Can you guess the number of deaths due to high-voltage hazards?
In the United States, there are almost 1000 deaths per year due to electrical hazards. Approximately 400 deaths out of them are due to high-voltage injuries. Almost 30,000 non-fatal injuries are due to electric shock.
And what is the worst part?
Children are victims of these electrical hazards and injuries. About 20% of the electrical injuries occur among children. The best way to ensure electrical safety in your workplace and residents is to install electrical mats. An electrical mat protects people from excessive currents from short circuits, arc flashes, or other high-voltage hazards.
Let us dive into the blog to know the
5 Reasons Why Electrical Rubber Mat is Essential for Safety
1. Shock prevention:
What happens when you touch an electrical live equipment?
When you come in contact with live electricity, electric current will flow through your body. You will get an electric shock. The human body has low resistance to electricity. It cannot sustain such a high amount of current. You can get paralyzed or even die due to this hazard.
How can you protect yourself in such hazardous conditions?
You should use an electrical mat to protect yourself from electric shock. An electrical rubber mat is non-conductive. It naturally resists the flow of free electrons. It will not allow the electric current to pass through your body. Insulated rubber mat is made of rubber which makes it an efficient insulator.
2. A barrier to current discharges:
An electrical room comprises various circuits, appliances, and machinery. These operate at high voltages. In case of any manufacturing defect or faults in connections, there might be a lethal electrical accident. Most electrical accidents are associated with excessive current discharges.
An electrical mat acts as a barrier between the source and the ground. It has high resistivity which bypasses the excessive current discharges. Thus, a rubber mat electrical safeguards workers from potential risks while operating high voltage devices.
3. Protection from burns and injuries:
Electrical hazards result in exposing people to high amperes. This can cause severe injuries and burns in the internal organs of the operators. An electrical rubber mat will ensure your protection from such hazards. It prevents the passage of electric current from the source to the body. Thus, an insulated rubber mat protects people from severe burns and injuries due to power hazards. This minimizes the downtime costs by reducing the medical expenses required for attending to these injuries.
4. Safeguarding from physical accidents:
The HSE statistics show that nearly 32% of the accidents caused in a workplace are due to slipping and falling on the same level. These accidents can occur due to slippery, dusty, or wet floors. An electrical mat possesses anti-skid properties. It has a ribbed or dotted surface texture that enhances the grip of the mat on the ground. The increased traction of the rubber mat electrical reduces the chances of slipping. An insulated rubber mat minimizes physical accidents in the workplace.
5. Compliance with industrial safety standards:
An electrical rubber mat is compliant with the industrial safety standard. It ensures the electrical safety of the workers operating high-voltage appliances. There are specific safety standards for different geographical regions. The primary safety standards are IEC 61111:2009, IS 15652:2006, and ASTM D-178. The IEC 61111:2009 insulated rubber mat has different classes ranging from Class 0 to Class 4. The IS 15652:2006 compliant electrical mat can be of class A, B, or C. An ASTM D-178 complaint electrical mat can be of classes 0-4 and it can be either Type I or Type II. Each class has a separate voltage-withstanding capacity.
To wrap it up,
An electrical mat is essential to prevent people from getting exposed to electric shock. It acts as a barrier to protect people from current discharges due to power hazards. A rubber mat electrical protects people from burns and injuries due to electrical accidents. It safeguards people from physical accidents by offering anti-slip flooring. Hence, an electrical mat ensures your electrical safety by complying with industrial safety standards.