TABLE OF CONTENTS An industrial facility poses many hazards, some obvious and others hidden. Many times you can get away with taking a risk, a shortcut, or a chance, but sooner or later such actions will catch up with you. You can be safe in your troubleshooting activities only if you act to ensure your safety.
Hazards come in all shapes and forms. The following is a general though by no means a complete discussion of some of the hazards you may face while troubleshooting.
Troubleshooting often requires working on or around energized circuits. This exposes the troubleshooter to additional hazards over normal de-energized maintenance. Troubleshooters must know which circuits are energized and what voltages are present in the area that they will be troubleshooting. The assumption of a single power source for an instrument or electrical device must be taken with a grain of salt, as it is not uncommon to have more than one power source for an instrument. For example, a speed or level switch may have a 120 VAC contact closure output powered from one source, but also a 120 VAC power supply from a different source.
If you have to work in close proximity to hazardous high voltage-level energized circuits during troubleshooting, consider the use of personal protective equipment such as gloves or a flash suit, guards, and insulating mats or covers. Always use the proper tools and never stick your hand where it might encounter an unknown...
