Grounding a metal drum is a crucial safety step that involves creating a direct electrical connection between the drum and the earth. This prevents the buildup of static electricity, which can ignite flammable vapors.
Based on the provided information, grounding a drum is straightforward:
## The Grounding Process
To ground a drum, you must:
1. **Attach a conductive wire** to the metal drum.
2. **Connect the other end of this wire to ground**.
It is essential to ensure a **good electrical contact** both at the drum and at the ground connection point.
### Components Needed
* **Metal Drum:** The object being grounded (e.g., a 55-gallon drum).
* **Conductive Wire:** A copper conductive wire is specified for making the connection.
* **Grounding Connection Points:** A suitable point to connect the wire to the earth.
### Suitable Grounding Points
According to the reference, acceptable ground connection points include:
* A **grounding rod** driven several feet into the earth.
* An **appropriately grounded water pipe**.
* Any **other approved ground** source.
Making a firm, low-resistance connection at both the drum and the ground point is vital for effective grounding. This dissipates any electrical charge safely into the earth.
