ASSIGNMENT OF POWER

SYSTEM ANALYSIS II

Aqeel Ahmad EE-46 2014-15

Ghulam Mustqeem EE-262014-15

Manthar Ali EE-35 2015-16

 HAZARDS OF ARC FLASH & WAYS TO ILLUMINATE IT WITH

NPFA 70E

Abstract :

Safety related regulation has been changed recent with awareness of hazards linked with
electrical Arcs. National Fire Protection Associations (NFPA) standard 70E provides the
procedures for work relating electrical hazards and range of PPEs of Arc flash. For safe
selection of working equipment one must know about the thermal energy of electric flash.

Introduction
An arc flash is one the most serious Thermal effects and little study done to
electrical hazard that can occur in a measure the non thermal effects. They
workplace. The enormous energy began a project in 2008 to improve the
released heat up to 35,000 degrees that is studies in ARC Flash analysis so to
very dangerous for the people working reduce the hazards of ARC flash.
out there.
The IEEE 1584 guide then could be
Reasons for ARC Flash better used to calculate workplace safety

An arc flash can occur when an electrical standards, such as the 2015 NFPA 70E
current leaves its path and travels Standard for Electrical Safety in the
through air to another conductor or to Workplace and new OSHA arc flash
the ground. Equipment failure, bad regulations, which began
installation etc or even dust particles January.Actually the hazards of ARC
with moisture contents and condensation Flash mainly depends on three factor
near an energized electrical conductor 1: Workers' proximity to the arc flash.
can cause an arc flash.
2: The energy of the arc fault.
IEEE and NFPA began the project to
understand the hazards of Arc flash 10 3: The length of time the flash occurs
years before. In the results these both before some protection device interrupts
agreed that there were weaknesses in the current.
previous measurements of arc flash

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Arc flash can cause the following If we analyze in percentage wise then
injuries: there is reduction of 100% in injuries
from 1992 to 2013.
Skin burns by direct heat
exposure. Arc flash generates Injuries happened in different industries
large amounts of heat as of the world should be of our concern.
discussed that can severely burn
Information is also available to know
human skin and set clothing on
that how much incidents occur in the
fire. Temperatures at the arc can
leading industries and occupations.
reach four times the temperature
of suns surface. The total number of fatalities occur can
High-intensity flash can also be broken down as
cause damage to eyesight.

If we analysis the injuries in the

different industries of the world then
we have so many examples.
Following graphs showing some
experiences regarding arc flash
hazards,

Figure explains the fatal injuries

in United States from 1992-2013

It is prcised that most number of

fatalities occur in the Construction side
with a total number if 923 fatalities.

On the second hand most fatalities occur

in the professional and business services
with total number of 258.\

Some year-to-year fluctuation shown in

figure no:3

In this figure it is defined that so many

injuries occur in late 90s era reason is
simple that we had no such facilities that
we had in 2013.

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 New Changes of NPFA for 2015
First we look to the NPFA 70E, 2012
version

Building on the safety7,training, and

maintenance requirements outlined in
the 2012 edition of NPFA 70E,the 2015
version of the standard introduces
additional changes that facilitate an even
greater understanding, awareness, and
mitigation of electrical hazards.

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While some of the 2015 are Defining Qualified Workers
informational in nature, others require
facility manager to once again take Both OSHA and NPFA recognize the
action to revise update safety policies to importance of determining a workers
better protect workers. qualifications to work on or around
electrical equipment.
Specifically, facility managers need to
be aware of the following updates to To help employer to make this important
NPFA 70E 2015: designation, NPFA 70E states that a
qualifies person should be trained and
Terminology has changed in 2015 knowledgeable in the construction and
version that must be followed operation of equipment or specific work
methods, and be trained to recognize and
Risk vs. Hazard
avoid the electrical hazards that might be
Hazard identification basically means to present with respect to that equipment or
the potential for harm from exposed work method. It is important to note that
energized electrical conductors and/or a person can be considered qualified
the condition of the equipment. with respect to certain equipment and
methods, but still be unqualified in other
While the term Risk primarily refers to situations.
the chance or probability that the
identified hazard could result in physical In 2015 version it is required that
harm to the worker, or the unqualified or
The 2015 version of the standard adds
unprotected persons nearby.
the requirement that such a person shall
The terms risk and risk assessment demonstrate the ability to use and not
have also been clearly defined: just be familiar with the proper use of
the following:
Risk - A combination of the likelihood
of occurrence of injury or damage to Special precautionary techniques
health and the severity of injury or
damage to health that results from a PPE including arc flash suits
hazard. Insulating and shielding
materials
Risk Assessment - An overall process
Insulated tools and test
that identifies hazards, estimates damage
equipment
to health, and determines if protective
measures are required. NFPA 70E 2015 also adds that qualified
electrical workers permitted to work
within the limited approach boundary of

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exposed energized electrical conductors Arc Flash Labeling
and circuit parts operating at 50 volts or
more must have additional training in Arc flash labeling became an NFPA
minimum approach distances to exposed 70E requirement in 2002, and these were
parts. updated in 2004, 2009, 2012 and 2015.

It must be concluded that workers that Electrical instruments should labeled

are related to medical responsibilities properly according to the standards.
must respond in a quick session.
In 2012 and 2015, NFPA clarified this
Table for Shock Hazards Boundary confusion
Definition of NPFA 70E
Specifically, NFPA 70E 2015 spells out
the types of equipment that need to be
labeled, including switchboards,
switchgear, panel boards, industrial
control panels, meter socket enclosures,
and motor control panels.

10 best practices with NPFA 70E

One important thing to protect from

ARC Flash is its labeling

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Remember that: ? References

NPFA is not only looking for the Arc Flash Analysis: IEEE Method versus the
reducing the ARC Flash hazards but NFPA 70E Tables January 2012 /
OSHA is also working side by side. 1910DB1201 Reza Tajali, Schneider Electric
Engineering Services.
OSHA updated standard CFR 1910.269
in the Federal Register on April 11, OSHA Regulations 29 CFR 1910.300-399,
2014, representing the first time OSHA Subpart S, Electrical Washington, DC:
is mandating and enforcing specific arc Occupational Safety and Health
flash-related requirements for higher Administration, US Department of Labor
voltage facilities. NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in
the Workplace, Quincy, MA: National Fire
Protection Association, 2004.

IEEE 1584, IEEE Guide for Performing Arc-

Flash Hazard Calculations, IEEE Industry
Applications Society, The Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.
New York, NY. September 2002