What is Arc Flash?
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Electrical workers are exposed to a number of hazards whenever they work live, including electrical shock. But arc flash is another hazard that can cause serious injury or death - even if an employee doesn't come into direct contact with an energized conductor.
What is Arc Flash? Arc flash is a short circuit through air that flashes over from one exposed live conductor to another conductor or to ground. Arc flash incidents are common and costly, and the frequency of reported accidents is increasing. This is why arc flash has become a very hot topic within OSHA and the safety industry overall. |
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What Causes Arc Flash?
Arc flashes can be caused in a variety of ways:
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Just coming close to a high-amp source with a conductive object can cause the electricity to flash over.
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Dropping a tool or otherwise creating a spark can ignite an arc flash.
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Equipment failure due to use of substandard parts, improper installation, or even normal wear and tear.
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Breaks or gaps in insulation.
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Dust, corrosion or other impurities on the surface of the conductor.
How Common Is Arc Flash?
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In the past, if someone suffered burns in an electrical accident, people thought the burns were caused by the electrical shock passing through the body. Electrical shocks can cause burns. But what research has shown is that most burns from electrical accidents actually come from arc flash.
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The majority of hospital admissions due to electrical accidents are from arc flash burns, not from electrical shocks. (Taken from NFPA 70E-2004 standard) Of the approximately 350 persons killed in the work place by electricity last year, roughly 50% were related to arch flash.
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A report compiled by Capelli-Schellpfeffer, Inc., estimates that five to 10 arc flash explosions happen in the USA every day, resulting in 1 to 2 deaths per day.
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That figure only in takes into account incidents where victims were sent to special burn centers. The number does not include cases sent to regular hospitals or clinics, nor unreported cases or near misses.
What Kind of Injuries Can Arch Flash Cause?
What is the impact of these accidents and what types of injuries can they cause? Injuries from arc flash accidents tend to be very severe, and result from two types of hazards: arc flash and arc blast.
Arc Flash: Electric arcs produce intense heat, and can heat the air to temperatures as high as 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This is 4 times the surface temperature of the sun. Fatal burns can occur when the victim is several feet from the arc. Serious burns are not uncommon even at a distance of 10 feet. Arc flash can cause the following injuries:
Arc Blast: a high-energy arcing fault can produce a considerable pressure wave and sound blast. The intense heat from arc causes the sudden expansion of air, resulting in a blast. A 10,000 A arc at 480 volts is equivalent to 800 MW or approximately 8 stick of dynamite. Pressure on the chest can be as high as 2000 lbs/sq foot, causing lung collapse. In some cases, the pressure wave has sufficient energy to snap the heads of 3/8-inch steel bolts and to knock over construction walls. Moreover, it can send metal parts flying at speeds over 700 miles per hour. Arc blast can cause the following injuries:
What Are the Costs of Arc Flash Injuries?
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Unfortunately, death is a very real possibility with arc flash. Even if the employee survives, he or she may face years of skin grafts and other medical treatment, and may never return to work or enjoy the same standard of life again.
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Costs to your company can also be significant, with medical treatment running into the millions of dollars. Your company may be tied up in expensive lawsuits with victims and their families. And it's not just people who get hurt: equipment can be damaged, requiring repair or replacement, and possibly causing the line or even the entire plant to shut down for a period of time.
Your Opportunity to Reduce the Risk
With the rising frequency of reported arc flash accidents, and the a potential for serious injury or death, arc flash deserves the concern it is generating within OSHA and the safety industry. To increase safety and ensure compliance throughout your workplace, it is critical to learn and identify arc flash hazards in your facilities, train employees in safe work practices, and use labels and other awareness aids to keep the message in the forefront and reinforce the desired behavior.
Brady can help you achieve these goals in a variety of ways with the wide selection of labels, label printing solutions, and training/awareness tools.
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