Page 47 - Occupational Health & Safety, November 2018

One of the best ways to avoid electrical disasters is to increase the time and distance from arc to the worker, as these are two of the most controllable variables.
peratures in excess of 36,000 degrees Fahr- enheit, which is four times hotter than the sun. Any metals vaporized by the explosion (e.g., copper, aluminum) would also be fa- tal if inhaled.
The danger of arc flash events is particu- larly common in power-intensive environ- ments and industries—particularly ones operating with 125 kVA or larger trans- formers—and health care certainly quali- fies. Many health care facilities, especially large hospital campuses, have adopted their own grid systems or microgrids, creating a greater need for arc flash prevention, par- ticularly for personnel tasked with working in these grid environments.
The dangers of arc flash events in health care are amplified, however, by the possibility for downtime resulting from arc flashes. As we’ve established, health care facilities require always-on power to maximize patient care, and this is literally a life-and-death imperative. Downtime in the health care environment is simply not acceptable.
Best Practices for Arc Flash Safety in Health Care Environments
While arc flash events pose serious risk to health care personnel, these incidents are preventable, and risk can be minimized.
One of the best ways to avoid electri- cal disasters is to increase the time and distance from arc to the worker, as these are two of the most controllable variables. Reducing the time that an event persists by tripping a breaker or blowing a fuse significantly reduces the arc flash incident energy. Additionally, leveraging remote operation, closed doors, or protective bar- riers protects workers in case an event oc- curs by increasing the distance between the arc and the worker.
Another way health care facilities can improve arc flash safety is through better labeling. Arc flash labels indicate two key pieces of information: the expected incident energy (measured in calories per cm2)—at a working distance of 18 inches or 24 inch- es—which drives the proper personnel pro- tective equipment (PPE) required for pro- tection; and the distance a worker without PPE must work to avoid a non-curable burn
(typically measured in feet). By using cor- rect labeling on critical equipment, facilities can get ahead of potential safety issues to ensure personnel are protected.
One of the best ways to help ensure arc flash safety for health care personnel is through better employee education. Workers must be trained and should un- derstand the risks of arc flash safety, in- cluding reading and understanding arc flash labels and wearing the proper PPE to perform energized work. Codes and stan- dards are always changing, and it is imper- ative that organizations be in compliance.
Another way to help minimize arc flash risk is through better equipment. We’ll ex- plore this further in the next section.
Existing and Emerging Solutions
for Arc Flash Prevention in Health Care Applications
Solutions for reducing arc flash generally involve decreasing fault clearing time, in- creasing the distance from the arc to the worker, or reducing fault current. Some of the available tools, technologies, and re- sources for health care facility managers to address arc flash safety include:
■ Arc flash studies
■ Arc flash training
■ Arc flash limiter conversion
■ Arc flash relay
■ Remote and motorized breaker
racking solutions
■ Compliant arc flash labels
■ Energy-reducing maintenance
switches
■ Arc-resistant low- and medium-
voltage switchgear
■ Arc-resistant motor control center
(MCC)
Interestingly, one technology has
emerged recently that represents a major advancement in the fight to reduce arc flash risk, one that could have a dramatic impact on the ability of health care facility manag- ers to comply with the new OSHA regula- tion: arc quenching switchgear.
Introduced in 2018, arc quenching switchgear reduces incident energy to a level where the switchgear will survive an arc flash event while providing enhanced safety and minimal equipment downtime.
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