Businesses with HAZLOC atmospheres are exposed to the risk of static electricity igniting flammable gas, vapor and dust atmospheres. This ignition risk can be eliminated by ensuring equipment is bonded and grounded in accordance with NFPA 77 “Recommended Practice on Static Electricity”.
The new Piranha grounding clamp from Newson Gale Inc is designed to eliminate such fire and explosion risks. The corrosion resistant clamp, which features stainless steel teeth set in a point-on-point configuration, is Factory Mutual (FM) approved.
Factory Mutual approvals require the Piranha to pass a series of static grounding suitability tests including clamp pressure testing, pull resistance testing, vibration testing and electrical continuity testing, to ensure Piranhas are capable of making repeated and reliable connections to plant equipment, like cans, barrels, totes and vessels, that can be electrified by static electricity.
The point-on-point tooth configuration, a design feature that is the mainstay of the North American paints and coatings industry, can penetrate connection inhibitors like rust, paint coatings and product deposits, ensuring contact with the base metal of the equipment permits the flow of unwanted hazardous static charges to ground.
In combination with Factory Mutual approval, another crucially important feature is the ergonomic design of the PIRANHA, which sets it apart from other grounding clamps in use today. Due to ill-conceived spring and clamp handle designs, clamp opening pressures can prove restrictive when operators are tasked with making multiple clamp connections on a day-to-day basis. Newson Gale’s 30 years of HAZLOC static grounding experience has provided the formula for a clamp design that is easy for operators to use but does not give away any ground on making a solid connection to equipment.
The Piranha can be purchased directly from the Newson Gale webstore in a number of configurations ranging from 10 ft retractable spiral cable to 50 ft grounding reels, personnel grounding straps and an array of opposing connector options.