Engineers prioritise arc flash safety with range of thermal imaging and wireless testing tools

Fluke has developed a range of thermal imaging and wireless testing tools to ensure safety is the highest priority for engineers working in potentially dangerous arc flash zones.

Every company's electrical safety strategy should be based on limiting workers' exposure to such electrical hazards as arc flash and electrocution. The company says the best way to keep operators out of harm's way is to give them access to the right non-contact tools that not only protect them but also decrease dramatically (by up to half) the amount of time they need to work on live circuits in arc flash zones.

Arc flash is the light and heat created from an arc fault explosion, and temperatures can reach up to 19,000C (35,000F), capable of igniting an operator's clothing and burning the skin of anyone within a few feet.

Engineers and health and safety teams will be familiar with the need to specify arc flash boundaries and wear arc-rated clothing and rubber insulating gloves. However, utilising non-contact test and measurement tools means operators can minimise the level of PPE needed and the amount of time they need to spend inside the boundary.

One such product is Fluke's PQ400 electrical measurement window (EMW), permanently installed into cabinets with voltage and current connections inside the panel. The solution gives workers access to critical power quality and energy data while reducing testing time and keeping a high level of safety. Users can plug their power quality tools into the EMW to collect all the needed data.

A second product – the company's CV400 ClirVu 4in window – is a permanent infra-red window that provides a view of what's on the other side of a panel without workers being exposed to live voltage or requiring full PPE. Offering the most visibility into a panel for a thermal camera (simplifying the inspection process by allowing measurements to be taken without having to open a cabinet), the widest Fluke window option also helps reduce the time and costs involved in preventive maintenance.

The company's TiS75+ thermal camera allows operators to capture and measure heat energy originating from a source without having to make physical contact, meaning they can see instantly what is running too hot or too cold before anything breaks down. Offering one-handed image capture, review and save facilities, the camera not only helps operators keep a safe distance from an arc flash boundary but also permits them to compare thermal scans over time using the Fluke Connect app.

A fourth product – the company's 376 FC clamp meter – makes it conceivable to set up measurements and transmit the data from inside the arc flash boundary, meaning someone within 20m of the equipment can open the Fluke Connect app and read the figures from outside the boundary. As well as reducing the time technicians spend in the arc flash boundary, the clamp meter helps them to log, trend and monitor measurements remotely so they can pinpoint intermittent faults.

The Fluke 3000FC digital multimeter is a flexible DMM allowing users to read results through the Fluke Connect app outside the arc flash boundary. Utilising this equipment cuts the time technicians spend inside the boundary and offers them an easy-to-read display with large digits and a bright backlight.

Says Eric van Riet: "There's no need for engineers to put themselves in an arc blast zone if they can avoid being there. Products such as wireless and non-contact tools, as well as remote displays, can help place them as far away as possible from risk and danger while allowing them to take accurate, instant readings that can be analysed remotely. Arc flash safety is essential, and the latest thermal imaging and wireless testing tools are the best way to offer operators maximum protection."