tspisak
Member
I'm curious what everyone does (safety wise) for their initial power-up and debug of control panels with >240vac.
Do you suit up (FR shirt/pants, hardhat, earplugs, safety shield) to program the VFDs or to adjust a setpoint during debug of a conveyor?
Do you suit up to check the LEDs on a safety relay or pull a memory card from a HMI?
Are your AC panels ALWAYS closed during debug?
Are your standards/practices different during testing at your facility vs startup at the customers facility?
NFPA 70E appears to be written for electrical switchgear and motor control centers not for industrial control panels.
My typical panel is fabricated with finger-safe components (IP20), Class CC fuses in the disconnect and all motors(to protect both the wiring AND anyone working in the panel from arc flash) AND we never touch live AC voltages. On a large job I have had projects with a separate AC panel and a PLC/DC panel but that is rare for the project we have.
Should a 480vac control panel that designed to a certain standard allow lower degree of protection (gloves, faceshield, FR shirt, earplugs only required for metering AC voltages - no hot work)?
Do you suit up (FR shirt/pants, hardhat, earplugs, safety shield) to program the VFDs or to adjust a setpoint during debug of a conveyor?
Do you suit up to check the LEDs on a safety relay or pull a memory card from a HMI?
Are your AC panels ALWAYS closed during debug?
Are your standards/practices different during testing at your facility vs startup at the customers facility?
NFPA 70E appears to be written for electrical switchgear and motor control centers not for industrial control panels.
My typical panel is fabricated with finger-safe components (IP20), Class CC fuses in the disconnect and all motors(to protect both the wiring AND anyone working in the panel from arc flash) AND we never touch live AC voltages. On a large job I have had projects with a separate AC panel and a PLC/DC panel but that is rare for the project we have.
Should a 480vac control panel that designed to a certain standard allow lower degree of protection (gloves, faceshield, FR shirt, earplugs only required for metering AC voltages - no hot work)?