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2014-CSC-0017

Electrical Safety, Electrical Hazards & the 2015 NFPA 70E,


Time to Update Annex K?

Tammy Gammon

Wei-Jen Lee

Senior Member, IEEE


John Matthews & Associates
tgammon@tds.net

Zhenyuan Zhang

Fellow, IEEE
Student Member, IEEE
University of Texas-Arlington
wlee@uta.edu, zhenyuan.zhang@mavs.uta.edu

Abstract-Sharing the same goals and overlapping


membership, IEEE and NFPA are committed to improving
electrical safety in the workplace. Knowledge about electrical
hazards, especially arc flash hazards, has expanded greatly since
the first, 2002 edition of the IEEE Standard 1584, IEEE Guide
for Performing Arc-Flash Hazard Calculations. In the NFPA 70E
Standard, 2004 edition, the 1584 arc-flash hazard calculations
were included in the recommended methods for quantifying the
potential incident energy exposure. In 2004 IEEE and NFPA
initiated the IEEE/NFPA Arc Flash Collaboration Project to
conduct research and testing which would lead to a greater
scientific understanding of the arc flash hazard. Presently, IEEE
Standard 1584 is in the process of major revision. Subsequent
editions of NFPA 70E - the 2009, 2012 and the draft 2015 - have
greatly expanded the coverage of the arc flash hazard. However,
NFPA 70E Annex K, which addresses the general categories of
electrical hazards, has changed little since the 2004 edition,
except for the addition of a short paragraph on arc blast
hazards in 2009. This paper suggests content for change in the
2018 NFPA 70E Annex K.
Index Terms-Electrical safety, Electrical hazard, Electrical
shock, Arc flash, NFPA 70E

Ben Johnson
Life Fellow, IEEE
Thermon
ben.johnson@thermon.com

Informative Annex K. General Categories of Electrical Hazards,


NFPA 70E, 2015, Revision January 09, 2013 [Reproduced with

permission from the draft edition of NFPA70E -2015, Electrical


Safety in the Workplace, Copyright 2014, National Fire Protection
Association. This reprinted material not yet adopted is not the
complete and official position of the NFPA on the referenced
subject, which is represented only by the standard in its entirety. The
material presented herein is subject to revision in the NFPA

document development process. Electrical Safety in the Workplace

and NFPA70E are registered trademarks of the National Fire


Protection Association, Quincy, MA.l

K.1 General Categories.


There are three general categories of electrical hazards: electrical
shock, arc flash, and arc blast.
K.2 Electric Shock.
Approximately 30,000 nonfatal electrical shock accidents occur
each year. The National Safety Council estimates that about 1000
fatalities each year are due to electrocution, more than half of them
while

servicing

energized

systems

of

less

than

600

volts.

Electrocution is the fourth leading cause of industrial fatalities, after


I.

INTRODUCTION

Annexes first appeared in NFPA 70E's 2004 edition to


provide supplementary information so that the requirements
of 70E might be better understood and implemented with
greater ease. Since the 2004 70E edition, the number of
annexes and the depth and range of their content on achieving
electrically safe work places have increased significantly.
However, NFPA 70E's 2015 draft Annex K, General
Categories of Electrical Hazards, is very similar to the
original Annex K printed in 2004. The only additional Annex
K material, added in 2009, is a short section on arc blast.
The Revision 1 draft for the 2015 NFPA 70E is printed in
its entirety in this introduction. Suggested replacement
content for Sections K.l and K.2 are provided in Sections II
and III of this paper. Sections K.3 and K.4 might be more
effective if combined to comprehensively define and address
the hazards associated with an arc-flash explosion. Suggested
content for arc-flash explosions is provided in Section IV of
this paper.

traffic, homicide, and construction accidents. The current required to


light a 7-watt, 120-volt lamp, if passed across the chest, is enough
to cause a fatality. The most damaging paths through the body are
through the lungs, heart, and brain.
K.3 Arc Flash.
When an electric current passes through air between ungrounded
conductors or between ungrounded conductors and grounded
conductors, the temperatures can reach 35,000F. Exposure to
these extreme temperatures both burns the skin directly and causes
ignition of clothing, which adds to the burn injury. The majority of
hospital admissions due to electrical accidents are from arc flash
burns, not from shocks. Each year more than 2000 people are
admitted to burn centers with severe arc flash burns. Arc flashes
can and do kill at distances of 3 m (10 ft).
K.4 Arc Blast.
The tremendous temperatures of the arc cause the explosive
expansion of both the surrounding air and the metal in the arc path.
For example, copper expands by a factor of 67,000 times when it
turns from a solid to a vapor. The danger associated with this

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2014-CSC-0017

expansion is one of high pressures, sound, and shrapnel. The high


pressures can easily exceed hundreds or even thousands of pounds
per square foot, knocking workers off ladders, rupturing eardrums,
and collapsing lungs. The sounds associated with these pressures
can exceed 160 dB. Finally, material and molten metal are expelled
away from the arc at speeds exceeding 1120 km/hr (700 mph), fast
enough for shrapnel to completely penetrate the human body.

II.

SUGGESTED CONTENT FOR

Kl

K. 1 ELECTRICAL HAZARDS
Both electrical shocks and arc-flash explosions represent
electrical hazards in the workplace. Although the electric
utility industry is often associated with electrical WORKPLACE
hazards, potential electrical hazards are present in all
workplaces. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS), 1,63 5 electrical fatalities occurred in the private sector
between 2003 and 2010; however, 52% occurred in the
construction industry alone and only a total of 11% occurred
in the trade, transportation and utilities industries [1]. As
Table I shows, the utilities industries also account for only
small number of the 20, 3 50 nonfatal electrical injuries that
occurred in the same time period.
TABLE I
2003-20 I 0 NONFATAL ELECTRICAL INJURIES, PRIVATE INDUSTRY*

Injury
T e
Shock
Burn

Injuries

Construction Manufacturing Utilities Other

12,510
(61%)
7,840
(39%)

21%

20%

1.7%

58%

44%

13%

8.3%

34%

*Table information derived from

III.

SUGGESTED

K.2

[1]

CONTENT FOR K2

ELECTRICAL SHOCK I

Approximately 3 0,000 nonfatal electrical shock accidents


occur each year. By defmition, electrocution is death caused
by electrical shock. The National Safety Council estimates
that about 1000 fatalities occur annually due to electrocution,
more than half of them occur while servicing energized
systems of less than 600 volts. Electrocution is the fourth
leading cause of industrial fatalities, after traffic, homicide
and construction accidents [2].
Electrocution can occur from respiratory arrest,
sometimes from current flow though the respiratory center in
the brain, but current flow through the heart is usually the
cause of electrocution. The heart muscle stops pumping blood
either due to cardiac asystole or ventricular fibrillation.
Cardiac asystole is the stopping of the heart; asystole occurs
from contact with high voltage which generate shock currents
greater than 1 A in the body [3 ]. Cardiac asystole, however,
I Note: The voltage and current thresholds mentioned in Section II apply
to 50/60-Hz, ac power systems. Thresholds for DC and high-frequency ac
power systems differ (generally higher).

Page 2 of 7

does not necessarily lead to death, since a fall or blow to the


chest may cause the heart to revert to a normal rhythm
without medical defibrillation. Ventricular fibrillation is the
most common cause of electrocution, especially for voltages
below 1,000 V. Based on 0.5% of 70 kg (154 pound) adults,
the fibrillation threshold is 100 mA for a 3 -s shock duration
[4], [5]. When a human heart enters a state of ventricular
fibrillation, which is a rapid, uncoordinated and asynchronous
quivering of the heart, it rarely reverts to a normal heart
rhythm without medical defibrillation. Especially at low
voltages such as 120 V, death can occur without any
electrical burns on the body and without any definitive
autopsy findings proving ventricular fibrillation. People with
heart conditions, may be susceptible to ventricular fibrillation
at thresholds below the normal population. Early literature
reports "a number" of electrocutions occurring from 65-V
circuits and even one from 46 V [6].
The severity of a shock is determined by the magnitude,
the duration, and the path of current flow through the body.
Ohm's law is commonly used to estimate the shock current as
the quotient of the contact voltage and 500 ohms (initial,
internal resistance based on 5% of the population, [7]). This
conservative estimate excludes skin resistance. However, the
body impedance is actually a nonlinear function of the
current path and duration, the touch voltage, skin moisture,
contact pressure and contact surface area. Table II, listing the
total body impedance that is not exceeded (i.e., body
impedance is lower) for 50% of the adult population, shows
how impedance varies with changing conditions. As the
touch voltage (hand-to-hand contact) increases to 700 V, the
total body impedance asymptotically approaches the internal
body impedance, 775 n. A person lying on the ground with a
defective tool on his chest might have an internal body
resistance path on the order of 100 n [8].
If human skin makes contact with an energized circuit for
"any length of time," blisters form and the skin's resistance
drops; at 50 V, blisters form in 6 or 7 seconds [6]. The skin
resistance is inherently low at the location of a cut or
abrasion. Dalziel [9] reported, "At 240 volts and above, the
voltage punctures the skin instantly, leaving a deep localized
burn." When the skin's protective barrier breaks down, which
lowers skin resistance, a person is at much greater risk for
serious electrical shock injury.
TABLE II. TOTAL BODY IMPEDANCE

(n)

NOT EXCEEDED IN 50% ADULTS HAND-TO-HAND CONTACT

Touch
Voltage
Contact
Surface Area:
50 V
125 V
200 V
700 V

Dry Conditions
10,000
mm

2,500
1,550
1,275
775

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100

mm

136,000
22,000
5,400

[71

Salt-Water,
Wet Conditions
100
10,000
mm

1,275
1,200
1,135
775

mm

6,900
5,850
5,000

Page 3 of 7

2014-CSC-0017

Even an extremely low-level shock causing a startle


reaction (an uncontrolled muscular reaction) has a potential
for injury, if it causes a response such as tripping or falling.
The threshold startle reaction for an adult is O.S mA, the
maximum level of allowable current leakage from an
appliance pennitted for most circumstances. Shock current
becomes dangerous (as well as extremely painful) at the "Iet
go" current, the current level that causes the hand to
involuntarily close and grasp on a conductor. The "inability
to let go" threshold for an adult has been set at 6 mA, higher
than the S-mA trip level required for GFCI devices. When a
person cannot "let go," perspiration increases and skin
resistance decreases, so higher levels of current flow through
the body. Electrical workers standing on ladders have broken
free from "let-go" shocks by kicking the ladder away from
themselves and falling. When a person is frozen to an
energized circuit, painful muscular contractions can make
breathing difficult. Respiratory paralysis, the loss of
voluntary control over the respiratory muscles, can be fatal at
current levels of 3 0 mA for a 68 kg (1S0 pound) adult [l O]
[12].
In high-voltage contact accidents, the injured worker
usually has skin destruction at the contact points, but any
involved extremities may only be slightly swollen. However,
the skeletal muscle in the affected extremity is in "a state of
severe unrelenting muscle spasm or rigor," and frequently
with "marked sensory and motor nerve malfunction" [13 ].
Nerve damage and poor circulation cause the limb to be
weak, stiff and cold; "the patient is often served by
amputation of the damaged extremity and replacement with a
functional prosthetic extremity [13]." Amputation rates as
high as 6S% have been noted in high-voltage contact
accidents [14]. Experienced physicians have compared
electrical trauma to crush injuries because both types of
injuries are characterized by the "relative vulnerability of the
nerve and muscle tissues," as well as the large release of
intracellular contents from the damaged skeletal muscle into
the circulating blood. The release of large protein molecules
can result in kidney failure. The release of ions can
significantly shift blood serum concentrations, affecting the
heart and other organs [13 ].
Electrical shock injury can be very complex. Nerve
damage may occur from brief shocks without an appearance
of muscle injury [13 ]. Some immediate effects of electrical
shock can include confusion, headache, amnesia and
unconsciousness. Secondary effects lasting on the order of
hours to days can include paralysis in the legs, muscular pain,
VISIOn abnonnality, swelling, headache and cardiac
irregularities. Long range effects may not surface for several
years and may include paralysis, speech or writing
impairment, loss of taste and numerous other disorders
resulting from damage to the nerve tissues which do not
regenerate [IS]. In recent years, a type of electrical shock

injury, identified as "diffuse electrical injury" has resulted in


the development of chronic physical and neuropsychological
issues from low-level electrical shocks that were not expected
to cause long-term injury. Common physical symptoms
include muscle aches, generalized fatigue, numbness, and
path
related
weakness
and
tingling.
Common
neuropsychological symptoms include insomnia, increased
anxiety, concentration and cognitive problems, personality
changes, and short tenn memory loss [16], [17].

IV.

SUGGESTED CONTENT FOR

K.3

K.3 ARC -FLASH EXPLOSION


When an arcing fault occurs, an unintended current path
(between phases or phase and ground) forms directly through
air. An "arc-flash" incident is characterized by a flash of
bright light, and is often accompanied by loud boom. Often
an arc-flash incident is truly an explosion, defined as a "rapid
increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme
manner, usually with the generation of high temperatures and
the release of gases [18]." In Ralph Lee's 1982 and 1987
papers on thermal burn injury and arc pressure, he recognized
that arc temperatures can reach 20,000 K (3 S,000F) [19] and
estimated that a person standing two feet from a 2S,000-A arc
may experience a blast pressure of 160 pound/ft2 (1.1 psi)
[20]. Ralph Lee's work drew national attention to the
prevalence and seriousness of arc-related injuries in the work
place. In the vast majority of arc incidents, thermal burn
injuries cause the greatest harm. Each year more than 2,000
people are admitted to burn centers with severe burns from
arc-flash explosions. Fatal burn injuries have been caused at
distances of l O feet from the arc [2].
The level of burn injury depends on many parameters,
including the magnitude of the fault current, a person's
distance to the arc and the duration of the fault. (Note: Burn
injury may be prevented with appropriate PPE!) For a short
duration arc, the generated heat may cause superficial flash
burns to exposed skin, such as the face, neck and hands [21].
The rapid generation of heat may even carbonize the skin
without the development of deep injury [22]. However, the
ignition of clothing gives rise to deeper, more serious burns.
A person's chance of surviving serious burn injury depends
on the burn extent, depth and location on the body, as well as
age. Other survival factors include pre-existing health
conditions (such as cardiac, liver or lung disease), and
secondary burn effects such as circulatory shock and
pulmonary edema. If a victim survives the initial period of
shock, death may occur in the following weeks due to the
secondary effects on the brain, heart, lungs, liver and kidneys
[23 ]. The following figure shows a person's chance of
survival as a function of age and percentage of the body
which received burns.

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2014-CSC-0017

DO
90
i!-

80

ii

70

:>

60

....
0

40

:s
In

QI
U
I:
"

(.)

50

30
20

10
0
Q)

roJf
,

0
N

011

III
IV

>-

m 25% Body Bum

111

<?
, 011

0
('I)

(0
II)

>-

ro
0
V

Q)
0)

0/1
...
IU
Q)

II)

mO)
U')
'
0
U')

>-

011
...
(0
QJ

>-

50% Body Burn 75% Body Bum

Fig. 1. Survival: Function of age and body percentage burned [24]

Based on earlier work [23 ], [25], [26], Ralph Lee


detennined that irreversible bum damage occurs when the
skin reaches a temperature of 96C (205F) for 0.1 s [19]. His
prediction is conservative because the local cooling effects of
blood circulation have been neglected. However, his
"incurable burn" threshold is quite low compared with
thermocouple data from a staged arc test. The temperatures
measured using thermocouples attached to a mannequin with
its chest positioned two feet from the point of arc initiation
are listed in Table III.
TABLE III
TEMPERATURES ON MANNEQUIN'S EXTENDED HAND AND NECK

Hand

[27]*

Neck

>225C (90% rise at 10 ms, 90%

>225C (90% rise at

fall at 2 s)

120 ms)

*480-V equipment, 22.6-kA bolted-fault current

The "safe" threshold for incident heat on bare skin has


generally been accepted at 1.2 cal/cm2 [24], based on Stoll's
onset of a 2nd degree burn (involving the formation of a
blister [28]). Fabric testing on blue cotton, twill shirt material,
5.2 ounces per square yard, demonstrated a 90% chance of
ignition when exposed to incident heat levels of 6.9 cal/cm2
[29]. The arc rating of personal protective equipment (PPE) is
the energy level incident on the equipment that has a 50%
probability of: 1) transferring 1.2 cal/cm2 to a surface (i.e.,
person) under the PPE (ATPV) or 2) the fabric breaking open
(EBT). Workers can experience serious burn injuries if the
incident energy rating of the PPE is lower than the incident
heat experienced during an arc-flash incident.

Page 4 of 7

When an arcing fault is initiated, a high-pressure front is


created as the expanding gases (in the vicinity of the arc)
compress the surrounding air. "A phenomenon called 'blast
overpressure' forms from the compression of air in front of a
blast wave which heats and accelerates the movement of air
molecules [3 0]." The blast wave from general explosions
travels outward at supersonic speeds that may exceed 900
miles per hour (463 m/s) [3 1]. The Center for Disease
Control and Prevention notes that the "'blast wave' (over
pressure component) should be distinguished from 'blast
wind' (forced super-heated air flow) [3 2]." The severity of
the blast pressure depends on the initial peak pressure, the
duration of the overpressure, a person's distance from the
explosion, and "the degree of focusing due to a confmed area
or walls [3 3 ]." Blast pressures are greater when the explosion
occurs indoors, particularly in small enclosed rooms (such as
electrical closets), and the pressure wave reflects from the
walls [3 4]. A worker may actually be far enough away from
the arc to escape bum injury, but sustain severe blast injury to
due to the propagation of the pressure wave in the room [3 5].
Primary blast injuries directly result from the pressure
wave striking the air- and fluid-filled organs. Primary blast
injuries can cause collapsed lungs, ruptured eardrums or
concussions without a direct blow to the head [3 0]. In a
worker who appears unhanned immediately after an arc-flash
explosion, loss of hearing (which may be temporary or
permanent), confusion and unsteady walking may indicate a
blast injury. Other symptoms such as concentration difficulty,
depression and memory problems may not surface for weeks
after the arc-flash explosion [3 5], [3 6]. Various pressure
thresholds associated with pressure injury, along with the
OSHA limit for impulsive noise, are listed in Table IV. For
comparison, Table V contains pressures measured during arc
tests. Although testing procedures for determining the blast
pressure exposure for typical electrical installations (often
small enclosed areas, unlike spacious testing laboratories) are
not fully developed at this time, the pressure measurements
taken in closed equipment demonstrate a huge potential arc
blast hazard.
Secondary injuries result from flying debris propelled by
the blast wind. Wounds can occur anywhere, including the
eye and head. During an arc-flash explosion, flying molten
material may cause direct burn injury to the skin or ignite
TABLE

IV

PRESSURE THRESHOLDS

140 dB
5 psi
12-15 psi

[36]

OSHA Limit for Impulsive or Impact Noise


Threshold for Eardrum Rupture
Threshold for Lung Damage

37-52 psi

Threshold for Death

14.7 psi

Mild/Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury (Concussion)

a) Based on effect of 400-ms overpressure in ambient air on


young adults, b) Based on the effect of 20-ms pressures in
animal research

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2014-CSC-0017

Page 5 of 7

TABLE V
PRESSURES RECORDED FROM ARc TESTS

Pressure
Level

Msmt.
Distance
feet (m)

140-165

6 (1.8)

Test Details

Peak
Sound
ms*
8 - 32

600 V, larc= 5-30 kA,


Variety of open air and open

dBspl

enclosure tests [37]


150-170

2.7 kV, Ibf= 10-32 kA,

10 (3)

Variety of open air and open

dBspl

enclosure tests [38]


1.7 psi
4-11 psi

1.83 (0.6)

2.7 kV, Ibf= 32 kA, Open

at opening

test enclosure [38]

Enclosure

2-7

walls
38 psi

Enclosure

480 V, Ibf= 25-68 kA,


Inside MCC [39]

10

walls

15 kV, larc= 50 kA, Inside


vented, MV equipment [40]

*Time after arc initiation when peak sound occurs

clothing. People can also be injured by shrapnel or projectiles


propelled at speeds exceeding 700 mph (1l 3 0 km/hr or 3 13
m/s), fast enough to completely penetrate the human body
[2]. Shrapnel refers to all types of high-velocity fragments
resulting from an explosion [41], while a projectile is defmed
as "any object propelled through space by the exertion of a
force [42]." Bolts, tools or even heavy equipment can become
projectiles in an arc-flash explosion.
The threat of shrapnel is linked to the magnitude of the
blast pressure. The mass, shape and velocity of shrapnel
associated with an arc-flash explosion cannot be predicted,
and the shrapnel tends to have sharp edges. The velocity of
irregularly-shaped fragments propelled during an arc blast is
"generally considered to start at approximately 150 to 180
m/s (500-600 fils) [3 7]." Arc-flash hood windows and face
shields must meet the projectile impact requirements of ANSI
Z87, which specifies that a 6.4-mm steel ball must not
penetrate at a velocity of 3 00 fils (9l .4 m/s). The ballistics
test performance of two hood shield windows and two arc
flash suits to 5.6-mm fragments (not spherical) appears in
Table VI.
TABLE VI
BALLASTIC RESULTS FOR 50% OF FRAGMENTS PENETRATING SPECIMEN

Hood Shield Window Specimen or cal/cm2


Multi-La er Fabric S stem S ecimen
Ratin
Hood Shield - Polycarbonate (PC)

37

100

Hood Shield - PC wlPC Backup Window

100

Multi-Layer - Flame Retardant Cotton

100

Multi-La er - Aramid wi Ballistic La er

80

280 (920)

*Vso is the velocity at which 50% of the projectiles penetrate the


target specimen.

Tertiary blast mJunes result from individuals being


thrown by the blast. During an arc-flash explosion,
individuals may be injured by being thrown off a ladder or

propelled into a wall or equipment. But the tertiary effects of


the arc blast may also help reduce the severity of burn injury.
Very brief, arc-flash incidents sometimes occur without
causing burn injury or blast injury to nearby workers.
However, the bright light, visible within a millisecond, may
cause flash blindness. (Two measured light levels from arc
tests are included in Table VII.) Flash blindness is a
temporary vision loss, which occurs when the retina receives
excess thermal energy, but not enough a cause a bum. A
reduction in visual acuity can last a few minutes or a few
days. The recovery time from flash blindness depends on the
brightness, size and direction of the light flash, as well of the
light spectrum and person's age [43 ]. Recovery times also
increase when a pupil is more dilated [44], as in the case of a
person's pupil size increasing to receive more light in a
dinuner environment. Light radiated by an arc flash covers
part of the ultraviolet region, predominately in the range of
200 to 600 nm [45]. Long term visual effects from ultraviolet
and infrared light exposure may also occur. Cataract
development is fairly common in workers surviving
significant injuries from arc-flash explosions [3 5].
TABLE VII
LIGHT LEVEL MEASUREMENTS IN RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Million lux Test Details


12

2.7 kV, 3-phase, Ibf= 32 kA, 10 ft (3m) distance


Horizontal, open-air electrodes [38]

20

larc= 20 kA, single-phase opposing electrodes [46]

+0.1

Bri ht summer sun

In 2005, David Wallis presented an analysis of 454 public


records of OSHA investigations involving electric arcs which
occurred between 1980 and 2004; thirty incidents, involving
arc welders, arc furnaces and electric shock, were eliminated.
Non-thermal injuries were reported in 7.3 % of the remaining
424 records involving electrical faults. Wallis noted, "The
risk of burn injuries from this hazard can be very severe.
However, an electric arc poses a substantial risk of non-burn
injuries ... Iess well known ... frequently less severe than the
potentially threatening burn injuries [47]." An additional 100
OSHA records released between 2005 and 2008 were also
analyzed [48]. Five of the l OO records were removed because
they involved arc welders, an arc furnace or electric shock.
Of the 95 remaining records, 14 or 14.7% contained reports
of non-bum injuries. Table VIII provides a summary of the
non-burn injuries recorded in the OSHA records. The four
records of eye injuries are: two flash burns to the eyes (with
no face injury specified), momentary blindness, and required
eye flushing from a fault causing a battery to blow up in a
person's face. An additional record, not included in the table,
included both face burn and eye injury. (Eye injuries and
hearing damage can result from thermal bums, as well as the
respective effects of light and sound.) It is quite possible that

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2014-CSC-0017

TABLE VIII
NON-BuRN INJURIES LISTED IN OSHA "ELECTRIC ARc " RECORDS

[47],[48]

Injury Type

Wallis' 1980- Subsequent 20052004 Analysis 2008 Analysis

Number of records

424
13 (3.1%)

95
3 (3.2%) - 2 smoke

13 (3.1%)

6 (6.3%) - 2 falls,
4 thrown
4 (4.2%)
1 (1.1%) shraQnel
0
14 (14.7%)

Smoke inhalation and


aSQhi:xia

inhalation

Thrown, knocked down, fall


loss of consciousness, fracture
Eye injury

4 (0.94%)
1 (0.24%)
1 (0.24%)
31 (7.3%)

Laceration
Hearing loss
Total

many of the OSHA records did not document additional non


thermal burn injuries.
As the table shows, several injuries of smoke inhalation
and asphyxia were recorded. Intense arc temperatures can
vaporize the electrodes (typically copper or aluminum) and
adjacent enclosure walls (typically carbon steel). It has been
estimated that vaporized copper has a volume 67,000 times
larger than its original solid form [49]. Workers suffered
smoke inhalation or were asphyxiated, probably due to the
conductor and enclosure metal vaporization or combustion
byproducts from the ignition of insulation, paints and other
materials used in the manufacturing of electrical equipment.
In one incident, an employee died after inhaling the hot gases
from the electric arc, which might be considered a thermal
burn injury. Exposure to the gases released during an arc
event can result in permanent lung damage and the
development of lung disease.
A recent paper [50] has presented an excellent analysis of
arc injury data in 1984-2007 OSHA records using the
keywords "electric arc" and "burn". Of the 53 2 incidents
reported, 3 29 incidents (62%) occurred on low-voltage
systems ("LV", <l kV); of the low-voltage incidents, 216
incidents (66%) involved 480 V, but the system voltage was
unknown for 87 incidents (26%). Table IX briefly
summarizes the type of injuries involved based on the system
voltage. The table shows that some workers were also
shocked during an arc incident, especially on medium- and
high-voltage systems ("MVIHV"). An overwhelming, 86%,
of the LV fatalities occurred on three-phase, 480-V systems.
TABLE IX
OSHA "ELECTRIC ARc " AND "BURN" REcORD INJURIES (1984-2007) [50]*

Voltage
MV/HV Total
LV Total lkV)
120 V - 277 V
480 V
600 V-700 V
Unknown LV

Burns
287
414
5%
67%
3%
25%

Smoke
Inhalation
25
19

Shocks

Fatalites
48
37

95%

17
13
23%
38.5%

5%

38.5%

86%
3%
11%

*More than one worker was mjured in some of the 203 MV/HV and 329
LV incidents.

Page 6 of 7

V.

CONCLUSION

The suggested content for the 2018 NFPA 70E Annex K


is presented to the industrial and commercial power systems
engineering community for contemplation. The community
at-large is encouraged to actively participate in updating
Annex K during the 2015 NFPA 70E revisions process.
Proposals for the 2018 Annex K can be submitted during the
public input stage and feedback on the draft revision can be
provided during the open comment stage of the revisions
process. The NFPA standards process is very democratic.
NFPA standards are developed and improved through
community involvement.
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AUTHORS'INFORMATION
Tammy Gammon earned a bachelor, a master of science and a Ph.D. in
electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 1990s.
She is licensed as a Professional Engineer in North Carolina. Since 2003,
Tammy has worked as senior electrical engineer for John Matthews and
Associates. She performs research and analysis in power and power quality
issues, in fires of electrical origin, in electrical arc and shock injuries, and in
product design and manufacturing. Since 2006, Tammy Gammon has also
served as the research manager for the IEEEINFPA Arc Flash Research
Project.
Wei-Jen Lee (S'85-M'85-SM'97-F'07) received the B.S. and M.S.
degrees from National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C., and the
PhD. degree from the University of Texas, Arlington, in 1978, 1980, and
1985, respectively, all in Electrical Engineering. He is currently a professor
of the Electrical Engineering Department and the director of the Energy
Systems Research Center.
Prof. Lee has been involved in research on arc flash and electrical safety,
utility deregulation, renewable energy, smart grid, microgrid, load
forecasting, power quality, distribution automation and demand side
management, power systems analysis, online real time equipment diagnostic
and prognostic system, and microcomputer based instrument for power
systems monitoring, measurement, control, and protection. Since 2008, He
has also served as the project manager for the IEEEINFPA Arc Flash
Research Project.
Prof. Lee is a Fellow of IEEE and registered Professional Engineer in
the State of Texas.
Zhenyuan Zhang received the B.S. degree from Chang'an University,
Xi'an, China in 2007. He is now pursuing a Ph.D. in electrical engineering
at the Energy Systems Research Center, Department of Electrical
Engineering, the University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA.
His focus lies in arc flash research, but he has also been involved in hybrid
energy storage, smart grids, renewable energy, electrical safety analysis and
power systems analysis. Since 2010, Zhenyuan has served as the project
associate for the IEEE/NFPA Arc Flash Research Project.
Ben C. Johnson is presently Senior Consultant for Thermon
Manufacturing Company. His career expands a broad range of industrial
experience, including forty four years with Thermon and eight years in the
petrochemical industry with the Ethyl Corporation and the Diamond
Shamrock Corporation. Mr. Johnson was Thermon's Vice President of
North American Sales for five years and Thermon's Vice President of
Engineering for twelve years, responsible for product application design,
field and construction services. He was previously Thermon's Vice President
of Research and Development. He is the holder of eight patents in the field
of surface heating,and is responsible for numerous new product innovations.
He has authored or co-authored 19 papers for various societies. As United
States delegate to the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC), he
is the Convener for TC31 Maintenance Team 79-30,Electrical Equipment in
Flammable Atmospheres, Electrical Resistance Trace Heating and US
Technical Advisor for IEC TC27, Safety in Electroheat Installations. He is
also a member of the US Technical Advisory Committee for IEC TC31. Mr.
Johnson is a Life Fellow of the IEEE and is Co-Chair of the IEEEINFPA
Collaboration on Arc Flash Research.

978-1-4799-3309-9/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

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