OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) does not have a specific standard that requires arc flash training. However, OSHA’s general duty clause requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees. This means that employers must assess the hazards in their workplace and provide training to employees to ensure they can perform their jobs safely.

OSHA’s electrical standards (29 CFR 1910.333, 1910.335, and 1926.416, for example) require employers to provide employees with safety-related work practices and training for working on or near electrical equipment. This includes information and training on the skills and techniques necessary for safe work performance and the recognition, avoidance, and prevention of electrical hazards.

In the context of arc flash, the employer must conduct a hazard assessment to determine if the employees are exposed to the hazards of an electrical arc. If they are, they must ensure that employees are adequately trained, and that appropriate safety-related work practices are implemented. The training must be “regular and frequent,” and employers must verify that the employee understands the training. If an employee does not understand the training, the employer must provide additional training until the employee does understand.

So, OSHA does not require a specific frequency for arc flash training. Still, it does require that employers evaluate the hazards in their workplace and provide regular and frequent training to employees to protect them from recognized hazards, including the hazards of an arc flash. As previously discussed, it’s advisable to have an annual or bi-annual review of the training, update it as necessary, and retrain all employees if new equipment is introduced or changes are made.