Arc flash safety

Written By Thomas Davies

Hear from experienced electrician Mark who was badly burnt by an arc flash while working on a commercial switchboard. He spent three weeks in hospital and couldn't work for three months.

“It's not worth risking your life to get the job done quickly or to please a client.” Mark.

Arc flash safety tips:

  • Prevent arc flash by eliminating the hazard. Turn the power off and isolate the equipment, even if it means rescheduling the work to another time.

  • Arc flash is not just limited to large switchboards – they can also occur in smaller switchboards, electricity supply pillars or large electrical equipment, so plan your work and always follow your safe working procedures.

  • Working near energised parts can be just as dangerous as performing live work - it can cause electric shock, arc flash burns and damage to equipment. The most common causes include:

  • no risk assessment or inadequate risk assessment

  • failure to isolate or isolate upstream

  • failure to test

  • inadequate supervision

  • young workers and apprentices

  • no safe work system

  • competency levels of workers, qualified technical persons and supervisors.
    Arc flash safety – Mark’s story | WorkSafe.qld.gov.au

Thomas Davies
Next

Tradies take care