Injuries from static electricity continue to plague the industrial world. Even if we set aside dust ignitions and lightning strikes and confine ourselves to liquids and gases, the toll is significant.
A review of 310 accidents by the Japanese chemical industry found that improper grounding caused 70% of all accidents involving static electricity. A 20-year survey of accidents in which static electricity was implicated shows that 30% of these involved hydrogen, natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas — this should be a concern with the rise in gas exploration and the growth in use of hydrogen with dirty, heavy crude.
Protecting electrical controls and equipment within food and beverage plants presents unique challenges due to the sanitation requirements of the hygienic environment.
