Designer, manufacturer and supplier of personal protective equipment, Skanwear, is hoping to raise awareness of arc flash risk and highlight the importance of selecting and wearing suitable arc and FR PPE at the upcoming PALM (Plant Asset Life Management) seminar and exhibition.
Representing Skanwear will be the organisation’s technical director, Anthony Long. The son of a clothing salesman, Long aims to draw upon his family’s background in clothing and textiles and combine this understanding with his own in depth knowledge of the electrical industry to deliver a detailed speech delving into the risks of arc flash and the importance of utilising dedicated arc flash PPE to minimise risk and boost workplace safety. Through the speech, Long hopes to provide valuable insider industry knowledge as well as actionable tips that businesses can quickly and easily implement.
“From talking to our customers, and to those working within high risk industries, what we’ve found is that arc flash is a bit like a shooting star; people know that it exists, but they never think that they’ll actually see it happen,” said Long. “The truth is that while we hope that it won’t happen, arc flash is more common than many people think, and having the right personal protective equipment for the risk really can save a life.”
Arc flash is caused when contact occurs between energised conductors, and can result in anything from mild burns to life-changing injuries such as hearing loss, blindness, or long lasting trauma. Arc flash injuries can also be fatal. One of the biggest concerns for those working in at-risk environments is that secondary effects of arc flash, such as debris and shrapnel, can often be overlooked. Skanwear’s own brand of arc and flame protective clothing, Strata, is designed to protect the wearer and minimise the chance of injury.
Long will be joined by a number of other industry leaders at the PALM event. His speech, titled ‘Arc Flash PPE: Do You or Don’t You Need it?’ is free to attend, and will be delivered in the High Voltage room at Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday 8 October 2019. Registrations can be made online here.
