Is a Liscensed Elecrical Engineer REQUIRED to do an Arc Flash Study?

[Yoxtheimer]

I've seen comments that it IS required per OSHA 1910 (but I'm feeling blind and not seeing it), but I've also seen other companies (such as Easy Power I think) syaing that their software can do the calculations for Arc Flash studies as well.

Which is it?

In our main plant we have over 100 panels plus all the control cabinets, and I'm not 100% convinced that the last "study" was done correctly. About 8 years ago one of our electricians used a spreadsheet to do the "study".

Thanks.

Eric

 

[petersonra]

I've seen comments that it IS required per OSHA 1910 (but I'm feeling blind and not seeing it), but I've also seen other companies (such as Easy Power I think) syaing that their software can do the calculations for Arc Flash studies as well.

Which is it?

In our main plant we have over 100 panels plus all the control cabinets, and I'm not 100% convinced that the last "study" was done correctly. About 8 years ago one of our electricians used a spreadsheet to do the "study".

Thanks.

Eric

I don't know that it is required that it be done by a P.E. if it is for internal use.

i don't see anyway you can do it with a spreadsheet.

 

[GoldDigger]

I've seen comments that it IS required per OSHA 1910 (but I'm feeling blind and not seeing it), but I've also seen other companies (such as Easy Power I think) syaing that their software can do the calculations for Arc Flash studies as well.

Which is it?

In our main plant we have over 100 panels plus all the control cabinets, and I'm not 100% convinced that the last "study" was done correctly. About 8 years ago one of our electricians used a spreadsheet to do the "study".

Thanks.

Eric

The person doing the study has to be "qualified" to do it. That does not require a P.E. although as mentioned that may be an internal policy or a local regulation on engineering work.
By the same token, being a P.E. does not by itself make someone qualified.
The advantage of using a P.E. is that when they sign their study they are putting their license and insurance on the line that they believe that they are qualified.

The software may be usable by a qualified person to do the calculations. It does not make anyone who uses it qualified. You certainly have to know enough to enter the right values, and you may have to run several alternate calculations to find the worst case.

 

[mgookin]

When I was an AHJ and something similar would come up, I would look at whether a P.E. was required in the original design. For example if you want to add loads to a system, you're pretty much back to square one.

Here in FL you don't have to be a P.E. for under 600 amps residential and 1,000 amps commercial (I think I got those numbers right). If you want to modify that system, you need a P.E..

But you're talking about not doing work under a building code, just doing some calculations. Ask yourself this question "Is the Arc Flash Study required by code?" If yes, then a P.E. is required IMO. If the answer is no, and it's only required by an OSHA requirement and OSHA does not require a P.E., then you're on your own.

But having an outside professional do the work has its benefits when an adverse event happens. You can say you relied on an objective industry professional. Versus having to tell a jury you had your in-house whomever use a spreadsheet he found online way back when.

 

[Yoxtheimer]

Thanks for the replies.

In NFPA 70E 130.5 Arc Flash Hazard Analysis it states "An arc flash hazard analyisis shall determine the arc flash boundary, the incident energy at the working distance, and the personal protective equipment that people within the arc flash boundary shall use."

To me that sounds like a code requirement for an Arc Flash study (or is an analysis different?). Like I said I don't have a lot of faith in the previous study. All the panels came out with the same energy level. :blink:

I agree with the sentiment of using an outside professional for the liability issue (Your Honor the energy calculations were done by Mr. Ampere PE), but I would like to know if anyone else has seen the requirement for a liscensed electrical engineer in OSHA. This might give me some additional information when I'm evaluating whom to bring in for the analysis.

This is a quote from a service I was looking at:
"OSHA cfr29 ? 1910 Electrical Safety in the Workplace does as does many aspects of OSHA regulations require that life safety and other critical calculations and design input be done strictly under the supervision of a Licensed Professional Engineer. In this case and Electrical Engineer who is qualified to conduct an arc flash analysis. It is important to note, that many companies are attempting to conduct these analysis ?In-house? and inadvertently violate these requirements. Also, by assuming the projects accuracy ?In-house? is taking on a huge liability should a worker become injured in an electrical accident."

 

[ron]

Thanks for the replies.

In NFPA 70E 130.5 Arc Flash Hazard Analysis it states "An arc flash hazard analyisis shall determine the arc flash boundary, the incident energy at the working distance, and the personal protective equipment that people within the arc flash boundary shall use."

To me that sounds like a code requirement for an Arc Flash study (or is an analysis different?). Like I said I don't have a lot of faith in the previous study. All the panels came out with the same energy level. :blink:

Yox,

Requiring compliance with NFPA 70E is a round about process. It is not directly adopted by the jusrisdictions as a code.

It is only enforcable by OSHA, and even then it is only via the General Duty Clause. OSHA essentially has nothing to do with the AHJ.

 

[mayanees]

..... The advantage of using a P.E. is that when they sign their study they are putting their license and insurance on the line that they believe that they are qualified.

IN MY OPINION, and I'm a P.E. who does these Studies so it's certainly a biased opinion, but IMO performance of an arc flash analysis is the practice of electrical engineering. And in most/all states, the practice of engineering is restricted to licensed engineers.
Of course there will be exceptions, experts that don't have a PE license, who can perform the required power systems analysis.
But to add to GoldDigger's response, a PE is held to a Code of Ethics that leaves them subject to scrutiny by the State registration board. So you can go into it with an expectation that the Study will be performed to meet the latest code requirements, and hopefully with an expertise level that gives optimized device settings to provide adequate protection, reliable device coordination and the best arc flash settings to provide realistic PPE requirements. Because if it's not, the PE could face repercussions with the licensing board.
Beware though that anyone can buy the software and offer the Power System Fault, Coordination and Arc FLash Analysis. And they can have a PE license. But you don't want to be their first or second Study. Look for somebody who can show you a good experience base.

Much of the cost of doing the analysis is in the data collection, so if you've got a single-line diagram with device information, you'll find that the cost is not very significant when you get PEs bidding against each other.

.. JUST MY 2 CENTS