5/9/2017 10ArcFlashPredictionandPreventionMyths

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES

10 Arc Flash Prediction and Prevention Myths

Kevin Meagher is Chief Technology Ocer, Power Analytics Corporation, where he leads the companys technology
development and strategy as well as critical strategic relationships in emerging technologies.

Its no doubt you already know that, with ambient temperatures reaching 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit, four
times higher than the temperature of the suns surface, the results of Arc Flash are rarely less than
devastating.

Reasons Why Arc Flashes Are Generated

KEVIN MEAGHER Generally, there are three main causes of arc ashes:
Power Analytics

Human error unsafe work procedures, maintenance mistakes, and mishandling tools, wires, and metal covers;

Negligent preventive maintenance not checking for loose termination, allowing dust and debris build-up (critical in
medium voltages and higher), and not testing stored energy (e.g., spring-operated bolted pressure switches); and

Improper electrical equipment/system design incorrect modications or using legacy equipment that doesnt
meet current arc ash standards

Feedback
These create numerous opportunities to cause a ash and just as many opportunities to misunderstand how to prevent it.
Though forewarned should mean forearmed, a number of legends and un-truths abound when it comes to assessing a
facility for and preventing arc ash hazards (AFH). Heres my Top 10 List of the ugliest fallacies that persist in our industry
today:

1. Arc ash explosions do not happen I have never seen one! Seriously? We hope you never will see an arc ash
accident. Unfortunately, electrical work by its very nature is dangerous due to the high energy levels involved and, until an
accident occurs, electricity is odorless, colorless, and invisible. As an electrical worker, youve chosen the third most
dangerous profession, according to OSHA. In its article The Danger of Arc Flash, July 2009, Fire Engineering magazine said
arc ash, kills two workers a day, every day, year in and year out and often these accidents may occur when you perform
routine maintenance so, the likelihood that you will complete your career un-victimized or without knowing an arc ash
victim is quite slim.

2. NFPA-70E is the standard governing arc ash Well, not really. Its really about reducing live work by de-energizing a
circuit rst and putting it in an electrically safe condition before starting to work.

3. AFH labeling equals compliance with NFPA-70E To work on any energized equipment above 50 volts, an energized
work permit is required. A work permit is critical and cannot be bypassed by a simple labeling system. Employers and
management are directly responsible for work permitting, safety programs, training and planning. Article 400.11 Flash
Protection states: Switchboards, panel boards, industrial control panels, and motor control centers that are in other than
dwelling occupancies and are likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized shall be
eld marked to warn qualied persons of potential electric arc ash hazards. The marking shall be located so as to be clearly
visible to qualied persons before examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance of the equipment. In essence, the
Article warns qualied workers of potential danger it doesnt give anyone authority or consent to work on energized
equipment simply because he or she has complied with the PPE requirements label.

4. Arc ash analysis is simply panel labeling Arc ash analysis is about hazard reduction. It is NOT merely PPE or
wardrobe selection.

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5. Assessing equipment under 240 volts from a transformer rated below 125 kVA isnt necessary OSHA regulations
and NFPA-70E standards mandate all equipment operating at 50 volts and higher must be tested for electrical shock and
potential AFH. IEEE 1584 states, Equipment below 240 V need not be considered unless it involves at least one 125 kVA or
larger low-impedance transformer in its immediate power supply. But this only refers to incident energy calculations.
Employers are responsible for assessing all equipment operating at 50 volts and higher for other dangers, including shock
and overload conditions, which may cause re, electrocution, or other hazards.

6. Regular infrared scans of equipment rule out doing an arc ash analysis Arc ash can be caused by equipment
failure or loose connections, but most injuries are caused by human error and will only be avoided through regular analysis
of equipment, work practices, and safety training programs.

7. Beyond the Motor Control Center (MCC), it isnt necessary to check equipment for AFH Just because the MCC is the
nal access point of power for motor loads, doesnt mean there isnt a need to assess other loads, which are fed from it.

8. Current-limiting fuses reduce most AFH These dont thoroughly address the duration component of arc ash. A
current-limiting fuse will mitigate AFH only if the fault current is high enough.

9. Theres no AFH if theres no exposed, energized conductors or circuit parts For most equipment, the probability of
an arc ash may be very low, but its certainly not impossible. Inserting or removing draw-out circuit breakers, bus plugs and
MCC buckets can cause an arc ash where, normally, is no perceived hazard normally operating electrical equipment
has been known to fail.

10. Downstream arc ash hazards are always less violent than upstream arc ash hazards run a full assessment, up
and downstream, dont stop at hazard level 1 or 2 and be the one who nds out the hard way that this dead wrong.

Using Good Design to Reduce Arc Flash Hazard (AFH)

Three key factors may determine the intensity of an arc ash harm on you:

The quantity of fault current available in your system

Feedback
The time until an arc ash fault is cleared

Your distance from an arc

A variety of choices in design and equipment conguration can be made that aect these factors and reduce the incidence
of AFH.

The best arc ash and fault analysis programs are based on the test results in IEEE-1584 and on the recommendations of
NFPA-70E. These programs can identify the grade of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) clothing required by operators and
create warning signs for electrical equipment stating the PPE required when working near energized equipment. These
programs should calculate quickly and accurately the eects of owing faults in three-phase, single-phase and DC power
distribution systems.

Equipment Integration

Reducing your need to open that cabinet may be one of the best ways to reduce the incident of arc ash in your facility.
People open cabinets for lots of reasons but, typically, its because they dont know whats going on in there. You may know
theres a problem; maybe you are getting an alarm or a circuit has tripped. But what if you could get that information,
automatically, without opening the cabinet?

By linking your equipment motors, drives, switchgear, to a communications network architecture, you can monitor and
pull diagnostic data, perform trend and root-cause analyses, and see potential problems before sending an electrician into
the plant to deal them. Over time, this could mean your workers are opening electrical cabinets less often. This data may not
stop arc ash, but you can organize and manage your power infrastructure in such a way that you will signicantly reduce
your exposure to potential hazard.

Industry Perspectives is a content channel at Data Center Knowledge highlighting thought leadership in the data center
arena. See our guidelines and submission process for information on participating. View previously published Industry
Perspectives in our Knowledge Library.

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RESOURCELINKS:

6 Comments

KEN AGEE
SEPTEMBER 19, 2011 AT 9:09 AM

Good info Kevin. And to your point, I have personally seen results of arc ash that resulted in an electrician being severely burned but fortunately he
did recover. I am familiar with software products that calculate arc ash potential but you alluded to being able to predict arc ash hazzards and
system problems analytically beyond simple ash calcs. How so?

KEVIN MEAGHER

Feedback
SEPTEMBER 19, 2011 AT 12:22 PM

Hi Ken, We do this two ways. Our real time arc ash uses real time metered data, feed into the analytical engines to provide the worst case scenario in
the last 30 days, instantaneous arc ash potential or the value of PE signed study that is also provided. In addition, arc ash is calculated in our
"simulation" environment that we call BlackBoard so you can also see what any change might have in the instantaneous arc ash potential before any
change is made. Kevin

NAEEM
DECEMBER 20, 2011 AT 3:37 AM

CAN U TELL ME ABOUT THE NON PPE FUNCTION ACTULLAY MY QUESTION IS what is Supply of non-PPE solutions to reduce arc ash hazard levels.? SO
PLZ CAN U GIVE ME A ANSWER ABOUT THIS QUESTATION I M VERY THANK FUL

ANONYMOUS
OCTOBER 23, 2013 AT 3:30 AM

Thanks for the article. Were a government mass transit agency in Pittsburgh that is NOT governed by OSHA and are provided basic tools to complete
tasks and ZERO PPE or warning. We work on a Ton of high amp 3 phase equipment. Were trying to get as much info on this topic as we can (as
workers) to present this danger to our employer.

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DAN
NOVEMBER 8, 2013 AT 12:33 PM

I am not against safety and wish nothing bad on anybody but prudent training is good enough. If I owned a manufacturing company and I had to put
up with all the OSHA and code crap, I would move it to China. I have worked on <600 volt equipment for 35 years. Never shocked but I have let the
smoke out. If I want to work on a hot panel, let me work on a hot panel. I have no problem accepting personal liability. BTW, I would charge more per
hour than the guy would wants everything turned o. The market can assess risk that way. Arc ash is good to know and going forward in panel
design that mitigates bad opportunities is good. But not this every 5 year update and sweat suits that I have to put on. Keep it up and you won't be
able to plug anything in in your house without safety equipment.

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