Arc Flash Research – Improve Workplace Safety & Performance

Electrocution is the obvious danger faced by anyone working on or near live electrical

equipment and it is clearly important to understand shock hazards and wear appropriate protection.

However, most electrical accidents are not the result of direct electric shocks. A particularly hazardous type of shorting faultan arc faultoccurs when the insulation or air separation between high voltage conductors is compromised. Under these conditions, a plasma arcan "arc flash"may form between the conductors, unleashing a potentially explosive release of thermal energy.

An arc flash can result in considerable damage to equipment and serious injuries to nearby personnel. According to statistics compiled by CapSchell Inc (Chicago), every day, in the US alone, there are 5-10 ten arc flash incidents, some fatal.

NFPA 70E is a leading internationally recognized safety standard for electrical safety that defines a set of safety requirements for all personnel working on electrical equipment. In order to comply with the standards, employers must carry out a hazard risk assessment and ensure that all employees working in a potential arc-flash hazard zone use appropriate equipment and wear the right protective clothing. It is important to recognize and understand the need for appropriate safety procedures, and to ensure that the correct procedures, equipment and protective clothing are used.

Also the installation of IR windows, panes or ports allows a thermographer to inspect live electrical equipment without the removal of protective covers and the exposure of equipment. An arc-resistant window, unlike a port or pane, provides additional protection for the thermographer in the event of an arc flash resulting from unexpected component failures or work on other parts of the system. This substantially reduces the hazard rating for the inspections and, in most cases, may allow the thermographer to work more safely minimizing the need for excessively bulky and cumbersome protective clothing.

The use of IR windows can limit the exposure of a thermographer to energized equipment, reduce the hazards of both electrocution and arc flash and significantly reduce the need for bulky PPE. However it is important that inspection equipment is constructed from suitable arc-resistant materials although there is currently no internationally recognized standard covering their manufacture. A true arc-tested optic should be used in order to demonstrate due diligence.

For more information please visit http://us.fluke.com/fluke/usen/Products/IR-Windows or call 1-800-760-4523.

Arc Flash Research Improve Workplace Safety & Performance

By: Larry Wilson

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