DefinitionsĪrc Flash Boundary (ARC) – is the distance at which an electrical arc can flash outward, which may endanger employees working on electrical equipment.įlash Protection Boundary (FPB) – the calculated safe working distance from electrical equipment which would not expose the employee to the hazards associated with an electrical arc flash.Įlectrical Assessment– an analytical evaluation which would calculate the arc flash potential of an electrical component 1 hazard, used to establish the flash protection boundary and the correct level of required PPE, determined by an electrical engineer or the equivalent. Extended medical care is often required, sometimes costing in excess of $1,000,000. It’s not uncommon for an injured employee to never regain their past quality of life. Three factors determine the severity of an arc flash injury:īecause of the violent nature of an arc flash exposure when an employee is injured, the injury is serious – even resulting in death. Equipment failure due to use of substandard parts, improper installation, or even normal wear and tear.Dropping a tool or otherwise creating a spark can ignite an arc flash.Coming close to a high-amp source with a conductive object can cause the electricity to flash over.

The results are often violent and when a human is in close proximity to the arc flash, serious injury and even death can occur.Īrc flash can be caused by many things including: Simply put, an arc flash is a phenomenon where a flash over of electric current leaves its intended path and travels through the air from one conductor to another, or to ground. Referred to as arc eye, but also sometimes called welder's flash, bake eyes, or snow blindness, this comes from seeing the flash of the arc without the proper eye covering.An arc flash is a short circuit through air that flashes over from one exposed live conductor to another conductor or to ground.

Photokeratitis – an eye condition similar to sunburn but of the cornea – can cause temporary or long-term vision problems.

A sound blast from the incident can be loud enough to cause eardrums to rupture, creating short- or long-term hearing problems.

These droplets adhere to clothing or skin and cause deep, severe burns. This can include tools and parts, but it can also include metal that has been melted by the high temperatures, with metal droplets being propelled at high speeds from the flash itself.

The explosion caused by an arc flash can propel shrapnel at high speeds.

This includes lung damage, nerve damage, and potential heartbeat disruption. Pressure from arc flash waves has been seen to produce more than 2,000 pounds per square foot of force, enough to bruise or cause disruption to body systems and damage tissue.

The concussion wave from the arc flash incident can expand quickly, throw workers across rooms, and knock them off ladders.This is hot enough to vaporize nearby objects, humans included. By comparison, the sun's surface only measures up to 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit. These are temperatures that can cause severe burns, even if the worker is ten or more feet away from the flash itself. Temperatures in an arc flash can reach as high as 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Arc flash protection boundary