For more than 26 years, Lanny Floyd has challenged the status quo of electrical safety in the workplace. He has advanced the application of human-factors engineering, electrical technology, and safety management in preventing occupational electrical injuries.

Floyd, principal consultant, electrical safety & technology at DuPont, will deliver the keynote address at the Professional Electrical Apparatus Recyclers League (PEARL) 2012 Electrical Safety, Reliability and Sustainability Conference & Exhibition. The conference will be held at The Sheraton Station Square Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on May 5-7, 2012.

"PEARL member companies play an important role in helping their customers maintain reliable electrical equipment, but the importance of this work goes beyond what's readily apparent," said Floyd. "Reliability isn't just about up-time, but safeguarding the workers that interact with electrical equipment."

Floyd's presentation will look at the state of electrical safety in the United States and the hidden costs of electrical reliability in dollars, employee injuries, and related costs. He will also review the evolution of standards, codes, and regulations as they relate to personnel protection - both at the customer site as well as in the PEARL member electrical reconditioning shops.

"Reliability is critical to new devices installed at a customer facility, but then it's up to the end user to keep the device maintained and ensure reliability as needed," said Floyd. "We'll also look at new diagnostic technologies that will help customers monitor the reliability of their electrical equipment. A worker standing in front of a panel is betting their life that arc flash calculations have been done right and that their personal protective equipment will keep them safe. Industrial automation equipment and new GFCIs use sensors and indicators to show if a device is working properly. We need to expand these monitoring concepts to other industrial electrical devices that serve to protect workers from electrical hazards."

Floyd has been with DuPont since 1973. He is an IEEE Fellow, a professional member of the American Society of Safety Engineers, a Certified Safety Professional, a Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional, and a registered professional engineer in State of Delaware. He has also published more than 50 papers and articles on workplace electrical safety and is frequently called upon to speak at conferences, seminars and tutorials.