In explosive environments, earthing is not only about electrical performance but controlling risk as well. Without reliable earth continuity, there is a risk that static charge could build up in certain applications, meaning fault currents might not be safely dissipated, which would result in the protective measures designed into the system can be compromised.

We find that the issue is often that earth continuity is assumed rather than verified. Even if a gland is installed, tightened and appears visually correct, if the earth path is broken by paint, corrosion, incorrect assembly or electrically incompatible materials, the protection it should provide will be weakened.

Common causes include:

• Insulated or coated enclosures preventing metal-to-metal contact
• Incorrect gland selection for the application
• Poor installation practices
• Wear and degradation over time in harsh environments

Earthing should never be an afterthought – it should be considered during specification, installation and inspection. Cable glands can play a crucial and direct role in maintaining that continuity, forming a critical part of the system’s safety design rather than simply acting as a mechanical entry point where they form part of the earthing system.

At Peppers Cable Glands, we engineer products with earth continuity in mind where the application requires it and as importantly, we support customers with the technical guidance needed to ensure installations perform as intended. In hazardous areas, prevention is not optional, its essential.