Page 53 - OHS, November/December 2020

New technology often requires changes in behavior and habits, and electrical safety technology is no different. Understanding technology and where best to apply it is crucial to establishing trust and confidence, making adoption easier.
There are several features to look for when evaluating technology to ensure safety. Look for products that include:
■ Active status indicators. Positive feedback that the product or system is working is critical.
■ Fail-safe designs. The safety functions in electrical products need to be designed so that they will default to a safe state if they fail. ■ Functional safety. Used to prevent and control dangerous failures and can be used to measure the reliability of a safety
function with a SIL (safety integrity level) designation.
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■ Standards. Look for UL listings and standards like NPFA 70 and 70E for best practices with electrical procedures.
It’s important to continually identify and assess potential hazards. As advances in technology occur and new products are released, new ways to mitigate old hazards will become viable. Designed-in control measures are more effective and provide greater business value than other administrative approaches such as training or PPE alone.
Manufacturing spaces are full of unknown hazards. In addition to focusing on safety during the design phase, assessments or audits should be periodically planned into the process to re-visit the integrity of safety programs and systems.
Safety manager, IT personnel, engineers and operators all see safety through a different lens, so it is important to include everyone during assessments and audits. Remember, safety should be the focus of both employees and managers.
As companies prepare for the future of electrical safety, the use of Prevention through Design to mitigate risk at equipment or frequently performed tasks will take electrical safety to the next level and prepare them for the advancements ahead.
Zach is the Product Manager for Prevention through Design (PtD). REFERENCES
1. https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/controlhazardousenergy
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