electrical engineering division
Arc Flash
hazard
analysis
Planning Kit
Everything You Need
To Ensure The Success of
Your Arc Flash Project
training institute
WHAT IS AN ARC FLASH?
An arc flash occurs when electric current passes through the air
instead of its intended path. The result is extremely high heat
that causes severe burns, blinding light, and an explosion causing
hearing damage, bodily injury and can be fatal.
CONTENTS
4
5
6
8
9
10
10
11
A Message for Managers
Before You Get Started
What’s the Process
Making an Apples to Apples Bid Comparison
How to Identify Compliant Labels
Template for Soliciting Bids
Request Study & Label Samples
Arc Flash Questionnaire
SHOCK HAZARD ANALYSIS?
NFPA 70E-2012 130.4 requires that a shock hazard analysis be
performed before beginning energized work. AVO includes a
shock hazard analysis as part of its arc flash hazard analysis and
shock protection boundaries are printed on the labels. AVO
places a high priority on electrical safety and offers a full package
of electrical safety services.
why use this kit?
This Kit will help you plan and execute a successful Arc Flash
Hazard Analysis, by showing you how to:
ff Build internal support for your analysis
ff Identify the components necessary
for compliance
ff Compare bids effectively
who is this kit for
Managers who are responsible for the safety of personnel in
their facilities and OSHA compliance.
Managers who are planning to complete an Arc Flash Hazard
Analysis and want to collect pricing from qualified providers.
2 | Arc Flash Study Kit
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what do you need for a
successful arc flash
hazard analysis?
The success of your Arc Flash Hazard
Analysis depends on the support
of people committed to protecting
personnel from arc flash hazards.
A narrow focus on costs or short cuts
offered by some engineering firms
typically comes at the expense of
personnel safety.
ff Get Support. From the CEO to the
electricians’ helper, your entire
team needs to understand the value
of this analysis. Communicate,
communicate, communicate. Once
people understand the injuries and
fatalities this study can prevent
and the significant financial effects,
they are more likely to join you in
supporting the project.
ff Allocate Resources. Before, during
and after. The ability to implement
mitigation recommendations,
scheduling training, and supporting
a strong preventative maintenance
program will all contribute to the
success of your Analysis.
In this Kit, you will find information that
will aid you in achieving the following
goals:

© 2012 AVO Training Institute
Arc Flash Study Kit | 3
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Don’t let it happen to you
Multiple arc flash incidents occur in
workplaces across the U.S. every day.
The risk of an arc flash explosion occuring
at your facility is not negligible. The
ongoing trend towards increasing power
usage combined with an aging electrical
infrastructure actually forecasts greater
risk in the near future.
4 | Arc Flash Study Kit
The Electrical Power Research Institute
estimates direct and indirect costs to an
employer from a fatal electrical accident
in the millions. This includes:
ff
ff
ff
ff
ff
ff
ff
ff
ff
Medical costs
Lost productivity
Workers compensation
Hiring and re-training
Equipment replacement
Facility repair
Insurance premium increases
OSHA citations
Litigation and punitive damages
And in the end, OSHA will enforce
compliance, including performing an
Arc Flash Hazard Analysis, through a
succession of inpections that can leave
you scrambling.
While every facility will have its’ own
unique set of costs, it has been proven,
without exception, it is far more expensive
to allow one arc flash accident to occur
than it is to prevent it.
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electrical engineering division
before you get
started
Use this checklist as a guide to avoid
common mistakes that can sabotage
your analysis before it even starts.
Read the current edition of the NFPA
70E. Attend a training course.
Share Arc Flash Hazard Analysis plans
with your electrical workers and ask
for their feedback.
Collect existing one-line diagrams.
Collect electrical equipment maintenance records.
Collect any previous engineering
study data - such as short circuit studies, protective device coordination or
load flow studies.
Confirm the loads are properly
identified in the panel board directory to streamline the data gathering
process.
Select a plant electrician or technician familiar with equipment within
the facility to accompany the engineering technician during data
collection.
Communicate the schedule and purpose of the engineering technician
who will be performing data collection to all facility personnel.
Arrange for special access clearance,
as required, to reach areas with electrical equipment.
Determine if there are acceptable
conditions for the engineering technician to take photographs within your
facility.
Identify safety requirements specific
to your facility that the engineering
technician will need to follow during
data collection.
Select the person who will review the
draft Arc Flash Hazard Analysis Report
during the review period
Schedule electrical personnel for
training in NFPA 70E safe work procedures course.

© 2012 AVO Training Institute
Arc Flash Study Kit | 5
training institute
what’s the
process?
start to finish:
your arc flash
hazard analysis
AVO Electrical Engineering Division
adheres to a standardized process in
performing every Arc Flash Hazard
Analysis. This correlates with IEEE
Standard 1584, Chapter 4.
Prior to beginning the actual study,
we will hold a project meeting (via
conference call or on site) with all
personnel who will be involved, to
establish roles, responsibilities and the
plan for data gathering.
A standard analysis will apply to three
phase equipment rated 240 volts or
greater and rated lower than 240 volts
when served from a transformer 125 kva
and larger.* You will need to determine
if you want an expanded scope that
includes all 208 volt or DC equipment, or
if you want a single phase analysis.
The entire project will be performed
under the supervision of a Registered
Professional Engineer (PE).
step 1
step 2
data collection
power system
modeling
step 3
short circuit
study
step 1: data collection
Qualified staff must gather data from all applicable electrical equipment. Required
information includes:
ff Data from the utility, including available fault current, operating voltage, and
specifics regarding the utility’s protective equipment at the point of service
ff Specifics for each protective device in the electrical system, including manufacturer,
model, available time/current settings, and short-circuit interrupting rating
ff Transformer impedance, tap settings and ratings
ff Conductor specifics, including lengths, sizes, and types of all overhead lines, bus
ducts, and cables
step 2: power system modeling
One line diagrams must be developed or updated to show the current configuration
and modes of operation for the power system. Accurate electrical system drawings are
necessary to identify power sources, voltage levels, electrical equipment and protective
devices. If you already have one-line diagrams, we will update the data and work from
them, if possible. We use SKM Power Tools for Windows®, ETAP®, ARC Pro® and other
available engineering software.
step 3: short circuit study
A short circuit study is required to determine the magnitude of current flowing
throughout the power system at critical points at various time intervals after a
“fault” occurs. These calculations will be used to determine the bolted fault current,
which is essential for the calculation of incident energy and interrupting ratings of
your equipment. Comparison of equipment ratings with calculated short circuit and
operating conditions will identify underrated equipment.
We perform this study in accordance with ANSI Std. C37 and IEEE Std. 141-1993 (Red Book).
* IEEE 1584 working group is considering
changes for its next revision.
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step 4
step 5
protective device
coordination
step 6
arc flash
calculations
step 7
reporting
step 4: protective device coordination
A protective device coordination should be performed to ensure selection and
arrangement of protective devices limits the effects of an overcurrent situation to the
smallest area. Results will be used to make recommendations for mitigation of arc flash
hazards. Although this is an optional study, arc flash mitigation cannot be performed
without completing this step. We perform this study in accordance with IEEE Std. 2422001 (Buff Book).
step 5: arc flash calculations
These calculations are based on available short circuit current, protective device
clearing time and distance from the arc. Calculations of incident energy levels and
flash protection boundaries will be completed for all relevant equipment busses. The
magnitude of arc hazards are determined using methods from NFPA 70E®, IEEE 1584 or
NESC Tables 410‐1 and 410‐2, as applicable.
step 6: reporting
Upon completion of the calculations, we will prepare your Arc Flash Hazard Analysis
Report. This will be supplied to you for a short review period, during which your team
can review mitigation recommendations. At this point, we can hold a Management
Summary meeting to intepret the report results. Upon approval, we will provide a
final report and full sized one-line diagrams, stamped by our Registered PE. The
drawings and report will also be supplied to you in a digital format.
label
installation
So how long is
this going to take?
Duration is affected by the type of
equipment and other conditions, but
through experience we have established
the following Project Duration Formula:
3.2x = y
100
where x = the quantity of
components in your power
system (phase equipment
rated 240 volts or greater
and three phase equipment
rated lower than 240 volts
when served from a 125+
kva transformer)
and
where y = the estimated
duration of the project
(in days)
step 7: label installation
We will generate and install arc flash hazard warning labels. These labels identify
incident energy and working distance, nominal system voltage, and the arc flash
boundary. In addition to standard requirements, our labels also include Limited,
Restricted and Prohibited approach boundaries, date, upstream protective device
and recommended personal protection equipment. We can also provide bolted fault
current if desired. We provide labels that are compliant with NFPA 70E 130.3(c), NEC
110.24(A) and ANSI Z535.

© 2012 AVO Training Institute
Arc Flash Study Kit | 7
training institute
making an
apples to apples
bid comparison
Comparing Arc Flash Hazard Analysis
bids can be confusing. If your prices
are widely varied, very likely so are the
deliverables you’re getting with each. Use
the following chart to compare bids.
SCOPE
avo
Field Data Collection *

Analysis of Equipment Less Than 240v Available

Power System Modeling

Short Circuit Study

Identify Underrated Equipment

Protective Device Coordination

Non-Commercial Mitigation Recommendations

Determine Incident Energy Levels

Determine Flash Protection Boundaries

Arc Flash Report Draft Review Period

Interim Review by Professional Engineer

Print Arc Flash Labels

Produce Full-sized One-Line Diagrams

Final Report Stamped by Professional Engineer

Installation of Arc Flash Labels *

Final Report, One-lines and Digital Files Delivered **

BID 2
BID 3
* Data collection and installation of labels can be completed by your Qualified
personnel or by AVO Electrical Engineering Division.
** You may also want to consider both AVO’s NFPA 70E training and an annual Data
Maintenance.
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how to identify
compliant labels
keeping
compliant labels
This is an example of an arc flash hazard warning label produced by AVO Engineering
Division. Every characteristic of this label is intentional and serves a purpose. When
selecting a provider, you should ensure the labels meet the following minimum
compliance requirements.
AVO Engineering Division provides the following optional information: inventory
identifiers, bus numbers, bolted fault current, and approach boundaries.
Once your compliant
labels are installed, it’s
not over.
NFPA 70E requires that
your labels be updated
when you make major
equipment or system
changes and at a
minimum of every 5
years. AVO Engineering
Division offers a lowcost Data Maintenance
Plan that will keep your
labels in compliance.
NFPA 70E 130.5(C)
Requirements
ANSI Z535 Requirements
Orange header with warning symbol
nec 110.24 (A)
Requirements
Nominal voltage
“WARNING” text
Maximum available fault current
Arc Flash boundary
Font and label size
Date
Hazard level indicator, only one of the
following is necessary:
Incident energy and working distance
Clothing arc rating and required PPE
Hazard Risk Category
White with black text (or reverse)
nFPA 70E 130.4
Requirements
Resistant to environment
nec 110.16 Requirements
Label placement
Limited approach boundary
Restricted approach boundary
Prohibited approach boundary 
© 2012 AVO Training Institute
Arc Flash Study Kit | 9
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A Template for
Soliciting Bids
An Arc Flash Hazard Analysis is a complex
project and we understand that you may
need to compare multiple providers.
Putting together a Request for Proposals
can be time consuming. Based on our
experience we’ve developed a template
to help you avoid known problems that
arise from incomplete RFP’s.
This 14 page Arc Flash Hazard Analysis
Request for Proposal template includes
the following sections:
ff Project Objective
ff Provider Qualifications & Experience
ff Detailed Scope of Work with
Deliverables
ff Pricing Criteria
ff Evaluation Criteria
If you need assistance customizing this
RFP or have any questions regarding the
contents, please contact Melanie Farley at
Melanie.Farley@avotraining.com or
214.331.7318.
Download the Word document
www.avotraining.com/common/
documents/avotraining/RFP.doc
Request Report
& Label Sample
It is always a good idea to request
samples of the Arc Flash Hazard Analysis
Report from each potential provider.
While this Report is based on technical
data, you need to ensure that the report
uses language and formatting that will
be easily understood by all relevant
personnel.
10 | Arc Flash Study Kit
Besides the results from each part of the
study, the report should include:
ff An executive summary with concise
findings and recommendations
ff The methodology used
ff The input data used, including any
assumptions in calculations
ff Protective device time current curves
We consider samples of our reports and
one-line diagrams propriety information.
For this reason, we will want to speak
with you about your project before
sending you samples.
Contact
Melanie Farley Direct: 214.331.7318
1.877.594.3156
Melanie.Farley@avotraining.com
Fax 214.331.7363
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electrical engineering division
Arc Flash
Questionnaire
The duration and cost of your arc flash project is directly
related to the size and complexity of your power sytem.
However, many facilities don’t have up-to-date one line
diagrams. We can use the following information to quote your
project. Please complete this page for each facility you would
like quoted. Email it to Melanie.Farley@avotraining.com or fax
it to 214.331.7363 to receive a proposal.
Name:
Facility:
Company:
Download the Word document
www.avotraining.com/common/
documents/avotraining/AFQ.doc
Phone:
Email:
Date:
1. How many three phase transformers do you have with
a 480 volt secondary rating? What is the kva size of each
transformer?
5. How many motor control centers do you have? How many
buckets do you have in the motor control centers? Do not include
spares.
2. How many three phase transformers do you have with
a 208 volt secondary rating? What is the kva size of each
transformer?
6. How many three phase bus ducts do you have?
3. How many three phase 480 volt panelboards,
switchboards, etc. do you have? On average, how many
three phase breakers are in them? Do not include
spares.
7. How many bus plugs do you have in the bus ducts?
4. How many three phase 208 volt panelboards,
switchboards, etc. do you have? On average, how many
three phase breakers are in them? Do not include
spares.
8. How many capacitors do you have?

© 2012 AVO Training Institute
Arc Flash Study Kit | 11
get access to the best
arc flash expertise
Melanie Farley
National Sales Manager
1.877.594.3156, ext 7318
214.331.7318
Fax 214.331.7363
Melanie.Farley@avotraining.com
electrical engineering division
www.avotraining.com