Reduce the risk of an arc flash in your business

For power-critical commercial and industrial buildings such as process plants, offices, hospitals and factories, a continuous supply of electrical power is essential.

The provision of reliable power in such buildings is reliant upon the low-voltage distribution switchboards that lie at the heart of the electrical installation. Demands placed upon these switchboards, particularly as operations and infrastructure expand over time, leave them vulnerable to arc flashes.

Despite these palpable dangers, electrical switchboards are easy to overlook in a safety analysis of commercial building infrastructure. The equipment is generally tucked out of sight and the prevailing view is that switchgear is absolutely safe as long as it conforms with the requirements of the (International Electrotechnical Commission's) IEC 61439 standard.

Research by independent experts suggests that compliance with the standard alone may not be sufficient to maximise protection; a higher level of safety can be achieved with the implementation of new technologies. As a result, it's possible to further reduce the risk of a catastrophic arc flash and its costly and potentially lethal aftermath.