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In difficult economic times, companies sometimes delay the performance of maintenance on electrical power distribution equipment to save costs. If this happens, some circuit breakers (CBs) or protective relays will miss their scheduled maintenance and testing. This can create a significant safety risk if those protective devices are used to manage arc flash hazards. This paper describes a study method to determine which CBs and protective relays in a system are the most critical so that they can be prioritized for continued proper maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors and their colleagues have used the methods in IEEE 1584 "Guide for Performing Arc Flash Hazard Calculations" to complete electrical hazard assessments for over 90 industrial sites, from small warehouse and office facilities to large chemical plants. This paper provides analysis of the results of those assessments, with an emphasis on the safety improvements that were made in design, work practices, and application of personal protective equipment. Modifying electrical equipment design, choosing good work practices, and applying sound engineering judgment can help to minimize arc flash hazard exposures and reduce costs due to injury and process downtime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the arc flash of electrical hazards. Electrical hazards were regarded principally as electric shock or electrocution hazards. A person may not need to make a physical contact with an energized conductor to be a part of the electrical circuit and be injured by an arc flash. A victim can still be several feet away from energized conductors and still be severely injured by an intense thermal energy transfer from an electric arc. Arc hazards have been present in industrial and commercial facilities since the start of electrification. INSET: Arc Hazard Terms.

In 1960, a large global chemical company began documenting and implementing requirements for preventing injuries from electric arc flash hazards, including appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Methods evolved from requiring a 100% natural fiber long-sleeve shirt for a specific task to a detailed analysis with multiple flame-resistant clothing options. This paper compares the PPE required by these methods, based on hazards analysis in more than 65 manufacturing and laboratory facilities. The total costs for the example company are estimated for each method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]