Etcetera Edutainment Offers Low-Voltage Electrical Incident Simulator

Etcetera Edutainment, Pittsburgh, Pa., has launched a beta version of its Electrical Incident Simulator (Low Voltage), a computer simulation tool that safety trainers use to give trainees an in-depth view of serious electrical hazards. Safety professionals and others who are interested in electrical safety can now download the simulator for free on the company’s website.

The Electrical Incident Simulator (Low Voltage) provides on-screen re-creations of hazardous electrical incidents, such as arc flashes, arc blasts, and shock, which can occur with equipment of 600 volts or less. Safety trainers use the Electrical Incident Simulator to demonstrate to workers what these accidents look like as they take place, based on variable settings such as voltage and clearing time. Trainers can rewind the event and break down the incident by viewing key moments as the incident occurs; show how workers and bystanders are affected based on their proximity and what protective equipment they’re wearing; and can rotate the camera to view the incident and its scope from different angles.

The Electrical Incident Simulator (Low Voltage) is the first of three modules in Etcetera’s EE Safetyworks for Electrical Safety, a series of simulations and games designed to help companies minimize risk and ingrain electrical safety habits in their workforces. The remaining low voltage modules will be released later in 2009.

Future modules include:

• A package of basic scenarios to simulate common electrical work tasks that carry a high risk of electrical accident. An editing tool allows trainers to customize these scenarios. As trainees work to complete typical on-the-job tasks in this virtual environment, they make choices and experience real-time consequences. Trainers use this module to test trainee knowledge of OSHA and NFPA safety practices, including approach boundaries, hazard levels and protective clothing/equipment selection.

• Core electrical safety lessons based on NFPA and OSHA regulations to present and demonstrate standard safety practices; the tool simulates workers establishing approach boundaries and nominal voltage; identifying energized parts; and determining hazard category and personal protective equipment needs.

Etcetera developed the EE Safetyworks for Electrical Safety in consultation with a panel of subject matter experts, including certified electricians and safety consultants from Pittsburgh-based Sargent Safety, a subsidiary of Sargent Electric, and Lee Marchessault, certified electrician, Safety Consultant and President of Workplace Safety Solutions.

“We were interested in helping to develop training that the generation of workers coming into the industry can identify with, and for the many stakeholders who are looking for an effective training tool for new worker orientation and refresher training,” said Marchessault.

The Electrical Incident Simulator beta version is currently available for download via Etcetera’s website. The full Simulator tool will launch in September 2009 with the remaining modules to be released later in 2009.