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Course № E-2006

NFPA 70E - Arc Flash Hazards

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 NFPA 70 E
Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace
Arc Flash Hazards
Robert J. Scoff, PE

Copyright © 2007, Robert J. Scoff, PE

Reprinted with permission from NFPA 70E, Electrical Safety in the Workplace, Copyright ©
2004, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy MA 02169. This reprinted material is not
the complete and official position of the National Fire Protection Association on the referenced
subject which is represented only by the standard in its entirety.

Copyright © Robert J. Scoff, PE 2007 1

 Table of Contents
Description Page

1. Introduction 3
2. What is an Arc Flash 3
3. Some Properties of Arc Blasts 4
4. Reported Injuries 4
5. Limits of Approach 4
6. Personal Protective Clothing 6
7. Other Personal Protection Equipment 7
8. Labeling 8
9. Job Briefing and Planning Checklist 9
10. Energized Electrical Work Permit 10
11. Equations 12
12. Conclusions 12

List of Illustrations
Figure Title Page

5.1 Limits of Approach 5

8.1 Typical Warning Label 8

Copyright © Robert J. Scoff, PE 2007 2

 1. Introduction

NFPA 70E came about because OSHA had difficulty adopting new editions of NFPA 70, The
National Electric Code (NEC). Not only that, but some of the requirements of OSHA were
different from the requirements of The NEC. So, on January 7, 1976, a new committee, called
’The Committee on Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces, NFPA 70E’
was formed

The committee decided that the new standard would consist of four major parts. They are as
follows:
1. Installation Safety Requirements.
2. Safety and Work Related Practices.
3. Safety Related Maintenance Requirements.
4. Safety Requirements for Special Equipment.

The First Edition was published in 1979 and only included Part 1. The Second Edition was
published in 1981 an included Parts 1 and 2. The Third Edition was published in 1983 and
included Parts 1, 2, and 3. The Forth Edition was published in 1988 with only minor changes.
Major changes were introduced in the Fifth Edition published in 1995. It was updated to the
requirements of the 1993 NEC as well as the introduction of the concepts ‘Limits of Approach’
and ‘Flash Boundary Protection’. The Sixth Edition, published in 2000, included a complete
update to the requirements of the 1999 NEC, as well as a new Part 4. The Seventh Edition,
published in 2004 emphasizes ‘Safe Work Practices’.

With all that in mind, let’s look at the some parts of NFPA 70E, Arc Flash Hazards, that are
likely to affect you and your company.

2. What is an Arc Flash?

First, an electric arc is a sustained flow of electrical current through air. Welding machines
make a controlled arc when they operate. In a controlled arc, the typical voltage is 30 to 40
volts. The air is ionized and this allows the current to flow continuously. There is a lot of
energy released when an electric arc operates. For a welder the power is the voltage times the
current. That means that a 100 amp arc welder can easily generate 3000 to 4000 watts in an area
the size of a pea. Temperatures in excess of 5000o C (9000o F) are easily achieved.

When Arc Flashes occur the current is limited only by the available current of the electric
system. An example from 70E for a 1500 KVA transformer with a 600 volt secondary shows a
short circuit current of 26,000 amps. This would give an arc of 27 Mega Watts. The typical
clearing time would be 6 cycles or 0.1 seconds. That would result in 2.7 Mega Watt – seconds
of energy being released. 2.7 Mega Watt – seconds is 750 Watt – hours (Just divide 2,700,000
by 3600). Since 1 Horsepower is 746 watts, 750 Watt – hours is approximately 1 HP running for
1 hour. One HP is defined as 550 ft-lbs/sec. 550 ft-lbs/sec times 3600 seconds is 1,980,000 ft-
lbs of energy. Look at it as a 1.98 * 106 lb piece of material lifted one foot off the ground. Then
release all of that energy in about 1 cubic inch of space in 0.1 seconds. That is what makes an
Arc Flash dangerous. That much energy released in that small of a space in that short of a time
causes an explosion. Arc Flashes can occur when a line to line or line to neutral fault occurs.

Copyright © Robert J. Scoff, PE 2007 3

Here’s another way to look at energy. One joule is about one watt second and also about 0.75
ft lbs. So, if one Joule of energy were to hit one cm2 of your skin, it would be like getting hit
with a 0.75 lb brick hitting a one square cm area of your body when dropped from 1 foot. Five
J/cm2 is said to be the amount of incident energy needed to cause second degree burns. This
will be mentioned again later.

3. Some Properties of Arc Blasts

The temperatures of Arc Flashes easily reach 20000o C or 35000o F. They do this in less
than 0.1 seconds. In most cases, the fault is cleared in that time. The explosion that occurs has a
distinctive sound. The sound levels can exceed 160 dB. To give some idea of what this means,
consider that the threshold of human hearing is about 2.9 X 10-10 pounds/inch2 which is called
0 dB. 160 dB is about 2.6 X 106 pounds/inch2. Of course, that 160 dB noise level would occur
very close to the actual arc. Noise levels do decrease with distance from the source. There can
be broken ear drums and permanent hearing damage from exposure to the sound pressure
coming off of an Arc Fault.

There is also a tremendous pressure wave that can exceed thousands of pounds per square foot
coming off of an Arc Blast. An effect is to throw any person close to the blast away from the
blast. This can have the effect of minimizing the injury since the person will no longer be in the
vicinity of the exploding electrical equipment. It can also sometimes be the cause of injuries.
This is especially true when a person is thrown against a wall or a steel column.

Another thing that happens is that solid material vaporizes. When copper vaporizes it expands
by a factor of 67000 times. Copper melts at about 1980o F and boils at about 4650o F. The
35000o F Arc Flash easily vaporizes copper. Finally, shrapnel and molten metal are thrown
away from the explosion at speeds exceeding 700 miles per hour. That is close to the speed of
sound and faster than any commercial aircraft, now that the Concorde no longer flies.

4. Reported Injuries

Every year more than 2000 people are admitted to burn centers with severe Arc Flash burns. It
is certain that there are a number of deaths that result from Arc Flash incidents. There are some
estimates that say 1 or 2 people die per day due to Arc Flash accidents. As a matter of fact, the
majority of hospital admissions due to electrical accidents are from Arc Flash injuries, not from
shocks. There are probably many unreported Arc Flash incidents every year.

5. Limits of Approach

The easiest way to look at limits of approach is to look at Figure 5.1. The first thing to notice is
the flash protection boundary. It is defined as:

An approach limit at a distance from exposed live parts within which a person could
receive a second degree burn on bare skin if an electrical arc flash were to occur.

The onset of a second degree burn is assumed to be when the skin receives 5 Joules/cm2 or
1.2 cal/cm2 of incident energy. Second degree burns are also defined as the burn that would

Copyright © Robert J. Scoff, PE 2007 4

occur if the skin were heated to 80o C or 176o F. Second degree burns usually heal quickly
with no permanent damage to the body.

Because of this standard, one of the things that can be done is to erect barriers to not allow
entrance to the work area by anyone other than the qualified people actually doing the work. It
is my opinion that many of the electrical accidents that occur in the workplace are caused by
unqualified people who should not be in the dangerous work area. For voltages less than 600
volts, the flash protection boundary is 4 feet. There are also formulas in 70E for calculating that
distance if you are uncomfortable with 4 feet. This particular boundary should be conservative,
because innocent bystanders can be injured if an arc flash occurs, and the available energy is
higher than expected, or a circuit trip device fails.

Figure 5.1 Limits of Approach

Moving closer to the live electrical part, the next boundary is the Limited Approach Boundary.
The definition of Limited Approach Boundary is:

An approach limit at a distance from an exposed live part within which a shock hazard
exists.

For 301 to 750 volts, the Limited Approach Boundary is 3 feet 6 inches. Other voltage levels
with their respective Limited Approach Boundaries are available in Table 130.2(C) in 70E.

The Limited Space is only allowed to be entered by persons qualified to perform the job or task.

The next closer line to the exposed live electrical part is The Restricted Approach Boundary.
The definition of The Restricted Approach Boundary is:

Copyright © Robert J. Scoff, PE 2007 5

An approach limit at a distance from an exposed live part within which there is an
increased risk of shock, due to electrical arc over combined with inadvertent movement,
for personnel working in close proximity to the live part.

For 301 to 750 volts, The Restricted Approach Boundary is 1 foot. Other voltage levels with
their respective Limited Approach Boundaries are available in Table 130.2(C) in 70E.

To cross The Restricted Approach Boundary and enter the restricted space, qualified persons
must do the following:

1. Have a plan that is documented and approved by authorized management.

2. Use Personal Protective Equipment that is appropriate for working near exposed
energized conductors or circuit parts and is rated for the voltage and energy level
involved.
3. Be certain that no part of the body enters The Prohibited Space.
4. Minimize the risk from inadvertent movement by keeping as much of the body out of
the restricted space as possible, using only protected body parts in the space as
necessary to accomplish the work.

Even closer to the exposed live part is The Prohibited Approach Boundary. The definition of
The Prohibited Approach Boundary is:

An approach limit at a distance from an exposed live part within which work is considered
the same as making contact with the live part.

To cross The Prohibited Approach Boundary, qualified persons must do the following:
1. Have specified training to work on energized conductors or circuit parts.
2. Have a documented plan justifying the need to work that close.
3. Perform a risk analysis.
4. Have 2 and 3 approved by authorized management.
5. Use Personal Protection Equipment that is appropriate for working on exposed
energized conductors or circuit parts and is rated for the voltage and energy level
involved.

6. Personal Protective Clothing

There are two parts to the Personal Protection Equipment that is required by 70E. The first is
the Personal Protective Clothing. There are 5 levels of PPE that are determined by The Arc
Rating of the equipment and specifically what clothing must be worn. They are as follows:

Copyright © Robert J. Scoff, PE 2007 6

Risk Clothing Description Arc Rating of
Category PPE
0 Non melting flammable materials such as cotton, wool, rayon, or silk N/A
with a fabric weight of at least 4.5 oz/yd
1 FR (Fire Resistant) shirt and FR pants or 1 FR coverall. 16.74 J/cm^2
4 cal/cm^3
2 Cotton underwear and FR shirt and 1 or 2 FR pants 33.47 J/cm^2
8 cal/cm^2
3 Cotton underwear plus FR shirt and FR pants plus FR coverall, or 104.6 J/cm^2
cotton underwear plus 2 or 3 FR coveralls. 25 cal/cm^2
4 Cotton underwear plus FR shirt and FR pants plus multilayer flash suit 167.4 J/cm^2
(3 or more) 40 cal/cm^2

This chart says that the higher the risk number, the better the PPE has to be at protecting the
person wearing it. Something to note here is that the PPE does not give perfect protection. It
only prevents third degree or higher burns. Second degree burns can still occur even if the PPE
works properly. Second degree burns are burns in which the skin temperature does not go
above 80o C or 174o F. The incident energy level for second degree burns is defined as 5
Joules per square centimeter or 1.2 Calories per square centimeter. After an incident the
PPE is quite often destroyed, or at least made not usable, but it has protected the person wearing
it. Cotton underwear is required because synthetic materials such as polyester will melt and stick
to the skin in an arc flash incident. Cotton and other natural materials such as silk, wool, and
rayon will burn, but will not melt. This property will limit the severity of burns received by
people during Arc Flashes.

Note that the incident energy levels are either derived from tables or calculated from equations in
the 70E standard. The incident energy level depends upon a number of things including, but not
limited to, the following:

A. Voltage
B. Available three phase bolted fault current
C. Distance from the arc source
D. Transformer or system MVA
E. System impedance
F. Estimated clearing time of fault
G. Whether the arc is in open air or in an enclosure

The study and application of these equations is beyond the scope of this course. If it becomes
necessary to do work on electrically hot equipment, Annex D of Standard 70E gives the
equations and examples of applying them. Anyone working on electrically hot equipment will
need to do a calculation for their specific location, and wear the Personal Protection Equipment
required for the calculated incident energy levels.

7. Other Personal Protection Equipment

There are other articles of PPE that are required to be worn for the 5 Risk Categories. They are
as follows:

Copyright © Robert J. Scoff, PE 2007 7

 1. Safety Glasses Categories 0 to4
2. Hard Hat Categories 1 to 4
3. Hand Protection (leather gloves) Categories 1 to 4
4. Leather Shoes Categories 1 to 4
5. Safety Goggles Categories 2 to 4
6. Hearing Protection Categories 2 to 4
7. FR Hard Hat Liner Categories 3 and 4
8. Flash Suit Hood Categories 3 and 4
9. Arc rated Face Shield or Flash Suit Hood Category 2
10. Multi Layer Flash Suit Jacket Category 4
11. Multi Layer Flash Suit Pants Category 4

All of the above equipment has to be rated to protect against an arc of the energy levels given for
the 5 risk categories shown on the clothing chart. For example, items 10 and 11 must be rated
for at least 40 cal/cm2. That means that if an arc of that energy level would hit a person wearing
that equipment, he or she would not suffer any burns worse than second degree. Second degree
burns are considered burns from which a person can recover. Second degree burns can
occur if bare skin is exposed to 5 J / cm2 or 1.2 cal / cm2.

Something to be noted here is that the closer that a person gets to a potential source of an Arc
Flash fault, the higher the potential Arc Flash energy will be. That means that higher categories
of flash protection will have to be worn. There are equations in 70E to calculate the available arc
energy at distances from Arc Flashes.

This means that anytime work is performed on live electrical equipment, where the voltage
is higher than 50 volts, written permission must be granted by management. Failure to
comply with this regulation could result in fines levied by OSHA.

8. Labeling

The 2002 NEC and 2004 70E Require a label on all non dwelling unit switchboards, panel
boards, motor control centers, and industrial control panels. They are required to be designed to
ANSI Standard Z353.1-.4 (2002 Sign Standard). Figure 8.1 shows a typical label which is an
approximation of the ANSI required sign. They are available through the internet and from
electrical suppliers.

Copyright © Robert J. Scoff, PE 2007 8

 Figure 8.1 Typical Warning Label

9. Job Briefing and Planning Checklist

A Job Briefing and Planning procedure shall be done by the employee in charge with the
employees involved before commencing any job where there is any danger to the employees.
Anytime the voltage level exceeds 50 volts on any exposed live electrical parts, this procedure
shall be deemed necessary.

When making a Job Briefing and Planning Checklist, the following items need to be considered.
Note that this is not a complete list and your facility may add or delete items from this list.

1. Identify

A. The Hazards
B. The Voltage Levels Involved
C. Any other Voltage Source Involved
D. Any Unusual Work Conditions
E. Number of People Needed to Do the Job
F. The Shock Protection Boundaries
G. The Available Incident Energy
H. Potential for an Arc Flash to Occur
I. Flash Protection Boundary

2. Ask

A. Can the Equipment Be De-Energized

B. Are Backfeeds of the Circuits to Be Worked On Possible
C. Is a “Stand-By Person” Required?

Copyright © Robert J. Scoff, PE 2007 9

 3. Check

A. Job Plans
B. Single Line Diagrams and Job Plans
C. Status Board
D. Information on Plant and Vendor Resources Is Up To Date
E. Safety Procedures
F. Vendor Information
G. Individuals Are Familiar with the Facility

4. Know

A. What the Job Is

B. Who Else Needs to Know
C. Who Is In Charge

5. Think

A. About the Worst Case Scenario

B. Lock Out, Tag Out, Test to Make Sure That the Equipment Is Really Off
C. Even Then, Still Check for the Presence of Voltage
D. Use the Right Tools and Equipment, Including PPE
E. Install and Remove Grounds
F. Install Barriers and Barricades
G. Think About Anything Else That Affects Personal Safety and Equipment Protection

6. Prepare for an Emergency

A. Is There a CPR Trained Person on Standby?

B. Is the Required Emergency Equipment Available?
C. Where Is the Emergency Equipment?
D. Where Is the Nearest Telephone?
E. Where Is the Fire Alarm?
F. If In a Confined Space, Is Confined Space Rescue Available?
G. What Is the Exact Work Location?
H. How Is the Equipment Shut Off in an Emergency?
I. Are the Emergency Telephone Numbers Known
J. Where Is the Fire Extinguisher?
K. Are Radio Communications Available?

The above is a recommended starting point for making a Job Briefing and Planning Checklist.
Most of the items listed above will apply to most facilities. However, each facility should
develop their own checklist that addresses the hazards that exist in their organization.

Copyright © Robert J. Scoff, PE 2007 10

 10. Energized Electrical Work Permit

When working on energized electrical circuits, whose voltage level is higher than 50 volts, an
electrical work permit shall be required except for certain testing, trouble shooting and
measuring tasks. Even then, the qualified person shall be required to wear personal protective
equipment.

Emphasizing this: Working on Energized Electrical Equipment now requires a WORK

PERMIT. It consists of three parts. They are:

1. Requester Information
2. Information from Electrically Qualified Person or Persons Doing the Work
3. Approvals to Perform the Work While Electrically Energized

Part 1 should have the following information. There may be items that you add to this list for
your particular facility.

A. Job or Work Order Number

B. Description of Circuit, Equipment, and Job Location
C. Description of Work To Be Done
D. Justification of Why the Work Has to Be Done Now, Why the Equipment Can Not Be
De-Energized, and Why It Can’t Wait Until the Next Scheduled Shutdown.
E. Requester Name and Title
F. Date

Part 2 should be a checklist that is completed by the Electrically Qualified Person doing the
work. It should include, but is not necessarily limited to, the following items:

A. Detailed Job Description and Procedure To Be Used In Performing Work

B. Description of Safe Work Practices To Be Employed
C. Results of Shock Hazard Analysis
D. Determination of Shock Protection Boundaries
E. Results of Flash Hazard Analysis
F. Determination of the Flash Protection Boundary
G. Necessary PPE to Safely Perform the Assigned Task
H. Means Employed to Keep Unqualified Persons Out of the Work Area
I. Proof That a Job Briefing Was Done Including Discussion of Any Job Related
Hazards
J. Signature(s) of Electrically Qualified Person or Persons Agreeing That the Work Can
Be Done Safely. This Needs To Be Dated and Have the Option of Being Returned if
the Electrically Qualified Person(s) Does Not Think That the Work Can Be Done
Safely.

Part 3 is the signatures of person or persons who are ultimately responsible for the safe and
efficient operation of the facility. Each facility will have their own person or persons who will
need to sign and give approval to do the work. This list could include the following:

Copyright © Robert J. Scoff, PE 2007 11

 A. Manufacturing Manager
B. Safety Manager
C. General Manager
D. Maintenance Manager
E. Engineering Manager
F. Electrically Knowledgeable Person

The date of signing will also be a part of Part 3. Note that each facility will decide whose
signatures are necessary on Part 3.

A note should be added to the form saying that the form will be forwarded to the Site Safety
Department for review and filing. The length of time that the documents should be saved is not
specified.

11. Equations

There are a number of equations that have been developed, both empirically and theoretically, to
determine certain distances and incident energies that would be available in the case of an Arc
Flash incident. They are available in Annex D of Standard 70E. Working with these equations
is beyond the scope of this course.

12. Conclusions

This course is intended to be a start on helping engineers understand the requirements of NFPA
70E, ‘Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace’. Arc Flash Safety is such an important
component of any safety plan that Safety Managers need to have the information in the 70E
standard available to them.

Robert J. Scoff, PE

Reference: 2004 Edition NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace

Copyright © Robert J. Scoff, PE 2007 12