Arc Flash Protective Personal Equipment (PPE)

Arc Flash Protection

Personal protective equipment, or PPE is designed to protect employees from serious workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Besides face shields, safety glasses, hard hats, and safety shoes, personal protective equipment, or PPE includes a variety of devices and garments such as goggles, coveralls, gloves, vests, earplugs, and respirators.

In order to select the proper PPE, incident energy must be known at every point where workers may be required to perform work on energized equipment. These calculations need to be performed by a qualified person such as an electrical engineer. All parts of the body that may be exposed to the arc flash need to be covered by the appropriate type and quality of PPE. Proper PPE can include Flame Resistant clothing, helmet or headgear, face shield, safety glasses, gloves, shoes, etc. depending upon the magnitude of the arc energy.

What is my risk to being exposed to arc flash? The exposure to arc flash depends on the following:

• Number of times the workers perform a task involving exposed live equipment
• Complexity of the task performed, need to use force, available space, safety margins, reach, etc.
• Training, skills, mental and physical agility, coordination with helper
• Tools used
• Condition of equipment

Exposure to an arc flash frequently results in a variety of serious injuries and in some cases death. Workers have been injured even though they were ten feet or more away from the arc center. Worker injuries can include damaged hearing, eyesight, and severe burns requiring years of skin grafting and rehabilitation.

Equipment can be destroyed causing extensive downtime and requiring expensive replacement and repair. The cost of treatment for the injured worker can exceed $1,000,000/case. This does not include very significant litigation fees, insurance increases, fines, accident investigation, etc. This also does not include process loss to the employer.

Preventive maintenance, worker training, and an effective safety program can significantly reduce arc flash exposure. Preventive maintenance should be conducted on a routine basis to ensure safe operation. As part of a preventive maintenance program, equipment should be thoroughly cleaned and routine inspections should be conducted by qualified personnel who understand how to uncover loose connections, overheated terminals, discoloration of nearby insulation, and pitted contacts.

A comprehensive preventive maintenance plan should also include:

• Using corrosion resistant terminals and insulate exposed metal parts if possible
• Sealing all open areas of equipment to ensure rodents and birds cannot enter
• Verifying that all relays and breakers operate properly

Arc Flash first became popular in the early 1980’s with the publication by Ralph Lee titled, “The Other Electrical Hazard: Electric Arc Blast Burns.” Similar studies illustrated that too many people were suffering injuries as a result of arc flash incidents. Therefore, early adopters in the petrochemical industry took steps to establish the first set of practices designed to better protect employees and electrical contractors. Soon other industries recognized the need for additional protection against arc flash hazards. These new industry standards developed by the NEC and others were designed to keep electrical workers free from the hazards of shock, electrocution, arc flash, and arc blast.

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Shock, electrocution, arc flash, and arc blast are responsible for hundreds of worker deaths and thousands of injuries per year in the U.S. alone.  Many of the deaths and injuries are completely preventable with the proper preformed arc-flash analysis and the correct level of personal protective equipment worn.  January 2009 is just around the corner and time is ticking for companies and their workers to comply with NESC (National Electrical Safety Code) rules 410A3 and 42012.  Per NESC Rule 410 A3, “If an arc-flash assessment determines a potential employee exposure greater than 2 cal/cm2 exists2, the employer shall require employees to wear clothing or a clothing system that has an effective arc rating not less than the anticipated level of arc energy.”

In order for workers to be protected with the correct level of personal protective equipment, an arc flash hazard analysis must occur.  The analysis will identify the arc flash protection boundary, the proper ppe necessary, and also appropriate safety-related work practices.  Included in the process is a study of short circuits to determine the available “bolted” fault current at each location.  The study will gather all relevant overcurrent protection device data to accurately predict the clearing time of the arc fault current, and the calculation of arc flash protection boundaries and incident energies, which are used to determine PPE categories.  NFPA 70E (Electrical Safety in the Workplace) is a standard of the National Fire Protection Association that addresses electrical safety requirements for employees. Defined by NFPA 70E, the categories of personal protective equipment workers are required to wear for the work to be performed, based on the incident heat energy calculated at the appropriate working distance are the following:

Category      Cal/cm²      Personal Protective Equipment

0                 1.2            Untreated cotton
1                 5               Flame retardant (FR) shirt and FR pants
2                 8               Cotton underwear, FR shirt and FR pants
3                 25             Cotton underwear, FR shirt, FR pants and FR coveralls
4                 40             Cotton underwear, FR shirt, FR pants, and double layer switching coat and pants

We must keep in mind, the purpose of the new rules is to keep people safe.  Yes, it is tedious, yes it costs money and yes, it can be a nuisance to prepare your company.  The purpose of the NESC is the practical safeguarding of persons during the installation, operation, or maintenance of electric supply and communication lines and associated equipment.  The organization does not create rules to be a nuisance.  Chuck Woodings, a member of the NESC SCC8 subcommittee states, “The intent of the rules is to protect the employee from catastrophic injury and minor injuries if a flash occurs.”

Here at Texso Instruments, our goal is to provide the necessary personal protective equipment for workers, and to help ensure companies are compliant with this deadline.   We offer many types of PPE, and all categories of clothing to protect from arc flash dangers.    A lot of confusion exists regarding proper protection and categories of clothing.  January 1, 2009 is quickly approaching, and compliance is mandatory, not a choice.  Let us help keep workers protected and ensure compliance.

Contact:

Gary Phillips
Texso Instruments
(760) 444-0032
http://www.texsoinstruments.com

In North Carolina, a local electric company sent a request for a replacement of a high voltage distribution switch for an underground system with another switch that included a disconnect on the load side.   The existing switch had only been in service for one year, but a new switch was needed, stemming from rapid growth of the area.  The new switch would allow the isolation of circuits on the load side independently of each other.

Shortly before 9:00am on a crisp spring morning, two electricians showed up to make the switch.  When they arrived, no one from the electric company was present.  They discussed whether or not the distribution switch was de-energized.  They opened the door of one of the cabinets, and one of the men started guiding a tic tracer.  He allowed it to make contact with a 23,000 volt source, sending 13,200 volts through the ground and into his body.  Paramedics arrived quickly on the scene, but he was pronounced dead at 10:20am.  The other worker received minor flash burns of the eyes and face and stated that he was “electrified,” shaken, and proceeded to run.

When the investigation of the incident was performed, it was determined the man who did not survive was not wearing the required personal protective equipment.  The system was not de-energized or properly grounded.  Written company work procedures require both of these factors.  To add to the tragedy, both workers were present at a safety demonstration that discussed the exact job being performed only two days prior to this incident.  Laws can be written and procedures outlined, but it is up to every individual to follow the rules and guidelines.  Personal protective equipment is designed to prevent accidents like this from happening.  It will do no good if it is not worn when needed.

A new law regarding arc flash, established by the NESC states, “Effective as of January 1, 2009, the employer shall ensure that an assessment is performed to determine potential exposure to an electric arc for employees who work on or near energized parts or equipment.  If the assessment determines a potential employee exposure greater than 2 cal/cm2 exists, the employer shall require employees to wear clothing or a clothing system that has an effective arc rating not less than the anticipated level of arc energy.”

This law will require workers to wear arc flash suits when exposed to an exposure greater than 2 cal/cm2.  Arc flash is the result of a rapid release of energy due to an arcing short circuit between two or more adjacent conductors.  The cause of the short normally burns away during the initial flash, and the arc fault is then sustained by the establishment of a highly conductive plasma.  Arc flash produces temperatures above 35,000 degrees and statistics say 2000 people are admitted to the hospital every year because of arc flash injury.  The risk of arc flash has contributed to new laws such as the one stated previously beginning in 2009.  It is imperative to protect yourself from the dangers of arc flash by wearing the proper personal protective equipment when working anywhere a potential exists for arc flash.

Arc Flash safety is one of the leading subjects in the electrician’s field. An arc flash is a short circuit through the air. The damage caused by this explosive force can cost a company $15 million in direct and indirect costs. The temperature of an arc can reach more than 5000F, and can occur with more force than dynamite. An arc flash that sends a victim to a burn unit occurs 5-10 times somewhere in the United States every single day. This statistic does not include workers that are sent to clinics or regular hospitals. This high risk has forced the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) to enforce new standards for employee safety protection when working where arc flash can potentially occur.

The cost to a company when arc flash occus can be enormous. A utility company’s total spending estimate for electrical incidents over a two-year period was $15.75 million per case when related indirect costs were considered along with the direct expenses. This fact is according to a 1999 Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) study cited by CapSchell. One manufacturer, as reported by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), reported it has experienced an average of 2.2 arc flash injuries per year over the past 10 years. It is absolutely imperative that each place of business complies with all rules and regulations regarding arc flash for the safety of all workers exposed to this potentially deadly force.

There are specific steps NFPA 70E dictates to ensure an electrically safe working condition exists:

Establishing these safety procedures is part of the company safety plan that must be in effect for each facility:

• Employers must formalize procedures and practices such as the qualification of employees to work in hazardous areas, tasks they may perform, steps needed to secure management approval for work to be done, and audits.
• Employers must provide training for employees in the skills and techniques needed to work with electrical equipment, equipment details, and emergency procedures.
• Employees must implement the practices according to the training.
• Companies must perform a flash hazard analysis before work is done on any energized equipment.

Complying with all rules and regulations will protect one’s business as well as the workers who risk their lives every time they work with energized circuits.