Old Spark

Our electrical inspector in Sacramento is requiring arc flash warnings on all our electrical panels, gear and control panels. Square D says it is a requirement for the owners to deal with. Does anyone know how you get the labels and is testing required?
sse dave

waco

If it is an AHJ requirement, I'd say you should ask the AHJ for them.

Old Spark

The inspector refers us to Art. 110.16. This is where the requirement is in the N.E.C. We've just never heard of it before. We don't know why the manufacturer is not require to provide the labels. They say they would need the available fault current. We say: this was provided when we ordered the gear.
ssedave

waco

"...shall be field marked to warn qualified persons of potential electric arc flash hazards."

Need a Magic Marker?

nolabama

go here - http://www.compliancesigns.com/arcfl...FQMnGgod6lpvYw you need the availible fault current to fill them in if you put ppe requirments on them
go here also
http://www.brainfiller.com/newslette...e.php#arcflash

and here too http://www.nfpa.org/aboutthecodes/Ab...asp?DocNum=70E

RIVETER

ZOG, you're on.

william1978

...............

william1978

The inspector is right.

RIVETER

David Channel, I believe that there is someone on this forum to give you info. I will say that I have dealt with the compliance part extensively, and it is very expensive. Over 5000 bussplugs opened, and the fuses changed out to RK5s. Labeling all buss ways and with every buss plug receiving a number identifiable as to its whereabouts in the system and its purpose and its condition...useable or not, if it was not taken out of the system.

william1978

Offer the inspector a $100 bucks to look the other way.

RIVETER

Not that easy...look at OSHA.gov for the companies that have been held criminally liable for lack of training and compliance.

william1978

I'm joking.

Old Spark

Oct. 2009
Since I placed this question to the forum, I have found out that all the inspector wanted was for us to install the arc flash warning lables that come with the panels. The lables are loose, not pre installed. He did not require us to measure anything. He apparently did not know that warning lables come in the box with the panels and thought we had to order them. We did order some additional lables because he did not like where we had placed some of them. I don't know why Square D said they don't supply Arc Flash Warning lables because they do.
This inspector was no fun. He also tried to get us to install 3/0 grounds to the Gas Station Panel even though all the circuits to it were 20amp with about 80 amps total, then he said we had to ground the car wash, a separate building with the 3/0 even though we had already grounded it based on the 400 amp panel. I had to show him in the code book how we determined our ground requirements. He finally backed off, but would not allow the #10 ground wires that were installed with the canopy ckts, even though we showed him we had thirty two 48" x 1" galvanized bolts in the conrete to hole the canopy columns. We had to add a #4 ground wire to a ground rod to add to the grounding of the canopy.
What fun.

RIVETER

Okay, sorry, I'm a bit sensitive tonight. Thanks for the response.

BuzzKill

So William, I suppose that helicopter is dropping off an RTU that you later wired up?

Zog

There are 2 different types of labing required. The inspector is refering to 110.16 (I assume) and that only requires a basic arc flash waring label like the 2nd photo below.

Once the equipment is installed the owner is required (NFPA 70E article 130.3(C)) to provide a label on the panel that lists either the PPE required (Based on the table 130.7(C)(9) of the 70E, if the system meets the limits of the tables) or the Incident energy level based on the results of an arc flash analysis. See 1st photo for an example

Attached Images

	44-892.jpg (11.2 KB, 59 views)
	BREAKER ARC FLASH LABEL WITH BREAKER SETTINGS.jpg (117.2 KB, 3 views)

Old Spark

Thanks Zog, now I remember what the inspector said. When I asked him if there is a requirement to test 120/208 volt systems he said no, only 480 volts and higher. He never checked our plans to see that we had no voltage above 208 because he said he had never seen a commercial business with less that 480 volts. He has been an inspector for five years.?????? In 30 years I've only seen one gas station with 480 volts and we changed it to 120/208, I have seen a dozen or so 120/240 volt.
David

RIVETER

Zog, we have only labeled our on the floor panels that are 480 volt...I have heard, though, that an arc flash could occur at a lot lower voltages; as low as 70 volts. Did I hear wrongly?

Zog

110.16 Flash Protection. Switchboards, panelboards, industrial control panels, and motor control centers in other than dwelling occupancies that are likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized, shall be field marked to warn qualified persons of potential electric arc flash hazards. The marking shall be located so as to be clearly visible to qualified persons before examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance of the equipment.

No mention there of voltages for the labeling requirements. An arc flash can occur at any voltage, in theory, but the issue really is where will it self sustain so an OCPD needs to clear the fault. The NFPA 70E ststes an arc flash analysis is not required if the circuit is <240V and supplies by a single transformer <125kVA.

Thats not saying there is not an arc flash hazard, just that an analysis is nto required. <240V you should refer to the task tables in the 70E that apply to systems 240V and below.

Zog

I am confused here, what do you mean by "test"? How would any testing have anything to do with the subject here (Arc Flash)?