There’s an invisible killer in the Australian workplace. Workers won’t see or hear it. It lies hidden in water, or behind walls. Live AC electricity is a constant risk in construction, mining and utilities, where workers labour on the hazardous front line.
Everyone is told the construction, demolition or mine site is safely isolated. Workers have the go-ahead to dig, drill and excavate, as the job requires. Yet even when a site is declared ‘safe’ there can be human oversight or error, exposing workers to injury or even death.
The statistics are grim.
The Glove Company (TGC) is offering a world-first solution for every worker. Personal Voltage Alert Device (PVAD) gloves are patented electricity detecting gloves designed and manufactured in Australia. Developed by TGC in partnership with Connect 10, they detect electrical hazards that can’t be seen, without contacting the source. This helps cover any user lapses in concentration.
The gloves ‘see’ around corners, detecting live AC voltage and exposed wires through common building materials like plywood, drywall, brick and plastic. Workers are alerted when they are in proximity to AC electrical danger (110V-440V), at a distance of 30mm to 400mm. An immediate high-pitched beep and a continuous red light helps workers keep a safe distance from the electrical hazard.
According to TGC, PVAD is regarded as one of the biggest breakthroughs in electrical and hand safety for 40 years.
Utilities: Older infrastructure deteriorates over time. When repair teams approach pipes, pumps, pressure valves and water mains, the gloves tell them if they are live before they get too close.
Demolition: Before knocking down a wall or part of a building which has been declared ‘safe’, workers wearing PVAD can double-check they won’t hit a hidden live wire.
Construction and commercial plumbing: When cutting pipes in trenches with older electrical conduits and below-ground wiring, the gloves indicate invisible live AC.
Mining: PVAD gloves can be used to detect electrical hazards on mine sites, for power plant repairs, water maintenance jobs and demolition of buildings.
Emergency services: Instant detection of live hazards when a power pole falls, a building’s circuits have been compromised by fire, or police enter a property that may be boobytrapped.
Fire equipment installation: Workers installing fire protection products in commercial buildings use the PVAD ‘safety net’ to prevent potential electrocution.
With PVAD, there’s no need for workers to carry a separate device, protection is literally in the palm of their hands.
Grant Staples, The Glove Company founder and CEO and PVAD inventor, says while the gloves won’t protect workers from shock if they touch the live wire, they will help workers avoid touching it in the first place. “Our mission at The Glove Company has always been to protect Australia’s workers. After decades in the industry, we’ve seen how much of a difference the right technology can make,” he says. “That’s why we devoted so much time and energy into developing PVAD over the last seven years. Because we genuinely believe PVAD can save thousands of lives, preventing electric shock and countless serious injuries.”
As Australia’s largest provider of industrial and safety equipment, Blackwoods has all your job requirements covered. Talk to your local Blackwoods Technical Safety Specialist about PVAD voltage detection gloves.