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Maintenance & Asset Management Magazine – July 2012
Electric arc flash and the considerable hazard it presents to personnel working on, or near to, live electrical equipment, are explained, as are the recommended measures that need to be taken to eliminate or minimize this risk and hence to ensure safety and compliance with the law.
INTRODUCTION
On 1 February 2007 at an office building in Shoe Lane, central London, two technicians were installing a capacitor to help reduce energy consumption at the site. One of the workers was fitting cables in the back of the capacitor, which was positioned above a number of live conductors. The cables came into contact with one of the conductors and caused an electric arc flashover. The worker suffered severe burns to his face and upper body, horrific injuries that have prevented him from returning to work.