Did you know a piece of equipment can appear to be de-energized yet still contain hazardous voltage power. Do not remove the protective panels on equipment until you can confirm that it is completely de-energized and safe to work on.
Much of the equipment used by Stratus operates at potentially dangerous voltage and current (>50 volts, >5 mA). In many cases, removing equipment enclosure panels will expose unprotected, high voltage conductors and pose a risk of shock, electrocution or arc-flash explosion. Prior to removing such panels, it is very important to de-energize the equipment completely. Simply turning the equipment off via a switch on the tool is not always safe and cannot be relied upon to protect you. Even though the equipment looks “off”, hazardous voltage may still be present inside the instrument.
Frequently the equipment can be de-energized simply by unplugging it, which can be performed by anyone who has completed general electrical safety training. As long as you can see the plug at all times and ensure that it is not plugged back in, most tools will be safe to work on.
Tools that are hard wired to the electrical supply, such as through a power disconnect, must be locked out and tagged out (LOTO) by a specially trained and qualified individual. Many workers are NOT qualified to perform LOTO. If you need to have such equipment de-energized, you should contact a qualified person within Stratus.
Further Considerations
The lack of a hazardous voltage or shock hazard label on a piece of equipment does not necessarily mean it is safe to remove a panel cover on the tool while it is energized. Older tools often lack this warning.
Some equipment may contain stored electrical energy, such as large capacitors, making it unsafe to expose internal components even after electrical isolation. These capacitors must be shorted by a specially qualified person before the equipment is declared safe to work on.
Finally, some equipment can be safely opened up when energized, if only low voltage conductors are exposed in the process, as in a typical computer case. However, do not assume that this is the case – have it verified before opening any protective panels.