Arc Flash Assessment & Mitigation
An arc flash event is instantaneous, violent, and can be fatal. Without a proper risk assessment, your personnel are working blind—and your business may not be in complete compliance with local regulations. Blue Runner Switchgear provides comprehensive Arc Flash Risk Assessments & Mitigation Services to identify hazards, ensure regulatory compliance, and give your team the knowledge they need to work safely.
Our experts at Blue Runner Switchgear will collect electrical system data, model your system using power system software, analyze the results, and document the findings in a report. Then, we’ll create and install site-specific and equipment-specific arc flash hazard warning labels at your facility.
Choose Blue Runner Switchgear for Your Industrial Electrical Maintenance Needs
An arc flash is not a simple electrical shock. It is a catastrophic explosion of electrical energy where current escapes its intended path, traveling through the air with devastating force.
“Arc flash is a very, very dangerous phenomenon. It is truly instantaneous. If you’re watching video of it, it would last less than a second.”
-Bill Burke, division manager for the Quincy, MA-based National Fire Protection Association.
In an instant, an arc flash can reach temperatures of 35,000°F—four times hotter than the surface of the sun—causing severe burns, blinding light, deafening blasts, and fatal shrapnel.
These events are caused by a variety of factors, including dust, corrosion, accidental contact, faulty installation, and equipment failure.
Blue Runner’s Arc Flash Risk Assessment
An Arc Flash Risk Assessment (or Study) is a requirement by OSHA and detailed in standards like NFPA 70E and IEEE 1584. It is a foundational element in your electrical safety program.
Data Collection & System Modeling: Our certified engineers will visit your facility to gather detailed data on your electrical system, including utility information, transformer specifications, cable types/lengths, and protective device settings.
Engineering Analysis & Calculation:
Using state-of-the-art power system analysis software, we model your entire electrical network. We perform short-circuit, coordination, and arc flash energy calculations strictly following IEEE 1584 guidelines.
Comprehensive Reporting & Labeling:
You receive a detailed report that provides a complete picture of your system's hazards. Most importantly, we generate and install custom, compliant warning labels on all relevant equipment.
What's on Our Standard NFPA 70E Compliant Label?
- Incident Energy Level (cal/cm²)
- Arc Flash Boundary
- Required Level of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
- Shock Hazard Boundaries
- Nominal System Voltage
- Equipment Identification
Build Your Electrical Safety Program (ESP) Development & Auditing
Your written Electrical Safety Program is your playbook for safety. We can:
- Develop a new ESP tailored to your facility's specific needs and risks.
- Audit your existing program every three years to ensure it remains compliant with the latest code updates (as required by NFPA 70E 110.5(I)).
FAQs
Q. What is an electrical arc flash?
A. An arc flash is not the same as electrical shock. Shock hazards are associated with current flowing through the body. Arc flash hazards happen when current flows through air in an unintended and dangerous way with an explosion of heat and energy.
Q. What causes an arc flash?
A. Arcs can be started when conductor insulation or spacing is altered enough that current begins to flow where it is not designed to flow. Arcs can be initiated by equipment failure, human error such as a misplaced tool, critters, improper installation, water, and many other causes.
Q. Who is responsible for an arc flash?
A. OSHA requires employers to identify and communicate workplace hazards. Arc flash safety was first introduced by the NFPA in 1995 and employers should consider arc flash safety a high priority. Each individual is responsible for their own safety and actions.
Q. What is needed to be in compliance with arc flash safety requirements?
A.
- Perform an arc flash study and label the hazards at each location.
- Perform arc flash safety training.
- Communicate hazards to employees and visitors through safety policies
- Maintain electrical equipment
Q. What training is needed for site personnel?
A. NFPA safety training requirements are “determined by the risk to the employee” and can be classroom and/or one-the-job based training according to NFPA 70E Article 110.2(B). Blue Runner Switchgear offers training based on the specific needs of your facility and incorporates your existing safety policies (when available).
Q. What policies are required by OSHA and the NFPA?
Both OSHA and the NFPA have themes of communication and documentation when it comes to electrical safety. Blue Runner Switchgear recommends each employer has the following policies and procedures:
- Overall electrical safety program (see NFPA 70E Article 110.1)
- Job briefing forms for unusual tasks (see NFPA 70E Article 110.1(H))
- Energized work permit (see NFPA 70E Article 130.2(B))
- Lock out tag out policy (see NFPA 70E Article 120)
The electrical safety program should be a part of the “employer’s overall occupational health and safety management system, when one exists” according to NFPA 70E Article 110.1(A). If your group does not have an ESP (electrical safety program), Blue Runner Switchgear can help you write a program that fits your needs.
Codes and standards are periodically updated, and Blue Runner Switchgear can audit your existing program to “to verify that the principles and procedures of the electrical safety program are in compliance” as required by Article 110.1(I).
Why Choose Blue Runner Switchgear?
- Our engineers understand complex electrical systems in industrial, utility, medical, and commercial facilities.
- From the initial study to labeling, training, and program auditing, we are your single source for arc flash safety.
- Our studies strictly adhere to the latest IEEE 1584 and NFPA 70E standards, ensuring you meet OSHA requirements.
- We provide clear, understandable reports and labels that your team can immediately use to make safer decisions.
