Working Safely With Hazardous Capacitors: Establishing Practical Thresholds for Risks Associated With Stored Capacitor Energy

This article describes methods to identify hazards and assess the risks associated with capacitor stored energy. Building on previous research, we establish practical thresholds for various hazards that are associated with stored capacitor energy, including shock, arc flash, short circuit heating, and acoustic energy release. It also discusses the combination of engineered safeguards and safe work practices that qualified personnel can use for various configurations, such as hard versus soft grounding and discharge wait times.