Ensuring Electric Motor Safety: Key Phases & Essential Protective Measures

Just like generators or any other equipment in the workplace, electric motors are equally important in determining the success of your business – especially in terms of business productivity and profit.

It may seem pretty simple and straightforward to operate these motors, but still – it doesn’t mean their condition should be easily overlooked. Times like these, you should count on electric motor overhauling to check on your equipment, and determine whether there are any issues.

So, when it comes to operating them – you should be all the more careful. Below, we have compiled a few things you should keep in mind when running an electric motor.

Single-phase motors

Single-phase motors comprise all those devices with an output power of roughly 1 Horse Power (1HP). It’s commonly known for its usage in domestic applications – such as fans, washing machines, electric toys, blowers, and so on.

Although it is not directly relevant to the business like your 3-phase motors, you may find that some basic equipment will include single-phase motors that require regular maintenance from time to time.

Precautionary measures you can take in this case is:

• Make sure to inspect the motor winding thoroughly.
• Don’t leave a short-circuited battery for long as it will explode in due course
• Regular troubleshooting to determine if the features in the single-phase motors are operating properly.
• Do not run the motors beyond 12 volts.
• Conduct a power supply test to pinpoint whether there is an issue with the motor.

2-phase motors

Make sure to keep all the basic safety guidelines in check before you start operating the 2-phase motors. When the safety precautions are not adhered to – it may lead to injuries such as fire, shock, or personal injuries.

Here are some safety measures to keep in mind:

• Keep your goggles on whenever you’re operating the 2-phase motor to prevent any harm to your eyes.
• Only allow those with the knowledge of operating the 2-phase motors should be entering the working areas where these equipment are found.
• Don’t ever leave a motor running unattended.

3-phase motors

Unlike your single-phase and two-phase motors – three-phase motors are heavy industrial machines which require more care and attention. Especially since such a high amount of voltage is needed to get them running – extreme measures have to be taken to avoid accidental injuries that can be hazardous.

When it comes to operating 3-phase motors, the precautionary action you must take includes:

• Put on your safety gears – boots, gloves, ear masks – to protect yourself from any harmful effects.
• Only allow qualified personnel – one with the knowledge on how to install, operate or even repair the motor – to run it.
• Thoroughly inspect the motor, driven load, and coupling for solid, sturdy mounting. Conduct a mechanical check, look for any poor grouting, loose parts, and adequate base components.

General safety practices for employees

Last but not least, here’s what every one of your employees can do in the workplace:

• Make sure to ground an electrical system or tool properly – this will make way for a low-resistance path to the earth and avoid any kind of voltage buildup, lowering the risk of shock.
• Making use of circuit protection devices (GFCIs, ground-fault circuit interrupters, circuit breakers, fuses) can limit or even stop the current flow immediately when there’s a short circuit, overload, or ground fault.
• Check insulation for any exposed wires.
• Identify and enclose electric equipment to make sure nobody comes into contact with the live parts. Machinery with exposed parts which run at 50 volts or more should be accessible only to authorised personnel.

At the end of the day, the safety measures involved in operating each electric motor is more or less the same. However, as the voltage and number of wires increases – running the equipment becomes slightly different and tougher too.

It’s important to take note of these basic precautionary measures before operating an electric motor – especially if you’re not too familiar with this equipment. Similarly, when you notice that your electric motor is not operating like it normally does – an engineer who is well-versed in services like transformer, electric motor and generator overhauling will be able to spot the problem immediately. Always check your equipment condition, so you are able to eliminate any issues early on.