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Earth Tech provides Field Labeling services for many companies nationwide. Depending on the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), Field Labeling (also sometimes called Field Evaluations) of equipment is required.

What is Field Labeling?

Field labeling is a safety review that focuses on Electrical Safety and is used to satisfy the city or state's electrical and building inspectors. To ensure the electrical safety integrity of equipment, Earth Tech Microelectronic Services focuses our field evaluations on a number of key areas of the equipment construction. The following summarize the fundamental methods of our field evaluations.

Lockout Tagout


• The equipment is examined to ensure that the facility feed conductors are provided with the correct clearances and termination points according to NFPA 70 and NFPA 79. The main disconnect handle and main LOTO provisions are examined for conformance to NFPA 70, NFPA 79, and OSHA requirements. The electrical enclosure(s) of the equipment are examined for suitability within the environment in which they are incorporated according to the conditions described in UL 508 and UL 50.


• An often over looked aspect of field evaluations is the full requirements of OSHA compliance for LOTO provisions on the hazardous energy on the equipment as well as isolation for electrical energy. Earth Tech Microelectronic Services examines all of the energy that the facility provides to the equipment and evaluates the ability to isolated all energy (process gasses, pneumatic gasses, cooling water, process liquids, etc.) with lockable isolation features.




Overcurrent Protection

• Overcurrent and overload protection features are reviewed in detail by examining the conductors and components within the system from the main disconnect device through each branch circuit to the point where the electricity is consumed or converted to less than 240VA at non hazardous voltage levels. All conductors are evaluated for overcurrent protection according to NFPA 79. All components are evaluated to ensure they are used and protected within the conditions of their listing.




Wiring

• Wiring methods are reviewed to ensure the requirements of NFPA 79 are met for conductor colors, incidental contact, segregation of control circuits and devices, ground conductors, labels, buttons, and indicators.
• Isolation of hazardous voltages from earth ground as well as signal conductors are evaluated and tested through visual inspections and high potential breakdown testing to validate the visual inspection.




Electrical Testing


• Machine grounding is tested at numerous points on the equipment including all exposed metal surfaces that enclose electrical components. Ground continuity testing is performed at 30 amps and is required to demonstrate ground resistance is less than 0.1 ohm at all points measured referenced to facility ground.
• Surface leakage is tested to ensure that no more than 3.5mA of current exists on the exposed conductive surfaces of the equipment during non-fault operating conditions.



• Input current is tested and the electrical design of the equipment evaluated to ensure the correct size of the main over-current device is employed. The electrical components and connections within the equipment are measured for acceptable heating to ensure that the electrical components are not operating at their stress levels during normal equipment operation. maintained by monitoring at all times that the equipment is powered. When such evidence has not been provided or the issue has been overlooked, Earth Tech Microelectronic Services is equipped with an experienced team that can provide the testing required to determine the fire safety level of the equipment design.




Labeling

• We identify all hazards on the system and review the equipment for Hazard Warning labels according to the potential hazards present on the equipment and ANSI Z535.4.




Other Hazards

• Special consideration is given to ground fault protection requirements on equipment that incorporates immersion heaters. Those systems that could create an unpredictable current path through liquid distribution lines are carefully evaluated to ensure that any faults in the heating system are mitigated before they become an electric shock hazard to personnel.
• For equipment that uses flammable chemistry the requirements to use electrical components that are listed for use in classified locations are examined in detail. Where it is not possible to obtain components for classified locations, Earth Tech Microelectronic Services requires the equipment manufacturer to produce the test reports that demonstrate adequate dilution of the flammable chemistry has been provided and is

When should I start the field labeling process?

While Field Labeling is required by most jurisdictions, many end-users require preliminary field labeling evaluations. These evaluations take place at the manufacturer and ensure that once the equipment is shipped and installed, it will be able to be successfully field labeled. Earth Tech can provide onsite preliminary field evaluations to identify equipment issues that must be resolved prior to final installation. This helps minimize costs associated with fixing the issues once it is at the end-user site.

If you have any questions about the field labeling process, please contact us.