It only takes a second for an arc flash incident to occur. If the insulation or isolation between electrified conductors cannot withstand the applied voltage, an electrical current passes through the air, resulting in a powerful blast similar to an explosion and producing temperatures up to four times hotter than the surface of the sun. Arc flash wreaks instant havoc on anything and anybody in its path, and can even injure someone standing more than 10 ft from the fault source. It all happens in the blink of an eye, but the resulting consequences are long-lasting, and in some cases, permanent.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) reports that 2,000 workers are admitted to burn centers each year for extended injury treatment caused by arc flash, and the National Safety Council reports that electrical hazards like arc flash cause nearly one workplace fatality every day. That’s a price no business can afford to pay.