electrical engineering division

Arc Flash
hazard
analysis
Planning Kit
Everything You Need
To Ensure The Success of
Your Arc Flash Project

training institute

WHAT IS AN ARC FLASH?

An arc flash occurs when electric current passes through the air
instead of its intended path. The result is extremely high heat
that causes severe burns, blinding light, and an explosion causing
hearing damage, bodily injury and can be fatal.

CONTENTS
4
5
6
8
9
10
10
11

A Message for Managers

Before You Get Started
Whats the Process
Making an Apples to Apples Bid Comparison
How to Identify Compliant Labels
Template for Soliciting Bids
Request Study & Label Samples
Arc Flash Questionnaire

SHOCK HAZARD ANALYSIS?

NFPA 70E-2012 130.4 requires that a shock hazard analysis be
performed before beginning energized work. AVO includes a
shock hazard analysis as part of its arc flash hazard analysis and
shock protection boundaries are printed on the labels. AVO
places a high priority on electrical safety and offers a full package
of electrical safety services.

why use this kit?

This Kit will help you plan and execute a successful Arc Flash
Hazard Analysis, by showing you how to:
ff Build internal support for your analysis
ff Identify the components necessary
for compliance
ff Compare bids effectively

who is this kit for

Managers who are responsible for the safety of personnel in
their facilities and OSHA compliance.
Managers who are planning to complete an Arc Flash Hazard
Analysis and want to collect pricing from qualified providers.

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electrical engineering division

what do you need for a

successful arc flash
hazard analysis?
The success of your Arc Flash Hazard
Analysis depends on the support
of people committed to protecting
personnel from arc flash hazards.
A narrow focus on costs or short cuts
offered by some engineering firms
typically comes at the expense of
personnel safety.

ff Get Support. From the CEO to the

electricians helper, your entire
team needs to understand the value
of this analysis. Communicate,
communicate, communicate. Once
people understand the injuries and
fatalities this study can prevent
and the significant financial effects,
they are more likely to join you in
supporting the project.

ff Allocate Resources. Before, during

and after. The ability to implement
mitigation recommendations,
scheduling training, and supporting
a strong preventative maintenance
program will all contribute to the
success of your Analysis.

In this Kit, you will find information that

will aid you in achieving the following
goals:

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Dont let it happen to you

Multiple arc flash incidents occur in
workplaces across the U.S. every day.
The risk of an arc flash explosion occuring
at your facility is not negligible. The
ongoing trend towards increasing power
usage combined with an aging electrical
infrastructure actually forecasts greater
risk in the near future.

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The Electrical Power Research Institute

estimates direct and indirect costs to an
employer from a fatal electrical accident
in the millions. This includes:
ff
ff
ff
ff
ff
ff
ff
ff
ff

Medical costs
Lost productivity
Workers compensation
Hiring and re-training
Equipment replacement
Facility repair
Insurance premium increases
OSHA citations
Litigation and punitive damages

And in the end, OSHA will enforce

compliance, including performing an
Arc Flash Hazard Analysis, through a
succession of inpections that can leave
you scrambling.
While every facility will have its own
unique set of costs, it has been proven,
without exception, it is far more expensive
to allow one arc flash accident to occur
than it is to prevent it.

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electrical engineering division

before you get

started
Use this checklist as a guide to avoid
common mistakes that can sabotage
your analysis before it even starts.

Read the current edition of the NFPA

70E. Attend a training course.
Share Arc Flash Hazard Analysis plans
with your electrical workers and ask
for their feedback.
Collect existing one-line diagrams.
Collect electrical equipment maintenance records.
Collect any previous engineering
study data - such as short circuit studies, protective device coordination or
load flow studies.
Confirm the loads are properly
identified in the panel board directory to streamline the data gathering
process.
Select a plant electrician or technician familiar with equipment within
the facility to accompany the engineering technician during data
collection.

Communicate the schedule and purpose of the engineering technician

who will be performing data collection to all facility personnel.
Arrange for special access clearance,
as required, to reach areas with electrical equipment.
Determine if there are acceptable
conditions for the engineering technician to take photographs within your
facility.
Identify safety requirements specific
to your facility that the engineering
technician will need to follow during
data collection.
Select the person who will review the
draft Arc Flash Hazard Analysis Report
during the review period
Schedule electrical personnel for
training in NFPA 70E safe work procedures course.

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whats the
process?
start to finish:
your arc flash
hazard analysis
AVO Electrical Engineering Division
adheres to a standardized process in
performing every Arc Flash Hazard
Analysis. This correlates with IEEE
Standard 1584, Chapter 4.
Prior to beginning the actual study,
we will hold a project meeting (via
conference call or on site) with all
personnel who will be involved, to
establish roles, responsibilities and the
plan for data gathering.
A standard analysis will apply to three
phase equipment rated 240 volts or
greater and rated lower than 240 volts
when served from a transformer 125 kva
and larger.* You will need to determine
if you want an expanded scope that
includes all 208 volt or DC equipment, or
if you want a single phase analysis.
The entire project will be performed
under the supervision of a Registered
Professional Engineer (PE).

step 1

step 2

data collection

power system
modeling

step 3
short circuit
study

step 1: data collection

Qualified staff must gather data from all applicable electrical equipment. Required
information includes:
ff Data from the utility, including available fault current, operating voltage, and
specifics regarding the utilitys protective equipment at the point of service
ff Specifics for each protective device in the electrical system, including manufacturer,
model, available time/current settings, and short-circuit interrupting rating
ff Transformer impedance, tap settings and ratings
ff Conductor specifics, including lengths, sizes, and types of all overhead lines, bus
ducts, and cables

step 2: power system modeling

One line diagrams must be developed or updated to show the current configuration
and modes of operation for the power system. Accurate electrical system drawings are
necessary to identify power sources, voltage levels, electrical equipment and protective
devices. If you already have one-line diagrams, we will update the data and work from
them, if possible. We use SKM Power Tools for Windows, ETAP, ARC Pro and other
available engineering software.

step 3: short circuit study

A short circuit study is required to determine the magnitude of current flowing
throughout the power system at critical points at various time intervals after a
fault occurs. These calculations will be used to determine the bolted fault current,
which is essential for the calculation of incident energy and interrupting ratings of
your equipment. Comparison of equipment ratings with calculated short circuit and
operating conditions will identify underrated equipment.
We perform this study in accordance with ANSI Std. C37 and IEEE Std. 141-1993 (Red Book).

* IEEE 1584 working group is considering

changes for its next revision.

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electrical engineering division

step 4

step 5

protective device
coordination

step 6

arc flash
calculations

step 7
reporting

step 4: protective device coordination

A protective device coordination should be performed to ensure selection and
arrangement of protective devices limits the effects of an overcurrent situation to the
smallest area. Results will be used to make recommendations for mitigation of arc flash
hazards. Although this is an optional study, arc flash mitigation cannot be performed
without completing this step. We perform this study in accordance with IEEE Std. 2422001 (Buff Book).

step 5: arc flash calculations

These calculations are based on available short circuit current, protective device
clearing time and distance from the arc. Calculations of incident energy levels and
flash protection boundaries will be completed for all relevant equipment busses. The
magnitude of arc hazards are determined using methods from NFPA 70E, IEEE 1584 or
NESC Tables 4101 and 4102, as applicable.

step 6: reporting
Upon completion of the calculations, we will prepare your Arc Flash Hazard Analysis
Report. This will be supplied to you for a short review period, during which your team
can review mitigation recommendations. At this point, we can hold a Management
Summary meeting to intepret the report results. Upon approval, we will provide a
final report and full sized one-line diagrams, stamped by our Registered PE. The
drawings and report will also be supplied to you in a digital format.

label
installation

So how long is
this going to take?
Duration is affected by the type of
equipment and other conditions, but
through experience we have established
the following Project Duration Formula:
3.2x = y
100

where x = the quantity of

components in your power
system (phase equipment
rated 240 volts or greater
and three phase equipment
rated lower than 240 volts
when served from a 125+
kva transformer)
and
where y = the estimated
duration of the project
(in days)

step 7: label installation

We will generate and install arc flash hazard warning labels. These labels identify
incident energy and working distance, nominal system voltage, and the arc flash
boundary. In addition to standard requirements, our labels also include Limited,
Restricted and Prohibited approach boundaries, date, upstream protective device
and recommended personal protection equipment. We can also provide bolted fault
current if desired. We provide labels that are compliant with NFPA 70E 130.3(c), NEC
110.24(A) and ANSI Z535.

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making an
apples to apples
bid comparison
Comparing Arc Flash Hazard Analysis
bids can be confusing. If your prices
are widely varied, very likely so are the
deliverables youre getting with each. Use
the following chart to compare bids.

SCOPE

avo

Field Data Collection *

Analysis of Equipment Less Than 240v Available

Power System Modeling

Short Circuit Study

Identify Underrated Equipment

Protective Device Coordination

Non-Commercial Mitigation Recommendations

Determine Incident Energy Levels

Determine Flash Protection Boundaries

Arc Flash Report Draft Review Period

Interim Review by Professional Engineer

Print Arc Flash Labels

Produce Full-sized One-Line Diagrams

Final Report Stamped by Professional Engineer

Installation of Arc Flash Labels *

Final Report, One-lines and Digital Files Delivered **

BID 2

BID 3

* Data collection and installation of labels can be completed by your Qualified

personnel or by AVO Electrical Engineering Division.
** You may also want to consider both AVOs NFPA 70E training and an annual Data
Maintenance.

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how to identify
compliant labels

keeping
compliant labels

This is an example of an arc flash hazard warning label produced by AVO Engineering
Division. Every characteristic of this label is intentional and serves a purpose. When
selecting a provider, you should ensure the labels meet the following minimum
compliance requirements.
AVO Engineering Division provides the following optional information: inventory
identifiers, bus numbers, bolted fault current, and approach boundaries.

Once your compliant

labels are installed, its
not over.
NFPA 70E requires that
your labels be updated
when you make major
equipment or system
changes and at a
minimum of every 5
years. AVO Engineering
Division offers a lowcost Data Maintenance
Plan that will keep your
labels in compliance.

NFPA 70E 130.5(C)

Requirements

ANSI Z535 Requirements

Orange header with warning symbol

nec 110.24 (A)

Requirements

Nominal voltage

WARNING text

Maximum available fault current

Arc Flash boundary

Font and label size

Date

Hazard level indicator, only one of the

following is necessary:
Incident energy and working distance
Clothing arc rating and required PPE
Hazard Risk Category

White with black text (or reverse)

nFPA 70E 130.4

Requirements

Resistant to environment

nec 110.16 Requirements

Label placement

Limited approach boundary

Restricted approach boundary
Prohibited approach boundary

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A Template for
Soliciting Bids
An Arc Flash Hazard Analysis is a complex
project and we understand that you may
need to compare multiple providers.
Putting together a Request for Proposals
can be time consuming. Based on our
experience weve developed a template
to help you avoid known problems that
arise from incomplete RFPs.

This 14 page Arc Flash Hazard Analysis

Request for Proposal template includes
the following sections:
ff Project Objective
ff Provider Qualifications & Experience
ff Detailed Scope of Work with
Deliverables
ff Pricing Criteria
ff Evaluation Criteria

If you need assistance customizing this

RFP or have any questions regarding the
contents, please contact Melanie Farley at
Melanie.Farley@avotraining.com or
214.331.7318.
Download the Word document
www.avotraining.com/common/
documents/avotraining/RFP.doc

Request Report
& Label Sample
It is always a good idea to request
samples of the Arc Flash Hazard Analysis
Report from each potential provider.
While this Report is based on technical
data, you need to ensure that the report
uses language and formatting that will
be easily understood by all relevant
personnel.

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Besides the results from each part of the

study, the report should include:
ff An executive summary with concise
findings and recommendations
ff The methodology used
ff The input data used, including any
assumptions in calculations
ff Protective device time current curves

We consider samples of our reports and

one-line diagrams propriety information.
For this reason, we will want to speak
with you about your project before
sending you samples.
Contact
Melanie Farley Direct: 214.331.7318
1.877.594.3156
Melanie.Farley@avotraining.com
Fax 214.331.7363

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electrical engineering division

Arc Flash
Questionnaire
The duration and cost of your arc flash project is directly
related to the size and complexity of your power sytem.
However, many facilities dont have up-to-date one line
diagrams. We can use the following information to quote your
project. Please complete this page for each facility you would
like quoted. Email it to Melanie.Farley@avotraining.com or fax
it to 214.331.7363 to receive a proposal.
Name:
Facility:
Company:

Download the Word document

www.avotraining.com/common/
documents/avotraining/AFQ.doc

Phone:
Email:
Date:

1. How many three phase transformers do you have with

a 480 volt secondary rating? What is the kva size of each
transformer?

5. How many motor control centers do you have? How many

buckets do you have in the motor control centers? Do not include
spares.

2. How many three phase transformers do you have with

a 208 volt secondary rating? What is the kva size of each
transformer?

6. How many three phase bus ducts do you have?

3. How many three phase 480 volt panelboards,

switchboards, etc. do you have? On average, how many
three phase breakers are in them? Do not include
spares.

7. How many bus plugs do you have in the bus ducts?

4. How many three phase 208 volt panelboards,

switchboards, etc. do you have? On average, how many
three phase breakers are in them? Do not include
spares.

8. How many capacitors do you have?

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get access to the best

arc flash expertise

Melanie Farley

National Sales Manager

1.877.594.3156, ext 7318
214.331.7318
Fax 214.331.7363
Melanie.Farley@avotraining.com

electrical engineering division

www.avotraining.com