Hazardous Locations

How does Exponent's multidisciplinary approach help you create safer working conditions?

Although regulatory bodies such as OSHA, HAZMAT, NFPA, IEEE, and other agencies require and enforce strict guidelines to help protect worker safety and prevent hazardous situations that can lead to electrical shock or electrocution accidents, approximately 30,000 shock accidents, 300 deaths, and 4,000 injuries are reported to result from electrical hazards each year. For more than fifty years, Exponent has helped clients investigate electricity-related incidents, identify workplace hazards, and develop proactive solutions to mitigate workplace accidents.

Electricity-related accidents generally occur from hazardous situations created when electrical or procedural policies are not implemented or followed. Employees, contractors, or customers can encounter electrized components when power lines are accessible or exposed, if there is a lack of ground-fault protection, if the electrical path to ground is missing or discontinuous, if equipment is not used as prescribed, or extension and flexible cords are used or installed improperly. Faulty wiring can cause dangerous arc flashing, shock, fires, and explosions and can result in costly damage or even loss of life.

Following a failure or loss, diagnosing how the location became dangerous is critical to improving future safety conditions. When the potential for shock and arc flash are present, the hazard may be the result of electrical equipment failures, including high-power transmission equipment, switchgears, consumer products, and consumer electronics. Inadequate safety procedures and human errors can also be culprits.