Switchracks in hazardous locations

Switchracks, for hazardous locations, offer many advantages over site built equipment by reducing labor to install and reducing manpower requirements to design, estimate and track construction. Furthermore, factory built switchracks provide a single source for design, drawings, construction and third party certifications. Switchracks fit many applications where motor control centers are not suitable, too expensive or the locations are too remote and/or congested for other power distribution techniques. The paper presents minimum requirements for switchrack design as well as field experience on the installation and start up, maintenance and additions to switchracks in hazardous locations and safety considerations.