Don't be shocked, electrical safety is important.
This month’s ei, a magazine from the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, contains an article co-written with Hypertherm Vice President of Engineering Aaron Brandt.
Aaron and his co-author Derek Silva, Director of Global Products Marketing for Intertek, make an interesting point: Though U.S. manufacturers work with nationally recognized testing laboratories to ensure their products meet electrical performance and safety standards, there is no requirement that products for sale in the U.S. actually meet those standards.
Even more concerning, Aaron and Derek write, is that there are products for sale here that do not meet ANSI, CSA, and UL safety requirements.
In engineering terms, these products are “unlisted”. If you think about the amount of electricity traveling through your typical welder or plasma cutting system, that’s a concerning (if not alarming) fact. Read the full article.