Australian innovation improves electrical safety

When power and automation group ABB discovered an industry-wide electrical safety issue, it decided to find a solution.

Following an internal hazard alert, ABB Australia launched an investigation into the controls available when working within the vicinity of live parts. The alert, raised by an employee in 2015, detailed an incident where an extra low voltage cable dislodged during testing, causing a spark where the cable came into contact with the equipment’s metal frame.

The company’s review highlighted the need for low-voltage control cabinets to remain energised in order to test relays and other low-voltage components when fault finding and diagnosing electrical switchgear.

While ABB’s electrical safety rules state that applying insulated barriers is a critical step to achieving an electrically safe work area, the review established that the practice was being overlooked during fault finding at ABB and throughout the entire industry.

Upon uncovering this potential risk in fault-finding practice, ABB scrutinised government regulations, Australian Standards and codes of practice in a search for a solution.

The company consulted with safety regulators, utilities, customers and competitors to understand how others were mitigating this commonplace breach in safe approach distances. In all instances, the risk of contact with live parts when working in low-voltage control cabinets had been overlooked, as there were limited solutions available in the marketplace.

This inspired ABB Australia to design and develop a new magnetic insulating barrier. The barrier, developed in association with Legend Power Group, is a lightweight, semi-transparent mat that can be made in various sizes, calibrated and certified to withstand certain voltages. It acts as a barrier when placed over potentially live electrical components. The flexible magnets make it is easy and safe to apply when fault finding low-voltage and extra low voltage circuits within switchgear control cabinets.

“The safety of our customers, suppliers and our employees is the number one priority for ABB. The development of this new Magnetic Insulated Barrier will help save lives,” said Tauno Heinola, managing director of ABB in Australia.

The product is now available to the electrical safety industry through electrical wholesaler Legend Power Group.

Image courtesy of ABB Group.