With the 2020 hurricane season now underway, electricians must make critical decisions about whether to repair or replace damaged electrical equipment, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
To prevent worker injuries and equipment failures, electricians can refer to a free checklist, which is based on Chapter 32 of the 2019 edition of NFPA 70B. This section, titled “Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance,” gives details of preventive maintenance for electrical, electronic, and communications equipment and systems.
Electrical contractors may be called in to repair or replace equipment following a variety of different severe weather events, from hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes to flooding and fires. Each of these natural disasters and emergencies can inflict a different level of destruction, according to NFPA.
Rather than assuming that the electrical equipment is salvageable, electricians should instead follow these steps.
Step 1: Assess Initial Damage. Review documentation and drawings, perform a walk-through, and document any damage to electronic equipment and components.
Step 2: Assess Equipment Repair Priorities. Focus on the highest priority equipment first before moving on to equipment down the list. For example, medium-voltage equipment usually comes before low-voltage equipment in the list of priorities.
Step 3: Identify Factors for Replacement or Repair. Ask yourself a list of questions before deciding whether to repair or replace the electrical equipment. For example, is the manufacturer still in business? Can the repair be done on site? Also, what is the age and reliability requirement of the equipment?
Fischbach is a freelance writer based in Overland Park, Kan. She can be reached at [email protected].
