ARC Flash Hazards

 

NFPA reports that annually there are 3,600+ related injuries and 1 death per day in the United States. If you "Google" the term "ARC Flash Incidents" there are over 69,000 hits!

An Arc Flash Accident This image does not relate to this article. It is a video from the ESA website of another ARC Flash accident. Click on the image if you want to watch the video. The file is 5MB so it may take a few minutes to download

One of our newsletter subscribers has an interest in seeing ARC FLASH warning stickers on fire pump controllers for electric and diesel fire pumps.  He has done some research and while he could not find a relationship to testing of fire pump controllers, what he did find, coincidently and tragically, was an apparent ARC Flash that occurred in Phoenix on Good Friday. While performing an annual test of a 480 volt fire pump controller in compliance with NFPA 20 and 25 a former co worker and his helper were injured. With the controller door open and the fire pump running he was moving his amp probe from one phase leg to another. This is a common practice during start-up and annual testing. An unknown short occurred resulting in an ARC Flash. He lost his eye, eye lid, part of his lower lip, three fingers and was burned over 60% of his body. The helper who was standing 10-15' away received burns over 65% of his body and was blinded for sometime by ARC Flash. They both had to have fires on them extinguished. Both of them will be in a burn unit for 6-8 months of recovery.

It is reported neither one was wearing any PPE (personal protective equipment). NFPA 70E states the type of PPE for different hazards of ARC Flash and a distance that the PPE is required near the hazard. NFPA 70E should be read and understood by anyone involved with or near an ARC Flash Hazard. PPE should be worn by anyone opening, working on, repairing or testing devices that constitute a flash hazard. People just standing around should have PPE or be asked to leave the area.

Batteries from fire diesel driven fire pumps are also an ARC Flash Hazard and proper PPE should be worn. This would require safety glasses, ear plugs, safety shoes and long sleeve shirts made of FRC as a minimum.

Everyone who works on or witnesses testing of devices that constitute a potential ARC Flash Hazard should be aware of the precautions that can be taken to prevent accidents.

One informative website that we have come across is ESA which is an engineering company that has an Arc Flash Resource Center. They have some free resources that include labeling guides, safety books, a safety program and an Arc Flash Blog.