Arc Flash & Electrical Safety

Arc Flash
& Electrical
Safety
S PR ING ED I TI O N
Contents
3 — Electrical test instruments: Safety is still the first tool
14 — Six strategies to mitigate arc flash incidents
20 — Arc Quenching Switchgear prevents catastrophe

at a substation
21 — Five steps to improve your electrical safety program
34 — Arc flash: Protect what matters most
51 — How an arc flash relay reduces costs
57 — Are you aware of arc flash hazards?
2
Electrical test instruments:
Safety is still the first tool  Back to TOC
Safety is paramount with electrical test instruments and great care must be
taken when using equipment or understanding the codes involved.
T here is a great deal of attention devoted to safe work practices during electrical
construction, maintenance and repair work. Industry electrical publications regu-
larly report on safety issues, including the use of the proper tools and equipment used
for energized and de-energized work, as well as utilizing the correct personal protec-
tive equipment (PPE) for each workplace situation.
Electrical test instruments are given very little discussion, if any, in safety articles. Ex-
amples include using the wrong test instruments or improperly using them, which can
have catastrophic results. Some of the most frequently used test instruments include
noncontact voltage testers, multimeters, insulation testers and ground-resistance tes-
ters. The issue with using a non-contact or proximity device is that the requirement to
test a circuit to ensure that it is de-energized requires the circuit to be tested phase-to-
phase and phase-to-ground, which cannot be done using this type of tester.
When electrical safety is discussed, the subjects of shock, arc flash, and arc blast dom-
inate the discussions. One question is often asked: “How do I identify when these
hazards are present, or likely to be present, when I am using electrical test instruments
on electrical circuits and equipment?” A review of these electrical hazards, along with
requirements for assessing the workplace to identify the electrical hazards and PPE
associated with using test instruments, is one way to get to the answer.
3
Electrical test instruments: Safety is still the first tool
Electrical hazards  Back to TOC

Electricity is a serious workplace hazard, exposing employees to electrical shock, elec-
trocution, burns, fires and explosions. Employees have been killed or injured in fires
and explosions caused by electricity.
Besides the electrical hazards of arc flash and arc blast, extremely high energy arcs can
damage equipment and cause fragmented metal to fly in all directions. In atmospheres
that contain explosive gases or vapors, or combustible dusts, even low-energy arcs can
cause violent explosions. In these cases, the electric arc may be the ignition source for
a much bigger explosion and fire.
Improper use of electrical test instruments can result in shock or electrocution, as well
as an arc flash incident. This article addresses these issues, along with the require-
ments for selecting and utilizing the test instruments to verify the presence of voltage.
Selection of test instruments

Regardless of whether you are performing electrical installation work, equipment main-
tenance, verifying the absence of voltage for de-energized work, troubleshooting,
voltage measurements or similar diagnostic work, collecting accurate and consistent
information from these tests is imperative. To comply with electrical industry standards
and regulations, there is a need to select and use the right test instruments according
to the application.
When conducting voltage verification, for energized and de-energized work, the elec-
trical worker must select the right test instruments and equipment applicable to the
work to be performed. As a minimum, these should include the following:
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• Voltage indicating instrument suitable for conditions  Back to TOC
• Environment
• Correct CAT category I, II, III, or IV
• Continuity test instrument
• Insulation resistance test instrument.
All test instruments include specific manufacturer’s operational instructions. Test instru-
ments must be certified and display a label of an independent verification lab, such
as UL, CSA, CE, ETL or TÜV. Make sure all meters, test leads and probes have an ad-
equate category (CAT) safety rating. Sometimes, the only thing standing between an
electrical worker and an unexpected spike is their meter and test leads. If you use the
wrong equipment with the wrong voltage, you could be putting yourself and others at
risk. So, before conducting any test, make sure your choice of instrument is correct.
Electrical standards, such as UL, ANSI, IEC, and CAN, specify protection from currents
at levels well above a system’s rated capacity. Without this additional protection, tran-
sient overvoltages, which are becoming increasingly common, can lead to equipment
failure and serious injury or death.
Minimizing such risks requires that everyone working in electrical environments has
safety equipment as required. They need properly rated gloves, eye protection and
electrical measurement test instruments that provide appropriate protection. Having
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the correct electrical testing and measurement instruments and using the correct pro-  Back to TOC
cedures can improve job safety.
Use of electrical test instruments

Due to the potential electrical hazards associated with the use of electrical test in-
struments, only qualified persons are permitted to perform tasks such as testing,
troubleshooting and voltage measuring when working within the Limited Approach
Boundary of exposed energized electrical conductors or circuit parts operating at 50
volts or more, or where any other electrical hazard may exist. Improper use of elec-
trical test instruments can result in shock or electrocution, as well as creating an arc
flash incident.
The following additional requirements apply to test instruments, equipment, and all
associated test leads, cables, power cords, probes, and connectors:
• Must be rated for circuits and equipment where they are utilized.
• Must be designed for the environment to which they will be exposed and for the
manner in which they will be utilized.
• Must be visually inspected for external defects and damage before each use. If
there is a defect or evidence of damage that might expose an employee to injury,
the defective or damaged item shall be removed from service.
When test instruments are used for testing the absence of voltage on conductors or cir-
cuit parts operating at 50 volts or more, the operation of the test instrument must be:
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• Verified on a known voltage source before an absence of voltage test is performed.  Back to TOC
• Test for the absence of voltage on the de-energized conductor or circuit part. A
zero reading might mean that no voltage is present during the testing, or it could
mean that the instrument has failed.
• Verified on a known voltage source after an absence of voltage test is per-

formed.
This verification primarily applies to conductors or circuit parts operating at 50 volts

or more. However, under certain conditions (such as wet contact or immersion) even
circuits operating under 50 volts can pose a shock hazard.
Only qualified persons are permitted to perform tasks such as testing, troubleshooting,
and voltage measuring, due to the electrical hazards associated with energized work.
All required PPE, for the associated hazards, must be utilized when performing these
tasks. Test instruments must be rated for the conditions under which testing is to be
performed. When selecting voltage testing instruments, an assessment must be per-
formed to determine the proper category (CAT) rating required, based on the highest
hazard exposure.
When test instruments are used for testing the absence of voltage, for de-energized
work, on conductors or circuit parts operating at 50 volts or more, the operation of the
test instrument must be verified on a known voltage source before and after an ab-
sence of voltage test is performed.
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Electrical safety checklist  Back to TOC

The fundamentals of electrical safety can be overlooked, especially by seasoned elec-
tricians. It’s worth reviewing a few safety tips, both for the novice electrician and the
veteran:
• Use a meter that meets accepted safety standards for the environment in which it
will be used.
• Use a meter with fused current inputs and be sure to check the fuses before mak-
ing current measurements.
• Inspect test leads for physical damage before making a measurement.
• Use the meter to check continuity of the test leads.
• Use test leads that have shrouded connectors and finger guards.
• Use meters with recessed input jacks.
• Select the proper function and range for your measurement.
• Be certain the meter is in good operating condition.
• Follow all equipment safety procedures.
• Always disconnect the “hot” (red) test lead first.

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• Don’t work alone.  Back to TOC
• Use a meter that has overload protection on the ohms function.
• When measuring current without a current clamp, turn the power off before con-
necting into the circuit.
• Be aware of high-current and high-voltage situations and use the appropriate

equipment, such as high-voltage probes and high-current clamps.
CAT ratings and their definitions

Here’s a brief review of the four category (CAT) ratings and their basic definitions:
Category I
This typically covers electronic equipment. Signal level for telecommunications, elec-
tronic equipment and low-energy equipment with transient-limiting protection. The
peak impulse transient range is from 600 to 4,000 volts with a 30-ohm source.
• Protected electronic equipment
• Equipment connected to (source) circuits in which measures are taken to limit tran-
sient overvoltages to an appropriately low level
• Any high-voltage-low-energy source derived from a high-winding resistance trans-

former, such as the high-voltage section of a copier.
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Category II  Back to TOC

Single-phase receptacle connected loads. Local level for fixed or non-fixed powered
devices-everything from lighting to appliances to office equipment. Also, all outlets at
more than 10 meters (30 feet) from Category III sources and all outlets at more than 20
meters (60 feet) from Category IV sources. The peak impulse transient range is from
600 to 6,000 volts with a 12-ohm source.
• Appliance, portable tools and other household and similar loads
• Outlet and long branch circuits
• Outlets at more than 10 meters from CAT III source
• Outlets at more than 20 meters from CAT IV source.
Category III
Three-phase distribution, including single-phase commercial lighting. Distribution lev-
el-fixed primary feeders or branch circuits. These circuits are usually separated from
Category IV (whether utility service or other high-voltage source) by a minimum of one
level of transformer isolation; for example, feeders and short branch circuits, distribution
branch panels and heavy appliance outlets with “short” connections to service entrance.
The peak impulse transient range is from 600 to 8,000 volts with a 2-ohm source.
• Equipment in fixed installations, such as switchgear and polyphase motors
• Bus and feeders in industrial plants

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• Feeders and short branch circuits, distribution panel devices  Back to TOC
• Lighting systems in larger buildings
• Appliance outlets with short connections to service entrance.
Category IV
Three-phase at utility connection, any outdoor conductors or primary supply level. It
will cover the highest and most dangerous level of transient overvoltage you are likely
to encounter-in utility service to a facility both outside and at the service entrance, as
well as the service drop from the pole to the building, the overhead line to a detached
building, and the underground line to a well pump. The peak impulse transient range
is from 600 to 12,000 volts with a less than 1-ohm source.
• “Origin of installations,” such as where low-voltage connection is made to utility

power
• Electricity meters, primary overcurrent protection equipment
• Outside and service entrance, service drop from pole to building, run between
meter and panel
• Overhead line to detached building, underground line to well pump.
Global Verification
Here’s a look at the various worldwide labs and test facilities that evaluate electrical safety:
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• UL: Underwriters Laboratory, the U.S.-based test lab. Among its many standards  Back to TOC
for electrical safety is UL 50, which covers enclosures for electrical equipment.
• CSA: Canadian Standards Association, which provides product testing and cer-
tification services for electrical, mechanical, plumbing, gas and a variety of other
products.
• CE: An abbreviation of the French phrase Conformité Européenne, CE is the mark-

ing on products which meet conformity standards for the European Economic
Area.
• ETL: A North American testing laboratory that tests to UL standards. It is recog-

nized at a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory.
• TÜV: Based in Germany, TÜV Rheinland tests electrical, electronical and program-
mable electronic components and systems which are applied in safety-related
applications.
Dennis K. Neitzel, CPE, CESCP

Dennis K. Neitzel, CPE, CESCP is a trainer with AVO Training Institute.
12
Reset arc flash safety
in your facility
Nothing is more important than worker
safety, but if you haven’t taken the proper
steps to mitigate the risks of arc flash,
you’re jeopardizing what matters most.
In addition to an arc flash study, there are equipment and design controls to improve
arc flash safety like Eaton’s Power Distribution Monitoring and Control Enhanced. It
enables the user to monitor, diagnose and operate devices from a safer location outside
the arc flash boundary through the elevation view and one-line diagram of the MCC
and switchgear line-up, displayed in an intuitive graphical interface, which also provides
incident energy information and required PPE for safer maintenance operation.
Learn more at Eaton.com/resetsafety
Six strategies to mitigate
arc flash incidents  Back to TOC
From analysis to equipment; you can reduce the exposure to a

dangerous event
A rc flashes—the fiery explosions that can result from short circuits in high-pow-
er electrical devices— kill workers in the U.S. every year and permanently injure
many more.
They can also wreak financial havoc in the form of fines, lawsuits, and damage to ex-
pensive equipment.
Given the dangers they pose, arc flash events merit serious attention from engineering
professionals. Here are six of the most effective strategies for reducing the frequency,
severity, and harmfulness of arc flash incidents.
1. Perform a hazard analysis

Every arc flash mitigation program should begin with a hazard analysis aimed at calcu-
lating how much energy an arc flash could release at various points along the power
chain. Accuracy is essential with such measurements, so plant managers who lack di-
rect and extensive experience with arc flash incident energy assessment should always
seek assistance from a qualified power systems engineer.
To ensure employees are always aware of potential arc flash hazards, companies should
place warning labels on any piece of electrical equipment that poses an arc flash risk.
They should also mark arc flash hazard zones on the floor, so workers not wearing ap-
14
Six strategies to mitigate arc flash incidents
propriate personal protective equipment (PPE) can clearly see how far away from elec-  Back to TOC
trical equipment they must stand to avoid serious injury.
Note that the NFPA 70E standard explicitly requires employers to post signage notify-
ing employees of potential arc flash dangers. Organizations that ignore this directive
dramatically increase their chances of paying serious fines and losing expensive law-
suits after arc flash incidents.
2. Reduce available fault current.

Though not applicable to environments protected by fuses and current-limiting break-
ers, facilities using non-current limiting breakers (NCLBs) can reduce the amount of
incident energy released during arc flashes by reducing the amount of available fault
current. The following three strategies can help plants with NCLBs significantly reduce
available fault current.
Operate with an open tie during maintenance. When maintaining dual electrical sourc-
es, current limiting devices above current values can increase available fault current
and reduce incident energy. Sometimes, however, opening the tie between dual power
feeds during maintenance procedures reduces arc flash dangers by cutting available
fault current in half. Of course, opening ties during maintenance also temporarily ren-
ders your power scheme less redundant, exposing equipment to heightened risk of
failure. Given the devastating human and financial toll arc flashes can take, most orga-
nizations consider that a trade-off well worth making.
Employ high-resistance grounding. During ground faults, high-resistance grounding

(HRG) systems provide a path for ground current via a resistance that limits current
15
magnitude—dramatically reducing the size of line-to-ground faults and associated arc  Back to TOC
flashes. HRG can be used on systems that service only three-phase loads. The U.S. Na-
tional Electrical Code prohibits using HRG on distribution systems serving loads that
are connected line-to-neutral.
Use current limiting reactors. Current-limiting reactors act as a bottleneck on electrical

flows, restricting current during faults. For example, low-voltage motor control centers
can be supplied with three single-phase reactors that limit available short circuit cur-
rent, resulting in smaller energy releases when faults occur.
3. Shorten clearing time

Just as smaller arc flashes release less energy, shorter ones do as well. To shorten arc
flash events by decreasing fault clearance times, you can:
• Utilize zone selective interlocking. Zone selective interlocking (ZSI) is a protection

scheme that uses an “inhibit” signal transmitted from downstream breakers that see
a fault to the next breaker upstream. The upstream breaker sees both the fault cur-
rent and the inhibit signal and therefore delays tripping, allowing the downstream
breaker to clear the fault. Should a fault occur between the downstream and up-
stream breaker, however, the downstream feeder doesn’t see the fault or send an
inhibit signal to the upstream breaker. That causes the upstream breaker to bypass
any intentional time delay settings, significantly reducing arc flash incident energy.
• Implement a bus differential scheme. These are coordinated zones of protection

within an electrical system. When a fault occurs within a given zone of protection
(i.e., between the main and feeder breakers), protective devices trip instanta-
16
neously, limiting arc flash durations while also confining arc flash damage to spe-  Back to TOC
cific portions of your infrastructure. Bus differential systems are typically faster and
more sensitive than ZSI, but require additional current transformers and relaying
equipment. This generally makes them harder to implement and more expensive.
• Deploy an Arcflash Reduction Maintenance System. An ARMS shortens faults by

bypassing all time delays in the trip circuit any time current exceeds a preset max-
imum. That enables faults to clear even faster than a circuit breaker’s “instanta-
neous” function makes possible. Technicians must manually enable ARMS circuits
before doing maintenance work and then disable them when that work is com-
plete, employing familiar lockout/tagout procedures.
4. Adopt remote operation

Executing potentially dangerous procedures remotely can help protect personnel from
injuries. Here are two ways to limit maintenance operations performed in range of arc
flash events:
• Install remote monitoring, control, and diagnostics software. Today’s power man-
agement systems equip administrators with the ability to perform many adminis-
trative tasks remotely. They also equip companies to remotely de-energize electri-
cal equipment before staff members come into contact with it.
• Employ remote racking devices. Traditionally, technicians have had to stand close
to equipment with live, electrical connections when racking and unracking break-
ers. Remote racking devices enable operators to perform these extremely danger-
ous tasks from a safe distance.
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5. Predict and prevent faults  Back to TOC

One of the most effective ways to prevent arc flashes is to anticipate and eliminate the
conditions that cause them. The following three solutions help spot potential arc flash
dangers before they have a chance to do harm and keep personnel safely away from
live connections.
• Monitor insulation integrity. Deteriorating insulation is the leading cause of

arc-producing electrical failures. Identifying and repairing compromised insulation
before it fails can help avert arc flash explosions. Predictive maintenance systems
provide early warning of insulation failure in medium-voltage switchgear, substa-
tions, generators, transformers, and motors.
• Monitor pressure junctions. Most electrical equipment contains pressure junc-

tions, such as shipping splits, load lugs, and compression fittings. Over time,
vibration and thermal cycling can loosen these connections. When current flows
through a loosened connection, it can cause overheating and eventually produce
an arc flash. Using non-contact thermal sensors called pyrometers, however,
plants can monitor pressure junctions continuously and receive advance notifi-
cation of loose connections before they become so loose that they create an arc
flash explosion.
• Use infrared (IR) windows. Using contactless IR thermography technology, IR win-

dows enable technicians to perform IR scans without removing switchgear side
panels, lessening the likelihood of arc flash events caused by accidental contact
with live bus.
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6. Redirect blast energy  Back to TOC

Equipment that directs arc flash energy away from personnel is called “arc resistant.”
Arc resistant switchgear, for example, utilizes sealed joints, top-mounted pressure re-
lief vents, and reinforced hinges to contain the energy and heat released by arc flashes
and channel them via ducts to an unoccupied area inside or outside the building.
When all else fails, arc-resistant switchgear offers vulnerable employees a critical last
line of defense from the explosive power of arc flash incidents. However, its protective
qualities are effective only when equipment doors are closed, so companies should
train their technicians to fasten doors securely during normal operation.
Arc flash events can cause serious harm, ranging from disabling or fatal injuries to
heavy fines and financially ruinous lawsuits. Though no combination of countermea-
sures can totally eliminate them, utilizing the solutions and strategies discussed in this
article can help organizations make arc flash incidents significantly less likely to happen
and less harmful when they do.
David Loucks
David Loucks is manager, power solutions & advanced systems for Eaton.
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Arc Quenching Switchgear prevents catastrophe at a substation
 Back to TOC

Arc Quenching Switchgear prevents
catastrophe at a substation
In this simulated arc flash event, see how Arc Quenching
Switchgear prevents disaster after a planned maintenance
outage by extinguishing a phase-to-phase arcing fault within
4 milliseconds.
20
Five steps to improve your electrical
safety program  Back to TOC
OSHA recommends ways to make your electrical safety program better
D rawing from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, Electrical Safety Foundation
International (ESFI) has updated occupational electrical injury and fatality statis-
tics to include 2018 performance. The ESFI report shows that the trend in electrical
fatalities has been essentially flat for the past 10 years, although the trend in nonfatal
lost-time injuries continues downward. In 2018, there were 160 fatalities from expo-
sure to electrical energy, an 18% increase over 2017 and the highest number of fatali-
ties since 2011. There was a record low of nonfatal lost-time electrical injuries in 2018:
1,560, a 29% decrease over 2017.
The phenomena of a flat trend in fatal injuries at the same time as a continuing down-
ward trend in nonfatal injuries is not unique to electrical injuries and fatalities. It is a
general characteristic of all hazards in the workplace that have a credible potential to
cause long term disabling or fatal injuries. The disconnect between the trends in fatal
and nonfatal injuries has had the attention of safety management experts for nearly
two decades. While the long-term trend in occupational injuries and fatalities in the
U.S. has been downward, other countries have demonstrated progress significantly
better than the U.S.
A recent study shows the occupational fatality rate in the U.S. is nearly four times high-
er than that in the United Kingdom. In response to the flattened trend in occupation-
al fatalities, federal agencies at the forefront in workplace safety have taken steps to
enable employers and workers to identify gaps better and improve the effectiveness
21
Five steps to improve your electrical safety program
of workplace safety programs. In 2006, the  Back to TOC

National Institute for Occupational Safe-
ty and Health launched the Prevention
through Design (PtD) national initiative to
emphasize engineering design opportu-
nities in facilities, equipment, tools and
processes to complement safe work prac-
tices and personal protective equipment in
reducing the risk of injury. More recently, in
2016, OSHA created and continues to add
resources to support its efforts in promot-
ing recommended practices for safety and
health programs.
Electrical safety program

implications
Employers should benchmark their elec-
trical safety programs against the core elements of effective Figure 1: The publication
Recommended Practices for
safety management outlined in industry standards such as Safety and Health Programs
ANSI Z10 and ISO 45001. Widely considered one of the most is the centerpiece of the
prominent standards regarding workplace electrical safety updated OSHA resources.
Courtesy: OSHA
in the United States, NFPA 70E: Standard for Electrical Safe-
ty in the Workplace provides safe work practices and other
administrative controls aimed at reducing the risk of exposure to hazardous electrical
energy. The standard acknowledges that safe work practices and administrative con-
trols comprise a part of an electrical safety program and reference safety management
22
standards as resources to aid employers in  Back to TOC

addressing the essential elements of an effec-
tive electrical safety program not addressed in
NFPA 70E.
Five key steps to improve your electrical safety

program, based on the OSHA recommenda-
tions, are discussed in this article.
1. Enable management leadership. Man-

agement provides the leadership, vision and
resources needed to implement an effective
electrical safety program. Top management
should demonstrate its commitment to continu-
ous improvement in electrical safety, communi-
cate that commitment to workers and set program expecta- Figure 2: The OSHA website
dedicated to helping
tions and responsibilities. Managers at all levels should make employers understand and
electrical safety a core organizational value, establish safety implement core elements of
effective safety management.
and health goals and objectives, provide adequate resourc-
Courtesy: OSHA
es and support for the program and set a good example by
demonstrating a commitment to eliminating hazards, reduc-
ing risks, protecting workers and continuously improving workplace electrical safety.
Some examples of visible leadership include establishing a written policy describing

the organization’s commitment to electrical safety, communicate the policy to all work-
ers and stakeholders, including contractors, suppliers, visitors, providing the resources
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needed to implement the electrical safety and program, integrating electrical safety  Back to TOC
into planning and budgeting processes and aligning budgets with program needs.
2. Empower worker participation. Workers should be involved in all aspects of

the program — including setting goals, identifying and reporting hazards, investigating
incidents and tracking progress. By encouraging workers to participate in the program,
management signals that it values their input into electrical safety decisions. Workers
are often best positioned to identify electrical safety concerns and program shortcom-
ings, such as emerging workplace hazards, unsafe conditions, close calls/near misses
and actual incidents. By encouraging reporting and following up promptly on all reports,
employers can address issues before someone gets hurt. Including worker input at every
step of program design and implementation improves the ability to identify the presence
and causes of workplace hazards, creates a sense of program ownership among workers,
enhances their understanding of how the program works and helps sustain the program
over time. Opportunities to engage workers span all aspects of the program, including
setting goals, identifying and reporting hazards, identifying safe work practices, devel-
oping safety procedures, participating in incident investigations, training electrical and
non-electrical workers, leading safety audits and program evaluation. Workers must feel
that their input is welcome, and their voices will be heard. Differences in language, edu-
cation or skill levels in the workplace must be considered.
We live in an electrical world, and all workers have some exposure to electrical hazards.
For office workers, exposure may be limited to appliances, cords, outlets and power
strips. For construction laborers, exposure includes extension cords, power tools and
overhead and underground powerlines. Overhead lines are a concern as unintentional
contact with mobile equipment, scaffolds, ladders and conducive materials is a leading
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 Back to TOC
cause of fatality for construction workers. A key Figure 3: OSHA’s “Crosswalk to Voluntary
Standards” helps navigate a variety of
question to ask: Is our electrical safety program
standards, guidelines and models available
applied to workers whose job expectations in- to help establish or improve an electrical
clude working on or near energized circuits and safety program. This is an excerpt showing
how the management leadership element
equipment, or is it applied to all workers who may of the OSHA Recommended Practices
have exposure to electrical hazards? The electrical for Safety and Health Programs is aligned
safety program should include all workers, with with corresponding elements in ANSI
Z10 Occupational Health And Safety
details of the program tailored to hazards and risk Management Systems, National Safety
in specific work environments. Council Journey to Safety Excellence and
ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety
Management Systems. Courtesy: OSHA
3. Build competency. A common root cause
of workplace electrical injuries is the failure to
identify or recognize hazards that are present, or that could have been anticipated.
Unrecognized hazards or underestimation of risk can lead to unintentional acceptance
of risk. A critical element of any effective electrical safety program is a proactive, ongo- 25
ing process to identify and assess such hazards. Hazards can be introduced over time  Back to TOC
as work areas, and processes change, equipment or tools are damaged, cords become
worn, maintenance is neglected or housekeeping practices decline. Setting aside time
to inspect the workplace for electrical hazards regularly can help identify shortcomings
so that they can be addressed before an incident occurs. For each hazard exposure
identified, you should determine the severity and likelihood of incidents that could
result and use this information to prioritize corrective actions. Some hazards, such as
damaged cords or missing covers, should be fixed as they are found. Fixing hazards
on the spot emphasizes the importance of electrical safety and takes advantage of a
safety leadership opportunity.
You should include all areas and activities in these inspections, such as storage and
warehousing, facility and equipment maintenance, purchasing and office functions and
the activities of onsite contractors, subcontractors, temporary employees and visitors.
Checklists that highlight things to look for are helpful. Checklists can be developed for
major categories such as work environment, equipment operation, equipment mainte-
nance, work practices and work organization.
Workplace electrical incidents, including injuries, close calls/near misses, and equip-
ment failures can provide a clear indication of where hazards exist. By thoroughly
investigating incidents and reports, hazards that are likely to cause future harm are
identified. The purpose of an investigation must always be to identify the root and con-
tributing causes to identify every opportunity to prevent future occurrences. Having a
plan and procedure for conducting incident investigations can enable investigations to
begin immediately when an incident occurs. The investigation plan should cover who
should be involved, what skills need to available, and what training members of the
investigation team need. 26
Where hazards are identified, controls should be selected according to a hierar-  Back to TOC
chy that uses engineering solutions first, followed by safe work practices and other
administrative controls and finally, personal protective equipment (PPE). Employ-
ers should select the controls that are the most feasible, effective, and permanent.
New technologies may have the potential to be more protective, more reliable or
less costly. Whenever possible, select equipment, machinery and materials that
are inherently safer based on PtD principles. Apply PtD when making your facility,
equipment or product design decisions. For more information, see the link to the
NIOSH PtD initiative.
It is crucial to ensure that selected controls are implemented, interim protection is pro-
vided, progress is tracked and the effectiveness of controls is verified. Evaluate control
measures to determine if they are effective or need to be modified. Involve workers in
the evaluation of the controls. If controls are not adequate, identify, select and imple-
ment further control measures that provide adequate protection. For example, after
establishing an electrically safe work condition, hazardous energy may still exist at
the boundary of the safe working zone, such as on the line side of isolation devices,
in adjacent compartments of motor control centers or switchgear, behind shutters in
drawout circuit breaker cells and behind doors and covers that could be opened. Risk
control planning should take into consideration how miscommunications, distractions
or misunderstandings could lead to failure of the implemented controls to prevent
exposure or injury. By asking, “How could this control fail?” additional engineering or
administrative controls may be warranted to control the remaining risk. It is usually the
case that no single method fully protects workers, requiring a combination of controls
or multiple layers of protection is almost always appropriate.
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4. Assess education and training needs. Education and training are essential  Back to TOC
tools for informing workers and managers about electrical hazards and controls, and
for understanding the electrical safety program so that everyone can contribute to
its development and implementation. Managers, supervisors and workers need to
understand the program’s structure, plans and procedures. Having this knowledge
ensures that everyone can fully participate in developing, implementing and improv-
ing the program.
Additional training may be needed depending on the roles assigned in the program.
For example, employers, managers and supervisors may need specific training to en-
sure they can fulfill their roles in providing leadership, direction and resources for the
electrical safety program. Workers assigned specific roles in the program (e.g., incident
investigation team members) may need the training to ensure their full participation
in those functions. Employers, managers and supervisors are responsible for workers’
safety, yet sometimes have little training on safety-related concepts and techniques
such as risk assessment, the hierarchy of controls and PtD. They might benefit from
specific training on these, and other topics will allow them to fulfill their leadership
roles in the program better.
Worker training should be tailored to the specific hazards and risks associated with
their job responsibilities. Office workers with exposure to cord-powered office equip-
ment should have training appropriate for this risk. Workers using mobile equipment
or handling long conductive materials need training on identifying and avoiding over-
head powerlines. Electricians whose job expectations include working near energized
equipment and components need hazard identification and risk control training specif-
ic for their exposure to hazardous energy.
28
Additional training may be needed when a change in facilities, equipment, processes,  Back to TOC
materials or work organization could increase hazards, and whenever a worker is as-
signed a new task. A formal process may be needed for determining the training needs
of workers responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining the program.
Promoting awareness of home electrical safety is a way to engage everyone in the

organization in thinking about electrical safety. Management, supervision and workers
can apply home electrical safety tips in their personal lives. Topics can include ground
fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) and arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs), extension
cords, electrically powered tools and appliances and overhead and underground util-
ity powerlines. Home electrical safety education can provide a sound base for under-
standing and value for the electrical safety program at work. Electrical Safety Founda-
tion International has an extensive library of home electrical safety awareness materials
that can be downloaded at no cost.
5. Think continual improvement. Once an electrical safety program is estab-

lished, it should be evaluated initially to verify it is being implemented as intended.
After that, employers should periodically, and at least annually, step back and assess
what is working and what is not, and whether the program is on track to achieve its
goals. Whenever these assessments identify opportunities to improve the program,
employers, managers and supervisors — in coordination with workers — should make
adjustments and monitor how well the program performs as a result. Sharing the re-
sults of monitoring and evaluation within the workplace, and celebrating successes, will
help drive further improvement.
The first step in monitoring is to define indicators that will help track performance and
progress. Both lagging and leading indicators should be used. Lagging indicators track 29
 Back to TOC
worker exposures and injuries that have already Figure 4: Templates for self-auditing the
occurred. Leading indicators track how well var- core elements of safety management are
available on the OSHA website supporting
ious aspects of the program have been imple- Recommendations for Safety and Health
mented and reflect steps taken to prevent inci- Programs. This is an excerpt from the self-
auditing template for the management
dents and injuries before they occur.
leadership element. The Action and
Guidance text in this figure is modified to
Electrical injuries comprise less than 0.2%, or less focus on electrical safety. Courtesy: OSHA
than 1 in 500, of all nonfatal occupational inju-

ries. The relative infrequency of electrical injuries can create an illusion of having an
effective electrical safety program. A rare serious electrical injury or fatality may be
incorrectly viewed as a random event. Incidents and injuries that are low in frequency 30
also can mean that a company or organization does not have enough internal data to  Back to TOC
be statistically meaningful. Due to the inherent low-frequency occurrence of electrical
injuries, an individual or company may not recognize the potential for a fatal (high con-
sequence) injury. The lack of, or a low number of, electrical injuries is not a valid indica-
tor of the quality of the electrical safety program. Factors that may be better indicators
of electrical safety program quality are leading indicators such as:
• Frequency and quality of electrical safety training for electrical workers, nonelec-
trical workers, line supervision, management and support personnel such as safety
professionals, contractor administrators and training staff
• Frequency of field audits that examine the implementation of the organization’s

electrical safety program
• Quality and frequency of management system audits focused on preventing expo-

sure to electrical hazards
• Attention to inherently safer design in hardware selection and electrical system

design in capital projects
• Discipline in maintaining maintenance programs for equipment and systems criti-

cal to electrical safety.
Initially and at least annually, management should evaluate the program to ensure it is
operating as intended, is effective in controlling identified hazards and is making prog-
ress toward established electrical safety goals and objectives. The scope and frequen-
31
cy of program evaluations will vary depending on changes in your organization, OSHA  Back to TOC
regulations, industry standards and the scope, complexity and maturity of your elec-
trical safety program. The evaluation should take into consideration whether changes
in equipment, facilities, materials, key personnel or work practices trigger the need for
changes in the program.
One size does not fit all

OSHA Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs should be tailored
to the electrical safety program for your workplace. The core elements for successful
safety management are common across all hazards and the recommended practices
and supporting resources can be applied to any safety and health hazard in the work-
place. By inserting “electrical safety program” wherever “safety and health program”
appears in the tools and resources, you will see opportunities to improve visibility,
support, engagement and robustness of your electrical safety program. Experimen-
tation, evaluation and program modification are part of the process. You also may
experience setbacks from time to time. What is important is you learn from setbacks,
remain committed to finding out what works best for you and continue to seek lead-
ing edge methods.
Electrical injuries occur in all types of workplace settings, from manufacturing sites
to hospitals and health care facilities, to offices, to construction and to service indus-
tries. The preventive approaches described in the OSHA recommended practices work
equally well across all sectors of the economy, for all different kinds of hazards, in both
mobile and fixed work environments; and for small, medium-sized and large organiza-
tions. Small employers may find that they can best accomplish the actions outlined in
these recommended practices using informal communications and procedures. Larger
32
employers, who have more complex work processes, may require a more formal and  Back to TOC
detailed program. They also may wish to integrate their electrical safety program with
other programs they are using to manage assets, production, quality control and envi-
ronmental protection or sustainability.
You can use the self-evaluation tools found on the OSHA Recommended Practices for
Safety and Health Programs website to track your progress and assess how fully you
have implemented each action item. Figure 4 is an example of one of the continual
improvement tools available on the OSHA Recommended Practices website.
H. Landis “Lanny” Floyd, PE, CSP, CESCP

H. Landis “Lanny” Floyd, PE, CSP, CESCP, Life Fellow IEEE, is a member of Plant
Engineering’s Editorial Advisory Board. He is an adjunct professor in the Advanced
Safety and Engineering Management graduate engineering program at the University
of Alabama at Birmingham. In that position, he teaches Electrical Systems Safety, In-
troduction to Prevention through Design and Systems Safety and Engineering Ethics
and Acceptable Risk. He retired from DuPont in 2014 after a 45-year career devoted to
prevention of electrical injuries and fatalities.
33
Arc flash: U nderstanding arc flash is a necessity for anyone who
operates or maintains electrical equipment, regard-
less of your industry or job title. By the numbers, there are
Protect what an estimated 5–10 arc flash incidents daily in the United
States, resulting in more than 2,000 people admitted for
matters most medical treatment for arc flash burns each year (IEEE®
Standards Association, NFPA® Arc Flash Phenomena Col-
laboration Research Project). Additionally, depending on
the severity of an arc flash incident, the associated equip-
ment damage, downtime, reporting, investigation, and
even fines from government agencies can be significant.
Determining where to start may feel like a daunting task—

but it doesn’t have to be. Eaton has compiled our educa-
tional content and resources on this topic into a compre-
hensive guide to support you on the journey in selecting
the right elements to build your own electrical safety
program. This content was developed by drawing on over
100 years of experience in manufacturing electrical power
systems equipment and decades of experience working
with customers to study, design, install, start up, commis-
sion, and maintain electrical equipment and systems.
Understanding arc flash

An arc flash is the energy release that occurs during an
electrical fault when current flows through the air between
Arc flash: Protect what matters most
multiple phases or phase to ground, causing a short circuit. In a residential setting,  Back to TOC
an arc flash usually produces little more than a brief flash of light before extinguishing
itself harmlessly. In a commercial or industrial setting, however, voltages and currents
are significantly higher, so electrical faults typically release far more energy. As a result,
an arc flash routinely produces a powerful explosion marked by searing heat, toxic
fumes, blinding light, deafening noise, and massive pressure waves.
Temperatures can reach 35,000 °F—more than three times hotter than the sun. And
these excessive temperatures cause the air and metal in the path of the arc to expand
and explode, creating an arc blast.
Arc flashes can be caused by both human error and equipment failure. Examples of
human error include accidental contact, incorrect wiring, labeling or installation, im-
proper use of tools, failure to notice signs of impending failure, or insufficiently trained
employees. Equipment failure includes areas such as insulation breakdown, utility tran-
sients or lightning, poor equipment maintenance, loose connections, interaction with
equipment that is not properly maintained, or improperly rated equipment.
During an arc flash event, skin damage will occur based on the power or intensity of
the arc at its origin, the distance the worker is from the arc origin, and the time du-
ration of the arc exposure. The incident energy is defined as the amount of thermal
energy impressed on a surface during an electrical event, measured in calories per
square centimeter (cal/cm2). An incident energy above 1.2 cal/cm2 will likely result in a
more severe injury to the person interacting with or near the equipment. The arc flash
boundary is the distance at which the incident energy decreases to the incident en-
ergy level of 1.2 cal/cm2. The working distance is the distance from a person’s face
35
and chest to the prospective arc source. Typical working distances, primarily based on  Back to TOC
equipment type, are published in IEEE standard 1584 and used in studies to perform
the incident energy calculations.
Electrical safety program overview

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E®, Article 110 “General Requirements
for Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices” requires an employer to create and train
employees on electrical safety at a regular, defined interval and to establish the Elec-
36
trical Safety Program (ESP) requirement. It is also the requirement of the employee to  Back to TOC
abide by those safety practices within the program, including training and the use of
required tools and safety equipment. This collaboration will result in a safer work envi-
ronment for all.
An ESP creates the foundation for the safety culture at a workplace. NFPA 70E states
how the performance-based requirements in the Occupational Safety and Health Ad-
ministration (OSHA) standards can be met by providing and defining minimum stan-
dard industry practices necessary for electrical safety (NFPA, Fact Sheet, September
2020). These standards along with the National Electrical Code® (NEC®) are the back-
drop for keeping electrical environments safe.
• OSHA—Establishes safe and healthful working conditions by setting and enforc-

ing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and compliance
assistance
• NFPA 70E—Provides a practical standard that addresses the electrical safety-re-

lated practices in the workplace, including a framework for developing a program,
comprising principles, controls, and procedures
• NFPA 70/NEC—Regionally adoptable standard for the safe installation of electrical

wiring and equipment
• IEEE 1584—Presents methods for the calculation of arc flash incident energy and
arc flash boundaries
37
There are various arc flash mitigation strategies that can be implemented as part of  Back to TOC
the electrical safety program at your site. The principles of an ESP may include prop-
er maintenance of equipment; de-energizing equipment where possible; identifying,
reducing, and protecting employees from electrical hazards; and using the proper
tools. The controls of an ESP may include the development of procedures, qualifying
employees to do the assigned work, identification of tasks within the arc flash bound-
ary, and more. The procedures of an ESP may consist of determining and assessing
employee qualifications, hazards, PPE, tools, and one-line diagrams.
Recommendations for developing or improving an arc

flash program
The threat of arc flash is real, and the consequences of an event can be devastat-
ing: lawsuits, fines, equipment damage, operations downtime, lost production,
and most significantly, personnel injury or death. If you are looking to develop or
improve your program, the first step is education. Understanding what arc flash is,
how to protect employees and equipment, and new technologies available will al-
low you to make better decisions in the future, which could save lives. At the Eaton
Experience Centers in Pittsburgh, PA, and Houston, TX, visitors can see firsthand
the latest advances in safety in a full-scale demonstration and testing facility. An-
other option is to explore Eaton’s arc flash safety training options either in-per-
son or virtually.
The next step is to complete a system study or assessment of your site in regard to
arc flash safety requirements. This will allow you to understand and evaluate your
current state, determine potential mitigation solutions to achieve compliance, and
determine areas of improvement, such as specifying technology that reduces the
38
severity of arc flash events. You may also use the reference list below as an assess-  Back to TOC
ment guide to determine if your arc flash safety program has all the suggested
elements.
• Single-line diagram
• Protective device coordination study
• Incident energy analysis
• Short-circuit study
• Arc flash warning labels
• Safety training
• Documented electrical safety program
• Mitigation solutions
• Personal protective equipment
• Electrical maintenance
• Arc flash study update
39
The hierarchy of risk controls  Back to TOC

The hierarchy of risk controls for arc flash defined in NFPA 70E was transitioned from an
informative section to a mandatory component in 2018. Per NFPA, “the standard now
explicitly states that the first priority must be the elimination of the hazard; each meth-
od that follows it is considered less effective than the one before it” (NFPA 70E, 2018
Edition, FACT Sheet). The processes and controls can also be viewed as ranging from
immune from human error to those that just provide awareness that a hazard exists. Per
NFPA 70E Section 110.3 (H)(3), the six methods, or hierarchy, of risk controls are:
1. Elimination—physically remove the hazard
2. Substitution—replace the hazard
3. Engineering—isolate people from the hazard
4. Awareness—increase visibility of the hazard
5. Administrative—change the way people work
6. Personal protective equipment—protect the worker
From an effectiveness perspective, PPE is least effective, but provides the most basic
protection; whereas elimination provides the highest level of protection as it elimi-
nates the opportunity for an arc flash event. New technology for electrical equipment
is available to meet all levels of this matrix, but not all levels might be possible for your
unique site and system design.
40
 Back to TOC
Hierarchy of risk controls

Ten innovative solutions to support the
hierarchy of risk controls
Eaton continues to innovate and provide new technologies and solutions that corre-
spond to the hierarchy of risk control methods. Design engineers need to understand
where arc flash risks are greatest in the operation or maintenance of equipment and
incorporate the latest solutions available into their designs to mitigate these risks.
1. Arc quenching technology

Arc quenching technology, which is considered an engineering control, is available for
low-voltage switchgear and complete arc quenching substations. The arc quenching
system reduces incident energy to a level where the switchgear will survive an electri-
cal arc flash event, while providing enhanced safety and minimal equipment downtime. 41
With Eaton’s Arc Quenching Switchgear, incident energy levels are reduced below 1.2  Back to TOC
cal/cm2, which may also reduce PPE requirements and arc flash boundaries. An arc
quenching substation takes the features of Arc Quenching Switchgear and pairs it with
Eaton’s Arc-Reduction Vacuum Fault Interrupter transformer (AQS-VFI), extending the
zone of protection from the line-side of the low-voltage circuit breaker to the trans-
former secondary. This achieves the highest levels of arc flash protection with a com-
pact footprint for a complete substation.
Incident Energy Comparison for arc

2. High resistance grounding technology mitigation technologies
High resistance grounding, another engineering control,
limits the magnitude of the current during a ground fault, eliminating line-to-ground arc-
ing faults, which are the most common type of arcing faults that occur on solidly ground-
ed systems. This greatly reduces the likelihood of an arcing event occurring, with the
42
added benefits of limiting equipment damage, maintaining  Back to TOC

continuity of service, and expediting troubleshooting. Oper-
ators are alerted to faulted conditions and can easily locate
the ground source via a built-in fault tracing pulsing circuit.
Reducing the likelihood of arcing events and expediting
troubleshooting efforts can significantly decrease the arc
flash risk for electrical personnel.
3. Breaker Integrated Transformer

A simple, inexpensive, but highly effective engineering
control to reduce arc flash risk is to relocate the main
breaker of a low-voltage panelboard into the enclosure of
the stepdown, dry-type ventilated transformer that feeds
it. Simply relocating the secondary main breaker to the
transformer drastically reduces the amount of avail-
High resistance grounding (HRG) system
able incident energy at the secondary panelboard.
This greatly increases the safety of interacting with
the secondary panelboard. “Rethinking stepdown trans-
formers” (Hausman/Finen/Freyenberger, 2021) evaluates
the effectiveness of this equipment design in the reduction
of incident energy levels as well as eliminating distance
restrictions.
4. Arc-resistant assemblies
Arc-resistant assemblies are another engineering control de-
signed to safely contain and redirect arc flash energy away
Breaker Integrated Transformer
43
from the operator. Most Eaton designs  Back to TOC

are tested to the Type 2 rating with a “B”
suffix, Type 2B for short. A Type 2B rating
provides worker protection from the front,
sides, and rear of the enclosure, even with
the low-voltage control doors open. For
Eaton’s low-voltage switchgear, this rating
is also applicable to the secondary control
wiring door. Type 2 arc-resistant ratings in
accordance with IEEE standard C37.20.7
provide for arc-resistant protection around
the perimeter of select electrical equip-
ment with the doors closed and secured.
Arc-resistant ratings are available for:
• Low-voltage and medium-voltage arc-

resistant switchgear Type 2B
• Medium-voltage metal-clad switchgear Type 2B
• Variable frequency drives Type 2B
• Low-voltage motor control centers (MCC) in

Type 2
• Medium-voltage motor control in Type 2B

Arc-resistant Magnum PXR low-
voltage switchgear
44
5. Arcflash Reduction Maintenance System  Back to TOC

Maintenance accidents are the leading cause of arc flash incidents and related
injuries. Circuit breakers equipped with Eaton’s Arcflash Reduction Maintenance
System TM can engage the system when interacting with energized equipment to
reduce trip times. This greatly reduces arc flash energy and the risk of injury. In the
event of an arc fault, this system ensures an accelerated shutdown in comparison
to a standard short-circuit release. Considered an engineering control in the hier-
archy, the Arcflash
Reduction Mainte-
nance System can
be activated man-
ually or automati-
cally when a con-
trol room door or
maintenance panel
is open, providing
service personnel
the highest de-
gree of safety. The
Arcflash Reduction
Maintenance Sys-
tem is available
as a retrofit to a low-voltage power circuit An activated Arcflash Reduction Maintenance
System function provides for faster triggering in
breaker or as an option on new circuit
case of overload. In our example, the fault current
breakers. The system may be activated is 1000 A. The Arcflash Reduction Maintenance
45
locally at the breaker or from a remote System maintenance mode will cause the breaker to
trip in 20 ms instead of 20 s
location. The result is a reduction of the incident energy during equipment mainte-  Back to TOC
nance, allowing for improved personnel safety while eliminating the need for high-
er levels of costly PPE.
6. Digitalization and remote monitoring

Arc flash mitigation can be improved through increased awareness with digitalization
and remote monitoring solutions. By monitoring for anomalies that can be precursors
to a failure like arc flash, Eaton’s Asset Performance Management (APM) software and
Remote Monitoring Application support respond to those anomalies so they can be
addressed before deteriorating conditions cause an arc flash incident. These solu-
tions can be located outside the arc flash boundary of the equipment being moni-
tored and provide notifications for the equipment, including real time status, alarms,
and device health. In addition, Eaton’s Arcflash Reduction Maintenance System can
be initiated from outside of the arc-flash boundary, and provide PPE recommenda-
tions to reduce the risk to personnel repairing equipment
• Asset Performance Management can track electrical signatures that could lead
to arc flash incident and send notifications so preventive action can be taken.
APM has rich data collection capabilities. In addition, the customer establishes
notification priorities, ensuring the correct people are informed of an incident.
• Remote Monitoring Application sends notifications to pre-identified team

members when conditions are outside of the “normal” range, so response can
happen before a failure/incident happens.
46
7. Remote Racking and control options  Back to TOC

Remote racking and integral remote racking provide an administrative control for miti-
gating arc flash risk. Remote Power Racking systems, such as Eaton’s RPR-2.1, enables
personnel to stand outside the arc flash protection boundary when inserting or removing
(racking) power breakers or MCC units from low- or medium-voltage equipment. The
person can be 25 feet or more away from the switchgear door during the racking pro-
cess. This can allow personnel to wear a lower level of PPE, enabling increased worker
comfort and mobility. Because personnel can be outside the flash protection boundary
while operating the RPR-2.1, the circuit breaker door does not have to be closed during
the racking process. Eaton’s integral remote racking system, MR2, provides remote
racking and remote control from a single, common operator pendant or across a com-
munication network.
The MR2 system
can be used on any
VCP-W drawout
circuit breakers and
auxiliary drawers
used in metal-clad
switchgear. The
integral motorized
remote racking can
be added to existing
metal-clad assem-
blies to improve arc
flash safety in exist-
ing assemblies. Remote racking outside of arc flash boundary
47
8. System studies and labeling  Back to TOC

Per Section 5(a)(1) of OSHA’s Occupational
Safety and Health (OSH) Act, employers must
“furnish a workplace that is free from recog-
nized hazards causing or likely to cause death
or serious physical harm.” The first and per-
haps most important step in understanding
and then addressing the hazards in the work-
place is an arc flash study. An arc flash study
and analysis, an awareness level control, cal-
culate arc flash hazards associated with ener-
gized work at locations throughout the power
system in accordance with current standard
Representative arc flash label
requirements. Calculations include arc flash boundary and inci-
dent energy, with the resulting information being provided on
arc flash warning labels to be installed on the distribution system electrical equipment.
An arc flash study can be a full turnkey experience where the recommendations from the
study are turned into mitigation actions to improve arc flash safety at your site.
9. Electrical Worker Training

Training personnel working on electrical equipment is a standards requirement and
an administrative level control to implement. Arc flash training can include under-
standing existing standards, determining safe approach distance, methods for cal-
culating prospective short-circuit current, NFPA 70E methods for calculating flash
boundary and incident energy, IEEE Standard 1584 methods for calculating flash
boundary and incident energy, determining the level of arc flash PPE needed to pro-
48
tect personnel, selecting a PPE clothing system based on the latest NFPA standards,  Back to TOC
arc ratings for common types of garments, and practical methods for reducing arc
flash hazards.
Training available onsite, in- person

or remote
10. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is the last line
of defense and level in the hierarchy of risk controls for arc flash safety and is a ne-
cessity when servicing energized equipment. OSHA defines PPE as “equipment worn
to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illness-
es. Personal protective equipment may include items such as gloves, safety glasses
and shoes, earplugs or muffs, hard hats, respirators, or coveralls, vests and full body
49
suits.” NFPA 70E has four categories of PPE, catego-  Back to TOC
ry 1 through 4. Each level has specific clothing and
gear required as well as the incident energy rating
the PPE will protect for, such as “Minimum arc rating
4 cal/cm 2”.
At Eaton, we want to see that every person who

operates, maintains, or works around electrical
equipment goes home safe and sound every day.
So, we are providing this reference handbook to
help improve arc flash safety. If you don’t have the
expertise you need on staff, Eaton has the breadth,
depth, and experience to help you protect what
matters most.
Personal protective equipment sample

To learn more, visit
eaton.com/resetsafety
50
How an arc flash relay reduces costs
 Back to TOC
Wire manufacturer finds a way to eliminate hazard and control labor spending.
C onaway Electrical Service, Lagrange, Ga., conducted an arc flash study for a major
manufacturer in the southeastern United States; its engineering team knew that
there were areas in the plant where electrical arc-flash safety was a concern. The best
way to resolve those concerns was not immediately apparent.
Conaway’s customer manufactures electrical wire and cable ranging from data cables
to heavy power conductors used in buildings, mining and general industrial applica-
tions. Much of the plant’s electrical distribution equipment is housed in electrical hous-
es (e-houses).
One of those e-houses is a 20-foot-long trailer mounted up a flight of stairs on a mez-

zanine. It is filled with breakers, PLC panels and had a an arc flash hazard rating of
Category 3, which corresponds to an incident energy of 8 to 25 cal/cm2. The Category
3 rating requires anyone working inside it to wear personal protective equipment (PPE)
consisting of safety glasses or goggles, hearing protection, hard hat, cotton under-
wear, fire-resistant (FR) shirt and pants, FR coveralls (in addition to FR shirt and pants),
arc flash hood, leather gloves and leather shoes.
Wearing this level of PPE was a real burden in terms of time and money for the manu-
facturer and its employees. The PPE was time-consuming to put on and take off, un-
comfortable and confining.
The manufacturer had arc flash labels in place and had the proper PPE on hand, but it
looked for a way to reduce the Category 3 hazard rating. On three other e-houses the
51
 Back to TOC
company had paid Conaway to install a new circuit break- Figure 1: For sense input to
the arc flash relay, contractors
er between the e-house and the four breakers in question.
installed four point sensors in
Because of tight working spaces and large cumbersome strategic locations as shown in
existing wires, the labor cost was high. Each installation, the center and two fiber optic
sensors, covering the entire
including circuit breakers and parts, cost roughly $60,000. In top level cable tray. Courtesy:
addition, the reduction in arc flash hazard was insufficient. Littelfuse
The plant engineering team learned about arc flash relays from its electrical distribu-
tor, Mayer Electric, who suggested that an arc flash relay might provide a solution. This
relay uses light sensors to detect the light of a developing arc flash and sends a signal
in less than one millisecond to open the upstream power breaker. By interrupting the 52
power quickly, it dramatically limits the amount of  Back to TOC

incident energy, preventing a small arc from grow-
ing into a dangerous and destructive event.
Representatives of Littelfuse, which manufactured

the relay, demonstrated the arc flash relay. After
Conaway approved the solution from a technical
standpoint, Conaway was chosen to handle the
project. Technicians installed the arc flash relay in
an enclosure mounted to the outside wall of an
e-house (see Figure 1), near one of the entrances.
Figure 2 shows the installation.
Figure 2: The electrical contractor
installed a PGR-8800 Arc Flash Relay
On the front of the enclosure they installed a pair of in an enclosure mounted to the
lights that indicate the status of the arc flash relay (on outside wall of the e-house on the
mezzanine, near one of the entrances.
or tripped). They also put in a small box with duplicate On the front of the enclosure they
indicators next to the other entrance of the e-house, installed a pair of lights that indicate
as shown in Figure 3. The idea was that workers would the status of the arc flash relay (on or
tripped). Courtesy: Littelfuse
be able to see, before they entered the e-house, if the
relay protection was not working. The relay had the
ability to communicate via Modbus.
For sense input to the relay, they installed four point-light sensors in strategic locations
(as shown in the center of Figure 4) and two fiber-optic light sensors, covering the en-
tire top level cable tray.
53
Because there were four lines  Back to TOC

feeding the e-house, it would
be necessary for the arc flash
relay to trip four breakers
simultaneously, which was
initially a concern. Littelfuse
application engineers Cory
Anderson and Alex Kalinski
worked through the calcu-
lations on the given circuit
breakers; they found that the
trip coils on the four break-
Figure 3: Interior of the arc flash relay
ers drew less than 200 mA, which combined were well
enclosure. Courtesy: Littelfuse
below the 5.75-amp output trip current available from
the arc flash relay, and they approved the installation.
As expected, all four tripped during tests with no issues.
Results
The relay instantaneously tripped the circuit breakers on each and every test. Installing
the arc-flash relay saved $30,000 on this installation, about half the cost of the previous
attempt, and the company acknowledges that it is a better solution than what they had
tried in the past.
The interior of the e-house now officially has no arc flash hazard. Under last year’s clas-
sification system it would have been rated as a hazard risk Category 0, but that cate-
gory has been eliminated as superfluous. No hazard now simply means no hazard, and
54
workers no longer need to don PPE before they enter  Back to TOC
the e-house.
There are nine other e-houses in this plant, and there

are 20 or more other plants around the country; the
people involved in this project hope to be able to ex-
pand it to cover all those other e-houses, improving
worker safety and protecting uptime.
How an arc flash relay works

An arc flash occurs when an energized phase conduc-
tor with sufficient current available faults to ground or
another phase conductor. The result is essentially an
electrical explosion, as metal vaporizes to form a cloud
of ionized gas that radiates intensely across the elec-
tromagnetic spectrum, including visible, ultraviolet and
infrared light sufficient to damage eyes. The radiated energy Figure 4: A small box
mounted near the other
strikes anyone in the vicinity and can deposit enough thermal entrance duplicates the
energy to cause first, second or third-degree burns in a frac- lights on the arc flash relay
enclosure front panel.
tion of a second. It can also ignite any burnable material in the
Courtesy: Littelfuse
vicinity, including clothing and hair. The arc flash also creates
a high-pressure blast wave that can damage hearing, crush a
person’s chest, throw him or her across the room and smash equipment.
All this is accompanied by shrapnel—bits of metal, both solid and molten, that are
flung at ballistic velocities. The longer the arc continues to burn, the greater the dam-
55
age. There are several methods for reducing the energy available to an arc flash, in-  Back to TOC
cluding the use of current-limiting fuses. An arc-flash relay uses light sensors to detect
the intense light given off as an arc flash begins and within a few milliseconds sends a
signal to an upstream breaker to open and shut off the power. This stops the arc flash
in its tracks.
Use of an arc flash relay greatly reduces the hazard risk category of the panel or enclo-
sure that it protects and can even (in some cases) eliminate it altogether. A qualified
engineer should make that determination.
Bryan Waldrop
Bryan Waldrop is director of field operations for Conaway Electrical Service.
56
Are you aware of arc flash hazards?
 Back to TOC
Be cognizant about hazards, preventive measures and the dire
consequences of an arc flash event.
E lectrical hazards, specifically arc flash and arc blast, can potentially result in serious
injury or even death of electrical workers. Exposure and risk to arc flash hazards
have increased in recent years due to higher voltages and available fault currents in
electrical systems.
During an arc flash, an individual may be exposed to temperatures as high as 30,000

F, which is four times hotter that the surface of the sun. Air expands dramatically when
heated to these temperatures, and arcing can instantly vaporize metals like copper or
steel. The rapid expansion of air and metal vapors creates shock waves similar to those
produced in an explosion and can pulverize concrete walls. Too often, employees who
are not wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) are seriously injured or killed if an
electrical arc occurs when they are working on electrical equipment.
On average, there are five to 10 arc flash incidents per day in the U.S. resulting in more
than 30,000 injuries and 400 deaths annually, with approximately 80% of the fatalities
due to burns, not shocks. Arc flash does not only occur in high voltage environments,
but actually is more common within 480V power systems.
Protection through electrical safety training

NFPA 70E: Standard for electrical safety in the workplace states that “Hazard elimina-
tion shall be the first priority in the implementation of safety-related work practices.”
The proper use of safety equipment, knowledge of electrical hazards and proper re-
sponse in the event of an electrical disaster are essential for all electrical personnel or
57
those working on or around electrical equipment. An electrical safety program should  Back to TOC
be designed to provide personnel involved with the operation and maintenance of a
power distribution system the knowledge, skills and abilities to meet the NFPA 70E
training requirements to be considered a “qualified” electrical worker by NFPA stan-
dards. The electrical safety program is a requirement imposed by the NFPA 70E stan-
dard and must be implemented as part of your overall occupational health and safety
management system. An optimal training program should always be tailored to your
specific needs and may include, but not be limited to, the following:
• Procedures to be used before employees exposed to electrical hazards start work-

ing
• Risk assessment procedures that need to address the potential for human error
and its negative consequences
• Proper major electrical component operation and maintenance using manufactur-

er’s instructions
• Applicable testing and maintenance recommendations from ANSI/NETA, MTS or

NFPA 70B: Recommended practices for electrical equipment maintenance
• Site and equipment-specific safety hazards and mitigation techniques
• Lectures, presentations and hands-on demonstrations to provide maximum pos-

sible exposure to power distribution system safety, operations and maintenance
requirements
58
 Back to TOC
• Emergency response and safe release methods
• A method for investigating electrical incidents (NFPA 70E requirement for incident
investigations).
More than a label

When you partner with an electrical reliability services provider for your arc flash needs,
make sure a complete solution is offered, instead of slapping a label on a piece of
equipment. A great arc flash solution must include at least the following tasks and ac-
tivities:
• Risk assessment and hazard identification
• Site review/compliance assessment
• Protective scheme design review
• Short circuit and coordination studies
• Single-line diagrams
• Arc flash analysis
• Hazard labeling plan
59
• Electrical safety program review/development  Back to TOC
• Training and performance evaluation
• PPE plan
• Preventive maintenance
• Documentation
• Annual recertification.
Are you compliant today?

If you answer “No” to any of the following questions, chances are that you may not be
compliant.
• Is your arc flash hazard plan documented?
• Does your documentation include the results of the previous arc flash risk assess-
ment and arc flash training?
• Have the single-line diagrams been updated following any changes in your electri-
cal infrastructure?
• Do you have current signs and labels on equipment and at hazardous areas?
60
• Do all labels include the type, name/ID, incident energy at working distances, flash  Back to TOC
protection boundary, arc flash PPE category, shock protection information, date of
analysis and the certifying person per OSHA 29 CFR 1910.132 (d)(2)?
Arc flash study frequency

An arc flash study is not a “once and done” type of study. The NFPA requires the arc
flash analysis to be updated every time major changes occur in the electrical system or
at intervals not to exceed five years.
In addition, there are mandatory audit procedures imposed by NFPA 70E:
• Electrical safety program: at least once every three years
• Field work: time intervals not to exceed one year
• Lockout/tagout (LOTO) program and procedure: time intervals not to exceed one
year.
Lack of compliance may possibly expose workers to unknown hazards and result in
severe financial penalties.
Preventive maintenance
NFPA 70E requires maintenance to be performed on electrical equipment in accor-
dance with manufacturers’ instructions or industry consensus standards. Your partner
of choice for electrical reliability services should assist you in developing a preventive
maintenance program to specifically address arc flash hazards. An optimal program
61
needs to evaluate equipment’s condition and determine the most cost-effective and  Back to TOC
manageable solution to ensure your protective devices operate properly, safely and
reliably. Proper maintenance will ensure that you are in compliance with the NFPA 70E
requirements permitting normal operation of equipment reducing hazards, thus often
allowing tasks to be accomplished safely and without the need of extensive PPE.
Optimal PPE plans need to fully protect employees while addressing all relevant OSHA
standards, to ensure compliance. Ideally, before work is performed on or around elec-
trical equipment, it must be deenergized, if possible. Otherwise, recommendations for
the minimum protective equipment workers must wear when they are near exposed
energized equipment should be based on the findings of the arc flash risk assessment
and calculated incident energy (IE) values. The plan also should cover how PPE should
be worn, maintained and disposed of at the end of the equipment’s life.
Looking ahead
Arc flash hazards are very serious, and it takes more than a label to ensure the safety
and well-being of your employees, while making sure that your critical assets are also
protected.
Consider the financial aspect of these types of recurrent and mandatory studies. Pri-
oritize budgets wisely to ensure funding is available for current study needs as well as
future updates and ongoing training requirements.
Steve Park
Steve Park, Director, Engineering and Technical Support
62
Arc Flash &
Electrical Safety
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Arc Flash

3 — Electrical test instruments: Safety is still the first tool

14 — Six strategies to mitigate arc flash incidents

20 — Arc Quenching Switchgear prevents catastrophe

21 — Five steps to improve your electrical safety program

34 — Arc flash: Protect what matters most

51 — How an arc flash relay reduces costs

57 — Are you aware of arc flash hazards?

Electrical hazards  Back to TOC

Selection of test instruments

• Voltage indicating instrument suitable for conditions  Back to TOC

• Correct CAT category I, II, III, or IV

• Continuity test instrument

• Insulation resistance test instrument.

Use of electrical test instruments

• Verified on a known voltage source after an absence of voltage test is per-

This verification primarily applies to conductors or circuit parts operating at 50 volts

Electrical safety checklist  Back to TOC

• Inspect test leads for physical damage before making a measurement.

• Use the meter to check continuity of the test leads.

• Use meters with recessed input jacks.

• Select the proper function and range for your measurement.

• Be certain the meter is in good operating condition.

• Follow all equipment safety procedures.

• Always disconnect the “hot” (red) test lead first.

• Don’t work alone.  Back to TOC

• Use a meter that has overload protection on the ohms function.

• Be aware of high-current and high-voltage situations and use the appropriate

CAT ratings and their definitions

• Protected electronic equipment

• Any high-voltage-low-energy source derived from a high-winding resistance trans-

Category II  Back to TOC

• Appliance, portable tools and other household and similar loads

• Outlet and long branch circuits

• Outlets at more than 10 meters from CAT III source

• Outlets at more than 20 meters from CAT IV source.

• Equipment in fixed installations, such as switchgear and polyphase motors

• Bus and feeders in industrial plants

• Lighting systems in larger buildings

• Appliance outlets with short connections to service entrance.

• “Origin of installations,” such as where low-voltage connection is made to utility

• Electricity meters, primary overcurrent protection equipment

• Overhead line to detached building, underground line to well pump.

• CE: An abbreviation of the French phrase Conformité Européenne, CE is the mark-

• ETL: A North American testing laboratory that tests to UL standards. It is recog-

Dennis K. Neitzel, CPE, CESCP

From analysis to equipment; you can reduce the exposure to a

1. Perform a hazard analysis

2. Reduce available fault current.

Employ high-resistance grounding. During ground faults, high-resistance grounding

Use current limiting reactors. Current-limiting reactors act as a bottleneck on electrical

3. Shorten clearing time

• Utilize zone selective interlocking. Zone selective interlocking (ZSI) is a protection

• Implement a bus differential scheme. These are coordinated zones of protection

• Deploy an Arcflash Reduction Maintenance System. An ARMS shortens faults by

4. Adopt remote operation

5. Predict and prevent faults  Back to TOC

• Monitor insulation integrity. Deteriorating insulation is the leading cause of

• Monitor pressure junctions. Most electrical equipment contains pressure junc-

• Use infrared (IR) windows. Using contactless IR thermography technology, IR win-

6. Redirect blast energy  Back to TOC

OSHA recommends ways to make your electrical safety program better

of workplace safety programs. In 2006, the  Back to TOC