Arc Flash Hazard Studies

An Arc Flash Hazard Study is performed to assess the risk of working on live electrical equipment. Article 110.9 of the NEC requires electrical equipment, such as panelboards and switchboards, to be affixed with Arc Flash Labels. Article 130.5(G) of the NFPA-70E requires Arc Flash Labels to show the Arc Flash Boundary and Incident Energy. Our Arc Flash Labels also indicate the PPE required to be worn by the electrician to safely work on the equipment while energized.

An Arc Flash incident can occur during a short circuit where the energy is high enough to cause electricity to jump across electrodes and ignite the air in between them. An arc flash can reach up to 35,000 °F, which is four times hotter than the surface of the sun. The heat caused from this incident can cause a strong blast of pressurized air which can blow apart or even melt the electrical equipment.

There are many parameters which allow you to calculate the magnitude of the arc flash, such as electrode configuration, enclosure size, bus fault current, and system voltage. All arc flash calculations are performed in accordance with the IEEE 1584-2018 Standard. We recommend fuse types and circuit breaker settings to mitigate the damage caused by an Arc Flash.

No electrician should be forced to work on a system without knowing the associated risk involved. Therefore, it is important for all electrical equipment to have Arc Flash labels which allow the electrician to understand the risk associated with working live, and the level of PPE required in order safely work on the energized system.