Latin America. There is a multiplicity of events that can occur in residential, commercial and industrial electrical installations. Much of the "short circuits" can be avoided by using qualified personnel and equipment in their construction, maintenance and operation.
Below SECURITY SALES presents, thanks to the help of Schneider Electric, a count of ten reasons why you may be a victim of an event like this and the recommendations you should follow:
1. Moorings, joints, shunts or defective joints: electrical connections must be performed by qualified technical personnel, and must follow the RETIE guidelines, (Technical Regulation of Electrical Installations).
2. Overloads in the conductors by connection of devices of great electrical consumption: limit the working currents; with a correct sizing of electrical protections, the installations and equipment are protected against a high demand for current that can trigger a short circuit. Select drivers according to the demand of the load.
3. Use of low quality accessories, "clones": use electrical materials and equipment approved by CIDET (Corporation Center for Research and Technological Development of the Electricity Sector).
4. Erroneous connections in the expansion of electrical installations: check load tables, especially check if there is availability of energy to undertake the desired expansion.
5. Performing intentional or accidental acts on contacts: protecting people's equipment; safeguard electrical installations and equipment from human error through active protections such as physical barriers.
6. Low quality of electrical conductors: use electrical materials approved by CIDET.
7. Connection of electrical consumption appliances with malfunction: perform periodic maintenance on electrical equipment. Warn about the unusual increase in equipment consumption; this is reflected in the increase in the energy bill.
8. Placement or replacement of fuses or thermomagnetic pads of greater capacity than necessary in the Safety Switch and in the electrical panel: the tighter the fuse or thermomagnetic pad is to the electrical installation, the response to a "short circuit" will be faster, thus avoiding that the devices connected to the installation are exposed to damage for a long time: preserve what is specified in the electrical designs regarding the sizing of protections in electrical installations.
9. Temporary repairs type "patches" throughout the installation: no matter the type of repair or work that is done in the electrical installation, the RETIE must always be complied with.
10. In general unsafe acts: when working with electricity you better be sure of what you are doing: always follow the safety rules and protocols for work with electrical equipment and installations. This includes recognizing the potential risks when working with electrical installations, using appropriate tools and physical protection elements for the worker. Ignorance of the above factors, together with the overconfidence of the technical staff can cause damage to electrical installations and injuries to the same people, which in a tragic scenario can lead to the death of the worker.
In conclusion, to avoid electrical accidents, it is necessary to comply with the regulations in force, in the case of Colombia, of the Technical Regulation of Electrical Installations "RETIE" of the Ministry of Mines and Energy.
All electrical work should be performed by qualified technical personnel. In the case of Colombia, electrical technicians are required to be certified by the National Council of Electrical Technicians "CONTE".
It is also necessary to use approved electrical materials and equipment. In Colombia, it must be done before cidet (Corporación Centro de Investigación y desarrollo tecnológico del Sector eléctrica).
