Arc Hazard Assessment for DC Applications in the Transit Industry

During accidental faults on electrical power systems, workers may be exposed to hazards from electrical arcs. A prime concern is the exposure of workers to the intense radiated component of the arc energy, which has the potential to cause skin burns. In the United States of America, it has been reported that approximately 80% of electrical injuries are due to burns from exposure to radiant and convective energy from electrical arcs. Arc hazard analysis is a safety assessment, dedicated to protecting workers who might be exposed to radiated thermal energy from electric arcs. In this paper, the focus is on incident energy released from direct current (DC) arcs, which should be of particular interest to the transit industry.