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AreyourArcFlashLabels CompliantwithNFPA 70E 2012?

NFPA70EStandardforElectricalSafetyintheWorkplacehasbeenrevised.The requirementsinthisdocumentarebeingenforcedbyOSHAandotherstaterunOSHA organizations.Thisdocumenthasrecentlybeenrevisedfor2012.Therequirementsfor selectionofPersonalProtectiveEquipment(PPE)andArcFlashlabelshavechanged. Formanyyears,ArcRatedClothingManufacturersusedtheHazardRiskCategories(HRC)from thePPEMatrixtable130.7(C)(16).Thisallowedtheusertoselectandmanufacturersto produceArcRated(AR)garmentsinrangesthatmatchedthehazardriskcategories.Thiswas aneasytounderstandapproachthatseemedtoadequatelyprotecttheworkers.However,it wasnottechnicallycorrect.ThePPEMatrixtable130.7(C)(16)wasoriginallyconceivedtobe usedandappliedonlywhenusingtheTaskTable130.7(C)(15)(a).Thistablelistedvarioustasks andprovidedtheHRC.KnowingtheHRC,theuserwouldthengotothePPEMatrixtable 130.7(C)(16)andselecttheappropriatePPE. Beforethisnewrevision,EngineerswhoperformedArcFlashHazardAssessmentsorStudies usingIEEE1584wouldcalculatetheArcFlashenergy.Then,usingthePPEMatrixtable 130.7(C)(16),wouldselecttheHRC.Usually,theHRCortheArcFlashenergywasstatedonthe label. Section130.5(B)ArcFlashHazardAnalysis ProtectiveClothingandOtherPersonalProtectiveEquipment(PPE)forApplication withanArcFlashHazardAnalysis. WhereithasbeendeterminedthatworkwillbeperformedwithintheArcFlash boundary,oneofthefollowingmethodsshallbeusedfortheselectionofprotective clothingandotherPersonalProtectiveEquipment(PPE): (1)IncidentEnergyAnalysis.Theincidentenergyanalysisshalldetermine,andthe employershalldocument,theincidentenergyexposureoftheworker(incaloriesper

squarecentimeter).Theincidentenergyexposurelevelshallbebasedontheworking distanceoftheemployeesfaceandchestareasfromaprospectivearcsourceforthe specifictasktobeperformed.ArcratedclothingandotherPPEshallbeusedbythe employeebasedontheincidentenergyexposureassociatedwiththespecifictask. Recognizingthatincidentenergyincreasesasthedistancefromthearcflash decreases,additionalPPEshallbeusedforanypartsofthebodythatarecloserthan thedistanceatwhichtheincidentenergywasdetermined. InformationalNote:Forinformationonestimatingtheincidentenergy,seeAnnexD. ForinformationonselectionofarcratedclothingandotherPPE,seeTableH.3(b) inAnnexH.

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(2)Hazard/RiskCategories. Therequirementsof130.7(C)(15)and130.7(C)(16)shallbepermittedtobeusedfor theselectionanduseofpersonalandotherprotectiveequipment. ThenewrevisedstandardnowhastwodifferentPPEMatrixtables.Thetablethatyouuse dependsuponthemethodthatyouuse.IftheTaskTable130.7(C)(15)(aACorbDC)areused, thenPPEMatrixtable130.7(C)(16)isusedtoselectthePPE.IftheArcFlashenergyis calculatedusingIEEE1584equationsorsimilarmethods,thenthePPEMatrixTableH.3(b)in AnnexHisusedinstead.Thesetwoproceduresaresummarizedintheflowchartbelow.

FlowChart1ArcFlashHazard&PPESelectionMethods

Whatyouputonthelabeldependsuponthemethodthatyouused.Other informationisalsorequiredandislistedbelow.AnexampleofbestpracticesArc FlashLabelisshownbelow.NotetheabsenceoftheHRCnumber. Section130.5(C)EquipmentLabelingisshownbelow Electricalequipmentsuchasswitchboards,panelboards,industrialcontrolpanels, metersocketenclosures,andmotorcontrolcentersthatareinotherthandwelling units,andarelikelytorequireexamination,adjustment,servicing,ormaintenance whileenergized,shallbefieldmarkedwithalabelcontainingallthefollowing information(items1,2,&3): (1) Atleastoneofthefollowing: a. Availableincidentenergyandthecorrespondingworkingdistance b. Minimumarcratingofclothing c. RequiredlevelofPPE d. HighestHazard/RiskCategory(HRC)fortheequipment (2) Nominalsystemvoltage (3) ArcFlashboundary Exception:LabelsappliedpriortoSeptember30,2011,areacceptableiftheycontain theavailableincidentenergyorrequiredlevelofPPE.Themethodofcalculatingand datatosupporttheinformationforthelabelshallbedocumented.

Figure2NFPA70E2012CompliantArcFlashLabel

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