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Author: Khered, Mohammed O.

Title: Arc Flash Safety in Company XYZ

The accompanying research report is submitted to the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Graduate School in partial

completion of the requirements for the

Graduate Degree/ Major: MS Risk Control

Research Advisor: John Dzissah, Ph.D.

Submission Term/Year: Spring 2016

Number of Pages: 52

Style Manual Used: American Psychological Association, 6th edition

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I attest that the research report is my original work (that any copyrightable materials have been used with the permission of the original authors), and as such, it is automatically protected by the laws, rules, and regulations of the U.S. Copyright Office.

My research advisor has approved the content and quality of this paper. STUDENT:

NAME: Mohammed Khered DATE: 5/3/2016

ADVISOR: (Committee Chair if MS Plan A or EdS Thesis or Field Project/Problem):

NAME: Dr. John Dzissah DATE: 5/3/2016

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Khered, Mohammed O. Arc Flash Safety in Company XYZ

Abstract

For more than a century, one of the sole responsibilities of the National Safety Council has been

to a reinforce workplace safety. No matter the size of a company or an industry, employers have

a responsibility regarding their employees’ safety and protection. The legislation providing

safety in the workplace is on Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Acts2005 and 2010. This

regulation applies to all employers and their employees, including temporary, self-employed and

fixed-term at their work places. This act strives to protect the rights and obligations of both

employees and company owners and also seeks to ensure the proper penalties and fines have for

breaches to this legislation. This paper seeks to investigate the safety issues surrounding XYZ

and the steps taken by the management to ensure that all employee’ health and safety concepts

are protected. Using direct observation, the data collected and analyzed will help shed some light

in the risk assessment and control methods used by XYZ Company. This analysis will also show

the effectiveness of XYZ’s health and safety procedures.

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Acknowledgments

Firstly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my father, mother, and

wife for the continuous support of my study and research, for their patience and

motivation. Finally, I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. John Dzissah, for his guidance

and immense knowledge.

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Table of Contents

Abstract ............................................................................................................................................2

Chapter I: Introduction .....................................................................................................................6

Statement of the Problem .....................................................................................................8

Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................9

Assumptions of the Study ..................................................................................................10

Definition of Terms............................................................................................................10

Limitations of the Study.....................................................................................................11

Methodology ......................................................................................................................11

Chapter II: Literature Review ........................................................................................................13

Understanding Arc Flash ...................................................................................................13

OSHA’s Code Description .................................................................................................14

Figure 1: NFPA Approach Boundaries ..............................................................................15

Table 1: Showing the Arc Flash Category Levels .............................................................19

Chapter III: Methodology ..............................................................................................................23

Subject Selection and Description .....................................................................................23

Data Collection ..................................................................................................................23

Data Analysis .....................................................................................................................24

Figure 2: Risk Management Process..................................................................................25

Limitations .........................................................................................................................28

Summary ............................................................................................................................30

Chapter IV: Results ........................................................................................................................32

Demographic ......................................................................................................................32

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Item Analysis .....................................................................................................................32

Figure 3: Warning Signs at XYZ .......................................................................................34

Table 2: Showing Arc Flash Requirements for All Industries ...........................................35

Chapter V: Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendation ...........................................................40

Discussion ..........................................................................................................................40

Table 3: Summary of Arc Flash Hazard Analysis .............................................................41

Conclusions ........................................................................................................................43

Recommendations ..............................................................................................................46

References ......................................................................................................................................51

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Chapter I: Introduction

Over the last few decades, business owners and managers have realized the importance of

implementing risk control measures in their companies and businesses. Companies have in the

past lost millions of dollars in claims especially in instances where an employee gets injured

while on the job. To avoid this, most companies have put in place risk assessment and control

strategies to protect both the company and its employees. Reason (1997) defines risk control as

the process in which risk factors are identified, analyzed and responded to. Its main objective is

to control possible future occurrences and ensuring that they do not deflect the success of a

business.

Occupational health and safety commonly known as safety at work is a field dealing with

health, safety and the welfare of individuals engaged in an employment. Its goals include

fostering a healthy and safe work environment for both the business owners and the employees.

Some companies’ workplace health and safety (WHS) protocols cover family members,

customers and other individuals who might be impacted by the workplace surrounding. In the

United States, this term covers safety activities inside and outside of work. Using the common

jurisdiction, employers are responsible for the provision of care and safety of their employees. In

some cases, statute law may be used to impose more responsibilities, introduce specific

obligations and give government bodies the power to regulate safety issues at the workplace.

Details concerning this may be different from jurisdiction to another.

Arc flash or flash over as it is sometimes called is an electrical explosion resulting from a

low connection going through air to the ground or any other voltage phase in electrical systems.

An arc flash is the heat and flash that comes from an electric arc which is if supplied with

enough electrical energy can cause injury, harm or fire. In a situation where an unmanaged arc

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appears (forms) at high voltages, especially in areas when a huge number of supply wires are

used, arc flashes produce loud deafening noises, rise in temperatures hotter than the surface of

the sun, radiation with the capability of melting anything near and strong supersonic forces.

Temperatures caused by arc flashes can get to 35,000°F at the terminals. The amount of energy

produced can quickly melt the metal conductors used, blasting through molten metal and easily

expanding with an unimaginable outward force. A simple arc flash incident may not pose any

serious threat but it can easily lead to a serious explosions. The magnitude of these explosions

could serious destruction to the involved equipment, injury and/or fire not only to the employees

but also the bystanders.

More than a decade ago, the United States’ congress passed the Occupational Safety and

Health Act while responding to the increasing number of safety issues at workplaces. The

legislation was responsible for the creation and implementation of OSHA and provided US

workers with the basic right to safe and healthy work environments. Today, because of improved

safe conditions of America’s work environments, employees productivity levels have improved

compared to fifty years ago. Before, more than 38 deaths were reported daily in workplaces.

Today, even though the workforce is twice as large, the number of reported deaths has dropped

to twelve. The Department of Labor under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(OSHA) is responsible for regulating Safety and Health condition of all companies. Almost all

employees in the United States are under the jurisdiction of OSHA with a few exceptions such as

some transportation workers, self-employed workers and some employees in the public sector.

Considering the magnitude of the health and safety issues surrounding arc flash, XYZ’s

management understands how vulnerable their workers are. Fires and injuries caused by

explosion may cause serious health issues and in some cases death. With this in mind, they have

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implemented several health and safety protocols to protect both the employees and the company

in general. XYZ’s personnel are required by the management regulations to wear personal

protective equipment (PPE). They are also required to de-energize all equipment powered by

electricity when using it. The most effective risk control measure used by these employees is

remote tracking. Remote tracking refers to the process of an employee standing away from the

electrical equipment and operating remotely. XYZ has adhered to OSHA’s regulation regarding

arc flash by providing its employees with proper protective gear, equipment and tools. It is

mandatory for all XYZ’s employees to wear these protective gears while working in heat stress

conditions. Also, warning signs have been placed on strategic places and XYZ has complied with

the NFPA 70E-2004. Employees have been trained on how to handle electrical equipment and

most of this equipment has insulated hand tools.

These protocols ensure that in the event of an accident or death caused by arc flash in

XYZ’s facility, those involved will be taken care of both medically and legally. These measures

ensure that XYZ’s employees get immediate medical attention and insurance compensations that

cover their families as well. These protocols protect XYZ from lawsuits emanating from

negligence and endangering the lives of its employees as well as getting insurance

compensations for any company equipment destroyed in the explosions. This measure has put

XYZ’s employees at ease knowing that in the event that they are involved in an accident at work,

they will be taken care of by the company’s insurance and medical cover.

Statement of the Problem

A few years ago, XYZ management started looking at and re-evaluating its security state.

Several cases of arc flash had been reported and the management realized that if they did not act

on it, it would lead to more serious damages, injuries including fatalities. The main objective of

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this review was to ensure this company’s employees were safe and protected from all harm. It

was also to ensure that XYZ was in compliance with the OSHA Act. The risk assessment helped

XYZ to start and immediate implementation of a risk control system in the facility. To ensure

consistency of the security measures in the company, the management insured all company

employees, installed CCTV cameras in all offices and work areas, introduced color coded work

identification cards, conducted a thorough inspection of all company and scheduled subsequent

inspections- to be carried out after every three months. XYZ also arranged for the members to

meet with a reputable law firm and learn about their health and safety rights while in the

company’s environment. Employees were informed of their rights, and the legal obligations their

employers had to them as well as strategies that would protect them from the hazards associated

with arc flashes. They also hired attorneys to handle lawsuits and settlement claims regarding

health and safety by the employees.

Purpose of the Study

Different companies in the United States have different health and safety protocols meant

to protect the company as well as its employees. The US Department of Labor (DOL) is

responsible for the administration and reinforcement of regulations enacted to protect the health

and safety of all workers in the United States. This research paper focuses on the existing OSHA

Arc Flash protocols presents at XYZ and what the management has done to ensure that this

measures are followed by the employees. It will also determine the effectiveness and how the

employers and the employees have benefited from these protocols. This paper will also examine

how much investment has been put towards XYZ’s Arc Flash health and safety protocols and

how this is impacting its business operation. Lastly, this paper will determine if any changes are

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needed on the Arc Flash safety protocols of XYZ and also give recommendations on the best

safety protocols to be embraced by this company

Assumptions of the Study

In this paper, it is assumed that the management did not change its way of conducting

business during data collection in order to appear concerned with employees’ safety than it

normally is. It is therefore assumed that the data collected and analyzed was the truth and the

results show the true position of the Arc Flash related health and safety measures of XYZ.

Definition of Terms

In order to fully understand it is important for employers and well as their employees to

understand the terms used. Several terms have been used in concerning workplace health. They

include:

Arc flash. Arc Flash is an undesired electricity discharge going through the air between

conductors.

Risk. Risk is any situation exposing someone to danger.

Risk control. Risk control is a method that uses findings from the identification of

potential losses in a company and implements policies that help to reduce the probability of this

losses from happening.

Workplace Health and Safety. Commonly referred to as occupational health and safety,

workplace health and safety is a policy concerned with the safety welfare of employees in the

workplaces.

Insurance. Insurance is an arrangement in which an organization or a company

guarantees a compensation for a specific illness, harm or death.

Attorney. An attorney is an individual appointed to represent another in legal issues.

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Compensation. Compensation mostly refers to the money awarded to another as a re-

compensation for an injury, suffering or loss incurred.

Limitations of the Study

Considering that the data was analyzed using direct observation in this paper, not much

time was used in collecting all the necessary information to make the study cohesive. Also, this

method of data collection could not determine the opinions of other important parties, for

example, the employees. Direct observation could also not tell any past safety occurrences and

the impacts they had to the company. The observer was unemployed and lacked enough travel

funds to visit XYZ multiple times. It was also difficult to explore the actual causes of the

behaviors exhibited over the time the researcher spend at XYZ. It was difficult to determine if

the observations made were truly a representative of what usually occurs. Lastly, the presence of

an observer Vis a Vis an event to happen is unlikely and this worked as a disadvantage to the

observer

Methodology

To collect the necessary data needed to complete this project, the researcher used direct

observation. Direct observation is a type of non-experimental, correlational research technique

where the researcher watches an activity or a behavior from its natural setting. This simply is an

act of studying behaviors happening in their natural context. This method of data collection was

chosen by the researcher because it is almost for those under observation to manipulate the

variables. Direct observation gives the correct measurements of what a behavior is really like.

The researcher spent fourteen days at the XYZ facility. This time was used for observing

and analyzing the necessary information needed to complete this research paper. Data was

collected without the observer participating in XYZ’s business activities. The behavior around

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XYZ remained unchanged on those fourteen days giving the data analysis a high measurement of

validity. To avoid being bias, the observer was unobtrusive. The researcher did not comment or

offer any kind of advice concerning the security state of XYZ. Data was collected from security

meetings, joining XYZ’s security team when conducting security surveys, watching the

employees in their various work stations, observing the security measures in place and so forth.

The management gave the researcher permission to video record daily activities around the

company. This data was analyzed after the observation process was completed.

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Chapter II: Literature Review

Workplace Health and Safety has for years been one of the most vital components of any

business organizations. Under the OSHA act, all employers are responsible for the safety of their

employees in the workplace. Employers therefore have to put in place strategic missions by

setting and enforcing risk control standards in the company. In his article The manager’s guide to

health and safety at work, Stranks says that business owners and company managers should

implement a company mission which sets and enforces the required health and safety

requirements by providing education, outreach, assistance and education concerning their health

and safety rights as employees(Stranks, 2006). Ender agrees with this statement and adds that all

companies’ health and safety protocol must comply with the General Duty Clause of OSHA act

which states that all workplaces must be free from recognized and serious hazards(Ender, 2013).

Under this Act, employers must report all injuries and fatalities to OSHA.

Understanding Arc Flash

By definition, Arc flash is the heat and light produced from an electrical arc which is

supplied with enough electrical current to cause a substantial amount of harm, damage, fire,

injury and/or fatalities of those around. When properly controlled, electrical arc produce bright

light used on enclosed arc lamps and open electrodes. This light is also used for plasma cutting

and welding, as well as other industrial applications. Arcs used in welding can easily turn solid

steel into liquid.

An Arc flash can be caused by several factors including, dropping tools, dust, material

and equipment failure, condensation, accidental touching and sometimes even faulty installation.

The severity of arc flash blast is determined by the temperatures and the proximity of an

individual to the blast. Because of the temperatures and the force involved in an Arc flash,

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injuries and damage incurred from such an accident is most of the times quite severe. Most

people involved in Arc flash accidents end up dead or seriously injured. Arc flash can cause

burns on workers with no proper FR clothing since any other type of clothing quickly burns onto

the skin. Also, fires can easily travel from one building to another through molten pipes and

metal causing a lot of lose and damage. Temperatures emanating from Arc blasts which are

higher than the surface of the sun can liquefy (vaporize) any metals such as aluminum, steel

equipment and copper. These metals expand as they change from solid to vapor. The result is an

explosive pressure wave which can easily knock off anything close. The sound accompanying

such kind of pressure can rupture eardrums leading to hearing problems. The light produced

from such a blast can cause temporary and sometimes permanent blindness. All these will

eventually lead to equipment damage and loss, workers’ injuries and fatalities.

OSHA’s Code Description

The 2008 National Electrical Code, Section 110.16 requires all electrical materials and

equipment to be appropriately marked warning the handlers and employees of potential arc flash

hazards. To accurately evaluate the hazards and dangers associated with arc flash hazards

precautions must be quantified. Incident energy is the measure that has been developed and is

used to access arc flash incidences in an organization. Incident energy is measured on the surface

of a specific working distance from the arc’s location. For electric equipment with low voltage,

the distance is usually 24 inches which is an approximate length of the human arm (arm length of

a typical employee). Cm2/Cal are the units used to calculate and quantify thus energy.

Other factors affecting incident energy is a flash even is the available short circuit

current, cable size and length, overcurrent protective devices their settings. Device setting

influences the fault’s duration for a specific value of the arc fault current.

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In order to figure out the specific arc flash hazard in given electrical equipment within a

company, an arc flash study must be carried out. There are numerous available software

packages which can be used by a qualified electrical engineer. To carry out an arc flash study, a

co-ordination and short circuit study must be carried out. The results of this study are very useful

to the engineer. These results will categorize the potential hazard of a specific equipment based

on the incident energy. It also identifies the Arc flash Protection Boundary, which states that PPE

must be worn always. According to the Arc Flash Protection Boundary, all employees must wear

proper protective clothing or PPE (personal protective energy). The main aim of personal

protective energy is to lessen the numbers and severity of the burns which are caused by Arc

flash accidents to 2nd degree or less (survivable level).

Figure 1. NFPA approach boundaries.

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The National Fire Protection Association has over the years developed an approach

designed to protect workers working with or close to energized materials and equipment. These

boundaries include (Figure 1):

1. Flash Protection Boundary outer boundary: it is the outermost boundary and also the

farthest from the source of the energy. When an arc flash occurs, employees in this

region will be exposed to a less dangerous and curable second degree burns. The only

issue in this region is the amount of heat produced resulting to burns.

2. Limited approach: this approach is limited to a distance from the exposed live part

where the hazard exists.

3. Restricted Approach: this is an approach limited to a distance from the location of an

exposed live part where there is an increased risk.

4. Prohibited approach also called inner boundary: also known as the inner boundary,

the prohibited approach is the distance from the exposed part which is generally

considered as making direct contact with the live part.

Precautions. In order to avoid Arc Flash incidences, a few precautions need to be

observed. These precautions include switching.

Most Arc flash accidents happen during switching on electrical circuits and in most cases

tripped circuit breakers. Tripped circuit breakers mostly indicate faults in the electrical line from

the panel. This fault must first be isolated before power is switched on or an arc flash incidence

can easily occur. Tiny arcs form around switches when contacts touch and can therefore provide

a perfect place for the development of an arc flash. When the voltage is high and the wires that

lead to the fault are big enough to give way to substantial amount of energy wave, the possibility

of an arc flash forming in the panel when the breaker is on is very high. Circuit breakers are

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mostly the vital protection against electrical current runaway, especially if no secondary fuses are

in place. This means if an arc flash form in a breaker, nothing can be done to stop the flash from

spreading. Once a flash starts in a breaker, it can migrate to the panel busbars fast, giving way to

the flow of high energy. Precautions therefore need to be observed when switching on circuit

breakers. These precautions may involve:

Standing to the side when switching the circuit breakers to keep the body out of the

way

Wearing protective attire

Turning off electrical equipment, panels and circuits before switching

In addition to the temperatures, light and the concussive forces, arc flash also produces a

cloud of plasma and ionized particles (Das, 2012). In case an individual inhales this ionized gas,

it can cause dangerous and deadly as the poisonous gases burns to the lungs and the airways. The

plasma which in this situation will be charged may be attracted to metals such as earrings, keys,

jewelry, glass frames worn by those in the vicinity. Those responsible for switching on circuit

breakers should remember to remove jewelry, belts and any other metals from their bodies and

clothes. They should also hold their breath and shut their eyes for a few seconds. Most of the

time an arc flash forms in switches that are closed slowly by allowing enough time for an arc to

form in the contacts. Employees are advised to use fast motion when switching on.

Protecting the personnel. In most companies, health and safety strategies are not limited

to the employees. These protocols protect any visitors, clients, employers, stakeholders and anyone

who can come to any sort of harm while in the establishment.

There are several methods of protecting individuals from hazards caused by arc flash.

OSHA Act requires all employees to wear PPE (personal protective equipment) when working

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with or handling electrical equipment. Apart from PPE, electrical equipment can be modified and

designed in a way that t reduces the occurrence and/or the effects of arc flash. The best way to

prevent arc flash is to ensure that all electrical equipment has been de-energized before handling

or working with them. However, de-energizing electrical equipment frequently raises the

probability of an arc flash incidence. In this case, the best solution is for the employee to stand at

a distance from the electrical device and this can be attained by operating the machine remotely

in process known as remote tracking.

Arc flash protection equipment. In some cases, the amount of heat delivered in a long

duration of time may have no impact at all on the integrity of the fabric while at the same time- a

limited amount of heat delivered at a short time may melt or set a fabric on fire. With the

increased awareness on the hazards associated with arc flash, many companies have offered to

make personal protective equipment to help protect individuals from arc flash. The materials

used to make these equipment are tested for their arc rating. Arc rating can be defined as the

maximum incident energy demonstrated before break open or necessary to pass through leading

to 50% second degree burns (Young, 2007).

Selection of the necessary PPE, given the responsibilities it has is mostly handled in one

of two ways. The first method is by consulting a hazard category classification table. A section

of this table lists various electrical tasks by different voltages and recommends for PPE to be

worn around electrical equipment. The second method is by selecting PPE to do an arc flash

calculation to find out the amount of arc energy present. Once the calculation is completed, the

results will give the details for the correct assembling of the proper PPE that will offer the proper

protection. Lowering the severity and frequency of the arc flash incidences should be the first

priority and this can be achieved by completing an arc flash assessment and by using the

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technological applications such as high resistance grounding. This application has been proven to

lower the severity and frequency of arc flash incidences.

Table 1

Showing the Arc Flash Category Levels

Incident Energy (cal/cm2) Hazard Category

0 to 1.2 0

1.2 to 4 1

4 to 8 2

8 to 25 3

25 o 40 4

Lowering hazards by design. Doan and Daniel argue that there are three factors that

determine the intensity of an arc flash on employee (Doan, 2010). These factors include the

quantity of the available fault in the system, the time available until the fault is cleared and the

distance between an individual and the fault arc flash. Several equipment and design

configurations can be chosen to reduce this arc flash hazard.

Fault currents can be reduced by using limiting equipment, for example, fuses and ground

resistors. If the fault is at 5 amperes, most likely the fault will self- extinguish and therefore will

not propagate into a phase fault.

Arcing period can be lowered by putting up upstream protective equipment which lower

the set point over maintenance period or by simply employing zone-selective interlock protection

to delay tripping periods (Wilson,R.A 2007) In other words, circuit faults are stopped and

cleared by the breaker close to the fault therefore lowering the impacts on the whole system.

Arcing time can be reduced significantly by the detection of arc flash light. Optimal detection is

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usually accompanied by overcurrent information (Zeller, 2008). Current and light based

protection can be built with arc flash relays protecting them or by the use of normal protective

relays mounted with an arc flash option. However, the most effective way of lowering the arcing

period to by using an arc eliminator which extinguishes an arc flash in a less than a second.

The radiant energy produced by an arc flash can permanently injure or kill and individual

at a distance of more than 6 meters. Statistics show that an unprotected individual at the flash

protection zone has a 50% chance of getting second degree burns. Those with the responsibility

of conducting a flash hazard analyses should determine what PPE should be worn in the flash

protection zone. Author Furtak and Silesky in their article Evaluation of Onset to Second degree

Burn Energy in Arc Flash argue that robots and remote operators should be used to undertake

activities with a high risk for arc incidences. These activities may include inserting circuit

breakers on live electrical buses. Remote racking systems should be put in place to keep

employees and machine operators outside the dangerous arc flash zone (Furtak, 2012).

The institute of Electrical and Electronics (IEEE) and the NFPA (National Fire Protection

Association) have recently come together to raise enough money towards research and testing of

understanding the issues surrounding arc flash. The outcomes of this collaboration will give

information which will help in improving electrical safety guidelines and standards, predict

accidents associated with arc flash and give practical safety protocols for employees in their

workplaces.

OSHA’s rules and guidelines concerning arc flash. Under the rules and regulations of

OSHA, all electrical equipment should be marked with a clear flash hazard warning. This

information should include the equipment’s voltage, wattage, current and other essential

information. It is believed that this information together with proper training will give employees

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the information they need to protect themselves from arc flash accidents. Additionally, under

OSHA, all employers are required to use alerting methods such as barricades, attendants, safety

tags and signs to warn and protect workers from arc flash accidents which may endanger their

lives.

Arc flash accidents and hazards are discussed in the OSHA safety work standards. For

instance, the provisions for the Selection and use of work practices which is under

1910.333(a)(1) requires de-energization of live electrical machines before the employee handles

or works with them. This means that employees must ensure that the equipment is safe to get

close to or work with by de-energizing the equipment’s live parts. This act reduces the chances

of burns by lowering the chances of employee exposure to arc flash hazards. This is because

exposure is significantly limited when the machine is shut down and when a qualified

professional verifies that the equipment is safe to work with.

Under section 1910.333 (a)(1) all tools and handling equipment must be properly

insulated. This helps reduce the likelihood of an injury brought about by a blast. Arc flash

accidents are also addressed under 1910.335 (a)(1), safeguards for personal protection. It is a

requirement of all workers to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect the eyes and

face whenever there is a possibility of any harm to the face from electrical arcs or flying objects

as a result of an explosion. Additionally, section 1910.335 (a)(2)(ii) argues that all personnel

should wear barriers or insulating equipment to protect them from burns, shocks and other

hazards associated with energy exposure. OSHA recommends that all employers should contact

consensus standards, for example, NFPA 70E-2004, to help identify safety procedures that

should be used to comply or supplement the requirements under OSHA.

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Where there are no OSHA regulations, employers are still under the obligation of

Occupational Safety and Healthy Act of 1970. Just like OSHA this act protects and safeguards

the health and safety concepts of the employees.

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Chapter III: Methodology

Accidents caused by arc flash cause unimaginable harm to those close as well a lot of

damage to companies and their electrical equipment. During last five years, XYZ experienced a

series of explosions caused by electrical faults. Upon investigation, it was determined that these

explosions were as a result of arc flash. The company lost thousands of dollars in mechanical,

electrical and equipment repair and replacement. In one of these incidents, two XYZ employees

were critically injured in the explosion. As a result, the management saw the necessity of

evaluating its risk control protocols to prevent a reoccurrence of the same catastrophic event.

Subject Selection and Description

Any electrician will agree that an arc flash explosion is one of the most dangerous

accidents known to man. It can lead to people getting hurt, damage of equipment and building

not to mention a high chance of fatalities. Statistics have shown that arc flash kills two people in

the United States daily. It has also been noted that arc flash causes 1000 more injuries than shark

attacks. It is unbelievable that people are warned about shark attacks but not much is said about

arc flash fatalities. It was for this reason that the researcher chose to research on the concept of

arc flash with the aim of gaining more understanding on the subject. XYZ Company seemed to

be a perfect place to base the research study on since the company had been affected by arc flash

explosion and was finding ways of protecting its businesses and its employees from future

similar attacks.

Data Collection

For data collection, the researcher chose direct observation. Direct observation was

preferred as a method of data collection because it did not involve interviews and/or filling

questionnaires. Also, since data analysis would depend on what the researcher had observed it

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meant that a lot of time would not be wasted perusing through questionnaires and interview

questions. Direct observation was also chosen because the analysis would depend on what the

researcher had observed in the work environment. This was helpful considering human behavior

could not be altered as easily as data recorded in questionnaires, interview papers and other

research instruments. The management also allowed the researcher to video record equipment

installation and security meeting proceedings. The researcher was given access to health and

security protocols in all departments. This freedom was extended to the archives, record stores

and computer files with any information concerning the health and security protocols of XYZ.

These documents included the previous risk control protocols as well as the ongoing security

designs aimed at dealing with arc flash. After two weeks, the researcher had collected enough

data and was ready to analyze the following observations:

1. Risk of theft

2. Lack of proper firefighting equipment

3. Very few emergency exits

4. No smoke detectors

5. PPE not used when working with electrical equipment

6. Employees didn’t read signs of danger level

7. Tools exposed to energized areas

8. Insurance coverage for company and employees

Data Analysis

XYZ management understands the importance of hazard and risk control. For the last

seven years, it has invested a lot in the state of the art risk control methods. XYZ’s security team

defines Risk Management as the identification, assessment and the prioritization of risks. This

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definition is well illustrated in a diagram which clearly outlines the risk management process

(Figure 2).

Figure 2. Risk management process.

In order to fully grasp the security protocols observed by XYZ, the researcher sought to

understand the various risks facing this company. Investigation revealed that one of the greatest

risks facing XYZ was theft. The previous explosions had been caused by missing electrical wires

and small electrical appliances such as circuit breakers. Also, the previous head of the security

team would order for cheap and counterfeited electrical appliances with the aim of cutting costs.

To curb theft in the company, the management installed close circuit cameras at strategic

locations. It was easy to monitor the activities of the employees in the various work stations. The

company also introduced automated employee job cards. Using these computerized cards, it was

easy to tell the exact location of all employees at all times.

The second risk faced by XYZ was lack of proper firefighting equipment. The fire

explosions had been severe because XYZ lacks proper and enough equipment such as fire

RISK MANAGEMENT

Risk identification

Risk Analysis

Risk Evaluation

Risk Handling

Monitor and

Review

26

blankets and emergency litter. They depended on the services of fire fighters who in most cases

would take long to get to the company. To deal with this risk, the management had ordered 120

fire extinguishers and more than 300 fire blankets. However, it was noted that even though the

company had invested a lot of capital in these fire-fighting equipment, most members of the team

did not know how to operate these equipment. This means that in the case of an explosion, the

employees will not be in a position to use this equipment and save themselves as well as the

company.

Another risk the researcher noticed was that, XYZ had very few emergency exits. For a

company with over 500 employees, this company has only three emergency exits. This means

that in the case of a fire emergency, most employees would be trapped inside the building. This

also means in the event of an attack, many people would be trampled running for the three exit

emergency doors.

XYZ Company does not have smoke detectors. A smoke detector is a device that issues a

visual or audible alarm in the presence of smoke. Statistics have shown that over 60% of fire

accidents occur in establishments without fire alarm detectors. Additionally, more people die in

establishments without fire detectors. The lack of fire detectors in XYZ means that in cases of

fire explosions, it would be impossible for the employees to run for safety in time.

According to OSHA rules and regulations, all employees handling or rather working with

electrical equipment should always be in personal protective gear. This is to protect them from

the high temperatures and also their skin from burns in case of a fire explosion. Upon

investigation, data revealed that even though XYZ’s rules and regulations clearly stipulated that

all employees should be in their PPE when working with the electrical equipment, many

employees were reluctant to follow this rules. This was because the management never

27

questioned them and also these employees did not understand the importance of PPE. During the

last arc flash episodes, lack of proper PPE had led to injuries and the hospitalization of two XYZ

employees.

Being an electrical company, XYZ has a lot of electrical equipment worth millions of

dollars. According to OSHA’s guidelines, all electrical equipment should be well labeled with

hazard warning signs about the equipment’s wattage, voltage, current and any other important

information. It is OSHA’s believe this will help provide employees with the necessary

information needed to protect themselves from arc flash hazards. Looking at XYZ’s electrical

equipment, the researcher realized that its electrical equipment was well labeled. It had all

necessary well labeled information concerning arc flash hazards. However, most XYZ

employees did not take time to read this signs and therefore they had no idea the level of danger

most of this equipment posed. During one of the security meetings, it was noted that these

employees never read the equipment warning labels. This posed a risk of some electrical

equipment with the wrong voltage, current and so forth.

XYZ tools and handling equipment are well insulated and in accordance with the

OSHA’s regulations. Research findings showed that employees working in energized circuits

used tools that had exposed energized areas and the likelihood of coming into direct contact with

their arms was high. This equipment were well insulated reducing the likelihood of injuries

emanating from arc blasts.

After the three previous explosions, XYZ management engaged the services of an outside

security contractor to investigate the cause(s) of these explosions. The security contractor

revealed that even though XYZ had the proper electrical equipment, most of it was covered in

dirt, dust and several other impurities. The investigator further revealed that most of this

28

equipment had been wrongly installed and some of it had gone through some substantial level of

wear and tear. He concluded that the explosions had been caused mostly by gaps and breaks in

the electrical and equipment insulation. The management admitted that it had been a while since

their electrical equipment had been investigated. This means that the management had no idea

about the conditions of their equipment. They did not realize how faulty the equipment were and

the dangers the workers had been exposed to. The investigator revealed that all findings showed

that the arc flash explosions had been caused by faulty equipment installation and worn out

electrical wires.

Lastly, it was noted that XYZ had an insurance cover on the company and the employees.

They had insured their equipment, the company as well as their employees. The insurance policy

stated that XYZ would be liable to payment in case of damage, injury or death caused by

accidental arc flash attacks. The word accidental meant that XYZ would not receive any kind of

payment if these arc flash explosions were caused by aspects such as negligence. Considering the

revelations made by the security investigator, it means that XYZ would not receive any payment

from the insurance policy since these explosions were as a result of gross negligence on the part

of the management. This would be quite a blow on the financial status of this company since it

would cater for its own repairs, replacement of damaged equipment, hospital bills for the two

injured employees as well as their compensations since their injuries were incurred at work.

Limitations

This research study was faced by several limitations. They include:

Lack of sufficient funds: as mentioned earlier, the researcher is a student with no

dependable source of income. The researcher had to commute daily to XYZ offices

from his home. This led to the usage of a substantial amount of money on

29

transportation. Also the researcher had to purchase a video recorder, a camera and

other utilities needed for the completion of this project. All this acted as limitations

for this study.

Time: the researcher had only fourteen days to collect all the data needed to complete

this paper. Considering direction observation was the only data collection method

used, fourteen days was a very short time. XYZ had a lot of security issues and data

to be collected and analyzed.

Collection method: XYZ management allowed the researcher to have only one

method of data collection which was direct observation. The researcher was only

supposed to observe, take notes without giving any ideas or advice on any security

concept. The researcher was also not allowed to interview, pass questioners and the

only time questions were allowed was during security meetings. This had to get as

much information as possible by watching the security activities. Another limitation

posed by this data collection method was the behavioral attributes portrayed by the

workforce over the time this research was conducted. It was difficult to tell if the

behavior shown by the employees was how they normally acted or the presence of

researcher had led to some behavioral alterations. It was very possible that the

workforce would be tempted to act differently therefore affecting the findings of this

research.

Also, since no interviews were used, it was difficult to tell how safe or unsafe the

employees felt at their various work stations. It is safe to say that any security threat facing XYZ

affects the employees more than any other party so by not getting their sentiments about the

30

security issues in their company did not conclusively tell the researcher how safe or unsafe the

employees felt.

Summary

Statistics have shown that the number one cause of arc flash accidents in the United

States of America is carelessness. No matter how well an individual is trained, factors such as

pressure to restore power, weariness distractions and even overconfidence cause an employee to

bypass a safety protocol, handle electrical equipment unprotected, make contact with energized

contactors or carelessly drop electrical tools. Faulty equipment are also known to be another

major cause of arc flash hazards.

From the data analysis, it is evident that XYZ has a few health and security protocols in

place. The CCTV cameras ensure that employees do not tamper with or steal electrical wires,

equipment and devices. This helps reduce the equipment tampering which could in turn lead to

arc flash explosions. The company employees have automated job cards. This helps in locating

or rather telling the exact locations of all employees. This means that if an equipment is

tampered with or stolen, it would be easy to trace or track down the responsible employee.

According to the head of security in this company, automated cards have reduced cases of theft

tremendously.

However, most of the security issues facing XYZ Company are as a result of ignorance

and negligence. Most employees do not seem very concerned with the security threats facing this

company. For example, even though most of the electrical equipment is well labeled with all the

necessary hazard information, the employees do not take the time to go through and understand

this information. They work with these equipment without the proper knowledge of their current

31

and voltages. The results of this kind of negligence could be distractors to the safety of these

employees as well as the equipment.

The level of negligence shown by the management is also disturbing. Faulty equipment is

one of the most common causes of arc flash hazard. The security contractor hired to check the

causes of arc flash incidents in XYZ revealed that most of the electrical equipment was faulty,

wrongly installed or worn out. This had caused three explosions already leaving two employees

injured and a lot of equipment destroyed. This meant if these equipment were not repaired and/

or replaced, the health and security situation of XYZ Company posed serious threats to the

employees and the company as a whole.

The presence of an insurance policy in the company ensures that in the event of an arc

flash both the company and employees are protected. However, the policy clearly stipulates the

XYZ can only receive payments if the arc flash explosion was as a result of an accident. This

means that with the negligence portrayed by the management as far as the condition of the

equipment is concerned- this company will not receive any insurance payments. This means that

XYZ will have to cater for all expenses which include equipment repair and replacement,

hospital bills and replacement.

The lack of proper employee training concerning the company’s security protocols has

endangered the safety of the employees as well as the entire company. XYZ employees seemed

reluctant about the security protocols in place. Examples of these protocols include reading and

understanding the hazard warnings on the electrical equipment as well as the importance of

wearing the correct electrical protective equipment. This level of negligence poses serious health

and security threats to the employees and also the company.

32

Chapter IV: Results

From the analysis of the observation, it reveals that XYZ has serious health and safety

issues that need to be addressed. Being a company specializing mostly on electrical equipment

and installation, the threats facing this company may lead to serious loss of lives, equipment and

funds. The types of threats deduced from the data analysis include the following:

Demographic

It is the right of every employee to work in a safe environment free from hazards that

may harm the employee. OSHA ensures that all employees are protected and that their working

environment and conditions do not pose any threat to their health and wellbeing. The research

paper tries to investigate the security and health threats faced by employees of XYZ and the

impacts these threats have to their health and wellbeing.

Item Analysis

The Health and safety condition of a company could be threatened by simply safety

issues. It does not matter the magnitude of the safety issue- what any company should be

concerned is the presence of any concept which could endanger the safety of the employees and

the company. The researcher found the following health and safety concerns from this company.

Complete disregard for OSHA rules and regulations. One of the OSHA’s objective

and expectation is for all employers to identify both actual and potential electrical faults and

hazards. In the past, OSHA’s mission focused more on the process change, encouraging

companies and company owners to always de-energize circuits before handling or rather working

with them(Inshaw, 2005). They also urged those working with or handling electrical equipment

to ensure that they have the proper skills and knowledge pertaining electrical faults as well as arc

flash incidences (Inshaw, 2005). OSHA encouraged electrical workers and electrical companies

33

to undergo training and re-training on the topic of electrical hazards and safety (Wilson R. R.,

2007. 60th Annual Conference).

Lately, OSHA’s main focus has been on arc flash accidents. The number of accidents

caused by this hazard is still quite high in the United States and it is for this reason that OSHA

has continued to urge electrical safety professionals to ensure that the environment employees

work in is thoroughly analyzed for arc flash hazards and electrical shock(Zeller, 2009). It also

insists that the management should clearly define the PPE (personal protective equipment) to its

employees. This definition should include the health and safety risks an employee would be

exposing themselves to if they continue working on electrical hazardous areas without this gear

(Ammerman, 2007).

OSHA in corporation with the National Fire Protection Association officers ensure

regular inspections to ensure that companies are in compliance with the laid down rules and

regulations. The sole responsibilities of these inspectors are to:

Ensure that electrical equipment is well installed and is used in the right way and for

its intended purpose. OSHA aims at reducing the number of electrical explosions

which include arc flash hazards.

Worn out, missing and torn electrical equipment, wires and devices should be

replaced accordingly.

The working environment and the electrical equipment are free from dirt, dust, moist

and other impurities.

Employees working with and handling electrical equipment are properly dressed and

also possess the knowhow of handling this equipment.

34

XYZ Company has strived to follow some rules and regulations laid down by OSHA.

XYZ’s electrical equipment is well labeled showing the various voltages and currents in them.

This is intended to warn the employees on how to handle this equipment as well as how to

effectively work with them without posing any threat to themselves, other employees, the

equipment as well as the entire company. XYZ has also put in place warning signs showing

different dangerous zones in the company. An example of one of the signs is shown below

(Figure 3):

DANGER

Arc Flash & Shock Hazard

Appropriate PPE should be worn

Figure 3. Warning signs at XYZ.

However due to lack of proper training in the risks associated with electrical equipment,

XYZ Company employees do not read and understand the warning written on these electrical

labels. They handle and work with these equipment without the knowledge of how much current

and how much voltages these equipment need. NFPA argues that most electrical explosions are

caused by using the wrong electrical equipment for the wrong job or using equipment with low

or high electrical voltage. It insists that electrical equipment should be used under the correct

current and voltage. This information is printed in all electrical equipment. This level of

negligence could cost these employees their lives, the lives of those close to them and destruction

of company property.

XYZ employees also work around electrical equipment without the OSHA’s certified

PPE. A personal protective equipment, mostly known as PPE is an equipment worn by electrical

35

employees to minimize exposure to workplace illnesses and injuries. To an electrician these

injuries could include burns sustained from arc flash and other explosions. Personal protective

gear include gloves, safety glasses and shoes, hard hats, earplugs and muffs, full body suits,

coveralls and respirators. According to OSHA’s regulations, this equipment should be fitting,

well designed, comfortable to the wearer and appropriately designed. OSHA requires that PPE

meet all standards developed by ANSI (American National Standards Institute).If the PPE does

not fit correctly, it can make a huge difference between being safe and protected from burns and

getting exposed dangerously(Doan, 2004). The NFPA has different arc flash risk levels as

indicated below-

Table 2

Showing Arc Flash Requirements for All Industries

Arc Flash Risk Level Typical FR (Fire Resistance) gear at this level

Min. ATPV

0 Non-melting clothing, face shield, safety glasses, leather

rubber arc flash gloves

<2 cal

1 FR pants and shirt, safety glasses and face shield,

leather boots

4 cal/cm2

2 2 or 3 layers of pants and shirts, face shields, safety

glasses, cotton undergarments, leather work

boots

8 cal/cm2

3 3 or 4 layers of clothing, leather work boots, arc flash gloves, leather over rubber

gloves

25 cal/cm2

4 FR pants and shirts, several layers of arc flash coveralls, face shield, safety glasses, leather over rubber gloves,

leather boots

40 cal/cm2

36

However, this security risk cannot solely be blamed on the employees. Under OSHA’s

Act, it is the responsibility of the management to ensure that employees have been trained and

re-trained on the essence of observing all security protocols while in their respective work

stations. The management should ensure that there are enough well designed and fitting PPE

equipment for all employees. XYZ should train and re-train its employees to ensure that they

have the necessary knowledge and skills needed to work with or handle their equipment.

Lack of proper electrical equipment inspection. According to OSHA’s rules, electrical

equipment should be inspected and tested by a competent professional for damage, wear and

electrical faults. The equipment should be inspected to ensure that

It is supplied with enough electricity through the correct electrical socket plug in

The inspection should ensure that electrical equipment is used in an environment that

is clean and tidy.

The inspection should point out electrical faults in equipment and ensure that the said

equipment should be replaced or repaired

The frequency of testing and inspection depends on the nature of the company and the

risks associated with the electrical equipment (Grondzik, 2014). After inspection, a record must

be kept which should be updated during the next inspection (Goodman, 2007). Any equipment

found worn out or torn should be immediately replaced. This record should also include-

the name of the electrician who carried out the inspection

the date of the inspection

the outcome of the inspection

the date during which the next inspection should be carried out.

37

The record of inspection should be attached on the electrical equipment that was tested

(Grondzik, 2014). In case the equipment develops any problem before the next scheduled

meeting, employees should cease to use the equipment and qualified electricity personnel should

be contacted.

From the analysis of the observation, it was noted that most of the equipment in XYZ

was wrongly installed and worn out. Electrical wires were exposed and most electrical

equipment had been covered with dirt and dust. Dust on electrical equipment is dangerous

because of the following reasons:

Dust can easily insulate electrical equipment causing them to overheat and eventually

arc flash hazards.

Dust can also attract moisture causing leakages which could in turn lead to arc flash

explosions.

Dust and other impurities can cause poor contact in connectors, switches and relays.

It can also cause carbon tracking and arcing in high voltage equipment.

Dust is found everywhere in our environment. It collects fast and can get to the most vital

and hidden parts of any electrical equipment. Because of this electricity workers may overlook

the cleanliness of these parts. Dust attracts moisture even if the equipment is not directly

impacted by water (Eckhoff, 2000).The combination of these impurities with some moisture can

corrode many important parts of this electrical equipment (Eckhoff, 2000).

The three explosions that had already taken place at XYZ had been caused by improper

equipment installation and the lack of proper cleaning. Negligence from the management as far

as inspections are concerned led to the explosions which led to the injuries of two employees and

damage of equipment worth thousands of dollars. Hygiene and safety of the company is the

38

responsibility of the management. This is to say that if XYZ does not insist on occasional

equipment inspection and proper sanitation, more arc flash hazards will take place. This means

that XYZ will incur more costs in hospital bills, equipment repairs and replacements as well as

other expenses associated with arc flash.

Lack of proper insurance cover. Fire insurance is the type of insurance coverage in

which a party pays some sum of money to the company, in exchange to receive advantages for

fireplace losses.

Advantages of fire insurance:

It compensates for the price of damaged equipment

It pays of renovations and repairs caused by fire

It provides for the death of employee(s) in case of loss of lives during a fire incidence

It provides for medical expenses if an employee gets hurt to the incidence

Hazard insurance covers accidental property damage or destruction by smoke, fire,

vandalism or theft (Scheiberg, 2001). These policies are normally renewed annually

and they include a deductible amount of money payable after a certain amount of

time. The higher the coverage level is, the higher the amount of deductible cash. Fire

accidents especially those caused by arc flash hazards are always unexpected and

very destructive (Scheiberg, 2001).

From the data analysis, it is quite evident that XYZ has an insurance policy covering the

company as well as the employees. This policy protects XYZ in the event of an accidental fire.

However, the arc flash episodes were caused by dust, improper equipment as well as torn and

worn out electrical wires. This means that XYZ cannot receive any compensation since the arc

flash hazard was not accidental but was caused negligence.

39

Before getting any insurance cover it is important for companies to ensure that the policy

covers every possible threat facing the company. XYZ should amend its insurance policy to

cover all possible arc hazard aspects. This will ensure that the employees and the company as a

whole. Arc flash episodes usually cause a lot of damage, injuries and sometimes fatalities.

Compensating injured employees, replacing and repairing equipment destroyed in such fire

hazards could financially harmful to the company. This is why XYZ should choose an insurance

policy that covers all possible arc flash causes.

XYZ has no doubt gone an extra mile in its security measures. However, this company

has not followed all the laid down guidelines of OSHA and NFPA. As a result, it has lost a lot of

capital in replacing and repairing equipment lost in arc flash blasts. It is for this reason that the

XYZ management need to understand and follow all laid down rules. This way, XYZ will

protect its employees and the company.

40

Chapter V: Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendation

From the data collected and analyzed, it is quite evident that even though XYZ has a few

health and security protocols in place, it still has a several serious security threats that need

addressing. One of these health risks is arc flash hazards. Arc flash hazards are one of the most

common risks facing any company working with electrical equipment. The NFPA has over the

years continued to advocate for risk assessment on arc flash hazards. Due to technological

advancements on most electrical equipment, NFPA has revised most of its requirements to suit

the safety precautions of these equipment. For example, in 2015, NFPA included section 70e on

its rules and regulations. This section includes more rules concerning the required standards for

electrical safety at companies’ work stations. Apart from an arc flash risk assessment, companies

are now required by law to conduct an incident energy analysis. Incident energy is a measure of

thermal energy at a working distance from an arc fault (Czandema, 2012).

Discussion

In 2010, an electrical technician at a wind farm sustained serious third degree burns to his

chest, arms and neck and second degree burns to the face after he was involved in an arc flash

explosion while working.

OSHA concluded that the employer of the said technician did not ensure that the workers

attached logout/personal tag out devices on the tower turbine switch at the ground level. It was

also noted that other employees had been working are 350ft off the ground. An electrical

transformer had activated unexpectedly injuring the employee. OSHA proposed fines for up to

$378,000 for six willful safety violations by the company. This case is just one example of

millions potential legal, financial and health results of an arc flash incident.

41

An arc flash incidence usually involves the current leaving its intended path and

travelling to the ground, or sometimes from one conductor to another through the atmosphere.

Factors that have been known to cause arc flash are-

Corrosion

Dust

Dropped working tools.

Injuries sustained from arc flash can be serious and sometimes fatal because arc flash

involves temperatures as high as 35,000°F. This make arc flash three times hotter than the sun.

An arc flash can also produce loud noises which can reach 140 decibels. This is as loud as a

gunshot. A summary given by OSHA outlines the different parameters that should be observed

by electrical workers (Table 3).

Table 3

Summary of Arc Flash Hazard Analysis

Specification Parameter

Incident Energy 11.7 cal

Arc Flash Boundary 3 inches

Arc Flash Hazard PPE Category 3

Shock Hazard Voltage 480 v

Shock Hazard PPE Class 00

Limited Approach Boundary 42 inches

Restricted Approach Boundary 12 inches

Prohibited Approach Boundary 1 inch

42

Injuries sustained in arc flash episodes are very serious and take long to heal and patients

take long to recover. This is something anyone including electrical workers and technicians

would want to avoid. The deafening sound and the heat produced during these explosions can

cause death, permanent blindness and hearing problems.

These explosions cause serious damage to equipment as well. In most cases, equipment

involved in arc flash explosions is normally damaged beyond repair. This means that production

is normally affected after an arc flash hits a company. Economic losses are also associated with

arc flash as new equipment has to be purchased.

In 2014, OSHA gave a final set of rules and regulations governing electronic power

generation, transmission, generation as well as electrical protective equipment (Fischer, 2004).

This rule is now revised and includes arc flash protection requirement for construction

companies and the general industry (Fischer, 2004). OSHA estimates that this rule will help

reduce or rather prevent over 20 fatalities and 118 injuries yearly.

Under this rule, employers have the responsibility of protecting their employees from all

hazards posed by fire and electric arc using the following methods:

Identify the workers responsible for working around these hazards. These employees

should be trained and re-trained on arc flash.

Estimate the arc flash heat energy to which the employee will be exposed to.

Ensure workers are properly dressed in PPE which meet the laid down OSHA

dressing guidelines.

Although OSHA sets the guidelines and the requirements for arc flash prevention and

other electric safety protocols for arc flash prevention and other electric safety measures in the

work stations, it is the NFPA’s standards for electrical workplace safety, 70E, aims to detail how

43

an environment should be safe (Jc., 2005). Section 70E was updated in 2014, July 29. Currently

the 70E requires that most PPE meet the required laid down rules of ASTM (Buff, 2007).

Certification would require testing to confirm a product meet the required standards (Buff,

2007). ATSM ensures that employees’ PPE has been certified for issues in terms of conformity

assessment, testing constituency, standards interpretation, continued compliance as well as fake

(counterfeit) equipment. To better understand the magnitude of arc flash as well as its hazards

IEEE and NFPA have collaborated on an ongoing arc flash project. So far phase I and II have

been completed.

Conclusions

From the data collected and analyzed, it is evident that XYZ has serious health and safety

threats. If these threats are left unchecked, chances are that they will cause XYZ a lot of losses

not to mention the lives of the employees will be threatened. Even though this company’s

management has a few security strategies in place, they do not address one of the major health

and safety issue facing XYZ.

Arc flash hazard has to far destroyed company equipment worth thousands of dollars and

send to XYZ employees to the hospital. This automatically means low productivity levels

because:

Equipment will have to be repaired and /or purchased hence slowing down

productivity.

Two absent employees also mean fewer work forces hence slowed productivity.

The other employees may be afraid of handling or working with the equipment as a

result of the arc flash explosions also ensuring slow productivity levels

44

Electrical equipment does not come cheap. This means that in order to repair and/or buy

new equipment the company’s financial situation will be affected. For any company, profit

maximization is one of the sole missions. Slowed productivity, purchasing and repairing

damaged equipment will certainly affect XYZ’s economic structure. This means that of the

management does not ensure that security measures are put in place to protect the company

against arc flash, it will automatically incur a lot of expenses and the productivity levels of the

employees will continue to dwindle.

Another serious threat facing XYZ is negligence. This is portrayed by the management as

well as the employees. Lack of proper training does not only risk the lives of the employees, it

risks the safety of the electrical equipment and the company as a whole. The employees do not

take time to read and understand the warning signs attached on the electrical equipment. This

means that most electronic equipment in XYZ has been using the incorrect amount of voltage

and current. Using an electric equipment with the wrong voltage could lead to fires and arc flash

hazards.

Away from the employees, XYZ’s management is also negligent about a few health and

safety issues. As company with a substantial number of electrical equipment, its employees

should have enough knowledge and skills necessary when handling these equipment. Under the

OSHA’s rules and regulations, XYZ management has the responsibility of ensuring that its

employees are well trained and if possible retained on how to work with, handle and store

electronic equipment.

Another security threat facing XYZ is the use of improper installed worn and torn

electrical equipment. Because this equipment is not inspected by an officer from the NFPA, it is

almost impossible for the management to notice slight tearing. If gone unnoticed, a slight tearing

45

in electrical equipment and wires can lead to hazards such as arc flash. According to OSHA, all

companies should schedule occasional equipment inspection with trained officers from NFPA.

Ignorance or a minor damage could lead to serious fire explosions causing damage of equipment,

injuries and in some cases fatalities. According to NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency) all

companies should ensure that all electrical equipment is properly inspected.

The advantages of regular equipment inspection include:

Equipment inspection shows signs of overloading

Inspection reveals any risks of fires and arc flash explosions

It can be used to resolve wiring issues

It identifies electrical faults

It spots damaged fuses

The legal requirements in relation to the use and maintenance of electrical equipment are

contained in the Electricity of Work Regulations 1989 (Ridley, 2008). These regulations work in

all companies involved with electrical equipment. It clearly defines the roles of the employers

and their employees in controlling the risks coming from the use of electricity. Even though the

law stipulates that electrical equipment should be inspected regularly and maintained it does not

tell how this should be achieved(Doughty, 2000). It is therefore the duty if the XYZ management

to determine the level of maintenance needed at the company and thus depends with the risks

found at XYZ.

The health and safety risks facing XYZ could be addresses using a formal assessment. A

risk assessment should be used to identify actual and possible hazards and taking the most

appropriate measures to control the risks at the workplace (Levy, 1996). These risks can be

46

controlled and managed by setting up and using an appropriate maintenance plan which should

be able to prevent a threat before it happened (Levy, 1996).

Recommendations

The damage and losses XYZ Company has incurred as a result arc flash explosion have

greatly affected this company’s businesses. These arc flash explosions have greatly declined the

productivity levels of this company as well as causing injuries to two members of the work force.

Research has shown that threat has been caused by negligence from the management as well as

the employees.

In order to curb this threat a few safety protocols should be put in place. These protocols

include:

Proper equipment inspection:

The arc flash explosions that had attacked XYZ Company prior to this research paper had

been caused by improper equipment installation, worn out and faulty electrical equipment.

Inspection revealed that most of the electrical equipment used at XYZ were improperly installed

and faulty. Using faulty electrical equipment could lead to fires and explosions caused by arc

flash. Due to arc flash hazards, XYZ equipment worth thousands of dollars was destroyed and

two members of the workforce were injured.

Considering the severity of arc flash explosions, XYZ Company has incurred huge losses

which will cost the management a lot of money to repair and replace the damaged equipment.

More losses will also be incurred in hospital bills and employee compensations for injuries

incurred at work.

To help reduce the number of arc flash hazards, XYZ management should engage the

services of certified electrical equipment inspectors. Frequent equipment inspections will help

47

determine the causes of the arc flash hazards and any other health and safety risk threatening

XYZ and its employees. This will help detect electrical faults early and fix them before they pose

serious threats to the company and the employees.

Equipment inspection will also help XYZ get the best advice concerning proper

equipment installation, the proper currents and voltages and any other aspect related to health

and safety at the company. By avoiding and controlling electrical hazards before they happen

XYZ will not only save itself from unnecessary costs in equipment replacement but it will also

ensure that all employees are protected and feel safe in their respective work stations.

Proper employee training:

Any electrical technician will agree that working with or rather handling electrical

equipment can be quite dangerous. This is why anyone handling electrical equipment should

have enough skills and knowledge on how well to work with them.

XYZ management should ensure that its workforce is educated on the proper equipment

handling techniques, the dangers electricity possess to their health and so forth. Considering arc

flash is the main threat facing XYZ, employees should be educated on the causes and the

repercussions of arc flash hazards to them as well as to the company.

Warning labels are put on the electric equipment to show the employees important

information such as the amount of voltage and current the equipment should use and other

precautionary data(Doan, 2010). This research paper proved that XYZ equipment is well labeled

with the necessary information in accordance with OSHA’s guidelines. However, the

management should understand that its safety regulations do not start and end with the warning

labels. It is also its responsibility ensure that its workforce reads and understands the information

under each equipment and that they follow this information to the later.

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This will ensure that all electric equipment installed correctly, used for the correct

purpose, serviced when necessary and handled with the correct level of care. This way

equipment will work effectively increasing productivity and reducing the likelihood of arc flash

hazards.

XYZ should invest on the correct PPE for its employee:

OSHA requirements state that all employees working with electrical equipment should be

in appropriate PPE. This includes appropriate work boots, overalls, protective glasses, gloves and

so forth. Considering the amount of heat associated with arc flash, OSHA insists on the

corrective protective equipment to shield employees from these hazards.

So far, two XYZ employees have been injured by arc hazards. Considering that they were

working with electrical equipment without the correct PPE, XYZ was in violation of the rules

and regulation set by OSHA. This means apart from paying for these employees’ medical

expenses XYZ will have to pay more fines for violating OSHA’s regulations and also for

violating employee Health and Safety Act which states that all employees should be provided

with safe working conditions and environment.

Investing in a proper insurance cover:

Sometimes accidents are unavoidable. Accidents can be caused by electricity

interruptions from the power company. In such cases, it is important for companies to invest on

an insurance company that would compensate and pay for damages, injuries and fatalities in the

event of an accidental explosion. This way the company’s economic situation is not affected.

Even though XYZ has an insurance cover, it does not really help the management

considering that the hazards threatening this company are as a result of negligence. The

management should amend or rather invest in an insurance policy that addresses and protects

49

them from actual and potential threats facing XYZ. The word “accidental hazard” should be

amended to suit the company’s insurance needs. This way incase of an arc flash episode, the

company and its employees will be appropriately compensated and the management will not be

financially affected.

Adhering to OSHA’s laid down rules and regulations

Occupational Safety and Health Administration is an American agency established under

Occupational States and Health Act. It was signed into law in 1970, December 29 by President

Nixon Richard. Its core mission is to assure safe and healthy working environment for the

American workforce by enforcing guidelines and standards and any providing training,

assistance and health and safety education.

Clearly, XYZ is in violation of several OSHA rules and regulations. Some of them

include:

1. Lack of regular equipment inspection

2. Lack of proper PPE for the employees working in hazardous environments

3. Lack of proper employee training and knowledge concerning arc flash hazards

These violations do not only risk the lives of the employees, but also the financial

situation of the company. Legally, OSHA is mandated with fining all companies found in

violation of employee rights. These fines could amount to $500,000. Since these fines are taken

from the company’s accounts, violating OSHA’s rules and regulation could greatly affect the

economic growth of a company.

XYZ should strive to ensure that it observes all protocols associated with health and

safety. They should engage OSHA’s regulations as well as the employee Health and Safety Act.

To achieve this, the management should:

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1. Train its employees on proper electrical handling

2. Show the workforce the importance of reading the warning labels attached to the

electrical equipment

3. Invite OSHA officers to the company to train the workforce on various health and

safety issues

4. Ensure regular equipment inspection

5. Ensure the insurance policy protects the company and its employees always

6. Ensure that there is enough PPE for those employees working in hazardous

environment

7. Invest on automated equipment and other technological advancements which will

ensure that employees operate their equipment from distance, for example online.

8. Ensure that the workforce understands their responsibilities as well as their employee

rights.

XYZ is a company facing one of the most dangerous health hazards – arc flash. Arc flash

has so far damaged expensive company equipment and injured two members of the workforce.

This hazard is mostly caused by negligence from the company and also the employees.

OSHA regulations seek to protect both the company employees as well as the company

itself. XYZ management should understand the essence of OSHA’s rules and the impacts they

have to the company. Its safety and health programs will positively impact the growth and

productivity of the company. Health and safety is an important part of the XYZ environment and

therefore the management should strive to ensure that safety of the company and its employees is

assured.

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