A Literature Review on understanding the need for Arc Flash Study

An arc is produced by flow of electrical current through ionized air after an initial flashover or short
circuit. As much as 80% of all electrical injuries are burns resulting from an arc-flash and ignition of flammable
clothing. Arcs produce some of the highest temperatures known to occur on earth – up to 35,000 degrees F. This
is four times the surface temperature of the sun. All known materials are vaporized at this temperature. Arc
flash heat energy is measured in Joules/cm2 (J/cm2) or Calories/cm2 (Cal/cm2). A calorie is the energy required
to raise one gram of water one degree Celsius at one atmosphere. The onset of second-degree burns may occur
from 1.2 calories/cm2.
1. 1 cal/cm2 Equals the Exposure on the tip of a finger by a Cigarette Lighter in One Second.
2. An Exposure Energy of Only One or Two cal/cm 2 Will Cause a 2nd Degree Burn on Human Skin
RESISTANCE (OHMS)
Condition Dry Wet
Finger touch 40,000 to 1,000,000 4,000 to 15,000
Hand holding wire 15,000 to 50,000 3,000 to 6,000
Finger-thumb grasp 10,000 to 30,000 2,000 to 5,000
Hand holding pliers 5,000 to 10,000 1,000 to 3,000
Palm touch 3,000 to 8,000 1,000 to 2,000
Hand around 1-1/2 inch pipe 1,000 to 3,000 500 to 1,500

Two hands around 1-1/2 inch pipe 500 to 1,500 250 to 750

Hand immersed 200 to 500

Foot immersed 100 to 300

Human body, internal, excluding skin 200 to 1,000
Average of 1,710 (reported) electrical burns per year in United states of America and causalities are a) Burn from intense heat.
b) Trauma from blast pressure. c) Toxic gases from vaporized metal. d) Sprayed molten metal droplets. e) Hearing damage from sound pressure
wave. f) Eye damage.

Electrical Safety Requirements  Labeling

 Insulated tools
OSHA 1910.333 (a)(1) & NFPA 70E 130.1
 Lock out/tag out devices
Qualified electrical workers shall not be asked to Employee will:
work on equipment that is “hot” or “live” except  Follow safe work practices
for two reasons: De-energizing introduces  Use appropriate insulated tools
additional or increased hazards - Such as cutting  Wear PPE when required
ventilation to a hazardous location. Infeasible due
to equipment design or operational limitations - ARC FLASH HAZARD ANALYSIS
Such as doing voltage testing for diagnostics. Determines flash protection boundary and PPE
requirements as a function of location and work
Elements of Arc Flash Safety Defined activity.
responsibilities
 Calculation of degree of arc flash hazard Arc flash hazard and flash protection boundary
 Personal protective equipment varies with:
 Training
 Tools for safe work Type of equipment and configuration
 Warning labels on equipment Available short circuit current & Voltage
Employer will provide: Predicted fault duration
 PPE Protective devices upstream on the arcing fault
 Training and their settings
 FLASH PROTECTION BOUNDARIES
Restricted Approach Boundary
Limited Approach Boundary Entered only by qualified persons required to use
Entered only by qualified persons or unqualified shock protection techniques and equipment
persons escorted by qualified person Prohibited Approach Boundary
Entered only by qualified persons requiring same
protection as if in direct contact with live parts.

1. Flash Protection Boundary 2. Approachable Boundaries - Each boundary is a sphere to be observed in all directions three dimensionally. 3.Arc Flash warning sign

Labeling of Electrical Equipment’s An electrically safe work condition shall

Switchboards, panel boards, industrial controls, etc. be achieved when performed in
that require examination, adjustment, or accordance with the procedures of 120.2
maintenance while energized shall be labeled. a. and verified by the following process:
Labels shall be designed to warn of potential arc flash
hazards b. Classify arc flash hazard labels into two Electrically Safe Work Condition
1. Determine all electrical sources using up-to-date
types: 1. Low voltage below 680 volts 2. High voltage
information, drawings, diagrams, etc.
above 680 volts.
2. After properly interrupting the load current,
Insulated Tools open the disconnecting device(s) for each source.
At this point, the equipment or circuit is simply
 Flame retardant de-energized, not in an electrically safe work
 Double insulated. A first hi-visibility yellow condition.
layer provides the insulation for the tool, and Visually verify that disconnecting means fully
the outer hi-visibility orange layer protects open if possible
the lower yellow layer. Apply lockout tagout devices
 NOTE: If the yellow layer can be seen through Test for absence of voltage
the orange layer, the tool should be Verify proper operation of test equipment
removed from service. Ground phase conductors if there is a possibility
 NFPA 70E 120.1 of induced voltages or stored energy
120.1 Process of Achieving an Electrically Until these six steps have been executed, some
Safe Work Condition exposure to an electrical hazard still exists and
proper PPE is required.
 SAFE WORK PRACTICES
For open box work where the circuit can not be de-
energized, safe work practices will include:
Use of insulated tools
Use of personal protective equipment
Not working alone
If the box is open and the circuit cannot be de-
energized personal protective equipment is
required;
for 120 volts:
Safety glasses
Cotton shirt and pants
*Note: NFPA recommends cotton under garments
for use when an arc flash hazard is present.
If the box is open and the circuit cannot be de-
energized, personal protective equipment is
required;
For 120-680 volts:
Safety glasses, ear plugs
Cotton shirt and Indura pants (MSU work uniform)
Category 2 face shield
Category 2 Indura coat
Low voltage insulated gloves
If the box is open and the circuit can not be de-
energized, personal protective equipment is
required, for high voltage of 680V or higher:
Safety glasses, ear plugs
Cotton shirt and Indura pants
Category 4 hood
Category 4 Indura coat and pants
High voltage insulated gloves with leather over
gloves

PPE – NFPA 70E Table 130.7

Typical Protective Clothing Systems

Required Minimum
Hazard/Risk Clothing Description Arc Rating of PPE
Category (Typical number of clothing layers is given in parentheses) [(J/cm2(cal/cm2)]
0 Non-melting, flammable materials (i.e., untreated cotton, wool, N/A
rayon, or silk, or blends of these materials) with a fabric
weight at least 4.5 oz/yd2 (1)
1 FR Shirt and FR pants or FR coverall (1) 16.74 (4)
2 Cotton underwear - conventional short sleeve and brief/shorts, 33.47 (8)
plus FR shirt and FR pants (1 or 2)
3 Cotton underwear plus FR shirt and FR pants plus FR coverall, 104.6 (25)
or cotton underwear plus two FR coveralls (2 or 3)
4 Cotton underwear plus FR shirt and FR pants plus multi-layer 167.36 (40)
flash suit (3, or more)

SAFE WORK SUMMARY

 Equipment should be placed in an  If necessary, to work on live parts:

electrically safe work condition prior to
120 volts - Safety glasses & cotton uniform
servicing the equipment.
120-680 volts – Category 2 arc flash suit
 Safe work practices should be followed to
reduce the hazards associated with an arc 680 volts and above – Category 4 arc flash suit.
flash.

Acceptable & Informative Labels as per IEEE 1584-2004a
NEC 110.16-2002
• 110.16 Flash Protection. Switchboards, panel
boards, industrial control panels, and motor
control centers in other than dwelling
occupancies, that are likely to require
examination, adjustment, servicing, or
maintenance while energized, shall be field
marked to warn qualified persons of potential
electric arc flash hazards. The marking shall be
located so as to be clearly visible to qualified
persons before examination, adjustment,
servicing, or maintenance of the equipment.
• FPN No. 1: NFPA 70E-2000, Electrical Safety
Requirements for Employee Workplaces, provides
assistance in determining severity of potential
exposure, planning safe work practices, and
selecting personal protective equipment.
• FPN No. 2: ANSI Z535.4-1998, Product Safety Signs
and Labels, provides guidelines for the design of
safety signs and labels for application to products.
NEC 2005
• FPN no.1: NFPA 70E-2004, standard for electrical
safety in the workplace, provide assistance in
determining severity of potential exposure,
planning safe work practices and selecting
personal protective equipment.
• 130.3- A Flash hazard analysis shall be done in
order to protect personnel from the possibility of
being injured by an arc flash.
INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS
OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Sub parts
OSHA Enforces NEC2002 110.16 & NFPA70E
NFPA 70E-2000
Requirements for shock and arc flash boundaries.
Requirements for personal protective equipment.
• The analysis shall determine a. Flash Protection
Boundary. b. Personal Protective Equipment.
• Calculate using a. Formulas in 130.3.A and table
130.7©(9)(a) in NFPA 70E
• Equation in IEEE 1584
• NFPA 70E tables, IEEE 1584 or Lee Equation to
determine a. Incident energy levels b. Arc Flash
hazard distance.
NEC - 2008
• 110.16 Flash protection. switchboards, panel
boards, industrial control panels and motor
control center’s in other than dwelling
occupancies, that are likely to require
examination, adjustment, servicing, or
maintenance while energized, shall be field
marked to warn qualified persons of potential
electric arc flash hazards.
• The marking shall be located so as to be clearly
visible to qualified persons before examination,
adjustment, servicing or maintenance of the
equipment.
OSHA Requirements
1. Must Identify all hazards above 50 volts
2. must put safeguards in all place for these
hazards.
3. must train employees on safe work
practices.
4. OSHA has officially adopted NFPA 70E
5. Employers must provide workers with
appropriate PPE as per the OSHA 29
1910.132(h)(1) PPE Payment requirement.
PPE used to comply with this part, shall be
provided by the employer at no cost to
employees.
NEEDS FOR ARC FLASH STUDY

1. To increase electrical study at your facility.

2. Required by national electrical code (NEC) and OSHA.
3. To literally protect you.

What is Protective Device Coordination (PDC) Study

 Time current curve (TCC)

 Log-Log Graph of time verses current
 every breaker, fuse, and relay has a time current characteristic curve.
 Selective device coordination – The devices plotted on the time current curves are coordinated for
all the levels of fault current and time.

Arc Flash Energy Calculation

1. Use 85% Ia - Arc Current

2. Determine upstream Protective Device clearing time (PDC Study)
3. Repeat process for 100% Ia
4. Use Largest energy calculation

Arc Flash Hazard analysis key steps

1. Determine bolted Fault current (Short Circuit Study)

2. Arcing Fault (AF) Current
3. Upstream Protective Device Clearance Times (PDC Study) using Arcing Fault.
4. Calculated Arc Flash Energy

Using NFPA 70E Tables to determine

a. Glove rating class

b. Limited approach boundary
c. prohibited approach boundary
d. restricted approach boundary
e. required PPE
How a short circuit study is performed

obtain distribution system nameplate data for

f. Transformer
g. motors
h. circuit breakers, fuses, relays
i. switchgear
j. motor control centers
k. conductor sizes and lengths

How a short circuit study is performed

l. enter data into the computer program

m. simulate short circuit at each location and calculate the fault current.
n. compare calculated fault current to equipment short circuit rating.

Fuse TCC Current VS Time

1. Determine – Fuse Size, Setting for relay and circuit breakers, device operating time.
2. The study has 2 conflicting goals

Maximum selective coordination between equipment Maximum equipment protection and reduction in arc flash energy
Maximum selective coordination between equipment

1. Correct fuse sizes and setting will allow the device closest to a fault to trip.
2. If the first device fails to operate, then the next upstream device will trip.
3. Longer device trip delays = increased device coordination = greater incident energy.

Maximum equipment protection and reduction in arc flash energy

4. correct fuse sizes and device settings will quickly interrupt the fault current for a short circuit
downstream.
5. Shorter device delays= decreased equipment damage = less incident energy.

Typical Assumptions for an analysis

1. Trip time is determined by the upsteam protective device settings.

2. Worker is stationery.
3. The maximum time that a worker will be exposed to the arc flash is 2.0 seconds.

Human body resistance (hand to hand) across the body is about 1K ohms. Ohms law: I = V / R amps = 480 volts /
1000 ohm = 0.48 amps (480 mA).
Note: Product safety standards consider 5 mA to be the safe upper limit for children and adults.
Safety Practice in Electrical System operations with Flash Protection

1. Include Electrical Safety in your Occupational Health and Safety Management Program.

2. Use an electrical work permit system.

3. Conduct regular equipment maintenance and label equipment that poses a flash hazard.

4. Confirm single-line diagrams for accuracy and available fault current.

5. Maintain documentation process.

6. Provide training and job briefings.

1. Electric Shock Limitation on Human Body 2. Physical impact due to Electric Arc 3. Arc Flash Protection Boundary.