Electrical Arc Flash Awareness (US)

Imagine that the equipment in your area stops working. A co-worker opens the electrical cabinet to reset a circuit breaker. Suddenly there's an explosion that's as hot as the sun! The intense heat of up to 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit (or 19,000 degrees Celsius) turns the copper from the electrical cabinet into liquid and then into vapor. In an instant, clothes burn and metal and synthetic material fuses to skin. A strong blast knocks you off your feet and instantly ruptures your eardrums. You've just experienced an arc flash, which, as illustrated, includes a molten metal component, an ignition hazard and an arc blast. As you can imagine, most victims do not survive such an exposure. If they do, they suffer with painful injuries and surgeries the rest of their lives. This training provides safety awareness information about electrical panels and electrical systems for those "unqualified" workers who may work near these electrical hazards. An unqualified worker is one who is NOT qualified as an electrician or to perform routine electrical work. This awareness information is also provided to help you avoid such an incident as the arc flash just described. Taking the proper precautions and understanding the terminology and risks can help you and your co-workers avoid a deadly hazard that can't be seen or heard… until it's too late.