Clearly the first step in any successful thermography inspection is to ensure all work is done as safely as possible. While most are familiar with NFPA 70E, we find there are still gaps in both a practical understanding of the document as well as, importantly, the implementation of the guidance it provides.

Figure 1: Safety, which includes wearing all proper PPE, should be a program’s first priority.

Among other things, NFPA70E
(as well as common sense)
suggest thermographers should:

• be working with written work procedures
• be qualified to do the work
• follow the guidance in the new version relating specifically to thermography
• have conducted an arc-flash analysis and kept it updated
• wherever possible, reduce risk by improving the system fault protection and coordination
• wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and observe required working distances

Realistically, there may be some equipment that cannot be inspected live. The appropriate use of IR windows and viewports should be considered in many instances as a means of improving inspection access and frequency. These devices should not be used, however, without careful planning and forethought. The safety goal is always ZERO accidents and injuries!

Too often we find otherwise intelligent people using their infrared imaging systems as if they are "answering machines!" They are not! They are tools which, when properly used, will give remarkable data for our interpretation. Simply relying on "auto adjust" or "temperature alarm" functions is not only insufficient, it is dangerous because it means you will miss problems, probably serious ones. A qualified thermographer knows how to use the infrared imaging systems fully—focus, adjust the image manually, capture data with care, use measurement tools appropriately, correct for emissivity, background and transmission, etc.—and, importantly, also understands the limitations of the system and technology. If you don't know how to use a tool properly and fully, you will not obtain consistent, high-quality results.

In the past, thermographers often simply opened a number of enclosures and then came back and "inspected" them. This proved not only unsafe, but also a bad practice as it allowed for significant cooling of the enclosure's interior prior to inspection. Best practices now suggest a preliminary look at the enclosures prior to opening any of them; if one is abnormally warm, additional precautions may be warranted to gain access. At best, there may be some indication of internal heating; at worst, there will not be a detectable signature.

HotShot Routing Capability:
How It Works

Many PdM technicians are familiar with or are users of route-based vibration data collectors. Route-based data collection has proven itself a productive and effective approach to conducting repetitive inspection of industrial equipment including rotating equipment, electrical systems and many other critical production assets. RouteIR combines a simple to follow in-camera user interface with a powerful PC database application and automatic multi-page report generation software.