{"id":601,"date":"2021-05-14T14:12:27","date_gmt":"2021-05-14T18:12:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:10068\/?page_id=601"},"modified":"2022-01-19T10:53:40","modified_gmt":"2022-01-19T15:53:40","slug":"understanding-the-basics-of-arc-flash","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.pioneerpwr.com\/resources\/understanding-the-basics-of-arc-flash\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding the Basics of Arc Flash"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"601\" class=\"elementor elementor-601\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b9d6892 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b9d6892\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-08a7aa4\" data-id=\"08a7aa4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-39fe7eb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"39fe7eb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>What Is an Arc Flash?<\/h2><p>Let\u2019s start at the basics of arc flash. What is an arc flash? An arc flash occurs when part of an electrical current diverts from its intended path and travels through the air between available conductors. Arc flash is a tremendous safety hazard for humans, as being electrocuted in this manner often results in serious injuries, and in extreme cases, death. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 5 and 10 arc fault incidents occur in the United States every day. For this reason, there are strict regulations regarding the safety measures that must be taken to prevent arc flash hazards.<\/p><h2>What Are the Dangers of an Arc Flash?<\/h2><p>The surface of the sun is estimated to be about 9,932 \u00b0F. Temperatures of an arc flash can reach as high as 35,000 \u00b0F. In the presence of these extreme temperatures, clothing and skin can catch on fire almost instantly. There\u2019s also the risk of melted metal, lung, and eyesight damage.<\/p><h2>What Causes an Arc Flash?<\/h2><p>Arc flash is caused by several different factors, but chief among them is a spike of electricity, called a voltage transient, switching from reactive loads or lightning strikes. The flash can be incredibly brief \u2014 shorter than a few microseconds.<\/p><p>Other causes of an arc flash can include:<\/p><ul><li>Human error: touching a test probe to the wrong surface or dropped equipment<\/li><li>Condensation<\/li><li>Loose or worn-out connections or incorrectly installed parts<\/li><li>Gaps in the existing insulation<\/li><li>Dust<\/li><li>Corrosion<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-393a56a elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"393a56a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9b8b01e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9b8b01e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>How Are Arc Flash Injuries and Fatalities Prevented?<\/h2><p class=\"p2\">Due to the severity of arc flash injuries, OSHA stipulates strict precautions for preventing arc flash. Three main factors determine the severity of arc flash injuries:<\/p><ul class=\"ul1\"><li class=\"li2\">How close is the worker to the hazard?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li class=\"li2\">What was the temperature of the arc flash?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li class=\"li2\">How long did it take for the circuit to break?<\/li><\/ul><p class=\"p2\">With these questions in mind, workers are trained to understand specific approach boundaries around equipment that may carry the risk of arc flash incidents. The National Fire Protection Association breaks down the boundaries around equipment into four zones, including:<\/p><ul><li>Flash Protection Boundary (the outermost boundary)<\/li><\/ul><ul class=\"ul1\"><li class=\"li2\">Limited Approach<\/li><li class=\"li2\">Restricted Approach<\/li><li class=\"li2\">Prohibited Approach (the innermost boundary)<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p class=\"p4\">In addition to maintaining strict boundaries around hazardous equipment, electrical workers will also carry <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pioneerpwr.com\/resources\/ppe-for-arc-flash-workers\/\"><span class=\"s1\">personal protective equipment<\/span><\/a>, an Energized Work Permit, and insulated tools. Each worker will also receive a thorough job briefing and details of the written safety programs on site. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h2>Contact Us for Your Arc Flash Analysis<\/h2><p class=\"p2\">For more information about how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pioneerpwr.com\/articles\/an-ounce-of-prevention-how-arc-flash-studies-save-lives\/\"><span class=\"s1\">arc flash studies save lives<\/span><\/a>, OSHA electrical regulations, and our suite of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pioneerpwr.com\/services\/\"><span class=\"s1\">services<\/span><\/a>, don\u2019t hesitate to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pioneerpwr.com\/contact-us\/\"><span class=\"s1\">reach out to our team<\/span><\/a> today!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9a28aa5\" data-id=\"9a28aa5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-19d951e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"19d951e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pioneerpwr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Pioneer-Power-Group_2021_Infographic.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"410\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pioneerpwr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Pioneer-Power-Group_2021_Infographic-410x1024.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-604\" alt=\"What is arc Flash - basics of Arc Flash PDF\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pioneerpwr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Pioneer-Power-Group_2021_Infographic-410x1024.png 410w, https:\/\/www.pioneerpwr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Pioneer-Power-Group_2021_Infographic-120x300.png 120w, https:\/\/www.pioneerpwr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Pioneer-Power-Group_2021_Infographic.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 410px) 100vw, 410px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What Is an Arc Flash? Let\u2019s start at the basics of arc flash. What is an arc flash? An arc flash occurs when part of an electrical current diverts from its intended path and travels through the air between available conductors. Arc flash is a tremendous safety hazard for humans, as being electrocuted in this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":813,"parent":600,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-601","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n<title>What is Arc Flash? 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