How is the required PPE level determined?

An arc-flash risk assessment calculates the incident energy (cal/cm²) at the working distance, which sets the minimum arc rating of clothing and PPE. Equipment should be labeled with this information under NFPA 70E.

Can ordinary clothing catch fire in an arc flash?

Yes. Non-arc-rated clothing, especially synthetics, can ignite and melt onto the skin in an arc flash, dramatically worsening burns. Only arc-rated materials that self-extinguish should be worn for the task.

What are the OSHA penalties for arc-flash violations?

A serious violation can cost over $16,000, and willful or repeat violations can exceed $165,000 per instance. Arc-flash burns also lead to major medical costs, litigation, and long recoveries.

How accurate is OSHA Scan at detecting arc-flash hazards?

OSHA Scan flags arc-flash exposure. It checks for open live panels, arc-rated PPE, and boundary violations, returning the location and OSHA citation.

OSHA Scan

An Arc Flash Releases the Heat of the Sun's Surface

Catch the exposure before the panel explodes

An arc flash can reach 35,000°F, vaporize copper, and hurl a pressure blast and molten metal at anyone nearby — in a fraction of a second and with no warning. The burns are catastrophic and often fatal. OSHA Scan analyzes photos of electrical work to flag open live panels, missing arc-rated PPE, and workers inside the arc-flash boundary before an incident occurs.

An arc flash is an explosive release of energy caused by a fault between energized conductors or a conductor and ground. It produces intense heat, blinding light, a pressure wave (arc blast), and a spray of molten metal and shrapnel. It is one of the most violent hazards a worker can face and can occur while operating, testing, or working near energized equipment.
On site the hazard shows up as an open live panel or switchgear with a worker in front of it, energized work performed without an established arc-flash boundary, missing or mismatched arc-rated clothing and face protection, dropped tools bridging bus bars, and no evidence of an energized-work permit or de-energization. Dust, corrosion, loose connections, and rodent damage inside gear all raise the odds of a fault.
The trap is that arc flash is instantaneous and silent until it happens. A worker can stand at a panel a thousand times with no incident — until one loose connection, dropped tool, or insulation failure triggers a blast that burns them before they can blink. That is why verifying de-energization, boundaries, and PPE from a photo before the work is so valuable.

What is an arc flash?

An arc flash is an explosive release of energy from an electrical fault, producing temperatures up to 35,000°F, a blinding flash, a pressure blast, and molten metal. It can cause fatal burns in a fraction of a second.

What is the arc-flash boundary?

The arc-flash boundary is the distance from exposed energized parts within which a person could receive a second-degree burn from an arc flash. Only qualified workers in proper arc-rated PPE may cross it.

When can workers perform energized electrical work?

OSHA requires de-energizing whenever feasible (29 CFR 1910.333). Energized work is allowed only when de-energizing introduces greater hazard or is infeasible, and then only with an energized-work permit, boundaries, and arc-rated PPE.

What arc-rated PPE is required?

PPE must be arc-rated at or above the calculated incident energy at the work distance, including arc-rated clothing or suit, face shield or hood, voltage-rated gloves with leather protectors, and hearing protection.