Wouldn’t life be easier if we could stop a crisis before it happened?
Or prevent a hazard so it never happens?
An Arc flash explosion – a dangerous malfunction that occurs when a short is created between electrified conductors – is one crisis to eliminate.
The National Fire Protection Association says arc flash incidents occur 10-15 times daily in the United States with 1-2 ending in death.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports in twenty years (data through 2013) nearly 6,000 fatal electrical injuries occurred. In the most recent ten years of that sample, 24,100 non-fatal injuries happened. Thankfully, the number of fatalities is declining but the number of non-fatal injuries shows little change.
Arc flash injuries remain a chief concern.
Beyond the obvious tragedy of loss of life, OSHA estimates the average cost of an arc flash incident is over $2 million in direct costs, $5-7 million in indirect. They point out one incident, no matter how small, will result in significant expense to the employer in the form of lost workdays, disability, or death.
A PIC helps eliminate this hazard. A panel interface connector (PIC) is a device that typically mounts to the outside of a control panel in a manufacturing or other automation setting. The PIC houses convenient pass-through connections allowing the user to interface with a computer, PLC (programmable logic controller), or other programmable device without opening the panel door.
PICs help eliminate potentially deadly arc flash.
Some hazards are beyond your control. You can’t control the weather, the economy, or every move your worker makes, but you can take steps to improve their safety and protect your company.
Call or email RM Elec Spec today to learn more about Mencom’s 2,000 PIC designs.
