Arc Flash & Electrical Safety: Teaching An Old Dog New Tricks

Friday, May 16, 2008

Teaching An Old Dog New Tricks

In today's issue of Plant Engineering Live Michael Stuart of Fluke Thermal Imaging talks about using themal imaging to both detect hazards and pinpoint problems. The article is called Teaching An Old Dog New (Electrical) Tricks - Too many people have been injured by attempting to measure voltage on a circuit they thought was dead. Using thermal imaging avoids this deadly contact.

The article points out the capabilities of thermal imaging and suggests appropriate applications:

"When choosing between an infrared thermometer and a thermal imager, the choice is situational. Most technicians now carry a small infrared thermometer in their pocket for on-the-go checks. However, the infrared thermometer gives you only a 'spot' temperature reading. If you know what you’re looking for, infrared may be enough. But if you’re hunting an elusive problem, a full thermal map of the entire unit is more effective."

He provides a list of common components that are typically inspected using thermal imagers and also gives a list of typical reasons for temperature hotspots or deviations. Both of these can serve as useful memory jogger checklists.

Labels: Safety Inspections