ATLANTA, March 26, 2008 - Tibs, a division of M.C. Dean, Inc., announced today that the its arc flash experts - Mark Tibbetts, Tibs’ president and general manager, and John Welch, Tibs’ Critical Power Group manager - have been selected to present at the Georgia Association of Physical Plant Administrators (GAPPA) 25th annual meeting at Jekyll Island, May 28.
Entitled Preventing Arc Flash Electrical Hazards in the Workplace, their presentation will focus on the electrical arc flash dangers that facility owners, management and administrators face. An arc flash or arc explosion is a dangerous short circuit that usually occurs during maintenance work on an electrical system.
“Between five to ten arc flash explosions happen every day, and statistics show that about 1,000 deaths occur per year from electrical shock and arc flash injuries,” said Tibbetts. “Knowing how to prevent these blasts from happening is critical for physical plant administrators.”
“Temperatures generated in an arc flash are actually four times the temperature of the sun,” explained Welch, pointing out that an arc flash will have temperatures that reach 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit. “People in an arc flash are burned from the intense heat generated or when their clothing ignites, and some are injured or killed from shrapnel sprayed by the explosion.”
Taking measures to prevent arc flashes is paramount, said Tibbetts. “OSHA implemented serious regulations last year for employers to protect their workers against these electrical explosions, and if employers aren’t being proactive and an accident occurs, they can be fined under OSHA’s general duty clause. When you take in to consideration the fines, lawsuits and business disruptions, these are multi-million dollar accidents we are trying to avoid.”
“Our presentation will explain the steps for preventing arc flashes, conducting an Arc Flash Analysis, labeling equipment, choosing the right personnel protection equipment (PPE) and administering a sustainable prevention program,” Welch added.
“Those who attend our presentation will leave with a better understanding of the seriousness of an arc flash as well as learn about OSHA’s new enforcement regulations, what employers are responsible for, how they should comply and what they need to do to prevent electrical accidents in the work place,” said Tibbetts.
For information on the GAPPA conference or the organization, visit www.gappa.org.
About Tibs
Founded in 1971, Tibs (www.tibsgroup.com), a division of M.C. Dean, Inc., specializes in electrical, technology, power quality and security services. Based in Suwanee, Ga., Tibs has an impressive client list including Georgia Power, Delta Airlines, Chic-fil-A, Emory University, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, MARTA, Coca Cola, Center of Disease Control, CSX Railroad, Sage Software, and the USDA.
About M.C. Dean, Inc.
Established in 1949, M.C. Dean, Inc. (www.mcdean.com) is one of the nation’s foremost providers of full lifecycle solutions for complex power, security, electronics, and telecommunications systems. The firm has more than 2,500 employees based in 20 offices in the Southeast, MidAtlantic, Europe, and the Middle East. Clients include the Department of Defense, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Fannie Mae, the Department of State, and Johns Hopkins University.
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