To appreciate the significance of arc flash hazard assessments, you must first comprehend the danger arc flashes pose to your personnel and property. An arc flash is caused by an arc fault, which is a discharge resulting from a low-impedance connection to the ground or another voltage phase in an electrical system. This occurs when a gas undergoes an electrical breakdown, resulting in a bright, plasma-based discharge that is extremely hot — often hotter than the Sun — and can cause immediate harm or even death to nearby individuals. Among the injuries caused by an arc flash are burns, respiratory problems, hearing loss, and eye damage.

This differs from an arc blast, which is a shockwave that can result from the same arc fault but occurs when the metal in the conductors evaporates. This may result in harmful or even lethal debris and hot metal. While properly rated personal protective equipment (PPE) can protect workers from arc flashes, the same cannot be said for arc blasts due to what the worker may be exposed to as a result of the explosion.

It is essential for safety managers, plant managers, and other facility employees to understand what an arc flash study is and why it is so crucial. In addition to posing a significant risk to your employees, arc flashes can also cause damage to your electrical assets and the surrounding environment, especially if the arc fault contains enough energy to cause a blast rather than a flash. In addition, they can result in extremely expensive regulatory fines, increased insurance premiums, and more.

With an arc flash hazard assessment, companies utilizing electrical equipment — whether in a production environment or simply as part of their facility’s infrastructure — can better comprehend the amount of energy that could be released as a result of an arc flash. The objectives of this evaluation are fourfold:

1. To erect a flash protection perimeter around the source
   2. Determine the required level of arc-rated clothing and other PPE
   3. Enhance and maintain regulatory compliance
   4. Ensure that each asset is properly documented and identified.

   What Constitutes an Arc Flash Assessment?
   An ideal arc flash hazard assessment should consider a number of risk factors that may not be readily apparent to safety managers, facility supervisors, and employees. These consist of:

-The presence of dust and condensation within or on an electrical asset. -Accidental contact with an asset due to inadequate training or a lack of signage.

-The improper handling of tools led to conductive items being left near live assets.

-Condensation within electrical assets

-Corrosion of electrical assets and improper installation

The service commences with an on-site assessment of electrical systems equipment, during which inspectors will identify potential correctable distribution system issues. Inspectors will determine the available short circuit currents and the interrupting time for each asset. They will then calculate the maximum incident energy at the specified working distance. This calculation allows inspectors to determine the arc flash hazard risk category and boundary.

Once the boundary and category have been determined, the inspectors can make recommendations to help reduce the incident’s energy level and determine what PPE is required to work around the assets. All results are documented, and equipment labels can be generated. These labels provide employees with location-specific safety information and ensure that your organization complies with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards to enhance employee safety when working on or near exposed live electrical components.