3/8/2021 Safety First!

Things to Keep in Mind to Prevent Arc Flash Hazards

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Safety First! Things to Keep

in Mind to Prevent Arc Flash
Hazards
arc flash boundaries arc flash incidents arc flash ppe arc flash prevention
arc flash study Nov 08, 2018

SAFETY FIRST! A human life is far more important than the machines
and equipment present at a workplace. Then comes the equipment
safety.

A human life can be put into risk due to many errors, be it human or
apparatus. We have already discussed how deadly an arc flash incident
is?

In this blog, we will go over the practices and techniques that can help us
prevent an arc flash-over and reduce the damages caused by it.

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Cause of an Arc Flashover – Release

of Incident Energy
"An arc flash is caused by the formation of an electric arc which
results in the release of a tremendous amount of incident energy."

The unit for the incident energy is cal/cm2.

It is obvious that the higher levels of incident energy released during an

arc flashover leads to a more intense arc flash incident. Controlling the
incident energy can aid in controlling the severity caused by the arc
flash.

Incident Energy - 3 Most Important

Parameters
The incident energy depends on three most important parameters and
controlling these parameters will vary the incident energy levels.

1. Working distance
2. Time duration of exposure
3. The fault current

Let's see how much of an effect would each factor have on the
magnitude of incident energy.

Working Distance
It is the distance between the source of the arc flash and the person
working on that source. Greater the distance, lesser the intensity of the
incident energy would be that has to be borne by the personnel.

Hence, selection of a safe working distance can help reduce the severity
of damages caused by an arc flashover.

Time Duration of Exposure

It is the measure of how long the arc would last. An arc lasts till the arc
fault is cleared by the upstream protective device.

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Shutting down the power flow means that the circuit has opened, and
the arc has been eliminated. Longer the time it takes for the electric arc
to be cleared, greater the incident energy will be.

Due to the direct relation between the time of exposure and incident
energy, we have to implement methods that reduce the time of the arc.

This can be done by a careful and uncompromising selection of the

upstream protective device. The most well suited device would trip the
circuit instantaneously after the occurrence of the fault.

Many advanced devices have been introduced that help mitigate the
dangers of an arc flash by reducing the time of arc exposure. Some of
these include:

1. Zone-selective Interlocking
2. Differential Relaying
3. Energy reducing maintenance switching
4. Energy reducing active arc flash mitigation system
5. Arc flash relay
6. Shunt-trip

You can further read about these in detail as to how each of these
methods operate in the Informative Annex O – O.2.3 – NFPA 70E
2018.Check out Power System Protection Fundamentals Course in
which we briefly discussed "Types of protective relays & design
requirements".

Fault Current
It is the short circuit current that results in the formation of an electric arc
and determines how powerful the arc is. It is directly proportional to the
incident energy and needs to be reduced through safety measures.
Some ways to reduce the maximum available fault current are as follows:

1. High-resistance grounding
2. Current-limiting devices

You can read how each of these methods operate in the Informative
Annex O – O.2.3 – NFPA 70E 2018.

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Electrical Safety Program - Why Your

Company Needs an Electrical Safety
Program
We had previously written an article about the Electrical Safety
Program - Why Your Company Needs an Electrical Safety Program.
If you haven’t checked it out, please click below. It will help you to
grasp the information available in this article easily. CLICK HERE

Simple Solutions: Internal and

External Causes
A solution can always be derived by examining the root cause of the
problem. Let's revisit the topic of what causes an arc flash. Some of the
more common ones include: internal causes (loose connections,
improper installation, deteriorated equipment) and external causes (dust,
water, impurities, animals).

The internal causes as we see are the result of lack of constant

maintenance and supervision. It is obligatory for all the employers to
have routine checks and tests on their equipment so that they can be
aware of any minute disruption or damage.

Not only the employers, but the employees and personnel should always
have a check for broken parts or unusual appearance in the equipment
prior to working on them.

The external causes can be mitigated by constant vigilance: to not work

under conditions that allows the entry of any particles or animals and
bugs that can act as a route for short circuit and subsequently a fault.

An Important Study: Arc Flash

Hazard Analysis and Risk
Assessment
Arc flash Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment is a study carried out to
determine the

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1. Incident energy or the force of arc flash

2. Data to be mentioned in the arc flash labels
3. Boundaries around the equipment
4. Safe working conditions
5. Determination of appropriate PPEs
6. Additional protective measures

There is a standard according to which the study and the calculations are
required to be carried out. This standard was published as the IEEE Std.
1584. An industrially accepted source, compliance with the IEEE 1584
should be strictly considered by all organizations.

Labeling
The employers are required to have all the equipment labeled so that the
personnel can ensure they are working within safe working limits,
wearing the proper PPE and are aware of hazardous conditions. Labeling
also ensures that every equipment is compliant with the standards and
rules. According to NFPA 70E, it is stated that:

"Electrical equipment such as switchboards, panelboards, industrial control

panels, meter socket enclosures, and motor control centers that are in
other than dwelling units and that are likely to require examination,
adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized shall be marked
with a label containing all the following information:

1. Nominal system voltage

2. Arc flash boundary
3. At least one of the following:
1. Available incident energy and the corresponding working
distance, or the arc flash PPE category in Table 130.7(C)(15)(a)
or Table 130.7(C)(15)(b) for the equipment, but not both
2. Minimum arc rating of clothing
3. Site-specific level of PPE"

It is a logical and safe approach to label all the equipment in order to

avoid dangerous conditions and injuries. An example of an arc flash
Warning Label is shown below:

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For more information on Labeling, refer to 5 Major Changes in

NFPA 70E 2018 including new Arc Flash Label Requirements!

NFPA 70E also requires that the data on the labels should be updated
every 5 years and the person responsible would be the owner of the
facility. However, it is even better if the studies can be carried out every
year to notice the changes occurred during that time.

Boundaries
A crucial aspect in ensuring safe working environments is setting up
approach boundaries. These boundaries are specified as:

1. Arc Flash Boundary

2. Limited Approach Boundary
3. Restricted Approach Boundary

The definitions of these three terms, according to NFPA 70E, are:

Arc Flash Boundary

When an arc flash hazard exists, an approach limit from an arc source at
which incident energy equals 1.2 cal/cm2 (5 J/cm2).

Limited Approach Boundary

An approach limit at a distance from an exposed energized electrical
conductor or circuit part within which a shock hazard exists.

Restricted Approach Boundary

An approach limit at a distance from an exposed energized electrical
conductor or circuit part within which there is an increased likelihood of
electric shock, due to electrical arc-over combined with inadvertent
movement.

The energy of 1.2 cal/cm2 gives 2nd degree burns. Hence from these
definitions, we can comprehend that the fatality of the hazard increases
from the arc flash boundary to the restricted approach boundary.

And therefore, restricted approach boundary and limited approach

boundary are classified as shock protection boundaries.

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All working personnel within the Arc Flash Boundary must wear proper
PPE, so as to secure themselves from the risks associated with arc flash
injuries.

This boundary is determined using calculations involving power of the

arc and the duration of arc exposure. This tells us that the higher the arc
flash intensity, farther the arc flash boundary would be.

As with the case of Limited Approach Boundary, the unqualified

personnel should not cross it. If they absolutely are required to be within
it, then there should be a qualified worker also present with them.

It should also be ensured that the unqualified personnel wear the proper
PPE. Qualified personnel may enter the boundary.

Only the qualified personnel may enter the Restricted Approach

Boundary and it should be ensured that they are properly insulated from
any energized equipment.

It is recommended that any person present in these boundaries or

having permits to work in them, should have proper PPE because it is
better to have your PPE burnt instead of your skin and bodies.

The restricted and limited approach boundaries can be determined using

the two tables in NFPA 70E.

Personal Protective Equipment

Personal Protective Equipment or PPE is the equipment that keeps a user
safe and protected from the health risks associated with working on
electrical equipment or within an electrical facility.

It includes face protection, body protection, eye protection, head

protection, feet protection, ear protection, hand protection and
respiratory protection.

None wouldn't wish for their skin or body to be exposed to a source of

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fire and that's when the PPEs come into action.

They protect you from getting burnt! Arc flash PPE consists of arc flash
suit, hard hat, leather foot wear, arc-rated face shield and more.

Determination of what PPE to be worn can be done by using either of

these two methods:

1. Incident energy analysis method

2. NFPA 70E Tables method

PPE worn by the qualified and unqualified personnel should be taken

into great consideration. PPEs change according to the working
conditions and the data on the labels.

NFPA 70E has explained the selection of the recommended PPEs in much
detail about:

"When an employee is working within the restricted approach boundary,

the worker shall wear PPE in accordance with 130.4.

When an employee is working within the arc flash boundary, he or she

shall wear protective clothing and other PPE in accordance with 130.5. All
parts of the body inside the arc flash boundary shall be protected."

2018 Recent Innovations

With the sky-rocketing technological innovations of today, various
devices and equipment have been designed to protect the workers and
the facility from the arc flash injuries and hazards. Let's have a look at
some of these:

1. ARMS (Arc flash Reduction Maintenance System)

2. Infrared Windows
3. Arc-resistant Switchgears

ARMS (Arc flash Reduction Maintenance

System)

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It is the simplest reliable method to reduce the arc fault clearing time. In
many industries, this method is followed where a circuit breaker
equipped with an ARMS is used which provides a significantly lower
incident energy level.

This method is based on the fact that when working on an energized

electrical equipment, a fault that occurs within that portion needs to be
cleared as quickly as possible.

With the help of ARMS, we increase the interrupting time of that Circuit
breaker and it will act without any delay or any co-ordination with any
other circuit breaker.

Infrared Windows – Use of Infrared

Brackets on Panels
It is one of the most secure, latest and engineered optic solution. From
2018 and onwards, it has become one of the most used innovative
solutions in Electrical power industries.

In this method. Infrared windows or thermal brackets are designed to

permit infrared inspections of electrical components located within
the switchgear enclosures.

They are widely used in Switchgears (SWGRs) and distribution panels,

they have a protective cover for thermal image sensing which is usually
closed when they are not in use.

With the help of IR windows, electrical professionals or managers can

reduce the following:

1. Frequency of inspections on a given piece of equipment

Complexity or Risk of opening the live panels
2. Arc flash precautions
3. Facility safety requirements

Thermal image sensing devices can easily sense the operating

temperature of the switchgear or panel board with the help of a data
collection point installed in the IR Window in the metal cover.

Arc Resistant Switchgears

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Arc-resistant switchgear is designed to redirect or transfer the Incident

energy that was generated during the Arc flash incident. The system is
designed with vent flaps that will open under the pressure of an arcing
fault and redirect the super-heated gases and arc flash energy up and
out of the equipment. .

This is an advanced method to reduce the Incident energy within the

panel. It provides a safe working space to the personnel to work with
minimal risks..

However, the National Electrical Code (NEC) DOES NOT REQUIRE THE
USE OF "Arc-resistant switchgear" under any conditions. The only NEC
reference to arc-resistant switchgear is in an informational note that
follows the Article 100 definition of the term "switchgear." .

The last sentence of the informational note explains that switchgear is

available in both non-arc-resistant and arc-resistant construction.

What we have got in The Recent

Industry?
Some leading electrical equipment manufacturers have also introduced
state-of-the-art protection devices. For example:

1. I-ZSI by GE
2. WFR by GE
3. RELT by GE
4. VAMP by Schneider
5. REA by ABB

I-ZSI by GE

Instantaneous Zone Selective Interlocking is an advanced form of Zone

Selective Interlocking. It is a system of multiple layers of circuit breakers
that can act upon sensing all kinds of faults and can also be used as a
backup when necessary.

You can further read about it at IZSI and WFR by GE.

WFR by GE

Wave Form Recognition is an algorithm designed to increase the

sensitivity of the feeders without compromising on selectivity.
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You can further read about it at IZSI and WFR by GE.

RELT by GE

RELT or Reduced Energy Let-Through, as GE refers to it, is a switch that

reduces the severity of an arc flash by increasing the tripping sensitivity
of the circuit. It reduces the duration of arc flashover by reducing the
time of tripping about 1.5 to 15 times the original rating of the
protective device.

You can further read about it at RELT by GE

VAMP by Schneider

The two protection relays Schneider Electric has introduced for arc
protection are: VAMP Arc Detection and VAMP Arc Protection. Designed
specifically for arc flash protection, these protective devices are fast,
optimized and cost-effective.

You can further read about it at VAMP Arc Detection and VAMP Arc
Protection.

REA by ABB

An arc flash detection system REA is ABB’s complete arc fault mitigation
system that incorporates fibre-optic sensors to detect arc flashover.

For more, visit: REA-ABB

Vision – the Future of Electrical

Safety
With the research and deployment of the fourth industrial revolution, the
Internet of Things (IoT), it is expected that electrical safety techniques will
be transferred significantly from humans to the machines.

With the introduction of smart grids in the energy generation sector, it

can be predicted that the technology will pave the way for enhanced
electrical safety in the protection sector.

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Devices will communicate with each other and protect the electrical
systems from hazardous incidents long before a human can make
contact.

Workshops and Training – A

Humanly Responsibility
While implementing all the above said practices and measures to
prevent arc flash incidents, it is extremely important that the workers,
personnel, staff and the employees are sound in the knowledge of arc
protection.

A worker having no required information would not know how to

operate on different conditions and can become a risk to the system,
facility and the other personnel. Knowing the dangers and risks can make
a person more aware of the risks involved while performing such tasks.

Constant workshops and training sessions should be held in the

organizations for employees old and new, so that the personnel can
refresh their knowledge, be aware of any updates and overcome any
hazard as a team!

Adhering to the 3 Standards –

Makes Everything Easier
It is extremely important that all the practices, studies and
methodologies should be carried out in context with industrially
accepted standards. Thankfully, we have three main standards that form
a basis of every single step in mitigating arc flash and enabling safe
working conditions. These are as follows:

1. NFPA 70E – addresses practices for electrical safety in the

workplace
2. NEC NFPA 70 – safe installation of electrical equipment
3. IEEE 1584 – guidelines to perform arc flash hazard calculations

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