Faith Technologies’ proven six-step process to arc flash safety in the workplace
We aren’t new to developing electrical risk management programs. For nearly two decades, we’ve been perfecting our approach, including NFPA 70E arc flash assessments, as well as our tried-and-true six-step process.
We follow a process path on safety and risk as it applies to your company risk with arc flash and overall electrical safe work practices. We ask qualifying questions to make your programs unique to your facility.
- Do you have a written policy that addresses NFPA 70E?
- How confident are you with your current electrical lockout/tagout (LOTO) goals?
- Do the written policies in place include very specific procedures including training requirements for qualified staff?
- Have your employees been properly trained, and are you familiar with different formats that can be more successful regarding training methods?
- Do you currently have a formal arc flash study assessment completed for employees to follow, or are you seeking your first program to develop?
- Will you need help in creating a sound Electrical Safe Work Practice program (ESWP)?
How our six-step process helps you approach compliance with NFPA 70E goals
Confidence in your contractor is everything, especially when NFPA 70E compliance is on the line. Faith Technologies uses the following six-step process to develop a complete electrical risk management program that supports your existing safety process and complies with all arc flash requirements.
Click a topic to read more details on that step in the process.
STEP 1
Field Verification
During this major component of a successful NFPA 70E program, our licensed electrical technicians confirm your existing electrical systems through signal tracing and verifying the existing electrical equipment labeling is accurate.
The underlying goal of NFPA 70E revolves around helping all employees reach a de-energized state to enter a safe working condition. This is why field verification is so important and must take place before beginning any engineering aspects of an arc flash study, as it is the only way to ensure your facility’s electrical equipment labeling is accurate. In fact, the value or merit of your entire program hinges on how accurately we represent your equipment and systems.
While many contractors assume labeling information is correct when completing data collection for arc flash studies, Faith Technologies first traces all electrical systems to verify equipment feeds and assists with the naming of labeling systems. Only through this first vital step can a facility be 100% compliant while keeping teams safer and more productive.
STEP 2
One-line Prints
Our one-line drawings are unique and custom-designed using customer-specific LOTO goals, which are reviewed with you to verify that the print files will meet your long-term growth potential and employee training goals.
Faith Technologies’ team foregoes standard engineering software deliverables, which are most commonly provided in standard arc flash studies done nationally today when creating one-line prints. Instead, we base our one-line prints on the detailed system tracings from our field verification process, and align those findings with the customer’s LOTO goals to provide a truly custom result that’s grounded in accuracy and compliance.
The Faith branch of LOTO one-line diagrams is created by our in-house CAD department, and submitted for customer review and authorization prior to any engineering work being started.
STEP 3
Arc Flash Engineering
Once the one-line diagrams are customer-reviewed and approved, engineering can begin. Evaluations are performed using one of the industry’s two top engineering software products: Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) or EasyPower.
As with everything we do, Faith Technologies bases all engineering processes on validated findings. We don’t make assumptions on feeder lengths or fault current contributions. And, we don’t rely fully on engineering software to do our work for us. We interpret. Analyze. Calculate.
Included are short circuit calculations, coordination reviews, arc flash values, and mitigation recommendations on equipment with a HRC 1 level and higher. Our report process also matches written findings with the electrical one-line diagrams, so you have a process where all levels of management and employees can easily follow the documented content.
This painstaking approach keeps the arc flash assessment process valid to support our ultimate goal: identify proper arc flash PPE requirements in order to best protect and inform employees about Electrical Safe Work Practice.
During this major component of a successful NFPA 70E program, our licensed electrical technicians confirm your existing electrical systems through signal tracing and verifying the existing electrical equipment labeling is accurate.
The underlying goal of NFPA 70E revolves around helping all employees reach a de-energized state to enter a safe working condition. This is why field verification is so important and must take place before beginning any engineering aspects of an arc flash study, as it is the only way to ensure your facility’s electrical equipment labeling is accurate. In fact, the value or merit of your entire program hinges on how accurately we represent your equipment and systems.
While many contractors assume labeling information is correct when completing data collection for arc flash studies, Faith Technologies first traces all electrical systems to verify equipment feeds and assists with the naming of labeling systems. Only through this first vital step can a facility be 100% compliant while keeping teams safer and more productive.
Our one-line drawings are unique and custom-designed using customer-specific LOTO goals, which are reviewed with you to verify that the print files will meet your long-term growth potential and employee training goals.
Faith Technologies’ team foregoes standard engineering software deliverables, which are most commonly provided in standard arc flash studies done nationally today when creating one-line prints. Instead, we base our one-line prints on the detailed system tracings from our field verification process, and align those findings with the customer’s LOTO goals to provide a truly custom result that’s grounded in accuracy and compliance.
The Faith branch of LOTO one-line diagrams is created by our in-house CAD department, and submitted for customer review and authorization prior to any engineering work being started.
Once the one-line diagrams are customer-reviewed and approved, engineering can begin. Evaluations are performed using one of the industry’s two top engineering software products: Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) or EasyPower.
As with everything we do, Faith Technologies bases all engineering processes on validated findings. We don’t make assumptions on feeder lengths or fault current contributions. And, we don’t rely fully on engineering software to do our work for us. We interpret. Analyze. Calculate.
Included are short circuit calculations, coordination reviews, arc flash values, and mitigation recommendations on equipment with a HRC 1 level and higher. Our report process also matches written findings with the electrical one-line diagrams, so you have a process where all levels of management and employees can easily follow the documented content.
This painstaking approach keeps the arc flash assessment process valid to support our ultimate goal: identify proper arc flash PPE requirements in order to best protect and inform employees about Electrical Safe Work Practice.
STEP 4
PPE Labeling
We follow ANSI Z535.4-1998 standards when displaying PPE needs on each label. And, since we always want our customers to expect more from their electrical contractor, we do more than merely rely on the engineering software program to print our labels.
Faith Technologies’ approach to arc flash PPE requirements solutions include custom labeling for each customer’s goals for Electrical Safe Work Practice. Our PPE labels support upstream electrical LOTO needs, clearly indicating arc flash boundary, incident energy ratings, PPE needs, hazard classification, shock hazard in voltage present when covers are opened or removed, limited approach boundary, restricted approach boundary, dedicated and unique item names for each item calculated, and the first upstream “fed from” identification for LOTO methods.
Today’s common approach to arc flash studies is to rely heavily on software systems for PPE labeling applications. Faith Technologies realizes the importance of a clear and complete PPE label to support your staff, and we believe minimal compliance on labeling provides little value for our employees.
STEP 5
Qualified Employee Training
We educate your team on OSHA 1910 references, NFPA 70E definitions, avoiding shock hazards, OSHA electrical lockout/tagout compliance, PPE usage and storage, PPE labeling, personal boundary definitions, and de-energized work expectations.
With Faith Technologies’ comprehensive approach to arc flash training, your team will learn all the requirements and objectives that need to be met in order to be fully compliant.
The primary goal of NFPA 70E—to work on electrical systems in a de-energized state—drives the focus of our OSHA electrical safety training . Your employee(s) will learn how to safely and effectively reach a de-energized state through hands-on, one-on-one training and small group teamwork.
STEP 6
Long-Term Electrical Equipment Maintenance
The definitions found within the 2018 NFPA 70E code book again target maintenance of your equipment to ensure your arc flash and labeling data is as accurate as possible.
Article 130.5 in the NFPA 70E code has many people believing you can go as long as five years without reviewing and adjusting your NFPA 70E program. Yet if you read carefully, the same article also states updates should occur each time a facility modification or renovation takes place to ensure LOTO one-line diagrams are up to date and PPE labeling is correct. Additionally, most OSHA regions ask employers to review all safety programs annually.
The NFPA 70E code article 205.3 also requires the employers to perform maintenance-related activities on key electrical systems. This article is important because without maintenance of your systems, it is possible for arc flash PPE labeling to be inaccurate. Faith Technologies can help you maintain the arc flash study and ensure PPE labeling adheres to current NFPA 70E codes by creating a detailed maintenance and testing program on key equipment. Faith Technologies recommends annual updates and revisions on the NFPA 70E programs, and updates every 3-5 years on key electrical systems.
Following the implementation of a successful NFPA 70E safety code risk management program, Faith Technologies will follow up with your organization to stay on top of maintenance needs and help support your specific LOTO goals long-term.
We follow ANSI Z535.4-1998 standards when displaying PPE needs on each label. And, since we always want our customers to expect more from their electrical contractor, we do more than merely rely on the engineering software program to print our labels.
Faith Technologies’ approach to arc flash PPE requirements solutions include custom labeling for each customer’s goals for Electrical Safe Work Practice. Our PPE labels support upstream electrical LOTO needs, clearly indicating arc flash boundary, incident energy ratings, PPE needs, hazard classification, shock hazard in voltage present when covers are opened or removed, limited approach boundary, restricted approach boundary, dedicated and unique item names for each item calculated, and the first upstream “fed from” identification for LOTO methods.
Today’s common approach to arc flash studies is to rely heavily on software systems for PPE labeling applications. Faith Technologies realizes the importance of a clear and complete PPE label to support your staff, and we believe minimal compliance on labeling provides little value for our employees.
We educate your team on OSHA 1910 references, NFPA 70E definitions, avoiding shock hazards, OSHA electrical lockout/tagout compliance, PPE usage and storage, PPE labeling, personal boundary definitions, and de-energized work expectations.
With Faith Technologies’ comprehensive approach to arc flash training, your team will learn all the requirements and objectives that need to be met in order to be fully compliant.
The primary goal of NFPA 70E—to work on electrical systems in a de-energized state—drives the focus of our OSHA electrical safety training . Your employee(s) will learn how to safely and effectively reach a de-energized state through hands-on, one-on-one training and small group teamwork.
The definitions found within the 2018 NFPA 70E code book again target maintenance of your equipment to ensure your arc flash and labeling data is as accurate as possible.
Article 130.5 in the NFPA 70E code has many people believing you can go as long as five years without reviewing and adjusting your NFPA 70E program. Yet if you read carefully, the same article also states updates should occur each time a facility modification or renovation takes place to ensure LOTO one-line diagrams are up to date and PPE labeling is correct. Additionally, most OSHA regions ask employers to review all safety programs annually.
The NFPA 70E code article 205.3 also requires the employers to perform maintenance-related activities on key electrical systems. This article is important because without maintenance of your systems, it is possible for arc flash PPE labeling to be inaccurate. Faith Technologies can help you maintain the arc flash study and ensure PPE labeling adheres to current NFPA 70E codes by creating a detailed maintenance and testing program on key equipment. Faith Technologies recommends annual updates and revisions on the NFPA 70E programs, and updates every 3-5 years on key electrical systems.
Following the implementation of a successful NFPA 70E safety code risk management program, Faith Technologies will follow up with your organization to stay on top of maintenance needs and help support your specific LOTO goals long-term.