Many fiberglass conduit manufacturers are in demand these days, and the best ones are getting a lot of business thrown their way. That’s mainly because fiberglass conduit systems are a lot more cost-effective, both in terms of installation and maintenance. Fiberglass also lasts much longer than a PVC-coated rigid steel conduit, especially in a heavy industrial setting. The PVC-coated rigid steel conduit may only last 2 years, but an exceptional FRE (fiberglass reinforced epoxy) conduit can be made to last 3 times as long due to its flexibility and resistance to corrosion.
More and more project owners are also beginning to appreciate the greater safety offered by the use of these fiberglass conduits. This keeps them from getting pulled into expensive lawsuits and negative press coverage that can sully their reputation in the long run.
Here’s how fiberglass conduits are much safer than their PVC or PVC-coated steel counterparts:
Fiberglass Doesn’t Conduct Electricity
In fact, it functions as an insulator instead. This immediately makes it a much safer product, because if you have electrical issues within the conduit, this doesn’t result in turning the whole conduit system into a huge potential safety risk.
That’s the problem with a PVC-coated rigid steel conduit. It conducts electricity. It’s extremely dangerous to touch a PVC-coated rigid steel conduit in the wrong spot when it has a wiring problem. It’s a problem that’s so common that each year more than 300,000 contractors suffer non-fatal electrical shocks at the job site. For some the problem is actually fatal, and more than 500 contractors die each year from electrical shocks that could have been prevented.
By using fiberglass, contactors can breathe easy knowing that electrical shocks aren’t a possibility. Project owners can also breathe a sigh of relief knowing that their workers are safe while there’s also no chance of “bad press” litigation due to an electrical shock accident. Those suits are expensive; the average jobsite electrocution lawsuit ranges from $1 million to $4 million.
Accidents Result in Reduced Toxicity
The fact that’s widely accepted in every jobsite is that accidents happen. It’s simply a fact of life for contractors, engineers, and project owners. But with fiberglass conduits, you can at least make sure you reduce the hazards caused by the resulting release of toxic elements into the environment where workers operate.
When accidents happen, often the conduit is burned in the process. The problem with any PVC materials for conduits (including PVC-coated rigid steel) is that when they burn they tend to release toxic halogens. This is an additional safety hazard for workers, for the public, and for emergency responders to the accident site.
The PVC releases chlorine, and even in modest amounts it can negatively affect the respiratory system and the central nervous system. In fact, it was used as a choking agent during World War I. The PVC also releases bromine, which is commonly used as a pesticide. This can cause numerous health problems in the long term as well.
Industrial fires are actually not all that rare, so the use of fiberglass is a great security measure. In the US, each year sees an average of more than 42,000 industrial facility fires. These have caused an average of $951 million in damage, 300 injuries, and 22 fatalities.
Conclusion
The greater safety offered by fiberglass is just one of the advantages you enjoy when you use the system offered by a fiberglass conduit manufacturer. You also enjoy considerable cost savings for installation and maintenance, and the fiberglass lasts a lot longer too. But when you think about the safety of your workers as your main priority, choosing fiberglass becomes the obvious choice.
