Will you make it home today? This is the question arc flash specialist protective clothing manufacturer, ProGARM, is asking the UK industry. The question has been posed as part of a national campaign to raise awareness around the often-fatal risk of arc flash injury.
The campaign sees ProGARM calling on workers at all levels within the rail, construction, petrochemical, utilities, power generation and industrial electrical industry to share their experiences in a bid to capture a true picture of the real risk of arc flash across the UK.
An arc flash is caused when an electrical discharge travels through the air and releases an intense burst of energy. The energy expelled can be deadly, with temperatures hotter than the surface of the sun, the flash burns clothing and human skin within fractions of a second, even at a distance. The deadly phenomenon is a hidden killer and can impact anyone breaking ground, working with electricity or cables.
Mark Lant, technical expert at ProGARM, said: “Arc flash is a very real danger affecting workers up and down the country. And yet there is worryingly little research into the risk. We want to change that and so we are calling on those working in these specific fields to share valuable experiences via our survey and help us to protect lives in the future.”
The results of the study will be compared with ProGARM’s benchmark survey in 2017, to reveal the progress of arc flash safety over the last four years.
Mark continued: “The research has been designed to identify any possible areas where workers may still be at unnecessary risk of serious injury. The results of our 2017 study helped to raise awareness of arc flash risk, but four years on we must do more to save lives. Ultimately, it’s our goal to ensure that every person at risk is armed with the right awareness, knowledge and PPE to stay safe and make it home at the end of each day.”
The survey can be found here. Professionals in the electrical industry across the UK are encouraged to take part and share their experiences in a bid to ensure the safety of industry workers.
