Center warns against becoming conductor for electricity
OMAHA, Nebraska – When harnessed properly, electrical power is a valuable tool. But when conducted through the human body, even small amounts of it can be deadly, the Central States Agriculture Center at University of Nebraska, Omaha, warned.
Identifying electrical safety principles is one of the center’s aims. This center is conducting research projects designed to make a positive impact on the sustainability of cattle feed yards through increased safety and health efforts.
In the feed yard, the mill, which houses high-voltage equipment used to process feed, is a primary source for potential electrical accidents. Excessive amounts of dust that collect inside the mill over time can be a source for those accidents.
“Dust in a control panel in the mill could serve as a conductor that causes an electrical issue, such as an arc flash-related injury inside the mill,” Safety Made Simple CEO Chuck Pirie said.
Finding 480-volt systems in a typical feed yard mill’s motor control room is…