Arc Blast Hazards
You have heard of arc flash, but do you know what arc blast is?
In an arc flash event, a high-temperature electrical arc discharges across a gap or through a medium, such as charred insulation, as a result of a short circuit that passes through air between two live conductors or between a live conductor and ground. This short circuit can be accompanied by incredible amounts of heat and blinding light from the arc flash, and an explosive pressure wave called an arc blast. Arc flash and arc blast can cause extensive damage and devastating injury or death.
An arc flash can generate temperatures in excess of 34,000 degrees Fahrenheit, four times the temperature of the surface of the sun, which causes the surrounding air and surfaces to heat and expand at an extremely rapid pace. This explosive expansion is called an arc blast. The extreme heat vaporizes the surrounding metals during which they expand at thousands of times their original volume causing them to travel at over incredible speeds. This explosive expansion sends a shower of molten metal shrapnel towards workers with devastating results. The sound blast from an arc blast can damage hearing. The air pressure wave can create pressure on the chest as high as 2000lbs per square foot causing the lungs to collapse. The arc blast pressure wave can cause concussions and throw workers off ladders and off their feet.
There are many occupational hazards connected with working on electrical systems in industrial facilities. An arc blast is a violent and potentially fatal event that occurs without warning. Each year many employees are hospitalized with arc flash burns and injuries as a result of electrical accidents.
Estimates show that as many as five to ten arc flash explosions occur every day in the United States, resulting in one to two deaths each day. In an effort to reduce arc flash accidents and injuries, many industries strive to combine safe work practices, education, effective personal protective equipment, and safety labeling to reduce arc flash hazard risks that workers face each day. Arc flash hazard labeling should be an important part of every facility's safety program.
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