Does Grounding Make a System Safe?: Analyzing the Factors That Contribute to Electrical Safety

Grounding is generally accepted as an operation to make systems safe. For grounded systems, the fault return conductor [sometimes called the equipment grounding conductor (EGC)] brings the potential at equipment enclosures to ground but only when there is no fault current. The potential rise due to the fault current flow can raise the potential to a hazardous level. It is shown that simple grounding does not provide for safe systems. The fault return conductor, grounded or not, and the overcurrent protective device, in combination, are the components that may prevent ventricular fibrillation and provide safer systems.