How Your Workplace Will Benefit From
Our Arc Flash Studies

We have experience with the implementation of the NFPA 70E Arc Flash Safety Rules since 2001 and have applied our knowledge and experience in managing all aspects of electrical safety to our complete Electrical Safety Turn-key Program.
We provide electrical safe working practices training for both electrical and non-electrical personnel and Electrical Safe Working Practices pocketbooks for electricians containing your facility’s site specific policy that we develop with your input.

Yes. If a serious electrical incident occurred at your facility and you were not following the NFPA 70E guidelines, you would likely be cited for being out of compliance with 1910.335 (a) (1) (i) which requires that employees wear protective equipment where an electrical hazard exists, and 1910.132 (d) (1) which requires the workplace be assessed for hazards and the need for personal protective equipment.

An arcing fault is the flow of current through the air between phase conductors or phase conductors and neutral or ground. An arcing fault can release tremendous amounts of concentrated radiant energy at the point of the arcing in a small fraction of a second resulting in extremely high temperatures, a tremendous pressure blast, and shrapnel hurling at high velocity (in excess of 700 miles per hour).

Arcs can be initiated by a variety of causes, such as when:

• Worker incorrectly thinks the equipment is de-energized and begins to work on it energized.
• Worker drops or improperly uses tools on energized equipment.
• Dust, water or other contamination accumulate and cause insulation breakdown.
• Connections loosen, overheat, reach thermal runaway and fail.
• Current overload
• Voltage transients

Exposure to an arc flash frequently results in a variety of serious injuries and in some cases death. Workers have been injured even though they were ten feet or more away from the arc center. Worker injuries can include damaged hearing, eyesight, and severe burns requiring years of skin grafting and rehabilitation.

Equipment can be destroyed causing extensive downtime and requiring expensive replacement and repair. The cost of treatment for the injured worker can exceed $1,000,000/case. Significant litigation fees, insurance increases, fines, and accident investigation costs can occur. This does not include work in progress loss or job layoffs as a result of the process interruption. These cumulative costs can exceed $10,000,000.

There are four main regulations governing arc flash. They include:

• OSHA Standards 29-CFR, Part 1910. Occupational Safety and Health Standards. 1910 sub part S (electrical) Standard number 1910.333 specifically addresses Standards for Work Practices and references NFPA 70E.
• The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 70 "The National Electrical Code" (NEC) contains requirements for warning labels.
• NFPA 70E provides guidance on implementing appropriate work practices that are required to safeguard workers from injury while working on or near exposed electrical conductors or circuit parts that could become energized.
• The Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) 1584 Guide to Performing Arc-Flash Hazard Calculations

OSHA is an enforcer of safety practices in the workplace. OSHA 1910.132(d), and 1926.28(a) states that the employer is responsible to assess the hazards in the work place, select, have, and use the correct PPE, and document the assessment. Though OSHA does not, per se, enforce the NFPA 70E standard, OSHA considers the NFPA standard a recognized industry practice and the administration's field inspectors carry with them a copy of the NFPA 70E and use it to enforce safety procedures related to arc flash.

The employer is required to conduct hazard assessment in accordance with 29CFR1910.132(d)(1). Employers who conduct the hazard/risk assessment and select and require their employees to use PPE, as stated in the NFPA 70E standard, are deemed in compliance with the Hazard Assessment and Equipment Selection OSHA Standard.

Electrical inspectors across the country are now enforcing the new labeling requirements set forth in the 2002 National Electric Code (NEC).

In order to select the proper PPE, incident energy must be known at every point where workers may be required to perform work on energized equipment. These calcuations need to be performed by a qualified person such as an electrical engineer. All parts of the body that may be exposed to the arc flash need to be covered by the appropriate type and quality of PPE. Proper PPE can include: Flame resistant clothing, hardhat, hood, face shield, safety glasses, gloves, shoes, etc. depending upon the magnitude of the arc energy.