Page 16 - Occupational Health & Safety, April 2019

ELECTRICAL SAFETY
motors to operate fans and pumps, the process to change out these electric motors can be very time and labor intensive, depending on their size and location.
Scheduled events when all or part of an industrial plant is taken offline for an extended period so that preventive maintenance or upgrades may be performed are costly in terms of both lost pro- duction and costs for the labor, tools, and materials used to execute the project. Depending on the product that is under production, attention also must be paid to ensure that product quality is not compromised during scheduled downtime.
With the large number of planned maintenance activities scheduled over the next several years, companies are looking for innovative ways to efficiently and cost effectively manage the busi- ness impact. By utilizing switch-rated plugs and connectors listed under UL 2682, the amount of time necessary to replace an electric motor can be reduced from hours to minutes and both worker lives and manufacturer costs can be saved.
Reducing Unplanned Downtime in Harsh Environments
All electrical components exposed to moisture, weather, or harsh environments, whether indoors or outdoors, require a watertight connection to eliminate or reduce the risk of electrical shocks, short circuits, and electrical fires. For workers operating in wet conditions, it is also important to choose products with Type 4X
and IP69K protection ratings. Sealed systems can withstand wash- down and a number of harsh industrial environments, effectively eliminating the ingress of dust and water.
Seals must be able to withstand both the extreme temperature and high pressure of sprays and the corrosive effects of the harsh chemicals. These conditions mean that workers require a high-per- formance solution to stay safe and keep production lines running.
In harsh environments, such as in the food and beverage in- dustry, processing facilities are traditionally wet and harsh environ- ments, with machinery routinely needing to undergo washdown to sanitize equipment. Washdown processes typically involve high- pressure and high-temperature water and harsh sanitizing chemi- cals that can corrode wiring and other electrical products, leading to downtime and additional labor and repair costs.
By investing in electrical componentry designed with industry ratings and OSHA compliance in mind, end users now have an easy solution to the dangerous problem of de-energizing industrial machines and equipment. Companies will then ensure code com- pliancy and increase plant maintenance efficiencies by reducing unplanned downtime.
Tom Beranek is global product manager for Molex, LLC (https:// www.molex.com). The company is a leading provider of electronic components and solutions.
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