7 Common Arc Flash Questions From Safety & Facility Managers

Over the past decade, EPSCO has engaged in almost 50,000 conversations about electrical safety with our clients. Many of them share the same questions and concerns as you. After all those discussions with safety professionals across the country, our team has narrowed down the questions they hear the most. While everyone on the EPSCO team can answer these questions in their sleep, let’s hear it from Dave Hernandez, EPSCO CEO, PE, CEM, GBE, CESCP.

Is my facility exempt from needing an arc flash study? 

If you don’t perform an arc flash study, you will be limited to generic equipment labels that require workers to refer to the NFPA 70E and perform calculations every time anyone works on live equipment. Some industries fall out of NFPA 70E governance, such as… Read More

We contract out all of our electrical work; why do we need a study? 

Without an arc flash study, your contractors will spend more time than required to complete the job while possibly exposing themselves to unknown hazards. As the host employer, this responsibility falls on you. Before contractors start a job… Read More

How often do I need to update my arc flash study? What changes require an update? 

NFPA 70E code requires arc flash studies to be updated every five years. If you make any changes to your facility’s electrical system within that five-year cycle, an additional update is required to mark the changes to the original study. This includes changes such as… Read More

How long does it take to complete an arc flash study? 

Completing an Arc Flash Study can be highly variable depending on the experience and availability of the personnel involved. With our team of experts, EPSCO arc flash studies are completed in a matter of weeks… Read More

What training does my team need? 

Requirements vary for the two types of employees or contractors working at your facility. Qualified workers should be trained on electrical safety at least every three (3) years and should be involved in contact release or emergency response training annually. If an employee is actively involved in emergency response… Read More

What should my hazard labels include? Can I use generic labels? 

At a minimum, these labels must contain the nominal system voltage, the arc flash boundary, and at least one of the following: the available incident energy and the corresponding working distance or the arc flash PPE category found… Read More

What If I lease the building?

As the employer, you are always responsible for the safety of your workers and contractors, whether you lease or own the space. This means that the employer is responsible for creating an electrically safe work condition. Employers must provide an… Read More

Share on Socials!

Related Articles

Related Articles

Do You Have a Compliant Electrical Safety Program?

How to develop, implement and maintain a compliant ESP. Image courtesy of TW Becker Electrical Safety Consulting Inc., www.twbesc.ca. By: Terry Becker, P.Eng., CESCP, IEEE Senior ...
Read More

Understanding Rating of Arc-Rated PPE

By: Jim Pollard, Contributor An example of an Oberon Arc Flash Suit Hood. Any worker at risk of exposure to an arc flash hazard shall wear ...
Read More

Congress Acts on Arc Flash

The Partnership for Electrical Safety is very happy to share significant breaking news - the United States Congress has just included very specific language on arc ...
Read More