Major Advantage to Following Arc Flash Reduction Recommendations
by Jeff Kershner | January 12, 2023 | Case Studies, Featured articles, Safety Tips | 0 Comments
An arc flash evaluation that Rozel performed identified a high arc flash hazard. After analysis, we were able to recommend a simple setting change which ultimately saved the day and likely prevented a great amount of damage. You can see in the one line drawing below...
Just de-energizing can get you hurt
by Brian Hall | November 9, 2022 | Safety Tips, Uncategorized | 1 Comment
Tragic Event That Could Have Been Avoided U.S. Department of Labor investigators determined the 33-year-old employee of an Alabama Cabinet company was electrocuted when he came into contact with a 277-volt circuit while replacing a light fixture in a paint boot in...
Does my arc flash clothing still protect me if it gets wet?
by Brian Hall | June 9, 2022 | Safety Tips | 2 Comments
If there is an arc flash will the moisture in the clothing turn into steam and burn you? Typically arc flash clothing becomes wet or damp due to perspiration or working outdoors in the weather. In one case the clothing becomes damp and in the other, the clothing could...
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by Aarish Hameed | March 31, 2022 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments
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Why Perform an Arc Flash Evaluation?
by Jeff Kershner | March 29, 2022 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments
Consider this comparison: Seatbelts used to be optional but are now enforced and regular practice; calculating arc flash values were once impossible but are now saving lives. Once standardized arc flash calculations were put into place in 2002 (IEEE 1584) the...
Oil Testing Can Cause Transformer Failures
by Brian Hall | March 21, 2022 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
Power distribution and other types of transformers can have their internal windings and core submersed in oil. The oil is passed through a radiator mounted to the outside of the transformer ultimately cooling the windings. The oil is also used to insulate the core and...
Category Method vs Incident Energy Calculations
by Jeff Kershner | December 23, 2021 | Case Studies, Safety Tips | 0 Comments
There's a disconnect, or rather an improper connection that workers make between categories and values calculated when using the incident energy method. A worker should not correlate categories with incident energy. A real simple example can be made from comparing an...
How To Read An Arc Flash Label
by Brian Hall | December 10, 2021 | Safety Tips | 1 Comment
Arc Flash/shock hazard warning labels are specifically designed to help protect qualified workers who have to examine, adjust, service, or maintain electrical equipment while energized. It is important to understand the information given on the label to protect...
How many labels should go on my equipment?
by Jeff Kershner | October 22, 2021 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments
We have discussed where labels should be placed (see this link). Now its time to discuss our methodology behind applying appropriate labels as a result of calculations and best practices. Typically a main breaker in a piece of equipment will lower the arc flash...
Understanding OSHA Deenergizing Rules
by Brian Hall | September 29, 2021 | Safety Tips | 3 Comments
Fatalities that are Easily Preventable I was recently reviewing OSHA accident investigation data from 2020, In one case an employee was pulling wire into an electrical cabinet. At some point, the employee contacted a live wire or other live electrical component in the...
Can Electrical Workers Wear Steel toes?
by Brian Hall | August 16, 2021 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
Can Electricians Wear Steel Toe Shoes? A question we often receive when performing the PPE section of our electrical safety training has to do with steel toes shoes or boots. Can Electricians Wear Steel Toe Shoes? We would recommend as a best practice to wear a...
Is electrical equipment considered de-energized with a voltage present on the line side of the disconnect?
by Brian Hall | May 10, 2021 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments
Is electrical equipment considered de-energized even though there is a voltage present on the line side of the open disconnect? In this month’s safety tip, we are going to answer a frequently asked question. Can I consider electrical equipment to be in an...
Insulated Tools Reduces Risk to Electrical Workers
by Brian Hall | January 13, 2021 | Safety Tips, Uncategorized | 0 Comments
What are insulated tools and why do I need them? Insulated tools are hand tools used by electrical workers, designed to reduce the risk of electric shock, electrocution, and arc flash. The use of insulated tools are required per OSHA and NFPA 70E standards and are a...
What should an electrical hazard label look like?
by Jeff Kershner | January 11, 2021 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
NFPA 70E doesn't offer a lot of guidance for what a label should look like. They give us a description of the types of equipment which are to receive a label and a minimum amount of information that is required to be on the label. Beyond that, there is no required...
Obvious Areas for Concern – Arc Flash Hazards
by Jeff Kershner | December 11, 2020 | Case Studies, Safety Tips | 0 Comments
There are some obvious areas that typically result with high arc flash hazards. When we walk through a facility for the first time, we will notice these areas and immediately realize that we may soon be applying a sticker indicating a high arc flash value. Where are...
Frequently Asked Questions
by Brian Hall | November 26, 2020 | Frequently Asked Questions, Safety Tips | 0 Comments
Q1. Is PPE required when working on 120-volt circuits? NFPA 70E ® 130.4(F)(1) states the qualified worker’s hands must be insulated or the energized parts must be guarded before they can enter the restricted approach boundary. The restricted approach distance to 120...
Is PPE required when working on 120-volt circuits?
by Brian Hall | November 25, 2020 | Safety Tips | 1 Comment
One of the more common tasks for an industrial electrician is to troubleshoot energized terminal points in 120-volt control panels. When machines stop running this is usually the first place we turn to determine the problem. Although the equipment in these panels is...
Rozel Offsite Evaluations
by Jeff Kershner | November 17, 2020 | Frequently Asked Questions, Uncategorized | 0 Comments
Qualifications for Offsite Evaluations An Offsite evaluation means that the customer performs the data collection instead of Rozel sending a technician, then Rozel mails labels for the customer to apply once the model is complete. However, this option might not be...
Hazards can exist when working below 1.2 cal/cm^2
by Jeff Kershner | November 9, 2020 | Frequently Asked Questions, Uncategorized | 1 Comment
Q. Can we suffer a burn from an arc flash if the incident energy is less than 1.2 calories per centimeter squared? A. Yes, hazards can still exist at this level although, it’s important to understand how to interact with electrical equipment to stay safe. Estimating...
Where should an electrical hazard label be placed on a piece of equipment?
by Jeff Kershner | November 6, 2020 | Safety Tips, Uncategorized | 0 Comments
The latest edition of NFPA 70E (2021) does not specify “where” the label must go (nor have previous versions). It only indicates which type of equipment must receive a label and what must be on the label. Even with this guidance there are still many questions....
Blast Pressure above 40 cal/cm^2 [Can I work on it?]
by Jeff Kershner | November 3, 2020 | Case Studies | 2 Comments
We have had customers ask about the blast pressure above 40 cal/cm^2. We've heard that being in an arc flash of this size will cause instant death from the blast pressure or an arc flash of this size will result in a closed casket instead of an open casket. We have...
IMPORTANT UPDATE IN NFPA 70E 2021 EDITION
by Brian Hall | October 12, 2020 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
Operating a circuit breaker or switch for the first time after installation or completion of maintenance in equipment - Is now identified as "Yes" for requiring additional protective measures (i.e. PPE) per the tasks list in the 2021 edition of NFPA 70E table...
The 2021 Edition of NFPA 70E
by Brian Hall | September 14, 2020 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
NFPA 70E Revised Edition For 2021 The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) updates their Electrical Safety in the Workplace standard NFPA 70E® every 3 years. Since the last edition was published in 2018, we are due for a revised edition in 2021. Typically, the...
Taking Care of Your Electrical PPE
by Brian Hall | June 15, 2020 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
NFPA70E article 130.7(B) Care of Equipment discusses the basic requirements for the care and maintenance of electrical personal protective equipment. Because this equipment may save a life one day it is important that it is stored in such a way to protect it from...
Overhead Power Line Safety
by Brian Hall | June 15, 2020 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
Every year many workers are injured or electrocuted due to direct or indirect contact with overhead power lines. In fact, over 40% of all U.S. electrical fatalities involve contact with overhead power lines. Most of these injuries are suffered by qualified utility...
Why do I need an Arc Flash Evaluation?
by Jeff Kershner | June 15, 2020 | Safety Tips, Uncategorized | 0 Comments
Here is a little background about the guidelines we work with. They will help explain why you need an evaluation: Rozel's service proposals are written in accordance with the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association's standard NFPA 70E. This is the...
Arc Flash gear and Covid-19
by Brian Hall | June 1, 2020 | Safety Tips, Uncategorized | 0 Comments
Arc flash gear and Covid-19 The Covid-19 pandemic has created some new challenges for all of us. One of the more complicated problems for electrical workers maybe how to stay safe from the dual hazards of arc flash and virus contraction. Face Coverings inside the arc...
Electric shocks can lead to deadly falls
by Brian Hall | May 27, 2020 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
I recently read a news story where a worker at a medical center suffered from a fatal fall. The worker was changing a fluorescent light ballast with the power on was shocked and fell to his death. In this case the worker was only 6 feet off the floor. Unfortunately,...
Virtual Classroom Open Enrollment Schedule
by Brian Hall | April 2, 2020 | Uncategorized | 1 Comment
Virtual Webinar Training ScheduleVirtual Webinar Training ScheduleFebuary 17, 2023March 24, 2023April 21, 2023May 12, 2023June 16, 2023
What happens while technicians are on-site?
by Matt Moore | March 24, 2020 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments
The date has been set and one or two of our technicians will soon be at your door. What happens when they arrive? Kick-Off First, as required by NFPA 70E, we’ll have a short safety meeting. During this contractor/host meeting, we’ll go through your corporate safety...
Should Transformers be Labeled?
by Jeff Kershner | March 24, 2020 | Frequently Asked Questions, Safety Tips | 0 Comments
As an electrical technician for Rozel I have had hundreds of conversations with Plant managers, safety directors, and maintenance personnel about the labeling process once the evaluation is complete. One question that seems to always be asked is "why are transformers...
Live Online Training
by Brian Hall | March 19, 2020 | Safety and Health Events, Uncategorized | 2 Comments
Attend LIVE Instructor Led Electrical Safety Training By Entering Our Web-Based Classroom Rozel is now offering our great instructor-led classroom training via a web link. This is the perfect solution for companies who need and want high-quality NFPA 70E based...
Maximum Available Fault Current… What is it?
by Jeff Kershner | March 3, 2020 | Case Studies, Featured articles | 2 Comments
Maximum Available Fault Current... What is it? Have you ever noticed "Interrupting Rating" on the front of a breaker? Take a look at the highlighted area of the 60A breaker picture below: If this breaker were operating at 600V it has an interrupting rating of 18,000A,...
Are Leather Protectors Required?
by Jeff Kershner | November 18, 2019 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
Voltage rated gloves must be used when performing work on exposed energized conductors greater than 50V but do you have to wear leather protectors? The answer is made clear by OSHA 1910.137(c)(2)(vii)...
Arc Flash Size
by Jeff Kershner | November 18, 2019 | Case Studies | 0 Comments
What causes an arc flash to be big or small? We calculate arc flash "size" by following the equations described in IEEE 1584 2018. These equations are based on real life testing and measuring of arc flashes. Below is a simple explanation of what can cause the arc...
Does Safety Training Qualify or Certify my Employees?
by Brian Hall | July 17, 2019 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
Does Safety Training Qualify or Certify my Employees? We are often asked, "does your or any other electrical safety training qualify or certify someone to work on electrical equipment"? The simple answer is no but let me explain why. The OSHA electrical safety...
Basics of Arc Rated Clothing Layering
by Brian Hall | June 10, 2019 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
Wearing arc rated clothing over the top of other arc rated clothing is commonly referred to as layering. Layering can be an effective way of increasing protection from arc flash hazards while providing a higher level of employee comfort. However, the layering of arc...
How many hours of training are required per NFPA 70E?
by Brian Hall | May 5, 2019 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
If you are one of the many who is trying to decide how to provide electrical safety training for your employees, you are not alone. We are often asked how many hours of training are required per NFPA 70E. Although NFPA 70E contains guidance concerning the training of...
When 500V gloves are not good enough for 480V work
by Brian Hall | April 9, 2019 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
Rozel recommends that electrical workers wear class 0 (1,000-volt max use) rubber insulating gloves when working within the restricted approach boundary of exposed energized electrical conductors or circuit parts operating at a nominal voltage of 480 volts. This often...
Are you as Safe at Home as you are at work?
by Jeff Kershner | December 11, 2018 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
Being Safe at Home is just as important as when you're at work. Are you renovating your house? Maybe you are helping your neighbor troubleshoot an outlet that doesn't work. Although OSHA electrical safety standards do not apply when you're away from the job you...
Oil Field Electrical Safety
by Brian Hall | December 9, 2018 | Safety Tips, Uncategorized | 1 Comment
The one thing that pops into my mind when I hear someone talking about American being great is our ability to develop technology to overcome some of our most difficult problems. A great example would be the introduction of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling...
6 Steps to NFPA 70E Compliance
by Brian Hall | April 16, 2018 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
The following excerpt is from an article that was published in the April edition of Professional Safety magazine the journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers. To download the article in its entirety click on the link at the bottom of this page....
Prevent Dangerous Shocks With an Assured Equipment Grounding Conductor Program
by Brian Hall | April 3, 2018 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
What is an Assured Equipment Grounding Conductor Program? An assured equipment grounding conductor program is an OSHA and NFPA 70E requirement that ensures the safety of temporary power cord sets (extension cords). The program is designed to prevent shocks or...
How reducing clearing time reduces arc flash hazards
by Jeff Kershner | February 18, 2018 | Case Studies | 0 Comments
What is clearing time? Ok, you’ve completed your arc flash study and now all your electrical equipment is affixed with arc flash hazard warning labels. You may notice that the incident energy values are different from one piece of equipment to the next. How can...
How often should I test my voltage rated gloves?
by Jeff Kershner | January 31, 2018 | Safety Tips | 14 Comments
"How often should I test my voltage rated gloves?" This is a question that frequently comes up during our electrical safety training classes. Misinterpreting the rules requiring dielectric testing of electrical insulating gloves and the corresponding expiration dates...
New GFCIs provide better shock protection for you and your employees.
by Brian Hall | January 11, 2018 | Safety Tips | 2 Comments
120-volt Ground Fault Current Interrupters have saved countless lives since their inception back in the early 1970’s. GFCIs provide shock protection by monitoring the current on the “hot” wire of an electrical circuit and comparing it to the neutral wire. The current...
A Mouse Took Down My Factory
by Jeff Kershner | January 9, 2018 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
A mouse took down my factory! Can you believe it? Preventative maintenance increases safety and understanding your equipment can help keep you safe. Preventative maintenance can help ensure your equipment is not damaged, as a result it keeps employees safe and...
“Arc Flash Fuses”
by Jeff Kershner | January 5, 2018 | Case Studies | 0 Comments
A potential customer called into our engineering department one day from the middle of Iowa. “I was just told by a fuse salesman that if I buy his arc flash fuses that I don’t have to worry about arc flash in my facility”. (The idea is that “arc flash...
Holding Contractors Accountable
by Jeff Kershner | January 5, 2018 | Case Studies | 0 Comments
Rozel trains your employees how to work on electrical equipment safely, but what about your contractors? You can’t train your contractors and you can’t always watch them but you can hold them accountable. Our travels took us to the motor city. During an...
Catastrophe Avoided
by Jeff Kershner | January 5, 2018 | Case Studies | 0 Comments
We conducted an arc flash evaluation on a factory, almost a million square feet and nine main transformers supplying up to 30MVA of power! The final report we issued identified large potential incident energies on four switchgear. Not only was the main feed a high...
Fatigue and electrical safety – 9 tips that save lives
by Brian Hall | August 9, 2017 | Safety Tips | 2 Comments
For many years I made my living as a maintenance electrician in an automotive manufacturing plant. I loved the work. It was rewarding, paid well and because the automotive industry is always at the forefront of technology, I was always learning something new. However,...
Arc flash gloves: Understanding the differences can save a life
by Jeff Kershner | July 31, 2017 | Featured articles, Safety Tips | 3 Comments
By Brian HallThe following article on arc flash gloves is featured in the July issue of ASSE's Professional Safety Magazine. Insulating vs Arc-Rated Gloves No other piece of electrical PPE has likely saved more lives than gloves. Electricians must often place their...
6 Critical Steps for a Safe Lock and Tag Process
by Brian Hall | June 9, 2017 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
When working on or near electrical equipment, the most effective means to keep workers safe is to open the disconnect switch and then apply a lock and tag. By performing this simple task, we have eliminated any shock, and or, arc flash hazard. Right? Not so fast! A...
Pre-Job Briefs head off disasters
by Brian Hall | May 23, 2017 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
We've all heard the old saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". I happen to be a big believer in this statement. It is one that will serve us well if we will apply it. The Northwest Airlines Flight 255 Tragedy I remember several years ago watching...
Do Welders need electrical safety training?
by Brian Hall | May 4, 2017 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
I recently had a great question from one of my clients in Northeast, Ohio. Bob asked me if he needed to send his arc welding crew to the upcoming NFPA 70E based electrical safety training that I would be providing for his maintenance team. Bob had noticed that welders...
Over 10,000 eye injuries occur in the USA every day
by Brian Hall | April 26, 2017 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 10,000 eye injuries occur in the USA every day. The Department of Labor has reported that approximately 2,000 of these injuries require medical treatment and time off work, and the Bureau of Labor claims that 85%...
Arc Flash Safety-understanding “working distance”
by Brian Hall | April 19, 2017 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
When it comes to arc flash safety, nothing may be more important to qualified electrical workers than their ability to interpret the information found on Arc Flash Warning labels. It is employer’s responsibility to provide employees with the information and training...
Repetitive closing of circuit breakers can be hazardous to your health
by Brian Hall | March 8, 2017 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
I was recently reading through an electrician’s forum on the internet. I noticed a contributed post which told of an engineer injured when he reset a 480-volt molded case breaker. The breaker was mounted inside a switchgear and was operated through a mechanical...
Tips to ease the pain of uncomfortable insulating gloves
by Brian Hall | February 27, 2017 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
It’s easy to say that no other piece of electrical PPE has saved more lives than rubber insulating gloves. Too often electricians must place their hands in energized electrical panels or near powerlines to get the job done. Because their hands are near shock and arc...
Need new work boots? Look for the EH Rating
by Brian Hall | February 22, 2017 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
A simple way to give you or your employees an extra layer of shock protection is to have them wear electrical hazard (EH) rated shoes or work boots EH shoes or work boots offer shock protection from lower voltages – up to 600 volts in dry conditions by providing an...
Don’t let your meter blow up in your hand
by Brian Hall | February 15, 2017 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
During a recent training class, a student shared a story that is all too common. His meter blew-up in his hand. There can be many reasons for this to happen but one of the most prevalent is measuring voltage while the test leads are in the current jacks. Because the...
Tips for laundering your electrical safety gear
by Brian Hall | February 8, 2017 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
When teaching electrical safety classes I always seem to get the same question, “Can I launder my own electrical safety gear”? In my lesson plan I discuss this subject in great detail and advises the students to follow the instructions that the manufacturer has listed...
Safety Made Simple With a Proving Unit
by Brian Hall | January 25, 2017 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
NFPA 70E 120.5(7) Requires test instruments be verified as working satisfactorily on any know live source prior to and after the verification of an absence of voltage. Unverified voltmeters can be deadly Many electrical workers have created dangerous arc flashes, or...
Noncontact Voltage Detector Safety
by Brian Hall | January 18, 2017 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
I recently saw an electrician using a noncontact type voltage detector to verify the absence of voltage while replacing ballasts in an office building. He was standing on a ladder and waving the detector back and forth under the light. If the meter didn’t light-up or...
Demystify the Assured Equipment Grounding Conductor program (AEGC)
by Brian Hall | January 11, 2017 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
The simple AEGC program would've prevented this fatality... if it was followed Back in the mid-90s I was working as a maintenance electrician for a large aluminum forge in the Cleveland, Ohio area. I can remember being briefed about an accident that occurred a few...
Arc flash gloves: insulated vs arc rated gloves
by Brian Hall | January 4, 2017 | Safety Tips | 0 Comments
During a recent training session, I had a several questions concerning gloves for arc flash protection. I feel like it's important to make a quick point with hopes of clarifying a potentially dangerous misunderstanding. There are two ways to protect the hands from the...
PPC Airfoils: Training three shifts with no production downtime
by Brian Hall | December 8, 2016 | Case Studies | 0 Comments
PPC Airfoils is a large national company that is headquartered in Mentor, Ohio. Challenge: PPC requires intensive safety training, but runs a lean staff through three shifts The Mentor facility principally manufactures Industrial Gas Turbine (IGT) products for...
Paulo Products: BCH provides solution to St. Louis based training
by Brian Hall | December 8, 2016 | Case Studies | 0 Comments
Paulo Products is a heat treating and tempering company that is based in St. Louis, MO, and has a factory in Willoughby, OH. The problem: Not receiving sufficient electrical safety training as their safety trainer resides in Missouri As a company that has employees...
EnerTech, Youngstown, Ohio, partners with BCH for outsourced training
by Brian Hall | December 8, 2016 | Case Studies | 0 Comments
Entertec is an electrical contracting and maintenance firm located in Youngstown. BCH Electrical Consulting partners with them to provide training to their clients. We have worked together on 5 or 6 different occasions. "I was wary of using Brian’s services at first...
Three D Metals in Valley City, Ohio completes custom electrical safety course
by Brian Hall | November 7, 2016 | Case Studies | 0 Comments
BCH Electrical Safety Consulting would like to thank and congratulate the fantastic maintenance team at Three D Metals in Valley City, Ohio. On Friday November 4, 2016, they completed BCH’s Electrical Safety in the Workplace Training. BCH worked closely with Three D’s...
by Jeff Kershner | Jan 23, 2023