Local Disconnect Switch (ZEUS)
A Safe Workplace
Every employee has the right to a safe workplace and every employer has a responsibility to fulfill that right. Unfortunately, in many industrial facility environments, workers are still risking their lives when they perform maintenance to control panels and other equipment with electrical hazards. Panels and other electrical equipment in many facility environments are often located on the production floor far from the equipment they control. During production and routine maintenance periods, control panels, electrical components, and mechanical equipment need to be accessed for troubleshooting and repairs. Workers must shut off electricity, open the panel, and then work quickly to meet tight plant production schedules. In some cases, workers have been seriously injured when they opened an enclosure but failed to identify that the load side was still partially energized. In other cases, workers were harmed from an arc flash hazard caused by a stuck blade in the equipment disconnect.
About ZEUS
Thanks to a new safety disconnect switch design developed by leading industrial control panel fabricator Industrial Panel Solutions (IPS), it is now easier than ever to ensure workplace safety on the production floor. Named the Zero Energy Utility-disconnect Switch (ZEUS), the local disconnect switch (also known as an isolation panel) is able to provide workers with safe access to internal panel devices by isolating incoming power from the main electrical enclosure. Unlike most safety disconnect switches on the market today, ZEUS makes it easier for workers to quickly and safely verify voltage levels and de-energize a control panel, MCC, or any piece of downstream equipment directly from the panel.
The personal protective equipment (PPE) level required to use ZEUS is 0, freeing workers from the constraints of PPE and lowering time and plant operational costs. The ZEUS is equipped with redundant LED lighting that detects stuck blade obstructions and immediately warns workers of equipment that is not fully de-energized. A voltage test station located on the panel makes it easy to test phase to phase and grounded voltage points. Using the ZEUS, workers no longer face the risks of dangerous “surprises” – they can quickly de-energize a panel and ensure that it is truly safe.
ZEUS can service 30A to 1200A circuits and is compatible with a variety of enclosure types including NEMA 3/12 and NEMA 4/4x. It is safe to use in any industrial environment, even in facilities with adverse humidity conditions and high aerial dust concentration levels. When applied to existing cabinets, ZEUS does not affect the UL Rating.
When it comes to operational cost savings, worker safety, and convenience, the ZEUS is an industry game-changer. With its wider implementation, employers will no longer find their workers donning multiple layers of personal protective equipment and hurriedly racing across plant floors to verify shutdown equipment. What they will see, instead, is a major cost savings, reduced down-times, and increased worker safety and productivity. The ZEUS is truly a win-win for workers and their employers. Visit our ZEUS Services Page to learn more about how ZEUS can keep you safe.