THE STANDARD ON "CONTROL OF HAZARDOUS ENERGY"  is fourth on the list of the Top 10 most cited Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and third on the list of citations that drew the highest penalties. There's a good reason OSHA focuses so intensely on electricity: It can be a killer.....

     In and average year, 350 workers in the United States -- more than 200 of then in the construction industry-- lose their lives to electrical hazards on the job. Nationwide, electricity ranks fifth among all causes of occupational fatalities.

     Of course, not all electrical incidents in the workplace result in death.  But far too often, they result in severe burns, scarring and tissue death that lead to a life of pain and lost mobility.

     The Electrical Safety Foundation International ( ESFI ) calculates that more than 46,000 workers were injured from on the job electrical hazards over the past ten years. " During the work day, a worker is hurt every 30 minutes so severely from electricity that it requires time off the job"  according to ESFI.

     "Zero injuries" is an achievable goal on every project. The first step is making " zero-energy work environments" the norm. That means following OSHA's requirements that electrical equipment not be worked on while energized ( power on ) unless the task to be performed is not feasible in a de-energized state.                                                

                                                   EXCERPTS "ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR JUL.09"

     Switch TECH USA is a leader in designing wireless devices that can control the power flow to the piece of equipment that the worker is attempting to repair or troubleshoot. Now with a simple 2 minute installation of Switch TECH ST-4  at the power source, the worker can safely de-energize the power and when ready can simply restore power with a push of a button.  This time saving unit can save lives, energy use and keep  your workers from becoming another statistic.

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    DYNAMITE, GASOLINE, GUNPOWDER AND ELECTRICITY: What do these have in common?  Each one can explode. Something as simple as the slip of a screwdriver can cause  the electric power system to act like a bomb.  Technically know as an arc flash, this potentially devastating explosion can occur when contact is made between energized "power" conductors or between one conductor and a grounded surface such a the light pole , equipment's enclosure or frame. All of which could cause serious injury or death.

    During the arc flash, a short circuit occurs and the electrical current arcs across the air gap created by the power conductors blowing apart from each other or when the they melt in a split second. Depending on many different factors, the arc flash can be anything a few minor sparks to a massive explosion and fireball.

Every year, thousands are admitted to hospitals for injuries resulting from arc flash and many ultimately die. In addition to severe burns, blast pressure can reach thousands of pound of blunt force trauma injury. The ultraviolet light that is part of the flash can cause eye injuries and blindness. Even the "Boom" can produce sound pressures of 160 decibels or more , enough to cause severe hearing damage.

The bottom line is, to reduce your chances of arc flash by thinking and working safely. By installing a Switch TECH unit at the power source, photo cell or time clock,  the service tech can turn off the power, place the electrical circuit in a "maintenance mode" and control power from only one place, your hand held transmitter.  Contact your sales representative for a free demonstration.

* Always verify if voltage is present before servicing any device connected to our product.

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