3 Steps to Arc Flash Compliance

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Arc Flash Recertification

An engineered Arc Flash Hazard Analysis Study

The following steps are required to conduct an Arc Flash Risk Assessment in compliance with NFPA-70E and using the IEEE Method 1584 calculations:

  1. Conduct an Arc Flash Risk Assessment – Falcon Power Consultants will verify your existing single line diagram, or walk down the distribution system and sketch one, if necessary.  The utility provider will be contacted to obtain the available utility fault current and upstream protection to establish a starting point for the study.  A short-circuit analysis will be conducted to obtain the worst-case available bolted-fault current at each point in the distribution system.  An Overcurrent Protection Device Coordination Study  will be conducted to ensure protective devices will interrupt current in an orderly fashion to protect both affected workers and equipment.  Finally, Falcon Power Consultants will provide an Arc Flash Risk Assessment report for your facility generated using IEEE-1584 Method calculations to determine the appropriate Arc Flash Boundary, Incident Energy, Hazard Risk Category and associated required Personal Protective Equipment.
  2. Label Facility and Make PPE Available – Falcon Power Consultants will label your equipment with the appropriate Employers must purchase and make available the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for affected workers
  3. Train your Employees – Employers are required to provide Arc Flash Risk Assessment training to affected employees to ensure their understanding of the required PPE and procedure for affecting work in an NFPA-70E Compliant workplace.

According to the NFPA-70E® Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, 2024 Edition, Article 130.5 (G): “The incident energy analysis shall be updated when changes occur in the electrical distribution system that could affect the results of the analysis. The incident energy analysis shall also be reviewed for accuracy at intervals not to exceed 5 years.”

Top 10 Arc Flash Statistics Every Employer Should Know

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Data gathering for single line verification

Did you know?

  • 5 to 10 arc flash accidents occur every day in the U.S.
  • More than 2,000 people are treated annually in burn centers with arc flash injuries
  • 1-2 deaths occur per day from an arc flash incident
  • $1.5M average cost of medical treatment
  • 8-12 months away from work and possibility of permanent disability
  • $10-15M average litigation cost for general industry incident
  • Two-thirds of all electrical injuries result from inappropriate action of a worker
  • Arc Flash can reach temperatures upwards of 30,000ºF (hotter than the surface of the Sun)
  • Arc Blasts can produce a pressure wave greater than 2,000 lbs/sqft
  • 480 volts often times has a greater Arc Flash potential than medium voltage gear (4,160V and above)

 

NFPA 70E 2024 Code Changes

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Term Changes:

Electric Shock:

Electric Shock vs Shock Wave…the term “electric shock” replacing “shock” where appropriate to differentiate between when shock is specific to hearing or lung protection boundaries as in a shock wave.

Protectors:

The term “leather” was removed from use in gloves to allow for the acceptance of other protective, alternative materials that are now acceptable for use.

Scope:

Each article section within the Standard contains a scope which provides an overview of the content addressed within the section.

Article 110.2(B)

Normal Operation of Electrical Equipment

“Normal Operating Condition” has replaced with “Normal operation of electrical equipment” to specifically include the permissible scenarios for electrical equipment that is properly rated to handle the available fault current. This requires that the available fault current information should be readily accessible, listed on the manufacturer’s electrical information label and on circuit breakers.

Identification of Impending Failure:

Includes the important example of electrical equipment that has been exposed to water.

Article 110.3 Job Safety Planning: Strengthening Electrical Safety

“6. An emergency response plan”

Includes a new addition, “6. An emergency response plan,” which lists required information in order to conduct comprehensive job safety planning.

  • Completion by a Qualified Person –
  • Documentation
  • Includes of the following information:
    1. Description of the Job and Individual Tasks:
    2. Identification of Electrical Hazards:
    3. Electrical Shock Risk Assessment
    4. Arc Flash Risk Assessment
    5. Work Procedures, Special Precautions, and Energy Source Controls: Includes the newly added requirement for an Emergency Response Plan (ERP).

Article 120.5 (A)(1) Locating Sources: New Informational Note

This addition emphasizes the importance of locating the supply sources when establishes an electrically safe working condition.

New Informational Note:

“Locating sources of supply could included identifying situations where a neutral conductor continues to carry current after phase conductors have been de-energized.”

Note: Illustrative Example:

An example of a light ballast from a 277-volt three-phase multi-wire branch circuit is considered.  In this example, the neutral conductor continues to carry current after the phase conductors have been de-energized.

130.5 Arc Flash Risk Assessment

(B) Estimate of Likelihood of Severity Information Note 2 of 130.7(C)(15)(b) Direct Current (dc) Equipment

This note considers that closed doors may not contain all of the energy released in an arc flash incident (previously, this not appeared in the dc section only) and must considered applicable to all arc flash risk assessments.

130.5 (C) Estimate the likelihood of an Arc Flash Incident

This table has changed column heading “Equipment Condition” to “Operating Condition” to make permissible the normal operating conditions in 110.4(D).

130.5 (G) Incident Energy Analysis Method

This section adds an informational note that changes by the utility provider (such as a change to the transformer size, modification to protective devices or their settings) can directly affect the rate at which protective device will operate.

130.5 (H) Equipment Labeling

This new addition requires that labels shall be of sufficient durability for their environment to main their readability.

130.7(C) Personal Protective Equipment (1) General Information Note 1 of the 2021 edition of NFPA 70E

Text revies to “noncontact capacitive test instrument(s) or a permanently installed metering device(s)” to reflect advances in technical monitoring equipment.  The 1,000V limitation was removed, as a risk may be present at systems operation below 1,000V.

130.7(C) Personal Protective Equipment (5) Hearing Protection

The text was modified to remove the term “working” from “whenever within the arc flash boundary”, since being present within the boundary is a potential hearing hazard, whether working or not.

Table 130.7(C)(15)(b) Arc Flash PPE Categories for dc Systems

The table levels were revised from 100 to 250Vdc to 150V and ≤ 600Vdc as recent test data shows a minimal probability of sustaining an arc for less than 125Vdc.