The Disconnect Between Electrical Safety and Electrical Accident Prevention: Copyright Material IEEE, Paper No. PCIC-2018-52

The electrical safety climate in the United States was different twenty years ago. Many companies did not have well-developed electrical safety programs and written electrical work procedures. Electrical workers were not trained in arc flash hazards and were not provided arc flash PPE. Unprotected workers were expected to perform work on and near energized circuits and equipment. Today, most companies have established electrical safety programs and provide arc flash training and PPE to their employees. Yet electrical injuries still occur. Electrical injuries today can be attributed to 1) well-intended electrical safety programs falling short in their implementation; and/or 2) workers failing to recognize the severe injury potential in a situation perceived as a low-level hazard. This paper addresses some reasons why electrical safety programs fail to protect workers. It also discusses the potential arc flash hazards that are associated with low-magnitude fault currents, which are illustrated through calculations.