Tag Archives: nfpa70

History and Awareness

Arc flash was first identified by Dr. Ralph Lee in his 1982 “The Other Electrical Hazard: Electric Arc Blast Burns.”  Dr. Lee found that as many as 80% of electrical injuries resulted from arc flash rather than from shock, which had always been thought to be the major risk associated with live electrical work.

By 1990 the threat of arc flash was well established, and OSHA updated 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S to recognize the need for arc flash safety.  NFPA 70E, the Electrical Safety Workplace Standard, was revised to include the calculations necessary to establish arc flash protection boundaries, and equipment manufacturers began to offer arc-resistant switchgear as a means to minimize arc flash hazards.