Sales Director UK / Ireland WHAT IS AN ELECTRIC ARC ?... - An - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Protecting against Arc Flash in todays workplace Danny Hemmings Sales Director UK / Ireland

WHAT IS AN ELECTRIC ARC ?...

• An Electric Arc is a type of explosion involving discharge of voltage and energy from

electrical equipment

• Electric current flows through an air gap between conductors
• The Arc generates high levels of energy in a very short time space
• ARC Flash can reach temperatures up to 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit at the core
• This creates intense heat and flame together with other risks and hazards

ELECTRIC ARC – RISK & HAZARDS

WHAT CAUSES ARC FLASH ?

• Tools / equipment touching the ‘wrong’ surface - most common causes of arc flash
• Sparking due to gaps / breaks
• Equipment failure due to faulty parts, poor installation or wear and tear
• Dust, Corrosion or other impurities on the surface of the conductor
• Cable strike
• Isolation faults

ELECTRIC ARC FAULTS

Electric arc faults cannot be totally eliminated!

27% 24% 26% 18% 5%

Mistakes by the worker Material and equipment faults Contact faults Isolation faults, overvoltage Others

1ST , 2ND & 3RD DEGREE BURNS

First-degree burns – 3cal/cm2 (sun tan) Second-degree burns – 5cal/cm2 (the skin falls off, no scars, >25% body burns = Hospital) Third-degree burns – 8cal/cm2 (destroys the skins nerve system, scars, no cell regeneration; >50% body burn = could lead to death)

* To light a ZIPPO lighter against your hand - 1cal/cm2

DISTRIBUTION OF THERMAL INJURIES

WHY USE FR GARMENTS?

TO PREVENT.... Heat conduction and fire in a garment

But as importantly , incorrect clothing can do more harm than actually exposing your skin directly to fire or flame .....

So how do we protect against Arc Flash....

• It’s an accident, not a pre-planned event
• PPE is not a protective ’bubble’
• Clothing is designed to reduce the risk of life changing or

life threatening 2nd & 3rd degree body burns

So how do we protect against Arc Flash....

An employer should ….

• Assess the workplace and identify any Arc risk
• Assess estimated heat energy of any Arc hazard via an Arc Flash

Assessment

• Ensure correct Flame Retardant clothing and PPE is supplied with an

Arc rating equal to or greater than the estimated heat energy

• Ensure that clothing is not worn that could melt onto the skin or that

could ignite and continue to burn when exposed to flame / Arc

TRANEMO Risk Evaluation

Customer Risk Assessment

Certified Garments EN ISO 11612 & IEC 61482-2 ARC rating Wearer test - Comfort Function Personal Protective System Inside & Out Inherent Flame Retardant Industrial Laundry

Electric Arc IEC 61482-2 EN 61482-1-1 EN 61482-1-2 Heat & Flame EN ISO 11612 ATEX EN 1149-5 Chemicals EN 13034 Welding EN ISO 11611 Visible day & night EN ISO 20471 Cold EN 342 Rain EN 343 Heat & Flame EN ISO 14116

EN STANDARDS – know your associated hazards

TRANEMO MARKING

Arc rating Always on the outside LOI-value Always on the outside CE-label Inside garment CE0403 Category III Yearly control Standards Always on the outside

2 TEST METHODS

▪ Marking : IEC 61482-2 ▪ US ’derived’ Open Arc test: EN 61482-1-1 ▪ European ’derived’ Box test: EN 61482-1-2

IEC 61482-2

BOX TEST – EN61482-1-2

• Low Voltage
• Class 1: 168kJ
• Class 2: 320kJ

IEC 61482-2

OPEN ARC TEST - EN61482-1-1

• Medium Voltage
• Gives an Arc-Rating

IEC 61482-2

OPEN ARC TEST VALUES – EN61482-1-1

IEC 61482-2

ATPV = Arc Thermal Performance Value EBT50 = Energy Breakopen Threshold = Arc-Rating (expressed as cal/cm2) Is the energy level which determines the 50% probability that the wearer will get a 2nd degree burn

OPEN ARC TEST VALUES – EN 61482-1-1

IEC 61482-2

The EU Directive does not approve any probability of injury, hence the requirement for additional Box Test ELIM = Energy Limit The highest energy value the garment can resist without the wearer getting a 2nd degree burn

Hazard Risk Category

• Divided into 4 PPE-categories (known as HRC-Hazard Risk category)
• We recommend your outer layer to be at least 8 cal/cm2 (PPE 2) – the

incident energy likely to cause 3rd degree burns

PPE 1 - 4-8cal/cm2 PPE 2 - 8-25cal/cm2 PPE 3 - 25-40cal/cm2 PPE 4 - > 40cal/cm2

A WORD ABOUT LAYERS …. 1 + 1 = 3

TRANEMO SKINSAFETM system

A confusing process …..

• Arc flash PPE has only really come to the fore in the last 5 years
• Confusion between American (Open Arc) and European (Box)

testing methods

• Commercially attractive market
• Sometimes a little bit of knowledge can be counter productive!

So what should I look for in a manufacturer ?...

• Inherent FR fabrics – gives permanent protection
• Experience & History
• Functionality, Design and Comfort for wearer
• Certification
• Traceability in the Supply Chain

THANK YOU

www.tranemo.com