{"id":74,"date":"2015-08-26T15:48:12","date_gmt":"2015-08-26T15:48:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jpelectricalcompany.com\/blog\/?p=74"},"modified":"2023-11-27T17:54:01","modified_gmt":"2023-11-27T17:54:01","slug":"being-safe-when-working-with-electrical-transformers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jpelectricalcompany.com\/blog\/uncategorized\/being-safe-when-working-with-electrical-transformers\/","title":{"rendered":"Being Safe When Working With Electrical Transformers"},"content":{"rendered":"

In accordance to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) all electrical wiring and equipment must be in accordance with NFPA 70.\u00a0 Electricity is hazardous and all employees working with transformers are subject to protection.\u00a0 This is unless it is an existing installation which can be allowed to continue in service based on authorization of the jurisdiction in power over it.<\/p>\n

In this article we will review basic information within NFPA 70 regarding transformers.<\/p>\n

Transformer<\/a>\u00a0rooms that are made from fire-resistant construction with a minimum fire rating of an hour needs to be used with any individual, dry-type transformers of more than 112 \u00bd kVA rating.\u00a0 Below this there isn\u2019t specific installation requirements for the room in which the transformer is located.\u00a0\u00a0 Ones rated over thirty five hundred volts need to be installed within a vault with three hours fire-resistance.<\/p>\n

Doorways leading into a vault from the interior of the building must have doors that are not only tight fitting but also have a minimum fire rating of three hours.\u00a0 One exception is when the transformers are protected by automatic sprinklers, water sprayers or carbon dioxide in which a one hour rating is sufficient.<\/p>\n

The NFPA 70E addresses safety standards in electrical safety.\u00a0 These requirements are in place to protect all employees who install, maintain, and repair electrical systems and their components.\u00a0 It recognizes the dangers associated with electrical energy.\u00a0 These guidelines are in place to prevent against injury or death.<\/p>\n

In order to comply with the NFPA 70E all employees working and operating electrical equipment above 50V must wear arc-flash protective gear.\u00a0 Arc-flash is an electrical current passes through the air when the insulation between electrified conductors can no longer withstand the voltage being applied. Even a flash that lasts under a second can be severe, leading to a fatality.<\/p>\n

In order to establish compliance with the NFPA 70E there is a checklist that lays out both short-term and long-term actions to take.\u00a0 Some of them are listed below:<\/p>\n