Electrical Enclosures

As you walk through your facility be on the lookout for broken, loose, or missing covers on electrical enclosures such as electrical boxes and panels. Also keep an eye out missing breakers inside of the panel and missing knockouts on the outside of the panel. You may wonder why this is important.

Consider the following reasons:

• The electrical current inside the enclosure can injure or kill a worker should they unintentionally come in contact with energized conductors. Properly secured covers also protect workers from the heat and pressure released should an arc flash occur.

• Properly closed and sealed enclosures prevent moisture intrusion. Moisture can cause wires and internal components to corrode over time. Corroded wires can short out or overheat resulting in a fire.

• Properly closed and sealed enclosures prevent combustible dust and unwanted debris from collecting inside the box or panel. This can pose a fire hazard should a spark ignite the combustible material.

• Properly closed and sealed enclosures prevent ignition of combustible dust in hazardous locations.

• Properly closed and sealed enclosures prevent pests such as insects and rodents from entering electrical boxes and panels. Believe it or not, there are documented cases where rats and mice caused electrical shorts by gnawing on the insulation covering electrical wires.

Safety Tip of the Week is edited by Managing Editor Tucker Scharfenberg
and published each Monday by Grain Journal, Decatur, IL

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