Any arc flash video is a rare occurance simply because it is hard to know when an actual arc flash accident will occur. Accidents occur when "a dangerous condition associated with the release of energy caused by an electrical fault." It occurs when electrical insulation or isolation between conductors is broken or can no longer withstand the applied voltage.
Electrical hazards and worker safety continue to be a highly discussed topic. Recent changes to recognized industry codes and standards along with an increased interest by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)  have highlighted the concern and need to reduce potential hazards. Visual presentations, an explanation of how to reduce hazards by utilizing the proper overcurrent protective device and a review of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and safe work practices, can all be used to reduce hazards.
Every day in North America, from five to 10 explosions occur. These explosions cause injuries (from the creation of pressure waves that can damage hearing or brain function and a flash that can damage eyesight and burn exposed and covered flesh) which can range from minor burn injuries to life threatening injuries and possible death.
Since energy is the integral of power with respect to time, one would expect, and tests have confirmed, that the thermal incident energy from an electric energy exposure is directly proportional to the time duration of the initial incident. Any mechanism which detects the presence of the fault and opens the circuit in a relatively short time is effective in limiting the amount of incident energy exposure created by the fault.
While the potential for these explosions to occur has existed as long as industrial and commercial applications of electricity, two factors have pushed accident prevention to the forefront.
The first is a greater understanding of hazards and the risks they pose to personnel. Research into blasts has been able to quantify the powerful forces they unleash.
The second factor is increased vigilance on the part of OSHA.
OSHA is using the requirements of NFPA 70E, the industry's consensus standard for electrical safety, to judge whether the employer "acted reasonably" in protecting its workers from hazards. In many cases, this has resulted in employers facing substantial fines after such accidents.
Employers have always had a moral obligation to their workers to minimize the chance of catastrophic evets. But never before have their financial obligations to their stockholders and their legal obligations to OSHA been as great as they are today.
It is not always possible to see film footage of an actual explosion taking place. There is one such video, however, that has been shown at our Electrical Safety training conferences. Click here to view.
There are other popular products on the market. Here are links to a few packages from Salisbury.
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