What Should an Arc Flash Safety Training Certification Cover?

Arc flash safety training is an important part of workplace safety for electrical industry employees. Arc flash occurs when an electrical fault causes light, heat, and sound flash. 

This can result in serious injury or even death, which makes it essential to have the right training in place. 

The goal of arc flash training is to provide the necessary knowledge and skills to recognize and avoid dangerous situations and to take appropriate action in the event of an arc flash.

The main objectives of arc flash training should include the following:

Comprehending Key Shock Hazard Concepts

Even if you believe the electricians you train are skilled, you should start with the fundamentals.

Why? Since it’s possible that some audience members won’t fully comprehend them.

Let’s start by using the most literal definition of a shock: current coursing through your body.

Inform them of voltage potentials and the ongoing desire for electricity to change from one potential to another.

Current runs through your body to try to balance the voltage if you come into contact with two different voltage potentials, such as ground and a 120-volt outlet. The problem is that it doesn’t occur very frequently.

Furthermore, your body cannot support a huge amount of current.

You should inform folks that even a small current can be fatal. The ventricular fibrillation threshold is as low as 50 mA (which can lead to cardiac arrest).

Understanding Arc Flash Hazard in General

You have to convey that they are dealing with a range of hazards because, to put it simply, it’s not as simple as dealing with a ball of fire (which isn’t that clear in the first place).

We’ll talk about that afterward. However, you must first restart your arc flash course. What causes an arc flash?

It would help if you logically drew an arc. This results in a short air circuit.

Although the arcs can begin in a variety of ways, the following are some of the most typical ones:

Another illustration would be if someone handled exposed live wires, an animal entered the system and shorted it, dust, water, or corrosion-related tracking, or a subpar tool (inadequately rated) was used to do a task.

Everything fails as soon as the short air circuit occurs.

Your body will attempt to direct all of its energy toward that short circuit immediately (very, very quickly).

The temperature will rise to 20,000 degrees Celsius when all this energy is concentrated in one location.

Most copper and aluminum-based electrical components perform poorly and even explode in these conditions.

Arc flashes are a threat right now. Any workers present would be exposed to the risks listed below:

The sun is 20,000 degrees Celsius, therefore picture suffering a sunburn while standing directly in its path;

A pressure wave, which might aid you by helping you to flee more quickly; a fireball (sometimes referred to as a plasma ball); molten metal shrapnel blasting at you; UV and infrared blinding light; a sound pressure level of around 160 dB (VERY LOUD); and, finally, flammable gases. At those temperatures, copper vaporizes.

You should, therefore, at least have their interest at this stage.

Recognize the Variations in the Standards and Laws 

Every company’s arc flash certification training will vary from province to province and state to state due to the various local requirements.

Knowing the specific regulations that relate to your line of business will be very helpful for your course.

You will probably comply with all relevant laws if you adhere to either NFPA70E or CSAZ462 (the Canadian standard for workplace electrical safety) (the American standard for electrical safety in the workplace).

However, there is no harm in double-checking.

In fact, before 2018, certain provinces used a lower voltage deemed “safe” than the regulations required. 

It’s appropriate to discuss obligations after thoroughly explaining the rules and expectations to the pupil.

Workers’ and Employers’ Obligations

Each student in your arc flash course will fall into one of these two categories—either a boss or an employee.

Ensure they know their responsibilities concerning electrical safety and arc flashes.

Everyone is responsible for implementing the safety-related work practices covered during this session, regardless of function.

Conclusion 

Arc Flash Training is a vital part of any workplace safety program. It is important to ensure that your course covers the relevant topics and is tailored to your company’s needs. 

Your course should cover the basics of electrical safety, the process of arc flash, the types of protective clothing, the proper procedure for dealing with an arc flash incident, and the safety measures your company has in place. 

Covering these topics will ensure that your employees are prepared to safely and effectively handle an arc flash incident.

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