Our local MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration) is now requiring us to individually ground test each motors in our mills and mine here in Montana. In the past we have tested only motor that were vibrating such as screens, vibrating bin bottoms, etc., motors that by application vibrated for a living so to speak. Motors that were stationary driving pumps, grinding mills, rotary feeders, blowers, etc., were visually inspected to make sure conduit, flex conduit, etc were all intact. This was ok with MSHA in the past but now they have a new directive from higher up that all motors be individually tested with a wire strung from an MCC ground out to each motor. Some motors are 600 feet plus from the MCC. Not to mention that each facility has 500 plus motors. One of the inspector mention an ECOS ground tester that could be used in instead of the wire. I can not find ECOS as a manufacturer. I have found some used test equipment on the internet. Does anyone know if ECOS is still in business? maybe bought up by someone else? Is there ground testing equipment like the ECOS 1020-I-100 Ground Impedance & Safety Analyzer?
Does anyone else have any suggestions that would reduce the time and labor needed to comply with this new directive from MSHA? Does anyone else think we should start a forum subject that deals specifically with MSHA electrical issues both coal and metal/non-metal, underground and surface?
Does anyone else have any suggestions that would reduce the time and labor needed to comply with this new directive from MSHA? Does anyone else think we should start a forum subject that deals specifically with MSHA electrical issues both coal and metal/non-metal, underground and surface?
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