An important factor in keeping yourself safe is knowing the causes of Arc Flash incidents. Understanding what might prompt an Arc Flash will help you mitigate those risks, ultimately leaving you safer. It’s not just those who work directly on electrical systems who need to know about Arc Flash risks. Depending on the incident energy and whether it happens in a confined space (which focuses the energy forwards instead of allowing it to dissipate sideways), a blast from an Arc...

Understanding the differences between electrocution and Arc Flash injuries is the first step in understanding why you need different protection from the two types of incident. Here we explain what happens when you’re electrocuted and how that’s different to what happens when you experience an Arc Flash. What happens when you’re electrocuted? Electrocution can cause a wide range of injuries. From just creating a tingling in the part of your body where the electric current enters to causing death, the...

The first rule of workplace safety is understanding the risks, but when it comes to an Arc Flash, there are so many myths that crop up, making it hard to know what the real risks are and how to mitigate them. Occurring when an electrical discharge or short circuit moves through the air, an Arc Flash is caused by voltage spike, worn connections, cable strikes or gaps in insulation. The energy expelled by an Arc Flash can be deadly, with...

Electrical engineers working at high voltage are acutely aware of the risks – and implications – of incidents, but is the risk of an arc flash greater at high or low voltage? Is there complacency among those working only on low voltage systems and what are the implications? Low voltage, low Arc Flash incidence? It would be easy to assume that low voltage systems pose less of a risk of arc flash incidents, but that is just not the case....

Workplace incidents happen every day. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), estimates based on the Labour Force Survey indicate there were 0.6m non-fatal injuries to workers in the UK in 2017/18 and employers reported 71,062 non-fatal injuries as RIDDOR incidents in the same period. Here at ProGARM, we believe that there are a number of steps you can take to reduce the risk of workplace incidents and that protective safety clothing and other PPE items provide an essential...

As a lesser-known risk, there are a whole host of Arc Flash myths which are bandied about as truths. Anyone who has worked in environments with an Arc Flash risk knows that these flashes of intense energy are no joke. Presenting a real risk to health and even to life, it’s essential that electricians, electrical engineers and anyone else responsible for or working on electrical switchgear is able to separate fact from fiction. So, what’s the truth? ARC FLASH MYTH...

There are many variables that can influence the scale of an Arc Flash, including voltage. But the idea that such an extreme and intense explosion can only arise in high voltage environments is a myth. Though it’s broadly true that the greater the voltage the more significant the safety risk associated with an Arc Flash, there are many other variables which can influence the severity of an incident – even in low voltage environments. Arc Flash incidents happen when there’s...

It should be no surprise that winter arrives each year, with its colder temperatures, less hospitable weather and, with it, a new set of health and safety risks. As with most health and safety topics, planning and preparing for prevention are the best tools to make sure that your workforce is safe. Here are some of the biggest health and safety risks in winter weather and what you can do about them. Slips and trips As the weather turns wetter...

Electrical equipment requires a wide range of labelling to ensure that people working on or near it are aware of the hazards it could present. In the case of arc flash labels, there are a number of key pieces of information you need to look for and understand in order to be sure that you would be protected in the event of an incident. Labels complement the hierarchy of control , which is critical to preventing incidents, allowing you to make...

Given the nature of the injuries that can be sustained in an Arc Flash, the general lack of awareness of Arc Flash risks is still disappointingly low. Our Arc Flash Survey in 2017 revealed a staggering 78% of respondents were still unaware of what the Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE) guidance included when it came to reducing the risks of Arc Flash incidents. In the UK, British Standard BS EN 50110, Operation of Electrical Systems, provides the governing safety guidance...