Power Distribution

System Overview

The Kri-Tech Bond Mat System is designed and high voltage tested to protect workers who come in contact or have the potential for electrical contact.

Use of the Kri-Tech Bond Mat System complies with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 1910.269 standard which states:

“Equi-Potential Zone. Temporary protective grounds shall be placed at such locations and arranged in such a manner as to prevent each employee from being exposed to hazardous differences in electrical potential”

For workers on the ground OSHA further states:

“Other methods may be necessary to protect workers on the ground, including grounding mats and insulating platforms. The Agency believes that this performance-oriented approach will provide the flexibility needed by employers, but will afford the best protection to employees.”

Certification

The Kri-Tech Bond Mat System is certified to ASTM 2715 “Standard Specification for Temporary Protective Equipotential Bond Mat To Be Used on De-Energized Equipment”

The Average Linemans Day Is Anything But Average

Few professions are as demanding requiring constant diligence to safety as the powerline technician profession

This was the case when an incident occurred while a switchman was performing a routine switching procedure. As a matter of procedure and training the lineworker installed the patented Kri-Tech Bond Mat as a temporary protection measure while performing the switching process. The bond mat is used in these types of operations where no permanent grid is available or the integrity of an existing grid is in question. The incident had sufficient voltage and current to burn several portions of the mat stitching while the switchman remained unharmed. The internal braid grid and the larger external perimeter braid remained intact.

The Kri-Tech Bond Mat is designed and tested to be an effective method of providing portable safety protection for workers who come in contact or have the potential for electrical contact. The mat creates an Equi-Potential Zone for the lineworker to stand on during various energized and de-energized work practices.

Properly applied the bond mat accomplishes compliance with the OSHA 1910.269 requirement which states “Equi-Potential Zone: temporary protective grounds shall be placed at such locations and arranged in such a manner as to prevent each employee from being exposed to hazardous differences in electrical potential”

The portable mat consists of a high-ampacity tinned copper braid cable sewn in a grid pattern on to a high strength flexible membrane. The braid has an inner conductor and a separate outer perimeter conductor for superior protection.

Electrical Workers Applications

The Kri-Tech Bond Mats provide electrocution protection when field workers are engaged in the following operations:

Making cable terminations on transformers and in cubicles
Opening or closing overhead air breaks
Working on control boxes of regulators, reclosers, capacitors, and pad mounted switches
Protecting workers with booms around power lines
Stringing Operations
Help meet standards when working on overhead power lines

Incident Reports

The Kri-Tech Bond Mat has been in place during numerous line strikes and in all cases the operators walked away with no injuries.

Worksite Shock Protection Strategies

An extensive study and excellent source for Worksite Shock Protection Strategies has been done by ELECTRI International.

The report can be obtained from ELECTRI International.