Electrical equipment can pose serious hazards if not designed, installed, and maintained properly. As an engineering designer, you need to follow some basic principles and standards to ensure maximum safety for yourself, your clients, and the end users. Here are some tips to help you design electrical equipment for maximum safety.
Before you start designing any electrical equipment, you need to identify and assess the potential risks involved. These could include electric shock, fire, explosion, arc flash, electromagnetic interference, or environmental damage. You should also consider the intended use, location, and operation of the equipment, as well as the possible human errors or failures. Based on your risk analysis, you can determine the appropriate level of protection and mitigation measures for your equipment.
For me maximum safety mean this equipment can't be failed or breakdown. To minimalize that 1. Never operating / running in the maximum capacity or 60% optimum. 2. Will be protect / shut down / open, from external fault 3. internal fault indication can shutdown this equipment. Because maximum is the highest standard, this equipment must be protect with all instrument indicator that is necessary like pressure, temperature, volume, flow and others. With relay indicator to monitor the electrical (voltage, ampere, resistance, reactive, etc.) or mechanical (rpm, heat, vibration, crack, etc.) With interconnection control and mechanism to make sure any fault procedure can't operate this equipment.
Many proxy switches with solenoids, separate con. Panels. Fail safe. Ect. Good to go. Old stuff. Keep it real. Dont under estimate the safety factor.remember. the eng. Approves. The design. Not like Baltimore. Disaster.
There are various codes and standards that regulate the design, installation, and testing of electrical equipment. These include national and international standards, such as the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) or the National Electrical Code (NEC), as well as industry-specific standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) or the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). You should familiarize yourself with the relevant codes and standards for your project and comply with them throughout the design process.
In addition to adhering to the codes and standards, it is important to apply good design practices to ensure the safety of your electrical equipment. This includes using quality materials and components suitable for the intended voltage, current, temperature, and environment, as well as providing adequate insulation, grounding, and shielding. It is also important to incorporate safety features such as fuses, circuit breakers, relays, switches, sensors, alarms, or indicators to protect the equipment and users from overloads, faults, or abnormal conditions. Design should be done with ease of access, maintenance, and repair in mind while avoiding exposed wires, sharp edges, or moving parts that could cause injury. Lastly, the equipment should be labeled and documented clearly and accurately with warnings, instructions, diagrams, and specifications.
Before you deliver or install your electrical equipment, you need to test and verify its performance, functionality, and safety. You should conduct various tests, such as continuity, insulation resistance, dielectric strength, polarity, phase sequence, or load tests, depending on the type and complexity of the equipment. You should also check for any defects, damages, or deviations from the design specifications. You should record and report the test results and any corrective actions taken.
Finally, you should educate and train the users of your electrical equipment on how to use it safely and efficiently. You should provide them with clear and comprehensive manuals, guides, or videos that explain the features, functions, and precautions of the equipment. You should also demonstrate or supervise the installation, operation, and maintenance of the equipment, and answer any questions or concerns they may have. You should also encourage them to report any problems or incidents that may occur.
By following these tips, you can design electrical equipment for maximum safety and minimize the risks of accidents, injuries, or losses.