Friday 23 August 2013

Why Is Arc Flash Analysis Important?

By Tara Daniels


Arc flash analysis is an important aspect of safety for people that work with electricity. It's an energy explosion that is usually caused by some sort of fault in an electrical voltage system. However, this is not always the case. Oftentimes the origin of the explosion can be traced to things like accidental dropping of tools or corrosion of wires or machinery. Other things that may cause the explosion are sabotage and bad working practices.

Some of the fiercest flash explosions can run as hot as thirty five thousand degrees. Therefore, it makes a great deal of sense to ensure the workplace is as safe as it can be for employees. Risks cannot be eliminated altogether, but things can be greatly improved, even in the United States. Every day five to ten people are seriously injured in flash explosions in America.

Laws are not enough to ensure the safety of employees. That's why states and organizations have implemented arc flash analysis policies to look into he safety of anyone working in the close vicinity of electricity and electrical equipment. One of the things that has come out of this is increased data collection. More up-to-date information on systems has been gathered so that the instances of explosions can be predicted and prevented before they start.

Part of the investigations into electrical problems centers on analyzing short circuits as well as looking at power systems. This means making sure that equipment is safe to use and that it's been verified as safe. The basic premise behind this is that by studying the various systems accidents will be reduced.

Cutting costs more often than not can lead to bad things happening. It may seem quite attractive to compromise safety, even in the most sedate of areas. For instance, some firms think it's OK that NFPA tables are used as a long-term solution, rather than have engineers take the time to analyze all electrical equipment. NFPA tables are meant as a stop-gap until the engineer has done a complete investigation in the firm's electrical systems.

Some firms cannot even be bothered to bring an engineer into the firm. The thinking behind this is that it will save money and that the engineer is probably an expense not worth paying. This does not address the issues of making sure staff are in a safe environment. The best way of ensuring employee safety is to let engineers collect data and then act on the reports they have provided.

The way that an arc flash blast is calculated is in terms of the energy and time they use. Therefore, it is fairly clear that not allowing an engineer to investigate the power of electrical equipment is a false economy. Whilst it's possible to estimate the level of risk to employees, a firm risks exposing them to high levels of risk if they underestimate the power levels. If they overestimate the power levels then they risk spending too much money on safety equipment.

When thinking about whether to bring in an engineer to do arc flash analysis, it is worth remembering that the detailed reports that are produced may save a firm a lot of money and could spare any potential lawsuit from injured employees. The reports are usually fairly detailed and usually recommend certain courses of action.




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