Safety Issues Regarding Electrical Switchboard Devices
Imagining life without the convenience of electrical energy is almost impossible. The furtherance of electricity however, has traditionally come at a price, with almost every advance in electrical technology being associated with serious personnel injuries and in many cases deaths. It is interesting however, to note that this is still a contemporary reality, with electrocution still being noted as one of the top five causes of workplace fatalities in the United States.
Many different devices have been introduced in an attempt to provide electrical personnel such as electrical engineers and electricians, as well as others that may be exposed to such hazards with a safer working environment. One of the most common safety devices in residential and commercial settings is the electrical switchboard.
The Electrical Switchboard as a Safety Tool
Electrical switchboards, which are basically constructed as assemblies of panels mounted with components such as fuses, circuit breakers and protective relays are tasked with distributing controlling and even monitoring electricity within a facility. These devices are also intended to act as a safety apparatus, stopping the flow of electricity in the event of an overload or an electrical leak. Various studies have found however, that these systems don’t always function as they should, with one of the big problems involving switchboards being the potential for arching events.
Arcing events such as arch flashes are low-impedance events, and may therefore not trip the Circuit Breakers in switchboards, which are generally designed to react to high-impedance events such bolted faults. This means that the switchboard will not stop the flow of power to the affected electrical component. In same cases arcing events have been known to last until the entire switchboard has been melted into nothingness, and in exceptional cases, fires have also eventuated from these events.
Due to the prevalence of arcing events in recent history, with 2000 people having been treated for injuries stemming from arc blasts or similar event in 2008 alone, specialized measures are now taken by personnel when dealing with switchboards. One of these measures is ‘thermoscanning’. Thermoscanning gives the technician the opportunity to thermal image the switchboard, which shows any potential arcing faults, and affords them the opportunity to take appropriate measures.
Arching faults are much less of an issue in switchgear systems in comparison to switchboard systems, due to advances in power circuit breakers. These breakers have advanced alterations to their design, which greatly reduce the potential for arcing events. The cost of switchgear systems tends to deter potential buyers however, with a switchgear unit costing twice to three times as much as a switchboard. Due to this price difference switchboards remain the standard for most low voltage residential and commercial facilities.
The recent advances in technology regarding switchgear systems however show a real potential for upgrading the technology involved in switchboard devices, consequently making them more efficient and safer. As some companies are already offering these systems where circuit breakers can be changed during operation, it can be seen that this type of device offers technological advances ensuring electrical personnel safety are not far away.
