The Connection Magazine A.I.M. Mutual Fall 2016 | Page 30

INJURY PREVENTION

Patricia Gaudet
Patricia Gaudet is a Certified Industrial Hygienist and

ARC FLASH

Certified Safety Professional. She has been a Senior
Injury Prevention & Worksite Wellness Consultant
with A.I.M. Mutual since October 2014. She maintains a

What Employers Need to Know
An electrician was removing wiring from a fan motor in an
overhead crane at a steel manufacturer, a fairly routine procedure.
But when an ungrounded electrical conductor touched a grounded
surface, it sparked an arc flash. The technician suffered thirddegree burns on her hand and first-degree burns on her face.
That incident, detailed in an OSHA release last year, highlighted
the dangers of arc flash and the importance of having safety
protocols in place.
According to the Workplace Safety Awareness Council, an arc
flash happens when a flashover of electrical current leaves its
intended path and travels (“arcs”) through the air to the ground
or to another conductor. When that happens, the results can be
devastating, even deadly. Even the most experienced worker or

Journeyman Electrical license through the state of Maine.

workers and business owners do not fully understand the event
and its potential consequences. Arc flash is often preventable,
or, at the very least, its impact can be minimized. At A.I.M. Mutual
Insurance Companies, we encourage employers to conduct
a hazard analysis and implement safe work practices at each
job site. While quality safety gear is always recommended, it
is no guarantee of worker safety. And for some employers, it
isn’t always practical, either from an economics standpoint
(due to the high cost of protective equipment) or an efficiency
standpoint (due to the difficulty of working with equipment
while wearing layers of thick protective gear.)
For maximum protection, a combination of safety measures
works best. They include de-energizing the circuit whenever

“ANNUAL TRAINING, WHILE NOT REQUIRED, SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A “BEST PRACTICE” FOR A SAFER
WORKPLACE. A COMPREHENSIVE ARC FLASH PROGRAM CAN REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD AND SEVERITY
OF AN ARC FLASH INCIDENT AT YOUR WORKPLACE.”
electrician is at risk. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported
that nearly six thousand US workers died due to an arc flash
incident between 1992 and 2013.
So what causes an arc flash? There are a number of triggers,
ranging from dust and particulates in the air to dropped tools,
material failure, and condensation or humidity. Accidental touching
of conductors, faulty installations, and corrosion can also lead to an
arc flash. The consequences can be violent as flying molten metal,
blast pressure, sound blasts, extreme heat, burns, and fire may
result.
Though arc flash is a pervasive topic in the industry, many
FALL 2016

possible and ensuring proper training and protective
equipment for all personnel. At a minimum, employees need
the skills to distinguish exposed live parts, determine nominal
voltage of live parts, and understand clearance distances.
Finally, equipment protections should be in place, including
insulation, barricades, guarding, secondary