Arc Flash Safety
Preventing arc flash accidents or minimizing their impact requires a comprehensive safety program involving both electrical workers and management. The following steps should be taken to ensure worker safety:
Perform an electrical hazard analysis. Use the guidelines in NFPA 70E and IEEE 1584 to identify and assess electrical shock and arc flash risks throughout your facility.
To ensure you have a safe workplace, and that you are meeting NEC, OSHA, IEEE, and NFPA 70E requirements, use specialized arc flash software to calculate protection boundaries. These include the Flash Protection Boundary, Limited Approach Boundary, Restricted Approach Boundary and the Prohibited Approach Boundary.
Use Lockout/Tag-out procedures to ensure equipment is de-energized, or live components are isolated.
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Identify equipment and components that have a potential arc flash hazard. The NEC code identifies the following equipment as requiring arc flash labels.
- Switchboards
- Panelboards
- Industrial control panels
- Meter socket enclosures
- Motor control centers
In addition, many companies choose to label electrical busses and other equipment that may require workers to approach exposed live elements.
Ensure all potential arc flash hazards are properly labeled. Pre-printed arc flash labels, such as those shown on this page, can be used. Or use a label printer to create custom labels that include specific information such as available energy, approach distances, or required Personal Protective Equipment.
Labels should be kept legible and up-to-date, since arc flash hazard levels can change any time your electrical system is modified, including changing settings on circuit breakers.
Provide employee training. Be sure all employees are trained so they are aware of the dangers of arc flash; understand the warning labels and signs; and know how to select and use the appropriate PPE. Everyone working on electrical equipment should be fully trained and qualified for the job.
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