The nature of temporary construction and maintenance jobs is inherently dangerous, especially for turnarounds and outages. With a huge influx of workers who are working on tight timeframes, often outdoors or stationed in outdoor tents, facilities need to quickly provide temporary power and lighting for efficient worksite operations, all while maintaining worker safety and protections.
According to Electrical Safety Foundation International, in 2016 there were 154 electrical fatalities and 420 electrical injuries in the construction industry. With careful planning and use of the right safety products, you can safeguard these workers against electrical shock and other hazards. Here are three key areas of electrical safety focus when selecting and specifying temporary power and lighting equipment.
1.Wet location protection: A wet location is classified as anywhere outdoors, indoors or underground that is subject to direct moisture by exposure or hose-down cleaning. Keeping moisture out of enclosures and connections is key to preventing electrical shock hazards to your work crew. And if water or moisture does penetrate equipment, creating a short circuit, a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) will disconnect and break the circuit, protecting the worker.
Standards on water intrusion resistance for electrical enclosures have been developed by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). For instance, the NEMA 3R standard speaks to equipment that protects against water intrusion and has covers over any connection locations, while the NEMA 6P standard goes a step further in that the connection can be submerged in water for a period and still operate safely. Be sure to ask the manufacturer which of its equipment is NEMA 3R and 6P rated and use the one appropriate for your application.
Since the introduction of the GFCIs in the 1970s, thousands of lives have been saved. An external inline industrial GFCI added upstream on any extension cords and power tools or lighting will quickly add this capability at low cost.
2.Confined-space protection: A confined space (nonpermit) location is an area not designed for continuous occupancy and has limited access to the entry or exit. Typical examples are tanks, vessels and manholes.
Two main safety concerns arise. First, these areas are typically unilluminated spaces by default, so temporary lighting must be brought in. With advances in LED lighting technology, the devices have become brighter and longer lasting, increasing worker efficiency. The second issue revolves around power for the lighting and making sure the tank or vessel, if metallic, isn't accidentally energized through an equipment failure or water intrusion. Here, GFCI protection can again be used for a quick solution. Alternatively, some facilities prefer using 12-volt lighting systems, as 12 volts is far below the voltage threshold that can harm workers.
3.Hazardous location protection: The National Electric Code (NEC) classifies hazardous locations in three ways: by type, condition and nature. Class I is the most common type found in refineries and pertains to gases, vapors and liquid hazards. The condition identifies whether the exposure is normally present (Division 1) or not normally present but may accidentally exist (Division 2). The nature represents the ignition temperature of the substance, the explosion pressure and other flammable characteristics.
For these areas, look for specially designed equipment with a construction that can withstand the internal strain of an explosion, control the escape path for exploding gases, and cool any gases and extinguish flames.
Taking the next step
First, start with an audit of your equipment on-site and look for the areas that may need additional protection. Then, involve key departments at the facility in this assessment, such as maintenance, electrical, safety and purchasing departments. Finally, prepare a list of needed equipment and obtain the equipment before the turnaround or maintenance project, so that everything is in place and ready for when the workers arrive.
Ericson has provided safe temporary lighting and portable power distribution equipment for over 100 years -- Safety is Our Standard.
For more information, visit www. Ericson.com or call (800) ERICSON [374-2766].
