Personal voltage detectors can prevent workplace injuries by alerting workers to the presence of electrically charged objects, including machines, wires, or outlets. Unlike many PVDs on the market, COMPASS™ PVDs from Safeguard Equipment® feature directional detection, so instead of just knowing that there is danger in the vicinity but being unsure of where it is, professionals using COMPASS™ can determine the direction from which the threat is coming.
While some energized objects are simple to identify – such as an energized cable – there is no guarantee that the threat in your vicinity will be a wire or electronic device. Various materials can conduct electricity. An item that looks harmless may be carrying a deadly charge.
Frequently Overlooked Electrical Conductors
Standing Water
A common example of something seemingly innocent that poses a hidden threat is frequently observed following storms that cause a small amount of flooding: puddles and saturated lawns. Storms can cause downed power lines, and the combination of power lines and water is deadly. People may assume it is safe to walk or drive through large puddles left by a storm without being aware of the fact that a power line has been knocked down into a puddle or onto the wet ground. Someone stepping into that puddle or onto that lawn may be risking electrocution if this happens.
Metal Fences
Extreme weather events regularly cause power lines to fall, either from a snapped line or an entire power pole being knocked down by a fallen branch or tree. If live lines fall onto a metal fence, the metal will conduct the electricity like a wire, enabling the electrical charge to travel considerable distances. When utility workers attempt to restore power in the aftermath of a storm, they often work in residential areas where metal fencing is present.
There needs to be more than a visual inspection to determine if a metal fence is conducting electricity, especially in neighborhoods where multiple neighbors have connecting chain link fences. While a live wire may not have fallen on a section where utility workers can see it, it may have fallen on a fence around the corner connected to the fences in their vicinity. Using a PVD ensures that utility workers will be aware that the fence is energized, even if they do not see a downed wire near them.
Trust COMPASS™ Personal Voltage Detectors
The PVDs manufactured by Safeguard Equipment are crafted to stand out from the crowd by offering features that most others don’t. The directional alerts provided by COMPASS™ detectors help users discover the source of the threat so that they can address it or avoid it. Using a color-coded LED system and audible cues, COMPASS™ detectors guide users to – or away from – where the threat lies. Directional indication minimizes the risk that a worker will accidentally stumble over an energized object or hotline while trying to avoid danger or pinpoint the precise location.
360-Degree Protection
The chances of backing into a live wire are significantly minimized with the COMPASS’s ability to provide a 360-degree range of detection. While workers will still comply with standard safety inspections and high-voltage worksite protocols, COMPASS™ has their backs if they remain unaware of a hazard.
Current Detection
COMPASS™ detectors can detect both voltage and current, even when they may be hidden. This makes COMPASS™ the superior alternative to devices that can only detect voltage. Currents create magnetic fields that can pass through solid non-ferrous barriers, so utilizing a PVD that can identify current gives workers enhanced protection.
Multiple Sensitivity Levels
Featuring multiple sensitivity ranges, COMPASS™ detectors can register threats of all types. Even if workers never end up needing to use the most sensitive level, having it as an option ensures that users can fine-tune their device to suit the situation that arises.
Protect workers from energized items by adding COMPASS™ to your enterprise’s safety offerings. Contact Safeguard Equipment today to begin implementing our revolutionary safety technology in your workplace.