Management and Maintenance of Electrical Equipment in Industrial Facilities: Procedures for Improving Safety While Saving Money

This article discusses the importance of managing developed electrical preventive maintenance (EPM) programs, challenges resulting from underdeveloped EPM approaches, and methods for implementing and managing these initiatives. Electrical equipment that has not been properly maintained can impact worker safety due to undocumented and unknown conditions. With aging infrastructure and modifications to electrical systems through time, previously calculated short circuit capacities, arc-flash hazards, and device coordination may not reflect the installed electrical system. Performing preventive maintenance on electrical systems at industrial facilities, especially low-voltage systems, can be more difficult during economic downtimes. Justifying the costs associated with maintaining and/or upgrading systems can be challenging.