt faces $178,000 in proposed fines after a complaint was filed with OSHA.

“Our inspections identified a wide range of mechanical, chemical, electrical and health hazards that, left uncorrected, expose the plant’s employees to being caught in moving machine parts or unexpectedly energized machinery, electrocution, falls, being overcome in toxic or oxygen-deficient atmospheres, and hearing loss,” said Christopher Adams, OSHA’s area director in Syracuse.

The citations can be viewed at http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/AgroFarma_315849406.pdf * and http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/AgroFarma_315849067.pdf *

According to OHSA there were a number of issues such as; electrical hazards, lack of training for the employees regarding electrical safety practices,  and a lack of personal protective equipment for workers who work on live electrical equipment; just to name a few, which resulted in the issue of a total of 33 serious citations with $177,000 in proposed fines. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

Now that you have our flame resistant clothing; how do you clean it while maintaing its integrity?

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Here are some guidelines:

Home Wash

  • Wash separately in a Normal or Cotton cycle at any water temperature up to a maximum of 140ºF (60ºC). Use any typical home laundry detergent. Do not use tallow soap containing animal fats).

Turn garments inside out before wash to reduce streaking from abrasion. Fill the washer no more than 2/3 full and use high water level.

DO NOT use chlorine bleach or liquid nonchlorine bleach.

Do not use starch or fabric softeners as they may coat fibers and mask FR performance and/or serve as fuel in the event of garment ignition.

  • The use of conditioned or soft water can help improve removal of contaminants from garments. Hard water precipitates soaps and can result in the build-up of calcium and magnesium salts. These can serve as fuel in the event they are exposed to a source of ignition.
  • It is important that all soils and other contaminants are completely removed from garments during the wash process. This may require the use of stain removal products, such as Shout®, Spray ‘n Wash®, or Zout®; or presoaking garments prior to washing. The use of hot water can often make detergents more effective in the removal of soils. If all contaminants cannot be removed in home care, garments should be dry cleaned.
  • Do not over dry garments. If desired, you may press with an iron on the Permanent Press/Low setting.
  • Always consult the garment manufacturer for detailed instructions and precautions.

Dry Clean

  • Either perchloroethylene or petroleum solvent may be used.

Stain Removal

  • If garments become contaminated with flammable substances, they should be removed immediately and replaced with clean flame resistant apparel. Either home or industrial laundering may successfully remove most types of both flammable and non flammable soils. However, home laundry detergents may not successfully remove some types of soil found in industry, especially heavy greases and oily soils. If flammable soils are not completely removed, the flame resistance of the garment may be compromised.
  • It may be difficult to determine that flammable soils have been completely removed, but indicators would include the presence of stains and/or odors after laundering. However staining alone is not an indication that the soil has not been adequately removed. If it appears that the garments may still be contaminated after home wash, laundering at a local commercial or industrial laundry may be required. Dry cleaning may be used to remove oils and greases.
  • Flammable materials are for the most part volatile substances that dissipate into the atmosphere, for example, gasoline. Stains remaining after laundering on the other hand are either un-removed contaminants or, more likely, simply discoloration of the fabric.
  • Always consult the garment manufacturer for detailed instructions and precautions.

Electrical Explosion Burns Linesman

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During demolition at a soccer club changing room, a cable was inadvertently struck. A crew had been called in to handle the situation; but a linesman for the crew was burnt when witnesses said there was a big electrical “flash”. Emergency services were called and the linesman was taken to a hospital and was reported to be in “moderate” condition.

It is reported that this incident is being investigated by the Wellington Electricity and the Labour Department.

SANS 724 and SANS 984: Towards better arc flash protection

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One of the most dangerous accidents in the electrical power industry is that of an arc flash occurance. An arc flash is caused by the failure of electrical insulation or electrical equipment, the result is a massive electrical flashover  similar to a lightning strike. An arc flash can generate a temperature exceeding 3000 degrees and a shockwave that can throw a nearby worker several feet through the air.

Anyone standing in the arc flash boundary can receive catastrophic burns, and can be fatally burned within 10 feet of the flash site.  The intensity of the heat will burn or melt most non arc-rated protective clothing and helmets.

However, workers can survive these terrible incidents practically unscathed if they are wearing the correct personal protective clothing and equipment. Currently, South Africa averages at least one arc flash incident per month, with at least one fatality every two months.

 Hence the publication of SANS 724, (SANS 724: Standards South Africa is publishing the first standard which is dedicated to electrical arc flash safety and will soon follow with standards which aim to reduce the number of arc flash incidents and the effects of such incidents in the workplace.  This article introduces the soon to be published SANS 724 “Personal Protective Equipment: Protective clothing against the thermal hazards of an electric arc” and conclude with further developments in the field of electrical arc flash.)

Another standard that goes with SANS 724 is SANS 984, IEEE Guide for performing arc-flash hazard calculations. This standard, which has already been published, provides techniques for workers and facility operators to apply in determining the arc-flash hazard distance, and the energy to which employees could be exposed during their work on or near electrical equipment. Thus enabling them to choose the correct PPE clothing & tools for protection on each job site.

When an arc flash hazard exists, the employer needs to take action. This action is falls under 3 catagories:

  • Safe working procedures (i.e. lockout, testing, demarcation, use of correct tools etc.)
  • Providing the proper personal protective equipment and clothing
  • Engineering interventions (e.g. internally arc rated electrical apparatus, reduce tripping times, remote operating of breakers