Arc Flash & Electrical Safety News

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Unusual Arc Flash Label Application

This blog is published by Graphic Products, the company that makes Duralabel printers and DuraLabel supplies. Generally I don't talk much about our products, but instead focus on providing arc flash safety and training related information. But sometimes interesting things come up that deserve to be mentioned... such as yesterday.

We have developed more types of supplies for our DuraLabel printers than you'll find for any other printer. We have a full-time staff of R&D researchers, engineers, test lab technicians, and QA people constantly working to solve labeling and sign making problems.

Yesterday we had a call from someone who needed to apply arc flash labels outdoors, in freezing temperatures. It wasn't a job that could wait for warmer weather. The application temperature range on normal arc flash die-cut warning labels only goes as low as 40 degrees. The problem was turned over to our R&D group. They solved the problem, creating a new low-temperature supply. It was then released to our manufacturing group and within 24 hours of the customer presenting us with the problem, low-temperature arc flash labels were shipped. Problem solved!

That's what DuraLabel is all about... providing unbeatable customer service and solving your labeling and sign making problems. We're here so you can have a happy, relaxed and safe holiday season, because the visual communication supplies you need have been delivered and are performing as promised.

Have a Merry Christmas! And a truly great New Year!!

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Thursday, November 19, 2009

Arc Flash In J.C. Penny Store Store Injures Electrician

It's not just industrial workplaces that present arc flash hazards. Here's a report from Mass Live (Springfield Republican):

"An electrical explosion Wednesday morning at the J.C. Penney store on Boston Road sent an electrician, a 35-year-old Chicopee man, to Baystate Medical Center with for treatment of burns to his face."

Read the complete story.

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OSHA Proposes $88,200 In Fines For Arc Flash Injury

OSHA has cited O'Connell Electric Co. Inc. of Victor, N.Y., for 14 alleged serious violations of safety standards after a company employee was burned in a May 18 electrical arc flash on the North Campus of the State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo. The electrical contractor faces a total of $88,200 in proposed fines.

The incident occurred as O'Connell employees were performing maintenance on 34,500 volt electrical switches and transformers in the basement of Baldy Hall. OSHA's inspection found that one of the switches had not first been de-energized, as required, before employees began their work, nor had the switches been properly barricaded and tagged to prevent exposure to live electrical parts.

OSHA also determined that the injured worker and other employees had not been adequately informed about and supplied with adequate personal protective clothing. In addition, they had not been adequately trained in electrical safe work practices and in proper hazardous energy control procedures.

"This is a clear example of the grave consequences that can result when basic electrical safeguards are not provided and used," said Arthur Dube, OSHA's area director in Buffalo. "Electricity can injure and kill almost instantly, which makes it vital that power sources be de-energized and locked out, and workers be properly trained and equipped before electrical work is performed."

OSHA issues serious citations when death or serious physical harm is likely to result from hazards about which the employer knew or should have known.

"One means of preventing hazardous conditions and the accidents that can result from them is to establish an effective safety and health management system through which employers and employees work together to proactively evaluate, identify and eliminate hazards," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's regional administrator in New York.

O'Connell Electric has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, participate in an informal conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The inspection was conducted by OSHA's Buffalo Area Office; telephone 716-551-3053.

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Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Negligence Factor In Russian Power Plant Accident

On August 17th at Russia's largest hydro-electric facility, part of an overstrained hydro-turbine unit, weighing 1,500, tons snapped off its restraining bolts and sailed 45 feet into the air. The result was flooding, short circuits and wreckage that crippled the plant and doomed dozens of workers in seconds.

The Associated press reports that Russia's top industrial safety oversight official, in a 140 page report, stated that negligence was a major factor in a devastating accident at Russia's biggest hydroelectric power plant.

Read the AP news report, providing details about the accident and the damage, here.

Related past posts:
Electrical Safety In The Workplace
Lax Lockout Procedure Result In Arc Flash Burns
Arc Flash Safety, History & Requirements

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Tuesday, August 04, 2009

NFPA Journal - Electrical System Maintenance

The current edition of the NFPA Journal has a good article about electrical maintenance. (Use this link to read the article.)

The article points out that we should not let other priorities distract us from needed electrical maintainance, and it identifies overcurrent devices as being at the top of the list. The article states:

"Although all electrical equipment needs to be maintained, the most important, from a safety standpoint, are the overcurrent devices that trip circuits when a fault occurs. These determine the length of time the overcurrent conditions exist, which determines the amount of heat, energy, and damage that will occur."

But, the article also points out that other areas also need to receive maintenance attention.

Related Past Posts
Arc Flash Safety Checklist
Arc Flash Labeling Best Practice Guide Available
System Maintenance A Key To Arc Flash Safety

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Monday, June 08, 2009

Relationship between the CE Code and Z462

Another IAEI Magazine article discusses Canadian electrical codes and the relationship between the CE Code and CSA standard Z462. You can read this article here.

The article provides a brief overview of the rules that apply to maintenance and operation and also looks at what has changed with the development of Z462.

In the article summary, it states:

"CE Code governs safety requirements for installation of electrical equipment. Such electrical work must be done by the construction electricians under electrical permits and is subject to the inspection services by regulatory authorities. Under no conditions is such work permitted to be done on live equipment"

"However, the CE Code also regulates provisions for maintenance and operation of operating equipment, and although Rule 2-304 does not allow such maintenance on live equipment, it recognizes that sometimes a completed disconnection of the operating equipment is not practicable for certain repairs, alterations or testing."

"For this reason, Rule 2-306 has been introduced into the 2006 edition of the CE Code. This rule mandates installation of warning signs of potential shock and arc flash hazards on electrical equipment. Explanatory Note in Appendix B on this rule leads the users of the CE Code (who intend to maintain live electrical equipment) to NFPA 70E and to IEEE 1584 in order to determine severity of exposure, to evaluate the arc flash hazard distance and incident energy resulting from the arc, and to select personal protective equipment appropriate for the anticipated incident energy — to protect against shock and arc flash hazards."


Related blog posts:
CSA Z462 Workplace Electrical Safety Standard
The Funeral - WSIB Safety Video

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Friday, May 29, 2009

Tips For Property Managers And Electrical Contractors

The current issue of the NFPA Journal includes two tips for electrical contractors and property managers in an article called: "Keeping the Lights On."

The first tip is from NFPA 70E Section 110.5, Relationships with Contractors. Here is how the article summarizes this section: "The host employer is required to inform the contractor of any known hazards covered by NFPA 70E that the contractor or the contractor’s employees may not recognize."

The second tip comes from NFPA 70E Section 130.3(C), which requires that all equipment be labeled with an arc flash warning label specific to that equipment and its location.

You can read the entire article here.

Related Posts:
The Fine Print Notes In NFPA 70E
Revised NFPA 70E Clarifies Electical Safety
An Arc Flash Primer

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Wednesday, April 08, 2009

OSHA Citations Issued For Failure To Abate Electrical Safety Violations

OSHA cites Houston-based manufacturing company for failing to abate safety violations
Initial inspection followed electrocution death of a worker.

OSHA has issued failure-to-abate citations to JD Manufacturing Inc., doing business as Arrow Waste, in Houston for a follow-up inspection that revealed previous violations had not been abated.

The initial inspection on Jan. 29, 2008, at the company's facility on 11401 Brooklyn St. in Houston, followed the electrocution death of a worker. Upon re-inspection on Oct. 9, 2008, OSHA's investigation found that the six violations, four alleged serious and two alleged other-than-serious, originally cited were not corrected by the company.

"The employer completely ignored abating the violations while continuing to expose employees to a hazardous working environment. That kind of practice will not be tolerated," said Dean McDaniel, OSHA's regional administrator in Dallas. "OSHA standards must be followed to prevent injuries and fatalities."

The serious failure-to-abate violations include failing to have a written program for the control of hazardous energy, not installing the required wiring in accordance with OSHA regulations and failing to adequately mark branch circuits to indicate their purpose. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

The other-than-serious violations the company failed to correct are not having a hazard communications program in place and not maintaining the required recordkeeping. An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.

The initial inspection carried proposed penalties totaling $25,500. The re-inspection carries $108,000 in proposed penalties.

JD Manufacturing, a manufacturing and repair facility for mechanized equipment and roll-off containers such as dumpsters or debris containers, has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's Houston North area director or contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Employers and employees with questions regarding workplace safety and health standards can call OSHA's Houston North Area Office at 281-591-2438 or OSHA's toll-free hotline number at 800-321-6742 to report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers.

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Thursday, October 16, 2008

Understanding OSHA Arc Flash Regulations

Here is a video from the Industrial Training University that provides a basic overview of what is required to address arc flash hazards. It covers labeling, arc flash analysis and PPE. It is just under eight minutes in length.

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Monday, June 02, 2008

U.K. Perspective On Arc Flash

An article in Processing Talk, asks industries in the U.K. "How do plants protect operators from Arc Flash?"

The article announces an arc flash survey to be conducted by TAS. The purpose of the survey is to assess the level of knowledge about Arc Flash hazards in U.K. industry, and to understand what plant operators are doing to mitigate the possible dangers and protect their workforce.

The article states:

"Initially the survey is being conducted by mailing the questionnaire to UK engineers in industries that are higher power users, (the mailing will go out in June) and there is also an on-line survey form on the TAS website, http://www.tas.co.uk/researcharcflash.

Respondents from overseas are welcome, but their experiences, attitudes and knowledge of arc flash hazards may be reported separately, to see and identify where differences exist compared to UK practice."

We will follow what happens with this survey and report on the results when they are available.

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Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Avoiding Five Big Mistakes

An article by Larry Altmayer (Services Manager for POWR-GARD, Littlefuse, Inc.) in this month's issue of Facility Safety discusses Avoiding Five Big Mistakes when assessing your facility for electrical hazards.

The articles opens by describing this problem:

"In one case, a manager didn’t calculate Arc flash hazards because a consultant told him the power serving that part of his plant was too low to cause an arc flash. He didn’t realize that low-level faults can cause a circuit breaker or fuse to open more slowly and actually increase the heat energy during an arc-flash. He had good intentions, but the plant was out of compliance by not identifying real hazards and his workers were at risk."

The five big mistakes are identified as:

1.Conducting an incomplete assessment.
2. Using the NFPA 70E Table Method improperly.
3. Trying to do an assessment with in-house staff.
4. Not correcting deficiencies after the assessment.
5. Not changing work procedures after the assessment.

You can read the entire article on the Facility Safety web site.

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Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Victims Of Arc Flash

The statistics say that 10 people a day are injured by arc flash. More and more of these people are telling their stories using video. I'm finding new videos on a regular basis. In the following video a man and his wife tell the story of his injury as a result of an arc flash. It is called "Arc Flash - Survival or Prevention. The David Bird Story."



Why are so many videos about arc flash showing up on the internet? My guess is because arc flash injuries are so sudden and unexpected, and the consequences are serious. The key word here is "unexpected". Arc flash hazards have been ignored until recently. Most equipment that presents an arc flash hazard is not even properly labeled. Workers have not had arc flash safety training.

This is a safety hazard that can not be ignored any longer.

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Thursday, February 21, 2008

Paradigm Shift Requires Look At Plant Electrical Infrastructure

An article by Larry Altmayer, POWR-GARD Services Manager for Littelfuse Inc. in the online edition of Plant Services magazine talks about how we need to change our view of electrical distribution systems. The article opens by stating:

"No longer can maintenance treat electrical distribution systems as everlasting, never-changing components of a facility. Instead, we must consider the electrical infrastructure as a dynamic system that requires regular attention and a formal preventive maintenance program."

The article makes the point that electrical systems can no longer be viewed as unchanging, static systems that can be installed and forgotten. They are dynamic systems that are changing to meet continually changing needs, and as a result must be regularly re-evaluated and maintained.

Mr. Altmayer then covers how OSHA, NFPA 70E, NEC and NEMA codes and standards are driving change and this results in a need for current electrical hazard assessments and ongoing maintenance. Overall this article provides a good overview of a dynamic situation that we all need to address.

You can read the complete article at: http://www.plantservices.com/articles/2008/034.html

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Monday, November 19, 2007

The Funeral - WSIB Safety Video

WSIB pulls no punches in their safety videos. This one promotes electrical safety.



WSIB is the Canadian Workplace Safety and Insurance Board in Ontario, Canada. They oversee Ontario's workplace safety education and training system, provides disability benefits and monitors the quality of health and safety, and provides a workers compensation system.

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Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Interview With An Arc Flash Victim

In this six minute video arc flash victim Ed Manthei describes what happened when he was involved in an arc flash accident. He then goes on to describes the medical procedures that were required and what was involved in his recovery.


This video does not have the emotional impact of the Donnie's Accident video, but it still delivers a strong message about the dangers of arc flash.

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Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Webinar - New Federal Standard for Electrical Installation

The American Society of Safety Engineers conducts regular webinars on safety topics. You can see a list of upcoming webinars on the ASSE home page.

A webinar covering the New Federal Standard for Electrical Installation will be held on Wednesday June 6, 2007 at 11am-12:30pm CST. An ASSE press release states:

The new OSHA Electrical Standard will significantly impact SH&E professionals and the practice of the profession in regard to electrical safety. On Wednesday, June 6th, at 11:00 AM CST David Wallis of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will give a presentation addressing the new Federal Standard for Electrical Installation, which becomes effective on August 13, 2007.

A media statement released distributed by OSHA on 2/13/2007 stated:

"The revised standard strengthens employee protections and adds consistency between OSHA's requirements and many state and local building codes which have adopted updated National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and National Electrical Code provisions."

Changes to OSHA's general industry electrical installation standard focus on safety in the design and installation of electric equipment in the workplace. The updated standard includes a new alternative method for classifying and installing equipment in Class I hazardous locations; new requirements for ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) and new provisions on wiring for carnivals and similar installations.

To read the actual rule and information about the standard you can visit OSHA at: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/electrical/index.html

The following topics will be covered in this 90-minute call:

• An overview of the standard
• A description of the new standard
• The potential impact of the standard
• Implementation of the standard
• How it will be enforced
• A thirty minute Q&A session addressing the standard

The presenter will be Mr. David Wallis. David is the Director of the Office of Engineering Safety, and has been with OSHA for over 30 years. David is a well regarded SH&E professional and has significant experience with both safety engineering and the creation/implementation of public policy.

ASSE prides itself on offering high caliber technical conference call events with an emphasis on quality with reasonable pricing. Participants in the “live” conference call via webinar are eligible for .15 CEU upon completion of all requirements, which include completing the on-line evaluation and on-line participation in polls, feedback and/or assessment sessions. A link to a post-session assessment will be emailed to all registered participants following the live conference event. Participants are invited to submit questions ahead of time via an e-mail to Tfisher@ASSE.Org. Questions and comments can also be submitted using the chat section of WebEx, which is the technology used for the presentation.

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Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Plants Services Magazine - Best Practices Award

Online non-contact IR thermometry won the Plant Service Magazine Best Practices Award. What is online non-contact IR thermometry? What can it do for you?

The article states:

"Thermal monitoring systems employing noncontact infrared (IR) sensors can measure temperature just about anywhere on the factory floor. These versatile devices measure and accumulate real-time data, and are well suited for environments with moving targets, inaccessible objects and high temperatures. An IR thermometer has no energy interference (thus, no energy is lost from the target), and no risk of contamination or mechanical effect."

The advantages of IR thermometry are that it provides continuous monitoring and allows changes in heat to be quickly and reliably detected. As the article concludes it points out the advantages for arc flash safety:

"Continuous thermal monitoring provides a safer, non-intrusive alternative for equipment inspection. With traditional physical maintenance, there always is a chance of an accident causing failure of the equipment or putting personnel in harm’s way. In the worst-case scenario, a technician can be killed from an accident or arc flash. Noncontact thermal monitoring eliminates concerns about electrical isolation, insulation and EMI flashover associated with contact probes. IR sensors can accurately measure temperature without contacting the surface of the target."

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Monday, February 19, 2007

LockOut / TagOut

The best way to prevent arc flash injuries is to not be working on energized equipment. Having an effective lockout / tagout system is an key component. The American Federation of State, County and Mucipal Employees has an article in the Health & Safety area of their web site that provides a good overview of lockout /tagout. Developed using a grant from OSHA, it provides a complete introduction to lockout /tagout. The topics covered are:

Identifying hazardous energy
What is lockout/tagout?
When is lockout/tagout needed?
What does OSHA require?
Tagout vs. Lockout
Tagout Program
Lockout Tagout equipment
Applying Lockout/Tagout
Release From Lockout/Tagout
Periodic Inspections
Training
Retraining

While Lockout / Tagout is important in preventing arc flash incidents, it is a much broader safety measure. It involves all forms of potential energy. As the article states:

"Hazardous energy can found in the workplace in different forms. The most common form of energy is electrical, but mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, and thermal energy can also be dangerous. Energy can also mean movement or the possibility of movement."

The benefits of a good lockout / tagout program extend beyond arc flash safety and include any area in your facility in which energy is used.

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Monday, February 05, 2007

Failure to Wear Proper PPE Results In Arc Flash Injury

A report from the Department of Energy Office of Health, Safety and Security describes an arc flash incident that happened in April 2006. This report caught my eye because the incident involved an electrical engineer. We sometimes focus training on employees in crafts or trades, and neglect others who may be exposed to workplace hazards. I'm an electrical engineer who worked as a field and sales engineer for 16 years. In all of that time the only facility I can remember requiring me to go through their safety training was the Boise Cascade St. Helens paper mill. Although the engineer who was injured in the DOE incident described in this report was a DOE employee, this report serves as a good reminder that everyone with access to a facility--employees, management, contractors, inspectors and vendors--needs to be aware of the potential dangers in that facility and be fully trained concerning required protective measures.

Read The DOE Article

This article is titled "Failure To Wear Proper PPE", but when you read the complete report you'll see that there was more to this accident. PPE is protection of last resort. It would be much better if the accident had been prevented in the first place. Page two of the report identifies five problems:

– Failure to ensure the ground fault monitoring detection system was operable.

– NFPA 70 for ground fault protection was not implemented.

– They failed to implement work controls for ungrounded delta systems that could have a ground fault.

– Protection boundaries had not been established and the panel was not properly labeled.

– Established work proceedures, which should have resulted in the engineer being stopped from working on the panel without proper PPE, were not followed.

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Monday, January 22, 2007

Arc Flash Protection In The Mining Industry

Because of the unique requirements of mining the underground mining industry has not been required to comply with NFPA 70E. This has been recognized as a problem because arc flash is a significant source of injuries in underground mining. A report published by NIOSH states:

"Between 1990 and 2003, 2,326 traumatic mine electrical injuries occurred. The largest single category of electrical injury was burns from electrical arcing, which accounted for 893 (38%) of all electrical injuries. Electrical burn injuries of all types accounted for more than 21,500 lost work days."

Why was there such a significant problem. Mainly because arc flash hazards were not recognized as being a problem. The NIOSH report states:

"Findings thus far indicate a general lack of awareness of common arc-flash hazards in the mining industry. Accident reports show that two-thirds of arc-flash injuries involve circuit breakers, cables, hand tools, meters, and plugs. The equipment and PPE needed for safe troubleshooting in arc-prone situations are seldom used. Circuit breakers are often operated beyond their design parameters and many are repaired by third-party rebuilders using substandard components."

As a result NIOSH is creating a program to address arc flash hazards in the underground mining industry. The NIOSH report states:

"This project will produce practical guidelines to determine arc flash boundaries in mines and prep plants. Recommended improvements in work practices regarding the use of hand tools, meters, PPE, and other engineering controls will increase miners’ understanding of arc-flash hazards. Training guidelines will show how to most effectively present this information to the mining audience."

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Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Three Injured By Arc Flash - Video

Magna Electric has a video on their web site that shows an arc flash incident that injured three workers. The video was taken by a security camera.

What I hope you notice in these videos is that arc flash is a hazard that needs to be taken very seriously. There are five to ten arc flash incidents daily. It can happen in your facility. Please read this blog and our web site for more information about arc flash and NFPA 70E.

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Wednesday, November 29, 2006

NFPA 70E: Why comply?

An article in Plant Services magazine talks about why compliance with NFPA 70E is important. It also discusses the relationship between OSHA and NFPA 70E.

"NFPA 70E was originally developed at OSHA’s request to address electrical hazards in the workplace. OSHA bases its electrical safety requirements on the comprehensive information in NFPA 70E. Even though OSHA does not mandate compliance with NFPA 70E itself, it considers NFPA 70E to be an effective how-to manual for OSHA regulation compliance."

The article answers questions such as:

How does NFPA 70E complement OSHA regulations?

Can you avoid OSHA citations by complying with NFPA 70E?

What about OSHA-approved state plans?

You'll find the article at: http://www.plantservices.com/articles/2004/405.html

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Wednesday, November 01, 2006

OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP)

Arc flash safety is important, in particular because it has been largely ignored. However, arc flash safety is part of the larger safety picture.

OSHA has established the Voluntary Protection Program, also know as VPP, that looks at the "big picture" of safety. It is a safety and health management program that promotes and recognizes the efforts of employers and employees who have achieved outstanding safety and health records. In the OSHA VPP, management, labor and OSHA establish a partnership that results in a comprehensive and effective safety and health management system in each participating workplace.

The Safe Workplace web site provides more information about the Voluntary Protection Program.

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Thursday, October 12, 2006

Follow the Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace

This electrical safety article published by the UAW makes some good points about arc flash and NFPA 70E. The article opens by reporting:

"The UAW’s Health and Safety Department keeps track of workplace injuries and fatalities to members and the list is painful to read. Some examples: A 27-year-old electrician was electrocuted in 1983 when working on a live circuit that was not locked out. A 56-year-old electrician was killed in 1993 after coming in contact with a live 440-volt circuit. A 42-year-old electrician was killed in 1983 after being burned in a buss duct electrical explosion."

The article provides a summary of NFPA 70E. It also provides some useful details, such as the minimum air insulation distances required to avoid flashover.

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Monday, October 02, 2006

SAFETY SOLUTIONS: Compliance with 70E Electrical Standards

The May/June 2006 issue of Plastics Distributor & Fabricator Magazine addresses NFPA 70E as it relates to the plastics industry. The article asks:

"Are you in compliance with 70E electrical standards? This is the question being asked by OSHA compliance officers when they visit your facility. The Department of Labor (OSHA) estimates that there are, on average, 9,600 serious electrical shock and burn injuries each year. OSHA also estimates approximately one fatality per day due to electrocution."

The article defines what NFPA 70E is and then gives ten steps to successful arc flash safety program.

Although this article was written for the plastic industry, it is applicable to any industry or organization. It is a concise, to the point article that delivers useful information about NFPA 70E.

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Thursday, September 14, 2006

Standards Set the Pace for Safety

Electrical Contracting Products magazine published an article in their August 2006 issue title: "Review of NFPA 70E Detailing Electrical Workplace Safety". The article opens by stating:

"Five to ten times per day in the United States, an electrical worker is severely injured or killed in an electrical arc flash accident. Other electrical incidents can also injure workers and these typically involve accidental contact with energized parts. The injuries and fatalities that result from these accidents are always devastating to the affected workers and their families. Additionally, the financial consequences of such events can be very damaging to a worker’s company."

It then goes on to discuss NFPA 70E in the following sections:

(-) Safety Program With Defined Responsibilities (NFPA 70E 2004 Article 110.7)

(-) Analysis for Arc Flash Hazard Degree (NFPA 70E 2004 Article 130.3)

(-) Training for Workers (NFPA 70E 2004 Article 110.6)

(-) Personal Protective Equipment (Clothing) for Workers (OSHA 29CFR 1910.335)

(-) Tools for Safe Work (NFPA 70E 2004 - Article 130(D)(1))

(-) Warning Labels on Equipment (NFPA 70 2005 - Article 110.16)

(-) De-energizing Electrical Equipment

(-) Overcurrent Protective Devices

(-) Documentation

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Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Preventing Arc Flash Injuries

The introduction to an article published in Occupational Hazards magazine states, "By following a few logical steps to develop an understanding of arc flash hazards, you can help to prevent injury to yourself and those around you."

The article goes on to point out, "At the 11th annual IEEE-IAS Electrical Safety Workshop, statistics presented from a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health study showed that during the period from 1992 through 2001, there were 44,363 electrical-related injuries involving days away from work. The number of nonfatal electrical shock injuries was 27,262, while 17,101 injuries were caused by electric arc flash burns."

The question, "What do we do?" is then raised and answered by a six step process:

Step No. 1 – The Arc Flash Hazard Analysis

Step No. 2 – Gather the Information

Step No. 3 – Perform an Arc Flash Study

Step No. 4 – Choose the Proper PPE

Step No. 5 – Mark Your Equipment (apply arc flash labels.)

Step No. 6 – Train Your Workers

Read the complete article at Occupational Hazards Magazine

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Friday, August 25, 2006

Guidelines For Labeling Welding and Cutting Equipment

The following is a press release from NEMA:

(ROSSLYN, VA) - NEMA has published EW 6-2006, Guidelines for Precautionary Labeling of Arc-Welding and Cutting Products. It is intended for manufacturers and suppliers in the arc welding and cutting industry. The guidelines cover content, format, and placement of text-only, text-and-symbols, symbols-only, and multi-language labels.

"This document addresses the needs of manufacturers to provide appropriate precautionary labels on their products, now including multi-language labels. The methods and examples contained in this edition comply with requirements and address audiences worldwide. As in the past, manufacturers can use EW6 with confidence knowing that the latest methods and requirements for the design of appropriate precautionary labels are addressed," says Jerome Jennings, vice chairman of the Arc-Welding Precautionary Labeling Committee.

EW 6-2006 may be purchased for $61.00 by visiting http://www.nema.org/stds/ew6.cfm; or by contacting Global Engineering Documents at (800) 854-7179 (within the U.S.), (303) 397-7956 (international), (303) 397-2740 (fax).

NEMA is the trade association of choice for the electrical manufacturing industry. Founded in 1926 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., its 430 member companies manufacture products used in the generation, transmission and distribution, control, and end-use of electricity. These products are used in utility, medical imaging, industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential applications. Domestic production of electrical products sold worldwide exceeds $120 billion. In addition to its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia, NEMA also has offices in Beijing, Sao Paulo, and Mexico City.

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Thursday, August 10, 2006

Arc-Flash Compliance for Industrial Facilities and Beyond

Jim Crockett, Editor-In-Chief of the magazine Consulting-Specifying Engineer, reports from the National Manufacturing Week show that worker safety was a high priority in discussions on both the exhibit floor and in sessions. However, he reports that "adherence to NFPA 70E, part of the National Electric Code, was, of course, a subset of this discussion, but in a disturbing sort of way. 'A big question we keep getting is, Do we have to do this?' said Doug Mleczko with Des Plaines, Ill.-based fuse manufacturer Littelfuse."

The article goes on to describe arc flash hazards and how it is important that consulting engineers be current on arc flash safety. The article quotes Joe Weigel with Square D's Services Group in Nashville, Tenn., "the issue goes well beyond educating plant managers. Consulting engineers, he argued, also need to get up to speed."

"Clients rely on consulting engineers to be experts on the current codes and standards affecting electrical system design," said Weigel. "Most consultants are very knowledgeable in this area, but design practices for minimum arc-flash potential have not yet been defined in the standards."

"Weigel went on to say that, in fact, the practices commonly used today are bad. Engineers have to be aware of the potential legal consequences of their current practices."

Weigel then went on to offer a number of suggestions to consulting engineers for improving arc flash safety.

Read this article online.

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Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Electrical Safety in the Workplace

I've found a very interesting arc flash article published by the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York. It describes and analyzes, including providing detailed photographs, an arc flash accident at NSLS. This is an excellent paper that can be used for training and giving people a better understanding what what arc flash is and the danger it represents.

The paper is available at:
http://www.nsls.bnl.gov/organization/ESH/highlights/pdf/nfpa_presentation.pdf

The paper provides a brief introduction to arc flash and describes the IEEE arc flash tests. It then describes the accident and the causes of the accident. The final section, which is about half of the paper, is an excellent source of information about preventing arc flash hazards and providing the proper PPE.

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