Your Atlanta electrician has your best interest at heart when it comes to electrical safety. Learn here about a common cause of electrical accidents. And be sure to call your electrician should you need any assistance with electrical repairs or for a technician to perform a safety inspection. Arc flash is a short circuit through air that flashes over from one exposed live conductor to another conductor or to ground. Arc flash incidents are common and costly, and the frequency of reported accidents is increasing – making arc flash a very hot topic within OSHA and the overall safety industry.
What Causes Arc Flash?
Arc flashes can be caused in a variety of ways:
How Common Is Arc Flash?
Injuries from arc flash accidents tend to be very severe, and result from two types of hazards: arc flash and arc blast.
Arc Flash: Electric arcs produce intense heat, and can heat the air to temperatures as high as 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This is 4 times the surface temperature of the sun. Fatal burns can occur when the victim is several feet from the arc. Serious burns and fatalities are not uncommon at a distance of 10 feet. An arc flash will also cause ignition of clothing which will only add to the severity of the skin burns. Arc flash can cause the following injuries:
Arc Blast: A high-energy arcing fault can produce a considerable pressure wave and sound blast. The intense heat from arc causes the sudden expansion of air, resulting in a blast. A 10,000 A arc at 480 volts is equivalent to 800 MW or approximately 8 stick of dynamite. Pressure on the chest can be as high as 2000 lbs/sq foot, causing lung collapse.
In some cases, the pressure wave has sufficient energy to snap the heads of 3/8-inch steel bolts and to knock over construction walls. Moreover, it can send metal parts flying at speeds over 700 miles per hour. Arc blast can cause the following injuries:
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