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Importance of Arc Flash Analysis (“Arc Flash Loss Prevention”)

Importance of Arc Flash Analysis (“Arc Flash Loss Prevention”). Provides minimum requirements to prevent hazardous electrical exposures to personnel and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements applicable to electrical systems.

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Importance of Arc Flash Analysis (“Arc Flash Loss Prevention”)

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  1. Importance of Arc Flash Analysis(“Arc Flash Loss Prevention”) • Provides minimum requirements to prevent hazardous electrical exposures to personnel and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements applicable to electrical systems

  2. Regulatory Requirements (elements necessary for Worker Safety) • OSHA = Shall Provide Worker Safety • NFPA 70E = How to provide Worker Safety • Employer Responsibility = Execution • Focus on safety, promote training, use best practices

  3. Electrical Hazards Consist of: • Electric Shock • Arc Flash • Arc Blast • Other Hazards

  4. Electric Shock • An electric shock occurs when electric current passes through the body. This can happen when touching an energized part. If the electric current passes through the chest or head, death can result.

  5. Effects of Electrical Current in the Human Body • Below 1 milliampere: - Generally not perceptible • 1 milliampere: - Faint tingle • 5 milliamperes: - Slight shock felt; not painful but disturbing. Average individual can let go. Strong involuntary reactions can lead to other injuries. • 6–25 milliamperes (women): - Painful shock, loss of muscular control* • 9–30 milliamperes (men): - The freezing current or " let-go" range.* Individual cannot let go, but can be thrown away from the circuit if extensor muscles are stimulated. • 50–150 milliamperes: - Extreme pain, respiratory arrest, severe muscular contractions. Death is possible. • 1,000–4,300 milliamperes: - Rhythmic pumping action of the heart ceases. Muscular contraction and nerve damage occur; death likely. • 10,000 milliamperes: - Cardiac arrest, severe burns; death probable* If the extensor muscles are excited by the shock, the person may be thrown away from the power source.Source: W.B. Kouwenhoven, " Human Safety and Electric Shock," Electrical Safety Practices, Monograph, 112, Instrument Society of America, p. 93. November 1968.

  6. Arc Flash/Blast • An arc flash (also known as arc blast) is a sudden, explosive electrical arc that results from a short circuit through air. The air in the vicinity of an arc flash is heated to between 5,000 and 35,000 degrees in no more than 1/1000 of a second, becoming an electrically-conductive plasma. The sudden heating can cause a shock wave blast equivalent to several sticks of dynamite and carrying vaporized metal and shrapnel

  7. OSHA 1910.333 Potential for shock or other injury Working on or near live exposed parts Practices must be consistent with the extent of the hazard NFPA 70E 110.8 Requires deenergizing Requires worker to be qualified Requires hazard analysis Electrical work permit Safe Work Practices

  8. NFPA 70E Requirements for Working on or Near Live Parts • Perform Arc Flash Analysis • Select Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) • Complete Energized Electrical Work Permit • Complete Task Specific Training • Complete a job briefing session

  9. Arc Flash Analysis • Establish Shock Protection Boundary • (approach boundaries) – used to reduce shock hazard • Conduct Flash Hazard Analysis • Establish Flash Protection Boundary • Used to reduce arc flash hazards and may reduce arc blast hazards • Select Personal Protective Equipment • Analysis per NFPA 70E requires update every 5yrs

  10. Approach Boundary to Live Parts • Limited (42 in) • Restricted (12 in) • Prohibited (1 in) Based on system voltage = 480V NFPA 70E, Annex C, Figure C.1.2.4

  11. Flash Protection Boundaries (FPB) • Using NFPA 70E, the methods to determine FPB • Defaults (i.e. tables) • Perform Analysis that uses Calculation Methods

  12. Levels of Exposure

  13. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

  14. PPE • Designed to protect specific areas of the body • Eye Protection • Neck, Face, Head, Chin • Arm & Hand Protection • Body Protection • Leg & Foot Protection

  15. PPE - Gloves • Voltage rated gloves are REQUIRED for all voltage testing above 50 volts

  16. OSHA 1910.355(a) Employees exposed to potential electrical hazards shall use protective equipment that is appropriate for the specific areas of the body to be protected and for the work to be performed NFPA 70E 130.7 Provides standards for equipment Hazard Risk Table PPE Matrix Extensive detail for worker protection OSHA/NFPA 70EGeneral Industry Requirements • Protective Equipment

  17. OSHA Fines • For non-compliance, OSHA may audit a facility and issue fines • Most recently: U.S. Postal Service • $420,000 (pending) – single facility

  18. A Facility’s Electrical System • A facility’s electrical system operates as a single, dynamic system. Its performance is dependent on the properties of each component and the loads connected to it. • Many facilities expand project by project using different design and construction teams. Even though each specific project may be well planned and designed, it’s often the case that the area of work specific to the project is limited to only a portion of the existing electrical distribution system. • In addition, due to the need for maintenance and emergency repairs, system components are often replaced with devices that are different than originally installed due to availability and cost. • Because of these occurrences, it’s common that no one has an overall and complete understanding of the entire electrical system.

  19. Tools • Most firms that provide arc flash services utilize specially designed software for electrical system modeling in short circuit and arc flash studies. • Such as SKM Power System Tools

  20. Process/Approach to Complete a Study • As-built Documentation • The usual starting point is to gather all existing drawings an Owner has and sort it by location and date. (One-Line Documentation) • Verification • Survey each site and verify one-line documentation. Acquire missing info. • PD types/sizes/settings, cable lengths, Xfmr impedance values • Loading • Load the information into SKM and run Short Circuit, Coordination, Arc Flash

  21. Ex: How to Initiate a Study“Large School System”

  22. Herndon HS

  23. Cluster Analysis Approach • (5) field survey teams composed of (2) people each assigned to various sites within a cluster. All survey is schedule/time dependent. CLUSTER SITES PYRAMIDS TEAMEST. TIME (mo.) • C1 22 3A 8 - 12 • C2 283B10 - 12 • C3 273C9 - 11 • C4 28 3 D10 - 12 • C5 223E8 - 10 • Following C1-C5 • C6223A/E5 - 7 • C7 253C9 - 11 • C8 253 B/D 6 -8

  24. 1ST Step - Collect Hard Copy Data Existing Building Documents -Electrical One-Line Diagrams -Floor Plans -Maintenance Documents

  25. 2nd Step - Field Survey

  26. Types of Equipment Surveyed

  27. Gathering of InformationDuring Survey Process • Protective Device Information • Location, (Room/Panel/What’s it feeding?) • Make, Model, Manufacture • AIC and Trip Plug Rating • Settings

  28. 3rd Step - Load the Data • Build SKM One-Line Diagrams for each site • Verify accuracy of information • Acquire Utility Company contribution information • Run/Review Short Circuit Calculations • The maximum fault current can be calculated at each electrical buss in the system by knowing the properties of the power sources that will provide the current, and using the impedance values of the circuits that connect the busses • Understanding the “Duty Rating” of the equipment by comparing the available fault current to the rating of the “protective device”

  29. Build the Model in the Software

  30. Run a Short Circuit Study Compare Protective Device Ratings Breakers/fuses Against the available 3-phase and SLG Fault currents.

  31. Selective Coordination • In order to be assured that all over current protection devices are coordinated, it is necessary to look at the time vs. current characteristic of each device and compare it to the characteristics of any upstream devices.

  32. Coordination Example

  33. Poor Coordination Main Breaker Trips, Shutting Down the Entire Switchboard

  34. Adjustments to be Made • Settings • LTPU - Long time pick up • LTD – Long time delay • STPU – Short time Pickup • STD – Short time Delay • I²t – Short time delay bend • INST – Instantaneous • GFPU – Ground Fault Pick up • GFD – Ground Fault Delay • GFI²t – Ground Fault Delay bend

  35. Improved Coordination

  36. 4th Step - Arc Flash Evaluation • Arc Flash Evaluation • To calculate the available arc flash energy, it is necessary to perform a short circuit study to determine the magnitude of the current that will flow in a fault condition, and also a coordination study to determine the length of time it takes for an Over Current Protection Devices (OCPD) to clear the fault.

  37. Arc Flash Analysis

  38. Arc Flash Analysis

  39. 5th Step – Review Results/Recommendations • Reports are generated based Existing (as is) conditions. Identifies the problem areas with bad coordination and high incident energy categories • Reports are generated based on Recommendations (best scenario) to better coordinate devices and lower arc flash incident energy categories • Begin Training Process

  40. ON-SITE ELECTRICALSAFETY TRAINING • A balance of safety & technical training is essential for continuous improvement • Designed to protect lives, prevent disabling injuries, and prevent damage to your facility & equipment. • Personnel learn about personal safety for working on or around electrical systems • Understand the proper use of materials and procedures for doing electrical work • Hands-on practical instruction that they can immediately apply when they go back to their workplace • Who should be trained? Anyone who works on or around any electrically energized equipment

  41. Sample Arc Flash Label

  42. OSHA One who has received training in and has demonstrated skills and knowledge in the construction and operation of electric equipment and installations and the hazards involved. NFPA 70E Skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the equipment and has received safety training on the hazards involved. Definition Qualified Person

  43. Qualified Person • Are they qualified to be working on live exposed electrical parts?

  44. Perception of a Qualified Person • Licensed Electrician = qualified employee • Training Certificates • Years of Experience • “I have never been hurt”

  45. Summary • Don’t assume that a person is qualified • When in doubt, ask!!!! • Their qualifications can affect you, your co-workers, and your company, the facility, etc… • Best Practice: Whenever possible, work on electrical equipment de-energized • Remember, regulations are minimum requirements • Utilize best resources available • Develop a principle directive (Golden Rule!)

  46. Partial Client List • Health Care • Burlington Community Health Ctr. • Fanny Allen Hospital • Fletcher Allen Health Care • Littleton Hospital • University Health Care • University of Vermont, Given Medical • Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital • VA Hospital • Quick Facts • Established in 1981 • 75 employees • 4 office locations • Massachusetts • North Carolina • Vermont • Virginia • Multi-Disciplined Team • 25 Mechanical • 25 Electrical & Controls • 15 Instrument Technicians • 10 CAD/Admin • BioTech & Pharmaceutical • Astra Zeneca • Baxter Bioscience • Covidien • Genzyme • Johnson & Johnson • LifeNet • Lonza Biologics • Mylan Technologies • Novartis • Pfizer Global R&D • Siemens Medical Solutions • Stryker Biotech • Wyeth • Electrical systems design is at the core of our well established MEP firm. Leveraging our knowledge and expertise we can conduct arc flash analysis with precision, and provide recommendations based on our vast experience. • A comprehensive study of the electrical system can provide the Owner the necessary tools to predict possible system failures, as well as the data necessary for safety, maintenance, and future planning. Geographically Percent of fee revenue VT Region MA Region 40% 40% Services Percent of fee revenue 20% Engineering Commissioning 35% 30% Mid-Atlantic Region Markets Percent of fee revenue 35% Life Sciences, Health Care, R&D, Higher Education Industrial 15% 70% Systems Integration 15% Microelectronics

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