Electrical insulation

Electrical insulation

 Especially, for an electrical conductor, grounded system,

electrical machines like a transformer, motor, and
generator, and other electric appliances; insulation is
provided for safety purposes. There are different types of
electrical insulation which are made of different types of
insulating materials.
Hazards in Electrical Insulation
Wear And Tear
Normal and regular use of electrical equipment can cause
wear and tear that result in insulation breaks, short-circuits,
and exposed wires. Important safety requirements include:
 All electrical cords should have enough insulation to
prevent direct contact with wires. In a healthcare setting,
it is particularly important to check all cords before each
use, since corrosive chemicals or solvents may erode the
insulation.
 Damaged cords should be repaired or taken out of service
immediately, especially in wet environments such as cold
rooms and near water baths.
Taking Equipment Out Of Service
The following circumstances requires that the user
immediately take the equipment out of service:
 experiencing shocks, even mild shocks, upon contact
 abnormal heat generation
 arcing, sparking, or smoking from the equipment
 Healthcare workers must label the equipment, “Do Not
Use” and should arrange for equipment repair either
through the equipment manufacturer or through their
department support as appropriate.
Labeled Equipment
 Listed or labeled equipment shall be used or installed in
accordance with any instructions included in the listing or
labeling .
 In the past, critical safety information and equipment specs
for electrical equipment in healthcare facilities were
printed on an adhesive label and put directly on the
equipment. Now, due to NFPA 70E, a barcode or QR code
can be used to link to a central database.
 This database gives workers access to the necessary hazard
information, including voltage, current and energy levels,
as well as other important information. With this change,
electrical workers can make more informed decisions based
on historical data.
Defective Insulation Hazards
Repair all damaged receptacles and portable electrical equipment
before placing them back into service
 Insulation that is defective or inadequate is an electrical
hazard. Usually, a plastic or rubber covering insulates wires.
Insulation prevents conductors from coming in contact with each
other and with people.
 Extension cords: Extension cords may have damaged insulation.
When insulation is damaged, exposed metal parts may become
energized if live wires contact one another.
 Tools: Electric machinery that is old, damaged, or misused may
have damaged insulation inside. If you touch damaged
equipment, you will receive a shock. You are more likely to
receive a shock if the equipment is not grounded or double-
insulated.
Application of electrical insulation
As a protection:
 Insulating material is generally used as a protective coating on
electrical conductor and cables. Cable cores which touch each other
should be separated and insulated by means of insulation coating on
each core, e.g. polyethylene, cross linked polyethylene-XLPE, polyvinyl
chloride-PVC, Teflon, silicone etc. All hand-held electrical appliances
are insulated to prevent their user from electrical shock hazard.
In electrical systems:
 All electronic appliances and instruments widely contain PCB (printed
circuit boards) having different electronics components on them. PCBs
are manufactured of epoxy plastic and fiberglass. All electronics
components are fixed on the insulated PCB board. In SCR
(semiconductor rectifiers), transistors and integrated circuits, the
silicon material is used as a conductive material and can be converted
into insulators using a heat and oxygen process.
Thank you