VolumeXLll 2nd Quarter2012

Electrical  Grounding  
 for  Safety  

Jaime  V,\.  Mendoza,  MTM,  IIEEF  

il

, Sofe qnd
EleclricoI Profession'1
 Objec&ves  
•  Be  able  to:  
–   explain  why  proper  grounding    is  very  important  in  
Electrical  Safety.  
–  explain  how  bonding  the  metal  parts  of  non-­‐current  
carrying  enclosures  of  the  electrical  equipment  to  
ground  protects  the  workers  against  electric  shock.  
–  explain  why  a  ground  fault  does  NOT    trip  a  circuit  
breaker.  
–  Explains  the  importance  of  GFCI  and  tamper-­‐
resistance  outlets  in  Electrical  Safety  at  Home  and  in  
the  workplace  
 Source  of  Fires  
•  First   quarter   of   2012   –   Faulty   Electrical  
connecRons   and   faulty   electrical   appliances   are  
the  major  causes  of  fire  incidents  in  the  country.  
•  Electrical  causes  –the  number  one  source  of  fires  
in  2011,  comprising  39%.    
•  Five  out  of  ten  of  these  fire  incidents  occurred  in  
Metro-­‐Manila  
 
Ref:  “Electrical  Safety:  A  Long  Term  Advocacy”,  The  Electrical  Engineer  Vol.  XLII  2nd  Qtr  2012  
 MCCORMICK PLACE FIRE, CHICAGO: JANUARY 16, 1967

McCormick Place, an exhibition center on Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive, opened

in November 1960. The center included a theater, several restaurants and
banquet rooms, and over 500,000 square feet of exhibition space. In January
1967, McCormick Place hosted the National Housewares Manufacturers
Association Show, which featured nearly 1,250 booths selling kitchen and
household appliances. The event was scheduled to open on Monday, January
16, but, at around 2 AM that morning, McCormick Place janitors noticed
smoke rising from a small fire at the back of an exhibition booth.

The janitors waited to raise the alarm and instead attempted to extinguish the
fire themselves by beating at it with brooms and pieces of carpeting. The
flames quickly spread to the walls of the booth, prompting the janitors to call
the Chicago Fire Department. Firefighters responded immediately and, within
five minutes of the first alarm, an officer on-scene ordered a second alarm. By
2:30 AM, five alarms were sounded, bringing 94 apparatus and over 500 fire
and rescue personnel to the scene. Fire fighting efforts were severely delayed,
however, as four of the seven McCormick Place fire hydrants were shut off.
To attack the flames, firefighters had to draft water from Lake Michigan and
rely on fire hydrants a quarter-mile away. The fire was extinguished by 10
AM, around the time the N.H.M.A. show was scheduled to begin, but
McCormick Place was essentially destroyed.

Initial investigations by the City of Chicago exposed several serious fire safety
issues that had been overlooked by McCormick Place management. The
exhibition area did not have fire sprinklers or fire walls, and fireproof
materials did not protect the steel roof supports. Also, most of the electrical
wiring for the booths did not follow electrical safety standards, as the facility
was still using temporary electrical systems for the exhibition areas. Most
tragically, one McCormick Place security guard was killed in the fire,
presumably because he could not find an unlocked emergency exit. Other
employees who escaped the blaze confirmed that they had never been told
how to find unlocked emergency exits.

In the months following the fire, the Illinois Inspection and Rating Bureau
launched a comprehensive investigation into the McCormick Place Fire and
published a detailed report on its findings. The investigators did not
determine a definitive cause, but it is assumed that the temporary electrical
wiring started the fire. The report did, however, shine light on many of the
difficulties the firefighters faced, noting how “firefighting was seriously
hampered because of lack of adequate water, intense heat, rapid fire spread,
early roof collapse and unstable exterior panel walls.” The report helped to
bring about numerous changes to the Chicago Municipal Code, as ordinances
on exhibition halls, electrical facilities, emergency exits, fire walls, and smoke
and heat vents were soon revised based on the lessons learned from the
McCormick Place Fire.

Adam Groves, 2006.

 McCormick  Place  
•  A   large   exhibiRon   hall   in   Chicago,   was   destroyed   by   a  
fire   believed   to   have   been   started   because   of   a  
defecRve  extension  cord  serving  display  booth.  
•  US  $  60  million  –  direct  property  lost  
•  US   $   100   million   –   addiRonal   lost   to   the   economy   in  
the  Chicago  Area  
•  The   fire   might   have   been   prevented   if   a   program   had  
been  in  effect  to  ensure  worn  cords  are  replaced,  that  
only   heavy   duty   cords   were   used,   and   that   cords   and  
their  supply  circuits  were  not  overloaded.  

Ref:  NFPA  70B  2010  EdiRon,  p  16  

Roughly half of home electrical fires Nearly half of home electrical fires
Roughly half of home electrical fires Nearly half of home electrical fires
involved electrical distribution or lighting involved other known types of equipment
involved electrical distribution or lighting involved other known types of equipment
equipment in 2005-2009. in 2005-2009.
equipment in 2005-2009. in 2005-2009.
Leading Types of Electrical Distribution or Leading Other Types of Equipment Involved
Leading Types of Electrical Distribution or Leading Other Types of Equipment Involved in
Lighting Equipment Involved in Home Electrical Home Electrical Fires, 2005-2009
Lighting Equipment Involved in Home Electrical Home Electrical Fires, 2005-2009
Fires, 2005-2009
Fires, 2005-2009
6% 6%
16% 6% 6% 6%
16% 16% 6%
16%
14% 4% 4%
14% 4% 4%
12% 12% 4%
10% 4%
10%
8% 8% 6% 6%
6% 5% 5%
6% 3%3% 2%
2%
4% 3%
3%
4%
2% 2%
. 0% . 0% 0%
0%
Unclassified Washer
Washer or or Fan Fan Space Space
heater heater
Air Air
Outlet Outlet
Unclassified or Branch
or BranchExtension Fuse
Extension Fuseoror
wiring wiring dryer
dryer condition
conditioning
receptacle
receptacle circuit cordcord circuit
circuit circuit
equipmentequipme
wiring
wiring breaker
breaker
panel
panel

HomeHome
FiresFires
Involving
InvolvingElectrical
Electrical Distribution
Distribution oror Lighting
Lighting Equipment
Equipment
Ref:  Home  Electrical  Fires  by  John  R,  Hall,  Jr.    
               NFPA  –  Fire  Analysis  &  Research  Division  
U.S. fire departments
U.S. responded
fire departments to toananestimated
responded averageofof23,400
estimated average 23,400 reported
reported U.S. U.S. non-confined
non-confined
               January  2012  
 damage.
Home Fires Involving Electrical Distribution or Lighting
Equipment, by Major Equipment Group 2005-2009
70% 61%
60%
47% Fires Civilian Deaths
50%
40% 34%
30% 21%
20% 15% 12%
10% 6% 4%

0%
Wiring and Lamps, light Cords and plugs Transformers and
related equipment fixtures and light power supplies
bulbs

Ref:  Home  Electrical  Fires  by  John  R,  Hall,  Jr.    

               NFPA  –  Fire  Analysis  &  Research  Division  
               January  2012  
 Table 1.A. Home Fires Involving Electrical Failure or Malfunction as Factor Contributing to Ignition,
by Factor Contributing to Ignition
Annual Average of 2005-2009 Structure Fires Reported to U.S. Fire Departments

Type of Electrical Failure Civilian Civilian Direct Property

or Malfunction Fires Deaths Injuries Damage (in Millions)

Unclassified electrical failure 23,920 (49%) 218 (50%) 664 (46%) $770 (52%)
or malfunction
Unspecified short circuit arc 13,110 (27%) 108 (25%) 422 (29%) $440 (30%)
Short circuit art from defective 6,310 (13%) 49 (11%) 151 (10%) $151 (10%)
or worn insulation
Arc or spark from operating 2,510 (5%) 26 (6%) 96 (7%) $60 (4%)
equipment
Arc from faulty contact or 2,250 (5%) 18 (4%) 55 (4%) $49 (3%)
broken conductor
Short circuit arc from 2,040 (4%) 33 (8%) 50 (3%) $43 (3%)
mechanical damage
Water caused short circuit arc 710 (1%) 0 (0%) 13 (1%) $10 (1%)
Fluorescent light bulb 190 (0%) 0 (0%) 4 (0%) $11 (1%)

Total fires 49,080 (100%) 438 (100%) 1,445 (100%) $1,476 (100%)
Total factors 51,030 (104%) 452 (103%) 1,455 (101%) $1,534 (104%)

Note: Figures include confined fires, which are fires reported as confined to fuel burner or boiler, chimney or flue, cooking vessel,
trash, incinerator, or commercial compactor. These are national estimates of fires reported to U.S. municipal fire departments and so
exclude fires reported only to Federal or state agencies or industrial fire brigades. National estimates are projections. Casualty and
loss projections exclude fires reported only to Federal or state agencies or industrial fire brigades. Fires are rounded to the nearest ten,
civilian deaths and civilian injuries are expressed to the nearest one, and property damage is rounded to the nearest million dollars.
Damage has not been adjusted for inflation. Figures reflect a proportional share of home fires with factor contributing to ignition
listed as unknown, unreported, none, or blank, with allocations done separately for non-confined and confined fires. Totals may not
equal sums because of rounding.
Ref:  Home  Electrical  Fires  by  John  R,  Hall,  Jr.    
Source: Data from NFIRS Version 5.0 and NFPA survey.                NFPA  –  Fire  Analysis  &  Research  Division  
               January  2012  
fire deaths of all causes. (See Figure 2.2 and Table 2.7.)
Figure 2.2. Non-Confined Home Fires and Deaths Involving
Electrical Distribution or Lighting Equipment, by Time of Day, 2005-2009

25%
21% Deaths
20% Fires
15%
15%
Percent

10% 12% 10% 10% 11% 11% 10%

9% 9%
10% 8%
6% 6% 5% 6% 8% 9%
6%
5% 6% 6%
1% 1% 2%
0%

Time of Day

Source: Data from NFIRS Version 5.0 and NFPA survey. Note: See Note on Table 2.8.

Ref:  Home  Electrical  Fires  by  John  R,  Hall,  Jr.    

Figure 2.3. Non-Confined Home Fires and              Deaths Involving
 NFPA  –  Fire   Analysis  &  Research  Division  
Electrical Distribution or Lighting Equipment,
           by Month,
   January   2012   2005-2009
 Source: Data from NFIRS Version 5.0 and NFPA survey. Note: See Note on Table 2.8.

Figure 2.3. Non-Confined Home Fires and Deaths Involving

Electrical Distribution or Lighting Equipment, by Month, 2005-2009

20% 18% Fires

18% Deaths
16%
14% 11%
12%
Prevent

12% 10% 10% 8%

10% 9% 8% 8% 8% 10%
8% 7% 7%
8% 9% 8%
6% 7% 6% 5% 4%
7% 6% 7% 6%
4%
2%
0%

Month

Source: Data from NFIRS Version 5.0 and NFPA survey. Note: See Note on Table 2.9.

Ref:  Home  Electrical  Fires  by  John  R,  Hall,  Jr.    

               NFPA  –  Fire  Analysis  &  Research  Division  
               January  2012  
Safe Electrical Wirings???
Safe Electrical Wirings???
Safe Electrical Wirings???
Safe Electrical Wirings???
Safe Electrical Wirings???
Safe Electrical Wirings???
Safe Electrical Wirings???
Safe Electrical Wirings???
 Basic  Defini7ons  
•  Ground  –  the  earth    
o The  earth  as  a  conductor  is  assumed  to  have  a  
potenRal  of  zero.  
•  Grounded  –  connected  to  grounding  or  to  a  
conducRve  body  that  extends  the  ground  
connecRon  
•  Bonded  –  connected  to  establish  electrical  
conRnuity  and  conducRvity  
 Grounding  and  Bonding  

Purpose of bonding equipment

Purpose of the equipment grounding
conductor
and enclosures
 Purpose  of  Bonding  
•  Is  to  connect  two  or  more  conducRve  objects    
together  to:  
o Ensure  the  electrical  conRnuity  of  the  fault  
current  path,  and    
o Provide  the  capacity  and  ability  to  conduct  safely  
any  fault  current  path,  and  
o Minimize  potenRal  difference  between  conducRve  
components  
Grounding  and  Bonding  
 Earth  is  Not  an  Effec7ve    
Ground-­‐Fault  Current  Path  
Effective ground-fault current path
Neutral  isolated  
In  panelboard