Safety Circuits, Force Guided Relays vs. General Purpose Relays

One of the hot topics in electrical and mechanical training classes is the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E. Students question what 70E is and how it relates to the National Electrical Code (NEC), if 70E is a new regulation and if not why are they just now hearing about it, and if companies are required to comply with 70E. This article will take some of the mystery out of 70E.

The most critical piping for any building property or plant operation is unquestionably at the fire sprinkler system. Corrosion problems at tower water, chill water, steam, or other HVAC and plumbing piping may produce a loss of service, inconvenience, property damage, shutdown, and even millions of dollars in monetary losses, but the failure of a fire sprinkler line always threatens the loss of human life.

The rapid advancements in drone technology have brought high-performance drones to the forefront in several industries, leading to enhanced efficiencies and improved outcomes. However, the persistent concerns surrounding drone data security cannot be simply wished away. Organizations need to find a middle ground, one where they can acquire drones that deliver on their operational mandate, are cost-effective but also secure the data they hold. Because the tech is only going to get more powerful – but it doesn’t have to be at the expense of integrity and security of user data.

The challenge of managing the aspects of occupational health and safety (OH&S) in the workplace can often times feel overwhelming. There are many legal, moral and financial reasons for you to pay attention to OH&S obligations. With all of these challenges, it's important not to waste time, money or place efforts on things that simply don't work. In terms of successfully managing OH&S issues, the following Top 10 list includes some of the common errors that organizations make.

For management, new and untrained employees present a different set of costly challenges. For example, productivity will drop due to lost time, there may be overtime expenses, insurance costs will rise and there can be potential lost customer sales. Worker's compensation claims will also increase and lead to higher premiums. How can these problems be avoided? What are some steps that can be put in place to help alleviate these concerns for new and untrained workers already in the workforce? Ideally, health and safety programs that offer basic training will fit the bill quite nicely. New and untrained workers need to learn about personal protective equipment (PPE), back-injury prevention, health and safety regulations and hazard recognition.

The notions "one tool does all" or "any tool will do" result in wasted effort, poor quality work, damage to the misused tool, and exposing the user to possible injury, according to the Hand Tools Institute, an association of American manufacturers of quality hand tools. As with hammers, pliers, wrenches and all other hand tools, design is a key element to the type of work a tool is intended to do properly and safely, says HTI. Clamps are no exception and should be selected to conform to the work they are to perform.

The issuance of safety eyewear to employees requires more than a handout. An important thing to remember when issuing safety eyewear is that in order to put your safety program into action, you need to communicate and educate your employees. Merely handing out free safety goggles and glasses and saying "wear these when you are working or else..." will only get you so far. Employees need to know why it is important to wear protective eyewear, and they need you to make it easy for them to do so effectively. It often helps to recite employee eye injury statistics to show workers the reality of the hazards around them, and give them a starting point for improvement.