Myth of the hinged door protection

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knoppdude

Senior Member
Location
Sacramento,ca
I just saw the video of the lab controlled arc blast, on Mike Holts April 29 newsletter, and how the hinged door on the bucket failed. A company I used to work for trained us to stand in front of the bucket in the same spot as the "dummy". The trainer was an electrical engineer. I have used this method for opening and closing bucket breakers right up until I saw this video. Never again. This was the most graphic demonstration of an arc blast I have seen.
 
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btharmy

Senior Member
Location
Indiana
knoppdude said:
A company I used to work for trained us to stand in front of the bucket in the same spot as the "dummy". The trainer was an electrical engineer.
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You were actually told to stand directly in front of the disconnect as you energize it? Who would intentionally tell someone to do that. It seems to me, anyone who didn't know any better would stand there anyway. So, in turn, any advice would be to stand to the side.
 
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knoppdude

Senior Member
Location
Sacramento,ca
btharmy said:
You were actually told to stand directly in front of the disconnect as you energize it? Who would intentionally tell someone to do that. It seems to me, anyone who didn't know any better would stand there anyway. So, in turn, any advice would be to stand to the side.
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Hi btharmy,
We were told to do this by the company hired electrical engineer. I can only now guess that his reasoning was that the hinged side of the door would stay intact, and the door would provide some protection. Prior to this I had always stood to the side, as I had been taught. Given as I now know better, I will go back to my old way of throwing switches. In Mikes newsletter, it seems this engineer is not alone in his assumption about arc blasts. I am glad I saw this video before I continued to follow this engineers directive, and it was a company directive.
 
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SBuck

Member
I was taught to use my off hand. If something was to happen I could loose my left hand and still have my right.
 
pfalcon

pfalcon

Senior Member
Location
Indiana
ptonsparky said:
I have always, and instruct my employess to, stand to one side with face turned.
My questions: Is there a "better" side? & Now that we have face shields & eye protection are we better off facing or head turned?
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Your face still has stuff that is easier to damage, it should be away from the blast. Concussive force could break your nose with the shield. Shields should be between you and the blast area so turn it around or use a full head shield. Don't make it a catcher's mitt for the energy from the arc.
 
RichB

RichB

Senior Member
Location
Tacoma, Wa
Occupation
Electrician/Electrical Inspector
apprentice----remote operator--where's the difference???JK

Thats ok--we have as our "State Licensed Electrical Engineer" a person that is adamant that a ground rod is for personal protection--that it's amin purpose is to take a ground fault to earth and raise the ground to the same potential as the fault so you won't get shocked when in contact with the faulted equipment.

Serious question here--Why don't the people designing things (Engineers) have to take CEUs like the rest of us to stay updated?--
 
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