Safety: Having a Blast

Oct. 6, 2014
Any list of arc blast prevention tips is necessarily incomplete.

You probably enjoy your work. Maybe it’s the intellectual challenge or the camaraderie. It may be so much fun that you have a blast every day; just make sure it’s never an arc blast.

Any list of arc blast prevention tips is necessarily incomplete. Even if you had a 100-item checklist, you could eventually run into a situation the list doesn’t cover. Use lists as starting points; don’t let them substitute for analyzing the conditions you’re working in. You may find your situation is a “one-off” with specifics not covered in your procedures or safety training.

Your mentality needs to be one of asking these two questions:

  1. “What are the arc blast hazards this location might present, and how can I eliminate or reduce those hazards?”
  2. “In case my prevention steps fail, how can I protect myself from the energy levels present?”

Always assess the equipment and wiring for possible shock and arc blast hazards. Never assume it’s safe just because it checks out against a standard list.

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