Arc Flash - explained!

Summary

The script narrates a cautionary tale of electrical safety at a business site. Geoff, the facilities manager, delegates a task to electrician John without adequately assessing risks. John suffers a fatal arc flash accident due to oversights. The script then outlines the 4 P model for arc flash hazard management: PREDICT, PREVENT, PROTECT, and PUBLISH. It emphasizes the importance of proper risk assessment and safety measures to prevent such tragedies, highlighting the role of Electrical Safety UK in providing guidance and training.

Takeaways

• ⚠️ Geoff, as the facilities manager, is responsible for electrical safety but is not an electrical engineer.
• 👷 John, an experienced electrician, is supervised by Geoff and is tasked with risk assessment and repair of electrical faults.
• 🔧 A critical incident occurs when John drops a spanner that could cause a short circuit due to previous work where shrouding was not replaced.
• 😢 The incident results in severe burns for John, leading to his death, highlighting the tragic consequences of not properly managing electrical safety.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The personal impact of the incident is emphasized through John's family, who lose a father and husband.
• 🔥 The script describes an arc flash, a dangerous event with high temperatures that can occur due to electrical faults.
• 🛠️ The 4 P model for arc flash hazard management is introduced: PREDICT, PREVENT, PROTECT, and PUBLISH.
• 💡 PREDICT involves calculating the severity of arc flash using IEEE 1584 standards, considering factors like distance, voltage, and fault current.
• 🛡️ PROTECT emphasizes the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suitable for the level of risk assessed.
• 📝 PUBLISH involves documenting risk assessments, safety procedures, and providing training to ensure ongoing safety.
• 🏢 The script promotes Electrical Safety UK as a global leader in electrical safety, offering services to assess, prevent, and protect against arc flash risks.

Q & A

Who is Geoff in the context of the script?

Geoff is the facilities manager and a duty holder responsible for electrical safety on the site, though he is not an electrical engineer himself.

What is John's role in the business?

John is an electrician who works in the business and is supervised and managed by Geoff.

What task does Geoff instruct John to perform?

Geoff instructs John to carry out a risk assessment and then repair a fault on switchgear powering operations on the site.

What is the consequence of the contractor forgetting to replace the shrouding during previous work?

The consequence is that when John drops a spanner, it is about to make an electrical contact between two live phase conductors, potentially causing a short-circuit.

What is the potential outcome of the short-circuit mentioned in the script?

The short-circuit could generate sufficient heat to vaporize surrounding metal parts, creating an explosive pressure wave and a conducting plasma fireball with temperatures exceeding 20,000 degrees Celsius.

What is the significance of the 4 P model for arc flash hazard management mentioned in the script?

The 4 P model is a process defined for arc flash hazard management which includes PREDICT, PREVENT, PROTECT, and PUBLISH stages to assess risk, devise measures, use suitable PPE, and document all risk assessments and safety procedures.

What does the IEEE 1584 standard mentioned in the script refer to?

The IEEE 1584 standard refers to the guidelines for performing arc flash hazard calculations, which are used to calculate the severity of the thermal effect of an arc flash on a given piece of equipment.

What is the role of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the arc flash incident described?

PPE is the last line of defense in the arc flash incident. It is used to protect personnel from the hazard when other preventive measures are not sufficient or when an incident occurs.

How does the script suggest that the proper health and safety systems can prevent tragic outcomes?

The script suggests that proper health and safety systems, including risk assessments, incident energy reduction, and appropriate PPE, can prevent tragic outcomes by reducing the incident energy of an arc flash and ensuring personnel are protected.

What services does Electrical Safety UK offer to businesses to help manage electrical safety?

Electrical Safety UK offers services such as site visits, initial assessments, full inspections, risk assessments, incident energy reduction recommendations, and ongoing training to help businesses become more compliant with electrical safety standards.

Outlines

00:00

🔥 Electrical Safety Negligence Leads to Tragedy

The first paragraph introduces Geoff, the facilities manager, who is responsible for electrical safety at the business premises. Despite not being an electrical engineer, he instructs John, an electrician, to perform a risk assessment and repair a fault on switchgear. Geoff assumes his responsibilities are discharged, but a tragic incident occurs when John drops a spanner that causes a short-circuit, leading to severe burns and ultimately his death. The incident highlights the importance of proper risk assessment and the consequences of complacency in electrical safety.

05:04

🛡️ Implementing Effective Arc Flash Hazard Management

The second paragraph outlines the 4 P model for arc flash hazard management: PREDICT, PREVENT, PROTECT, and PUBLISH. It describes how an initial assessment calculates the severity of an arc flash, and how remedial work can reduce the incident energy. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) and proper health and safety systems. It concludes with a scenario where, thanks to these measures, John survives an arc flash incident unharmed, allowing him to attend his daughter's birthday party. The paragraph also introduces Electrical Safety UK, which offers services to help businesses assess, prevent, and protect against arc flash risks.

Keywords

💡Facilities Manager

A facilities manager, like Geoff in the script, is responsible for the upkeep, organization, and efficiency of non-core business operations such as building maintenance, repairs, and groundskeeping. In the context of the video, Geoff's role extends to ensuring electrical safety, highlighting the broad responsibilities of a facilities manager in maintaining a safe working environment.

💡Duty Holder

A duty holder is an individual or organization that has a legal responsibility for health and safety in the workplace. Geoff, as the facilities manager, is a duty holder, indicating that he has a legal obligation to ensure the safety of the electrical systems on the site. This term is crucial as it emphasizes the personal and legal accountability for workplace safety.

💡Risk Assessment

A risk assessment is a systematic examination of work processes to identify potential hazards and evaluate the risks associated with them. In the script, Geoff instructs John to carry out a risk assessment before repairing the switchgear, which is a standard procedure to prevent accidents. The term is central to the video's theme of safety and the proactive measures needed to avoid incidents.

💡Electrician

An electrician is a tradesperson specializing in the installation, maintenance, and repair of electrical systems. John, who is qualified to work on electrical faults, represents the role of an electrician. His actions and responsibilities are central to the narrative, illustrating the importance of electricians in maintaining electrical safety.

💡Switchgear

Switchgear is the general term for devices used to control, protect, and monitor electrical circuits. In the script, the fault in the switchgear is the focal point of the safety incident. Understanding switchgear's function is key to grasping the potential hazards and the need for proper safety measures when working with such equipment.

💡Arc Flash

An arc flash is a dangerous electrical explosion that occurs when an electric arc is struck between conductive parts. The video script describes a scenario where an arc flash could occur if a dropped tool makes contact with exposed conductors. The term is critical to the video's message about the severe consequences of not properly managing electrical hazards.

💡Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal Protective Equipment refers to devices or garments worn by workers to protect them from injury or death. In the script, the correct use of PPE by John is what prevents serious injury during the arc flash incident. This term is essential as it illustrates the last line of defense in safety protocols.

💡Incident Energy

Incident energy is the amount of energy produced in an arc flash, measured in calories per square centimeter. The script mentions incident energy as a key factor in assessing the severity of an arc flash and in determining the appropriate PPE. This term is integral to understanding the scientific basis for safety planning and risk mitigation.

💡4 P Model

The 4 P Model for arc flash hazard management is a framework outlined in the script that includes PREDICT, PREVENT, PROTECT, and PUBLISH. This model provides a structured approach to managing electrical safety risks. Each step is detailed in the script, emphasizing a comprehensive strategy for preventing and mitigating arc flash incidents.

💡Compliance

Compliance refers to adherence to laws, regulations, standards, or specifications. In the context of the video, compliance is about following health and safety regulations to avoid legal repercussions and ensure worker safety. The term is significant as it ties into the broader theme of corporate responsibility and legal accountability.

💡Health and Safety Systems

Health and safety systems are the policies, procedures, and practices put in place to prevent work-related injuries and health issues. The video script discusses the importance of these systems in preventing tragedies like the one involving John. The term encapsulates the video's message about the necessity of robust safety measures in the workplace.

Highlights

Geoff, the facilities manager, is responsible for electrical safety but is not an electrical engineer.

John, a qualified electrician, is supervised by Geoff to carry out a risk assessment and repair.

A previous contractor's oversight left shrouding off, exposing live conductors.

John's actions lead to a potential arc flash hazard due to a dropped tool.

The arc flash could produce temperatures exceeding 20,000 degrees Celsius.

John suffers severe burns and dies three days later, highlighting the gravity of electrical safety.

The incident underscores the legal and personal responsibility of Geoff and the company.

Arc flash is a rare but high-consequence event that can lead to complacency.

The 4 P model for arc flash hazard management is introduced: PREDICT, PREVENT, PROTECT, PUBLISH.

IEEE 1584 standard is used for calculating the severity of arc flash incidents.

Risk mitigation involves reducing incident energy or keeping personnel at a safe distance.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is crucial for protection against arc flash.

Risk assessments should be dynamic, task-based, and available to workers.

Proper health and safety systems can prevent tragic outcomes like John's death.

Electrical Safety UK offers services to assess, prevent, and protect against arc flash risks.

They provide incident energy reduction recommendations and personal protection equipment advice.

Electrical Safety UK ensures compliance with best practices and ongoing training.

Transcripts

welcome to a normal working day at your business premises this is Geoff

he's your facilities manager he is a duty holder and responsible for

electrical safety on your site although he himself is not an electrical engineer

John is an electrician working in your business he is supervised and managed by Geoff

Geoff instructs John to carry out a risk assessment and then repair a fault

that has been reported on switchgear powering operations on your site on this

basis Geoff assumes he has discharged his responsibilities and John is qualified

to work on the fault John makes the equipment dead opens a panel, tests for

dead and begins work on the switchgear while changing a burnt-out isolator he

drops a spanner. The spanner is about to make an electrical contact between two

life phase conductors that were left exposed when their shrouding was not

replaced during previous work. But before we go further let's find out more about John

He is 42 years old he is married and has two children he's been an

electrician for 15 years next week is his daughter's eighth

birthday. They'll be having a party for their family and friends. Now let's take

a closer look at the electrical installation the last time the switch

gear was worked on a contractor forgot to replace a shrouding. The spanner will

make contact between two conductors the resulting short-circuit will generate

sufficient heat to vaporize surrounding metal parts which will rapidly expand

creating an explosive pressure wave sending a conducting plasma fireball

with temperatures in excess of 20,000 degrees centigrade or four times the

surface temperature of the Sun directly into John's path. John will not be

protected from the strength of the blast and will receive horrific external and

internal burns. Three days later John will die in hospital as a result of his

injuries. His family will be left without a father and husband the incident that

brought about this devastating loss happened in just a fraction of a second

this tragedy resulted from a failure to prevent the incident and to protect John

from it all stemming from a failure to properly assess the risk. Geoff and your

company will be personally and legally responsible for this. Dangers like these

arising from electrical faults are made more dangerous by their benign outward

appearance with nothing visually obvious to warn of danger hazards are often

exacerbated when a dangerous disconnect develops assumptions are made by Duty

holders and managers about how electrical equipment is used and the

competency of those using it. These assumptions can often be quite different

from the reality on the shop floor.

Arc Flash is a low-frequency high consequence event as such it's rare occurrence can

foster a complacency that is utterly disproportionate to the very real

consequences that follow when it does happen. In this case the loss of John's life.

Now let's rewind and see what should have happened.

Our process is defined by the 4 P model for arc flash hazard management firstly - PREDICT

after making an initial assessment we calculate the severity of the thermal

effect of an arc flash on a given piece of equipment in line with the IEEE 1584 standard

for performing arc flash hazard calculations. in the case of the

switchgear john is working on the assessment takes into account distance

to worker, voltage, prospective fault current and disconnection time. Computer

modeling of these factors results in a value for incident energy of a potential

arc flash. This value is a key component in assessing risk and devising measures

to be taken to PREVENT - mitigating steps can be taken to prevent an incident from

occurring by designing it out, eliminating it or removing a hazard at

its source. With arc flash completely eliminating the risk is very difficult

in practice this means trying to reduce the incident energy that would be

released by an arc flash or by keeping personnel at a safe distance from the

equipment. The reality is that often arc-flash risk cannot be completely

eliminated and so the last line of defense is to PROTECT - with PPE or

Personal Protective Equipment that is suitable for the level of risk involved

as calculated in the previous steps. The fourth stage that completes the cycle is

PUBLISH - all risk assessments must be recorded and may also require field marking

and safety signage, safe systems of work, safety rules and procedures should be

devised and documented with training delivered to anyone affected risk

assessments need to document the severity of the hazards and measures

that have been taken to mitigate against them wherever possible they should be

dynamic and task-based available to those carrying out work and including

the facility for those people to continually reassess the risk based on

environmental conditions and the state of the equipment. Now let's return to the

arc flash incident as before human error has meant that despite John believing

the equipment is dead and taking the precautions specified in his training

the exposed fuse switch has made contact with the dropped spanner resulting in an

arc flash now however the incident energy of the flash is below 8cal/cm2

thanks to remedial work carried out on

the equipment as a result of the risk assessment furthermore John is wearing

suitable protective clothing, gloves helmet and visor. The arc flash occurs

but at a reduced energy and because John is wearing PPE appropriate to the hazard

he is shaken but physically unharmed. This represents a success for the proper

health and safety systems and processes but the real success is that John will

be at his daughter's birthday party. Why Electrical Safety UK? We are global

leaders in electrical safety and specialists in helping businesses like

yours Assess, Prevent and Protect against the risk of arc flash using best

practice and ongoing training. If you choose to work with us you can expect

the following: we will visit your site to meet you and your people we will make an

initial assessment of your installation, its use maintenance and your processes

from there we will prepare a fixed-price proposal including a full inspection of

your installation to assess the incident energy levels of an arc flash and

prepare a risk assessment. We provide incident energy reduction

recommendations and an order of magnitude costing to implement them. This

includes recommendations on personal protection equipment appropriate to the

incident energy more importantly you would be able to rest assured that you

have taken the necessary steps to avoid the worst most tragic outcomes no matter

where you are in the challenging process of developing or implementing an

electrical safety management system you can rely on Electrical Safety UK to

provide professional guidance training and recommendations to help you become

more compliant. For more information or to arrange an initial consultation

please visit elecsafety.co.uk