To understand why arc flash hazard assessments are important, you must first know how dangerous arc flashes are for your people and your building. An arc flash is a burst of light and heat caused by an arc fault, which is a discharge in an electrical system caused by a low-impedance connection to the ground or another voltage phase. This happens when there is an electrical breakdown in a gas, which creates a bright plasma discharge that is very hot—often hotter than the Sun—and can hurt or kill people nearby right away. An arc flash can cause burns, breathing problems, hearing loss, damage to the eyes, and more.

This is different from an arc blast, which is a shockwave that can be caused by the same arc fault but happens when the metal in the conductors is vaporized. This can make hot metal and debris that can hurt or kill. Personal protective equipment (PPE) can keep workers safe from arc flashes, but it can’t do the same for arc blasts because of what the worker might come into contact with after the explosion.

It is very important for safety managers, plant managers, and other facility workers to know what an arc flash study is and why it is so important. Arc flashes are not only dangerous to your employees, but they can also damage your electrical equipment and the environment around it. This is especially true if the arc fault has enough energy to cause a blast instead of a flash. And they can lead to very expensive fines from the government, higher insurance rates, and more.

With an arc flash hazard assessment, companies that use electrical equipment in production or as part of their building’s infrastructure can get a better idea of how much energy an arc flash could release. This evaluation has four main goals:

1. To set up a boundary for flash protection around the source
2. Figure out how much arc-rated clothing and other PPE is needed.
3. Get better at following industry rules and keep doing so
4. Make sure all assets have the right paperwork and labels.

What goes into a risk assessment for an arc flash?
Because arc flashes often happen because of small mistakes, the best arc flash hazard assessment should look at a number of risk factors that safety managers, facility supervisors, and employees might not see right away. These things are:

-Dust and condensation inside or on an electrical asset. -Accidental contact with an asset due to a lack of training or signs. -Mishandling of tools led to conductive items being left near live assets.
-The presence of moisture inside electrical equipment
-Corrosion of electrical assets and bad installation

The service starts with an on-site assessment of the electrical systems and equipment, where inspectors look for problems that could be fixed in your distribution system. Inspectors will find out what short circuit currents are available and how long it takes for each asset to stop working. From here, they will figure out the most energy that hit the object at the given working distance. With this calculation, inspectors can figure out the arc flash boundary and the risk level of the hazard.

Once the boundary and category have been set, the inspectors can make suggestions to help lower the energy level of the incident and figure out what PPE is needed to work near the assets. All results are written down, and equipment labels can be made. These labels tell employees where they are and what they need to do to stay safe. They also make sure that your business follows National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) standards to keep employees safe when working on or near live electrical parts that are exposed.