ESUK have carried out arc flash hazard assessments for a number of years for various clients in the food industry, health services, manufacturing sector, utilities & power industries.
Having pioneered the European approach to arc flash hazard assessment and management ESUK have a proven track record in ensuring that clients comply with the law in the most cost effective way. This has also included ESUK in advising multinational U.S & Canadian owned companies in the harmonisation of standards such as NFPA70E & CSA Z462.
Live Work
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires you to assess the risk to workers and others who may be affected by their activities. Electrical staff routinely work on live high power equipment, carrying out tasks such as fault finding and diagnostic testing without fully understanding the consequences of what will happen to them should an electrical flashover or arc flash occur. Frequently there is no risk assessment in place even though this should always follow the rigorous tests of reasonableness in working live in the first place.
Electrical Safety (UK) can advise and carry out the necessary calculations to predict the harm to operatives (and bystanders) should an electrical flashover occur and can advise on required work place precautions. This should follow the European 4P's approach as described in the DuPont™ ArcGuide of which Electrical Safety UK Ltd were a major contributor and Mike Frain (Director) was the lead consultant. The 4P's are:
1. Prediction of the severity of the arc through calculation tools and charts
2. Prevention measures to reduce or eliminate arc flash risk
3. Protection of workers where the there is any residual risk and
4. Publishing which will include printed risk assessments, equipment labels and training.
Benefits of an Arc Flash Study at a glance
What will you get?
1. A single line diagram of the electrical system – which is fully interactive and can run many different scenarios and complex system models. Integrated software handles complex and changing circuit configurations and also allows
instant design modelling and modifications.
2. Fault level study – based on IEC 60909 giving the prospective fault current
at each panel or switchboard.
3. Protection co-ordination study – simple studies will indicate mis-coordination
of cascaded protective devices for arcing faults and we can also carry advanced
studies as required.
4. Arc Flash analysis – which will show incident energy levels, arc flash
boundaries, arcing current and duration and PPE requirements. We can handle
studies to international standards IEEE 1584, NFPA 70E, CSA Z462 and
NESC 2007.
5. Euro compliant labelling – for the field marking of all affected equipment.
6. A comprehensive report detailing appropriate risk control measures – this
will be based upon European guidelines through the framework directive
89/391EEC and UK legislation such as the Management of Health and Safety
at Work Regulations.
What does an Arc Flash Study tell me?
1. It identifies extreme danger.
2. It will predict the level of arc flash – “How big is the bang” (Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations for risk evaluation and the justification
for energised work under regulation 14 from the Electricity at Work Regulations – HSR25 Memorandum of Guidance).
3. Severity of injury – Predicts the onset of 2nd degree burns.
4. Flash Protection boundary – Working space (regulation 15 EAWR).
5. Fault levels throughout the facility (regulation 4, 5 EAWR).
6. Information – “understanding of the hazards which may arise etc.” (Competence HSR25 – regulation 16 EAWR).
7. Selection of Control Measures inc PPE (regulation 4 and 14 EAWR – HSR25).
For further information or to arrange a consultation please
contact us.
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