This summer, protective apparel specialist ProGARM is leading the first-ever Arc Flash Awareness Day (AFAD) on June 7, 2024.
We live and breathe arc flash, but we know from feedback and industry insights that not everyone feels confident in their knowledge of arc flash hazards and how to keep people safe.
So we’re bringing together experts and organizations from various fields to help people understand more about how to plan for, mitigate and protect against arc flash incidents.
Arc Flash Awareness Day provides an opportunity for industry professionals to share arc flash knowledge, evaluate safety protocols, and educate teams to increase awareness and understanding.
We’ve invited interested partners, competitors and organizations to join us for a day-long online conference that will demystify arc flashes, leaving delegates feeling more confident and prepared.
Register to join us on June 7 for a range of CPD approved talks and discussions including:
Transmag’s David Davenport (known to some as Mr. Arc Flash) talks about What is Arc Flash? Jason Butler of Well and Spire offers prevention is better than cure. Imad Hammadi from Al-Hawizeh will take you through arc flash studies and evaluations. Mikko Manninen, Product Manager at Arcteq Relays discusses arc flash protection, is that all? David Davenport from CPAS will guide you through on-site procedures to ensure safe working, and Dan Cooper concludes the day with an overview of Arc PPE, your last line of defence.
Flash arch for awareness at health and safety event
To spread the message as far as possible, in the lead up to Arc Flash Awareness Day, Mr Arc Flash, David Davenport, hosted a session at a health and safety event in Birmingham.
The lecture received a lot of attention and answered very specialized questions related to specific industries, highlighting the need for improved awareness. After the lecture, a number of people lined up to speak directly with a specialist.
Why do we need an Arc Flash Awareness Day?
Arc flashes remain an ongoing threat, but without a dedicated Health and Safety Executive (HSE) rating, it is difficult to extract data from the headline figures of 1,000 electrical accidents in the UK each year, causing around 25 deaths.
If you were caught in an arc flash, you would be exposed to temperatures higher than the surface of the sun, and a pressure wave would hit you strong enough to throw you several metres, and with enough energy to cause blindness, deafness and internal burns. and life-changing, or even life-ending, injuries.
Our research highlighted that 90% of people believe there is an urgent need for the Government to establish more specific guidance around arc flash incidents. Of the people who responded to the survey, 50% believed it was an employee’s responsibility to educate themselves about the dangers of arc flashes.
We decided that the industry needed a brand-independent day to help raise awareness and educate people about the ins and outs of arc flash incidents, the risks, and how you can plan to mitigate them.
What causes an electric arc accident?
Most arc flash accidents are caused by human error. This could be a team accidentally hitting an unmarked cable during a cable strike, using a test probe on the wrong surface, or dropping a tool that strikes a live switchgear. While human error cannot be completely prevented, ProGARM believes that better education can help people act and feel safer.
We have created a day focused on educating and applying best practices to broadly raise awareness among sectors at risk of arc flash incidents – from board-level executives who have a responsibility to keep their employees safe, to people on the front lines doing direct jobs in… risk. Health and safety managers, procurement officers and operations managers will be included from a wide range of sectors, including the railway industry, renewable energy, utilities and construction.
What sectors are vulnerable to arc flash incidents?
There is a misconception that arcing or arc flash incidents only occur in high voltage systems. But you can experience arc flash on a low voltage system as well.
Industries where people are commonly at risk from this type of accident include anyone undertaking construction work, especially utilities, construction, railways, petrochemicals, power generation, and industrial electricity. If you are working on any type of switch, your employees could be at risk.
How can you also get involved with Arc Flash Awareness Day?
To participate in Arc Flash Awareness Day, contact Stephen Conlan, ProGARM’s Chief Marketing Officer via email at stephen.conlan@progarm.com or call 01482 739830.
You can visit the dedicated website – Arc Flash Awareness Day 2024 – for more information.
And join the conversation using #AFAD24 #arcflashawarenessday24 Follow today on X @ArcFlashAware or LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram @ArcFlashAwareness
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