The Standards and Regulations discussed on this site predominantly pertain to the prevention of fire and explosion. Accurate sizing of short circuit protection devices and conductors is essential in achieving compliance. These Standards and Rules are inherently complex, featuring multiple paragraphs, sections, subsections, exceptions, and cross-references both within and outside the documents. Failure to adhere to prescribed protection and sizing requirements can result in a wide range of outcomes – from no consequences at all, (yes none! because the very fault conditions protected against, by good fortune, happen never to occur), to complete disaster when such conditions do occur and even coincide with other bad luck potentially leading to damage to machines, and injury to people.
Between the most severe cases and minor issues are numerous less-publicized incidents that necessitate corrective actions, often resulting in significant financial costs, and impacts, from possible consequences including field modifications, legal proceedings, compensatory payments, production losses, employment impacts, individual accountability, and potential damage to careers and reputations.
Recommended Users:
Corporate Level: Legal liability and business reputation are important considerations. Companies that remain compliant with regulations will have a competitive advantage over those that do not.
Sales Managers: For discussion with Engineering: Optimizing equipment design can result in substantial cost savings. Selecting oversized components, such as fuses or breakers, increases both the direct expense and physical footprint, potentially necessitating also larger conductors all leading to increased labor costs and extended lead times. This oversizing may cascade through the project, requiring larger enclosures—which can significantly impact project costs and may become a critical factor for customers evaluating installation feasibility.
Conversely there are optimization methods than do justify lower sized components leading to lower costs in components, conductors, not forgetting labor which becomes easier and faster with smaller sizes. Such optimization would be particularly important for standardized and repeatedly manufactured equipment where the necessary initial design investment would be justified.
Engineering Managers:
During discussions with Sales Managers and Executives regarding business and cost considerations, the Engineering Manager can present measures for the optimization of designs to prevent unnecessary oversizing. Additionally, the Engineering Manager supports well-considered cost reduction initiatives conducted by the engineering group to identify opportunities within established Standards that allow for reducing the sizes of protection components and conductors in a compliant and efficient manner.
Engineers should be encouraged to record and document their work. This practice benefits individual employees, the organization, equipment maintenance, customers, and end users alike, resulting in improved outcomes. Incorporating this as a performance objective within annual assessment tasks can further enhance accountability and overall effectiveness.
Design Engineers: Maintain the Standards, references, and materials within reach, but store them in your bookshelf for the time being. Begin with these essential tools to generate results, then conduct verification. Assign your junior engineer to review existing designs, as this offers valuable training and opportunities for enhancement.
CAD Designers: These tools should be utilised under the guidance of your engineer. Ensure that all drawings and print-outs or electronic versions generated by these tools are thoroughly documented within the project for approval. (Good to add an engineering function into your job description at review time).
Student Engineers: These tools can be utilized as effective learning aids. With their comprehensive notes, user guides, and integrated explanations aligned with the Standards at the paragraph level, users are able to explore content in depth without navigating away from the site. Incorporating relevant examples into your portfolio may also enhance your presentation during job interviews.
Inspectors: These tools may be utilised for the equipment under review, or you may request documentation from the original designers. Notably, detailed breakdowns of design specifications regarding branch and feeder circuit protector ratings, as well as conductor sizes, would be particularly valuable examples.
AHJ: It may be appropriate to include records generated by these tools as part of the installation documentation.