Understanding Industrial Equipment

When using equipment with high voltage capacity like a transformer, you should remember that it is paramount to take workplace safety into account. Poor handling of a transformer can result in injuring of workers in the worksite as well as destruction of expensive infrastructure. Moreover, electrical incidents can translate into financial and legal difficulties. If you would like to ensure higher levels of safety in your industrial site, you should understand the transformer design and the right installation, maintenance and repair processes. In addition, consider this brief outline of useful transformer safety practices.

Perform Regular Inspection

You should inspect your transformer to ensure optimal performance and minimise the risk of breakdown. The examination is particularly critical before installation. Assess the general status of the equipment and make certain the structure is in the expected undamaged condition. You should not use the electrical machine if there are damaged power cords or missing and poorly installed parts. Also, take note of unusual odours such as burning smells because this could indicate internal damage.

Prevent Electrical Leakage

When planning to maintain or repair the transformer, you should take precautions to prevent electrical leakage. This equipment holds a lot of voltage, so its release could translate electrocution and electrical fires. The circuit connected to the transformer should be shut down before handling. Also, the equipment should always be de-energised and tapped out. Ideally, there should be zero leakage of electrical current between the source of electricity and the system.

Avoid System Overload

You should check the maximum voltage which your electrical system and the transformer can handle before operations. Ensure that this information is made available to all workers in the industrial premises. The indicated voltage should never be overloaded under any circumstance. If you require more capacity, you should think about purchasing multiple transformers and balancing the load instead of using a sole transformer. You should also avoid modifying the overcurrent protection. While this action might increase the permissible current, the risk of overload and subsequent dangers will be high.

Provide Safety Gear

You should make sure that the right protection equipment is made available to the workers who manage and maintain the transformer in the electrical system. Remember that not all electrical safety gear is equal, especially when dealing with high voltage electrical connections. Therefore, compare the transformer's voltage output with the available personal protection equipment. In addition, you should assess the condition of the gear regularly and replace as required for optimal employee safety.