Intelligent Power Today Magazine

Reduce the risk of arc flash hazards with CSA Z462

BY ROBERT BURGESS, Lineman’s Testing Laboratories

Safe electrical maintenance practices and on-going personnel training can minimize the likelihood of electrical injuries and fatalities due to electrical shock, electrocution, arc flash and arc blast. At risk are employees who work on or near exposed energized electrical conductors or circuit parts including electrical maintenance personnel, operators, troubleshooters, electricians, linemen, supervisors, site safety personnel or anyone exposed to energized equipment of 50 volts or more. The majority of hospital admissions following electrical accidents are due to arc flash burns, not
electrical shock...

Over the last few decades, arc-fl ash hazards have been a significant concern for many electrical workers and employers. Many methods have been developed through the years to assess incident energy.
The most common is that of the IEEE 1584, Guide for Performing Arc-Flash Hazard Calculations. These equations have remained the same since the standard was first published in 2002. Based on the results of more than 1,800 tests, the 2018 edition of the guide provides new formulas that are both more accurate and more complex. These formulas also take more parameters into account now, including the conductor orientation at...