An arc flash is a sudden release of energy from an electrical fault through the air. It can cause severe burns, blast injury, and worse—in a fraction of a second. NFPA 70E requires employers to assess these hazards and protect workers. That process is often called an arc flash risk assessment, and an arc flash study is the engineering work that backs it up.
What is an arc flash risk assessment?
Under NFPA 70E, an arc flash risk assessment is part of your overall electrical safety program. It identifies where arc flash hazards exist, estimates how severe they can be (incident energy), and helps you define approach boundaries and PPE requirements for qualified workers.
The assessment isn’t a one-line slogan—it should be based on analysis of your actual system: available fault current, protective device settings and clearing times, equipment configuration, and (for many facilities) calculations per IEEE 1584.
What does an arc flash study include?
A typical arc flash study (sometimes bundled with a short-circuit study and coordination study) usually covers:
- Data collection — As-built drawings and field verification so the model matches reality.
- System modeling — Your distribution system is modeled so fault current and device operation can be calculated.
- Incident energy and boundaries — At each piece of equipment, you get incident energy (often in cal/cm²), arc flash boundary, and information needed for labels and PPE selection.
- Labels and documentation — Equipment gets arc flash labels; you get a report you can use for training, audits, and maintenance planning.
Without a study, “generic” PPE or guesswork doesn’t hold up when OSHA or your insurer asks how you determined safe work practices.
Why it matters for your facility
Worker safety. Qualified electricians and contractors need to know the hazard level at the equipment they’re working on—not an average for the whole plant.
Compliance. NFPA 70E is widely referenced; OSHA looks for a defensible electrical safety program. A documented arc flash risk assessment supported by engineering analysis is a strong foundation.
Operations and liability. Clear labels and settings reduce confusion during outages, startups, and troubleshooting. If something goes wrong, having followed recognized standards matters.
When should you update the study?
You should refresh the analysis when the electrical system changes in a way that affects fault current or protection—new transformers, major breaker upgrades, bus or conductor changes, or significant changes to utility available fault current. Many facilities also review on a fixed cycle (e.g. every few years) to stay aligned with code and best practice.
Bottom line
An arc flash risk assessment—backed by a proper arc flash study—turns “we think it’s safe” into “here’s the incident energy, here’s the boundary, here’s the PPE.” If you’re responsible for electrical safety in Texas or beyond and need help scoping a study, get in touch or learn more about our arc flash study services.