Nfpa 70e

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

Corey Zachel

Member
Location
Northwest Ohio
When is an arc flash study required? I have an existing client that said he was told by someone that an arc flash study was required on his facilities gear prior to renovation, $100K. I am looking for a reason or code sighting, but find no where it states it is a requirement for such a situation. I have not heard this before and wondered if it was a new business in town with scary solicitation.
 
NFPA 70E section 130.3 requires the arc flash hazard analysis to be updated when a major modification or renovation takes place.

Chris
 
The basic requirement is that each component (e.g., panel, switchboard, MCC) must have a label that tells the worker what the arc flash risk is, and what PPE is required, in order to perform any type of live work. Keep in mind that just opening the door is an evolution that presents a risk of causing an arc flash.

There are several ways to go about getting the information needed to create the arc flash labels. Depending on the size and complexity of the facility, it can take an extensive engineering study. But if, for the sake of discussion, there is an existing electronic analysis of the facility, something that has already captured the key facts (e.g., number and ratings of panels, sizes and lengths of feeders, models and settings of breakers), then the bulk of the engineering analysis work will have aready been done. On the other hand, if (for example) someone has to create a model from scratch, and has to find out what models of breakers are installed in all the distribution panels, then that effort will not be cheap.

Without knowing anything at all about the facility, I cannot begin to guess how much an analysis might cost. I will say, however, that when I saw the $100K figure, I cringed. That just seems way, way too high.
 
charlie b said:
...when I saw the $100K figure, I cringed. That just seems way, way too high.
Click to expand...
Hard to tell.
I have quoted and performed many studies in this price range.
Entire existing facilities can be very time consuming, we often see +50% of dollars just going to data collection.
 
When is an Arc Flash Analysis Required: OSHA or Code Requirement?

When is an Arc Flash Analysis Required: OSHA or Code Requirement?

Good question. Tough answer:

OSHA requires two basic things:
1) To keep the workplace "free from recognized hazards."

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_id=3359&p_table=OSHACT

2) To assess reasonable hazards. See OSHA's appendix. You don't have to use it BUT you must do something reasonable. (NFPA 70E would be considered a reasonable assessment with the table method and/or arc flash calculations.)

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10120

NEC (The Code)
The 2008 current version states the following:
?110.16 Flash Protection. Electrical equipment, such as switchboards, panelboards, industrial control panels, meter socket enclosures, and motor control centers, that are in other than dwelling occupancies, and are likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized shall be field marked to warn qualified persons of potential electric arc flash hazards. The marking shall be located so as to be clearly visible to qualified persons before examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance of the equipment.
FPN No. 1: NFPA 70E-2004, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, provides assistance in determining severity of potential exposure, planning safe work practices, and selecting personal protective equipment.
FPN No. 2: ANSI Z535.4-1998, Product Safety Signs and Labels, provides
guidelines for the design of safety signs and labels for application to products."

So some type of labeling is required by code but not mandatory to have a specific label. FPN as all of you guys know is non-mandatory but "recommended". It is tough to argue against FPN's in a jury trial but government folks will often accept that argument. I think doing a good assesssment is key to protecting folks.
 
thanks for your thoughts. I believe it is an out of date and code system they keep trying to expand and work with knowing it needs to be replaced. We will inspect the entire system and assemble a bid package that brings it up to code. I suspected it was a gut and replace by the construction budget planned.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top