Why Ground Fault System Certification Is Important To Businesses

By Ines Flores


If given the chance, any electrical circuit will take the path that offers less resistance when going to ground. When a human being completes that connection, the result may be a damaging or fatal shock. If the fault is the result of equipment malfunction or engineering error, the cost can be severely damaged or destroyed equipment, and an increased chance of liability for injuries. Ground fault system certification helps sustain high levels of safety compliance.

Although people assume that all building electrical system or equipment design issues automatically include proper grounding techniques, each has unique requirements. If errors were made in the original planning or the installed equipment and connections have not been maintained properly, a low-level arcing ground fault can demolish expensive switching gear by producing an electrical arc similar to those used when welding metals.

NETA, or the International Electrical Testing Association, claims that up to fifteen percent of all the installations they test have problems having the potential to cause damage or injury. Protections are required by the National Electrical Code in the United States, and include the installation of specialized sensors that are able to detect and clear problems in the milliseconds before they result in costly damage.

They accomplish that by constantly checking whether current is both leaving and returning correctly. If a normal path is out of phase, the current may automatically take an alternate route to ground that is less resistant. That route may include the steel building framework, interior pipes, or heating and cooling conduits. Devices use monitors that are able to detect deviations, and relay logic devices to measure the value and timing of tripping current.

Most safety setups also have mechanisms that activate a circuit breaker or switch if trouble is found, and many also include test panels intended to simulate an event and the resulting emergency response. Although these tests are useful, they do not always comply with the standards required by the National Electrical Code and other safety standards, making manual inspections the preferred method.

Certified and trained technicians make judgments based on the latest technological assessments that are currently associated with building safety and electrical system designs, and their testing equipment conforms to uniform standards in all locations. They can provide recorded documentation of any issues that may be discovered, and retain information from the evaluations that have already been performed.

The certification that NETA provides for employees helps ensure competency when dealing with potential hazards, and deals with existing issues using accepted safety procedures. Each individual must conform to the minimum industry requirements for experience, and complete all necessary training. These employees are also required to provide impartial and independent analysis.

Insurance companies recommend annual testing. The cost involved varies, depending on the type of equipment, the scheduled timing of the event, and the actual topography of the site. Coordination with local utilities may be required, which testing companies arrange. A system that is in good working order will be able to detect and correct problems instantly, potentially saving thousands of dollars in unnecessary repairs.




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