What Causes Electrical Short Circuits and How Can You Manage Them with Insulating Matting?

Published On: January 30th, 2025By

Are you afraid that a devastating fire in your industrial facility can affect all your life’s savings? Have you thought about how you would control a fire from a sudden short circuit? Do you know insulation matting can protect your industrial workspace up to an extent?
The NFPA or National Fire Prevention Authority says that approximately 24% of fires cause structural damage.

Now, you must be thinking about how electrical matting is the solution. Especially, when you install rubber matting to prevent electric shock and not fires?
The interesting thing here is whether it is a 1000 V rubber matting or one with higher working voltage tolerance, it should have fire retardance as one of its essential properties.
Let us tell you more:

What Is an Electrical Short Circuit?

An electrical short circuit occurs when the electricity flow of current deviates from its intended path because of a low-resistance connection between two points in an electrical circuit.
This sudden diversion causes a spike in current flow. Moreover, it leads to excessive heat generation and potential damage to the circuit or connected devices.
Short circuits are dangerous because they can trigger fires, cause electrocution, or damage critical equipment.

What are the Common Causes of Electric Short Circuit?

Accidents are unpredictable, and fires are unfortunate.
Imagine you are sleeping peacefully at night when you receive a call reporting a fire at your industrial facility. Besides the loss of assets and money, it can land you in unnecessary legal trouble, insurance claims, and whatnot. An electric safety matting would have controlled the situation up to some time, allowing you a few more hours to react.

Some common causes of electrical short circuits are:

  • Damaged Electrical Wires: Over time, insulation around electrical wires can deteriorate due to wear and tear, rodents, or environmental factors. When these wires come into contact, they create a low-resistance path, leading to a short circuit.
  • Overloaded Circuits: If you plug too many appliances into a single circuit, it can overload it, leading to overheating and short circuits.

Workers standing on insulating matting stay protected from those who don’t when handling overloaded circuits unknowingly.

  • Faulty Electrical Devices: Frayed cords or internal wiring failures in devices can create current paths for short circuits.
  • Moisture and Water Intrusion: Electricity and water do not go well together. When moisture or condensation seeps into electrical systems, it can bridge connections between wires.
  • Loose or Improper Connections: Poorly installed or loose connections in electrical outlets, switches, or junction boxes can cause arcing, eventually leading to a short circuit.

Loose connections are a death trap. Workers can get deadly electric shocks if they touch them. However, if they stand on an electrical matting, the risks are reduced.

  • Pests and Animals: Rodents and other pests chewing on wires can expose live conductors, creating conditions for short circuits.
  • Old or Worn-Out Wiring: Aging electrical systems may have outdated wiring that is no longer compliant with modern safety standards, increasing the risk of short circuits.

Specialists recommend inspecting the wiring of electrical equipment periodically along with using a protective rubber matting to prevent electrical shock.

How Bad the Consequences of Electric Short Circuits Can Be?

Well, sincerely, there is rarely anything good in electricity-related hazards. If it is the shock of arch formation, an electric shock proof rubber mat has proven its worth. We have seen how there is a rising awareness about using the right PPE, specifically insulating matting in electrical applications. Nevertheless, it is equally good at handling the multiple consequences of fire from short circuits:

  • Huge Monetary Loss: The heat generated during a short circuit can ignite surrounding material, damaging your industrial facility and costly machines.
  • Power Outages: A short circuit can disrupt the electrical supply to an entire facility or area. As a result, you have to give up productive workdays.
  • Injury or Fatalities: Direct exposure to short circuits can cause severe injuries or electrocution.
  • Legal Trouble: If any of your workers die from the fire, you will have to pay the death compensation. It may not end here, as you may have to navigate through legal complexities if the situation goes out of hand.

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5 Ways in Which Insulating Matting Helps Manage Electrical Short Circuits

Isn’t it awesome if you get two benefits by just paying the insulating matting cost- fire and electrical safety?
Electrical matting is made of elastomer which is a rubber compound. While most types of elastomers are not fire-proof, they have fire retardance properties in their molecular structure. The elastomer molecules deform when exposed to fire, therefore preventing the spread of fire from a 1000v rubber matting further. The same happens for an electrical matting designed for higher working voltages, as well.

Along, these are 5 more ways in which insulating matting helps manage electrical short circuits:

  • Breaking Ground Contact: Insulating mats are made from dielectric materials that block the flow of electrical current. The dielectric strength of an electric shock proof rubber mat ensures that individuals standing on them are insulated from the ground. This prevents electrical shocks during a short circuit.
  • Compliance with Safety Standards: High-quality insulating mats adhere to international safety standards such as IS 15652, IEC 61111, and ASTM. These standards ensure the mats provide adequate protection for specific voltage levels.
  • Durable and Reliable: Typically, Insulating matting is resistant to moisture, chemicals, and environmental wear, making it reliable even in harsh conditions. This durability makes them crucial protective equipment in industries in the GCC countries like UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and more.
  • Easy Installation and Maintenance: You can easily install rubber matting to prevent electric shock in workplaces such as control rooms, substations, and heavy electrical machinery. Routine cleaning and inspection ensure their effectiveness over time.
  • Enhances Workplace Morale: Workers who know they are safe from both electricity and fire in a workplace have better morale. They work confidently and are usually more productive.

When the chances of electrical short circuits reduce, you have to think less about fires too!

Duratuf Electrical Matting: Your Safety Shield

Duratuf electrical matting is available in three variants:

The key characteristics of these mats are:

  • Certified quality
  • Moisture, Chemical, UV, and Ozone Resistant
  • Fire extingushability within 5 secs
  • Comfortable footing and anti-slip
  • Thicker mats can tackle heavy traffic easily

Electrical short circuits can turn out to be deadly, but they are manageable with the right safety measures. Insulating matting offers a simple, cost-effective, and reliable solution to protect individuals and equipment from electrical hazards.

Looking for our bulk insulating matting cost? Call us today!

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