Arc Flash

Protect Your Employees and Your Business

 

What is Arc Flash?

An Arc Flash is a condition in which electrical current flows out of its normal path, through ionized air between energized components, and releases energy into the surrounding environment. Depending on the available incident energy, an Arc Flash can be a violent, devastating explosion.

What can happen if an Arc Flash occurs?

The sudden release of energy can be thousands of amps in magnitude, creating blinding light, thermal heat exceeding the temperature of the sun, sound levels that can rupture ear drums, and a pressure wave powerful enough to collapse lungs. Anyone within the hazard boundary of this event can be severely burned, splattered with molten metal, inhale toxic vapor, suffer broken bones and ruptured internal organs, or die instantly.

What is an Arc Flash Hazard Analysis?

In conducting the Arc Flash Hazard Analysis, we begin by collecting data for every piece of equipment within your electrical system. We gather detailed information on every:

  • SES
  • Distribution board
  • Transformer
  • Panel
  • Switch
  • Circuit breaker
  • Conductor size, type, and length for each piece of equipment.

During this data collection our electricians will note any obvious deficiencies, unsafe conditions or code violations.

The engineers at MW Engineering then use the compiled data to create a single-line diagram and calculate the incident energy that could be created at each equipment location. They then determine:

  • Flash Protection Boundary
  • Hazard Level
  • Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) required to work within the Flash Protection Boundary

We create warning labels with this specific information and affix them to each piece of equipment.

Our team of electricians and engineers address any deficiencies, unsafe conditions or code violations revealed during the analysis.  Helios Systems can correct these problems or simply document them for the client’s qualified maintenance personnel to remedy.