When it comes to arc flash hazards, distance is safety. Our Chicken Switch® line of remote switch kits (RSKs) are industry-leading remote operation solutions that keep technicians safe when installing and removing electrical equipment.
This trademarked brand name often garners a chuckle and a comment on how clever the name is when we speak with customers. However, some question why we would associate the word chicken, which can imply “being afraid,” with doing what’s safe.
Most people don’t realize that the term chicken switch has long been used to describe devices that help our nation’s bravest people escape life-threatening situations. That’s a tradition we can get behind.
To rapidly surface a submarine in an emergency, submariners in the Navy “hit the chicken switch” to use the emergency blow activator on the ballast control panel to blow compressed air into the ballasts and reach safety. In aerospace, chicken switch refers to the ejector seat or escape hatch used to eject the capsule if a rocket malfunctions.
Removing yourself from arc flash hazard zones is not chicken. It’s smart. When working in dirty or high incident energy environments or with apparatus lacking normal operating conditions as defined by NFPA 70E, distance is safety.
When our customers see these devices, realize the benefit, and hear the name, it clicks and they never forget it. In marketing, we call that being “sticky,” and that’s a desired characteristic of a brand. Over the years, the name has become somewhat of a noun in the industry. It’s what Kleenex has become for tissues or Band-Aid for bandages. While there have been mixed reactions to it, the name combined with the quality of our products has helped us achieve brand recognition that we wouldn’t dare abandon.
Electrical workers are often in potentially dangerous situations, and Chicken Switches allow them to remain safely outside the arc flash boundary to avoid injury. The Chicken Switch line of RSKs are lightweight, compact devices that don’t require modification to existing equipment. Wireless options have a range of up to 100 feet. The Chicken Switch devices are among the most powerful and flexible solutions in CBS ArcSafe’s remote switching and remote racking portfolio.
Need a Chicken Switch for your equipment? Use our product finder or contact us today to find the right solution for you. Stay tuned to our YouTube channel for new products and improvements to keep your technicians safe.