The threat of arc flash is real, and the consequences of an event can be devastating: lawsuits, fines, equipment damage, operations downtime, lost production and most significant, personnel injury or death. An effective arc flash safety program incorporates the elements shown below.
How many of the following have you incorporated into your safety program?
Single-line diagram
Shows how electrical distribution equipment is connected and how power flows, from the incoming power source through each individual load, and is necessary to understand the system as a whole
Protective device coordination study
Ensures that only the affected portion of the system is taken offline if there is a fault
Incident energy analysis
Calculates the arc flash boundary, working distance and incident energy per NFPA 70E
Short circuit study
Calculates available fault current, compares it to the equipment ratings, and identifies overdutied equipment that needs to be replaced
Arc flash warning labels
Affixed to electrical equipment to indicate the incident energy, working distance and arc flash boundary for that piece of equipment, and is used to select the proper personal protective equipment (PPE)
Safety training
Educates employees about how to interpret the study, the one-line diagram, the arc flash warning labels and choosing proper PPE
Documented electrical safety program
A documented system consisting of electrical safety principles, policies, procedures and processes that directs activities appropriate for the risk associated with electrical hazards
Mitigation solutions
Helps to lower incident energy at locations of concern, typically those with high incident energy over 40 cal/cm2
Personal protective equipment
Protects a qualified worker in the event of an arc flash event, and is meant to be used only after recognizing the hazards and taking steps to minimize or eliminate them
Electrical maintenance
Helps to ensure that protective devices such as breakers, relays and trip units will clear a potential arcing fault
Arc flash study update
Required when changes occur in the electrical system that could affect the results of the analysis, or every five years, and ensures that the study results and labels are accurate
Did you miss any?
Eaton can help you enhance arc flash safety in your facility and protect what matters most.
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