Top 10 ways Arc Flash Explosions happen and ways to Prevention

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productivity, and during the rehiring and retraining new employees. So, how can you keep your employeesae? Lets take a look at a ew different methods ordoing just that.

Arc Flash Safety and Prevention

Labeling Equipment:Labeling equipment is animportant step in arc flash saety and prevention. Whequipment is properly labeled, employees are awareo the possible hazards o using the equipment or jussimply being around equipment which could pose arisk or an arc flash. An industrial label maker (suchas this one) can make the job o creating labels easy,efficient, and even un. An Industrial label maker canprint heavy duty industrial strength labels which arecapable o withstanding the harsh environments withthe industrial work settings. Tese types o labels hel

to enhance overall saety and communication whit comes to protecting your employees.

Elimination/Substitution:Oneone o the best ways o tackling

electrical risks is by removing thealtogether. Tis can seem tricky, but

given some thought, you may be able to use i

your own business. Elimination involves finding placin your operations where workers are unnecessarilyexposed to risk. For example, look at the time o daythat certain energized electrical systems need to berunning, can they be turned off during worker shifsCan processes be conducted in cycles so that workerdont need to be around when components are on/running? Perhaps a risk is created by an old piece oequipment. In this case, upgrading it to a newer, saemodel might be expensive in the short term, but anextremely smart long term investment. aking a currsystem and ensuring that it has proper grounding can

also help to make sure it wont arc and become a saea hazard.

Testing/Inspection:O course, even knowing whichcomponents present arcing risks in the first place cana challenge on its own. Luckily, the NFPA, or NationaFire Protection Association, provides guidelines

Arc FlashExplosions &

PreventionMost commonly, the hazards we associate withelectricity and exposed electrical equipment are thosedue to direct contact. In these cases, a worker mightaccidentally touch an uninsulated wire or piece oelectrical equipment, and momentarily become aconductor themselves. Severe burns and arrhythmiaor stoppage o the heart can occur. What most peopledont know, however, is that another type o airly

common electrical hazard exists, known as an arcflash. In short, arc flashes areexposed flashes or bolts oelectricity that occur when twoenergized systems overcomethe resistance between them;electricity then visibly arcsbetween the two components, notonly burning the air between thembut causing an electrical explosionupon termination o the arc (whichhappens extremely quickly). Tese explosions can

cause heats burns, lob dangerous molten droplets aconsiderable distance, and damage equipment beyondthe point o no repair.

Startlingly, these arc flash explosions occur a reportedfive to ten times each and every day in the U.S.Unortunately, these numbers mask the real risk actoro such conditions, as they are reported via special burnunit hospitals when an electrical arc explosion is thecause o injury or death. Other incidents, where injuriesare less severe, where only equipment is damaged,or where a close-call/near miss occurs, are not evenreported. Tis is all to say that arc flash explosions area very real and very serious problem; they can result inlost time and wages (only partially covered by workerscompensation), disability and inability to reintegrateinto the workorce, as well as exorbitant costs onthe part o the employer during lawsuits, or lost

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on exactly how one can go about assessing the riskassociated with any piece o energized equipment.Not-so-luckily, the process involves some semi-complexequation work that could potentially be intimidatingto the layperson. I youre not confident in your abilityto accurately conduct this assessment, you need to hire

a risk assessment organization who can do it or you(many o them exist and even specialize in electricalhazards). Te results o this analysis will give yourvarious systems a category number, each o whichhas different requirements (usually dictating a certainassociated PPE outfit).

In addition to initial assessment, regular inspectionso your systems are vital. Worn insulation and partsare a leading cause o arc flash explosions and fires,so make sure that all parts are up to their respectivetasks. Additionally, your maintenance workers shouldbe specifically trained to inspect energized electricalequipment, and all such systems should be completelypowered down and grounded beore inspection, or theinspectors themselves may be put at risk.

Personal Protection EquipmentAccording to OSHAs document on Understanding

Arc Flash:

But wait! What i an employee isnt wearing his or herPPE?! you might protest. Tis happens all the time, ais still, ultimately, your responsibility. While you cantcontrol individual behavior in the moment, properlyencouraging compliance and working around any menor physical hangups that are causing employees to not

wear their PPE alls on you. Your training programs n

to make the importance o saety with regards to arcflash explosions clear to your employees. Additionallyi gear is not being worn, you should engage employeeas to why its happening. I orgot, is only an acceptabexcuse a ew times beore managers should take punit

action this keeps the situation in your control. Whenother answers arise, you might find underlying proble(like gear not fitting right, or gloves inhibiting aworkers ability to perorm a task), in which case, againyoure responsible or addressing these in a timely andeffective manner. Even tasks which workers are the onconducting on the ground level, inspecting their ownPPE or deects, or example, should be double-checkeat regular intervals by management to ensure youmaintain control o the process and that no corners arbeing cut.

As a brie guide, arch flash PPE equipment (which youkind find here) or various NFPA arc flash electrical rilevels are airly straight orward. Lower risk categoriessimply require a ull body buffer o cotton clothing,while higher risk categories require users to wear rubbinsulated clothing and fire-resistant pants, shirts, overand ace masks.

Employees must follow the

requirements of the Arc Flash

Hazard label by wearing the

proper personal protective

equipment (PPE), use of

insulated tools and other

safety related precautions. Thisincludes not working on or

near the circuit unless you are

a qualified worker.

www.osha.gov- Understanding Arc Flash

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About the author

Antonio FerraroOn behal o CreativeSaety Supply basedin Portland, OR,I strive to providehelpul inormation

to create saer andmore efficient industrial

work environments. Myknowledge base ocuses

primarily on practices such as 5S, Six Sigma,Kaizen, and the Lean mindset. I believe in beingproactive and that or positive change to happen,we must be willing to be transparent and activelyseek out areas in need o improvement. Anorganized, sae, and well-planned work space leadsto increased productivity, quality products andhappier workplace

Keep Out!One o the best ways to keep workers out o harmsway is to keep workers out o harms way literally.Electrical panels and equipment that are exposed shouldbe housed behind locked rames. Larger transormersthat dont necessitate regular worker access should belocked behind chain link ences to ensure employeesdont accidentally get too close. Work tasks should be

structured in such a way that workers are at risk or nearenergized equipment or as little time as possible, i atall. Make sure you label all o these panels, gates/ences,and any arc flash risks with proper warning signs andlabels that identiy them and advise workers to keep theirdistance.

Afer youve taken these action steps, look to trainingand employee education to urther your electrical saetyprogram. Even when its your responsibility, the success

o any saety program or element thereo comes down toyour employees and how responsive they are to what youteach and ask o them. Keep that in mind, and you wontever find your business or your workers represented on achart o arc flash explosion statistics!

10 Astonishing Facts about Arc Flash

Sources: NFPA70E- 2012 Edition, RockwellAutomation (www.rockwellautomation.com), Falcon Engineering Consultants ( www.falconengr.com)

AMAZING FACTS ABOUT

ARC FLASH

ASTONISHING

An Arc Flash is an energy discharge that forms when a fault occurs in an electrical circuit. The arcing

fault results in a tremendous amount of energy released as current flowing through ionized air. It is

not necessary to touch live components to sustain an arc flash injury. Arc Flash is NOT SHOCK.

5 10toARC EXPLOSIONSoccur in

electric equipment in the U.S.

EVERY DAY.

+

2000people

Morethan

are treated

ANNUALLYin BURN CENTERS

with ARC FLASH INJURIES.

x100

DEATHSARC FLASH

Electrical arcs produce some of the HIGHEST TEMPERATURES

the temperature of the

SURFACE OF THE SUN!

35,000F

9,000F

which is

known to occur on EARTH. Up to

4X4X

HOTTER

All known materials are at this temperature,VAPORIZED

SUDDEN EXPANSION OF AIR.

Arcs spray DROPLETS OF MOLTEN METAL at speeds that exceed

which causes a

BLAST SHRAPNEL CAN

PENETRATE THE BODY

2

1

3

4

5

6

700 mph

10 ftMolten metal from an arc can be propelled for distances up to

7

8

FATAL BURNS

Clothing can be ignited from10 FEET away. Clothedareas can be burned more sever

ely than exposed skin.

Even when several feet from the arc,

can occur.

Blast pressure waves have THROWN WORKERS across rooms.

The arc blast can have a SOUND MAGNITUDE

at a distance of 2 feet from the arc,

resulting in HEARING LOSS.

140dBof

What?

9

10

can be caused by something as simple as a RODENT, tool or other element

in the breaker area that compromises the distance between

ENERGIZED COMPONENTS.

ARC FLASH

electrical injuries are a result of

INAPPROPRIATE ACTION

of a WORKER.

2 3out of

| 1- 866-777-1360 | www.creativesafetysupply.com

As your ARC FLASH LABELING EXPERTS, we have all the tools you need to p roperly label equipment

for Arc Flash Hazard. We also carry Lockout/Tagout products and PPE. Take the proper precautions,

be standards compliant, and reduce the risks of injury and death.We are the leaders in visual safety!

each year. *

* The actual number of deaths due to arc flash is not reported well. What IS known, is that deaths

from Arc Flash incident have been steadily on the decline due to safety training, regulations, PPE

and PROPER LABELINGof equipment.

causes numerous