Arc Flash Study and Analysis Services

Arc flash analysis

Arc Flash Hazard Consultants

Elliot Engineering is a leading arc flash study company with over 10 years of experience performing power system studies for industrial and commercial facilities across the United States. Our licensed Professional Engineers (P.E.) conduct comprehensive arc flash hazard analysis and arc flash risk assessments backed by rigorous engineering calculations and practices, in alignment with NFPA 70E, IEEE 1584, and OSHA’s electrical safety requirements.

Arc flash incidents pose significant risks to personnel and facilities, leading to severe injuries, equipment damage, and costly downtime. Whether your facility needs an initial arc flash study, a periodic five-year review, or a post-incident assessment, Elliot Engineering delivers detailed, PE-stamped reports that protect your people and satisfy all regulatory requirements.

Need to discuss the arc flash study requirements of your facility? Contact us for more information today!

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Get in touch with Elliot Engineering for your next project, or if you have any questions on our power systems engineering services or power systems engineering electrical consulting services.

What Is an Arc Flash Study?

An arc flash study, also referred to as an arc flash hazard analysis or arc flash risk assessment, is a detailed engineering assessment of a facility’s electrical power system. The study determines the potential hazard energy present at each electrical equipment location and defines the safety boundaries and personal protective equipment (PPE) required for workers to safely perform tasks near energized equipment.

Under NFPA 70E Section 130.5, an arc flash risk assessment must be performed before any person is exposed to electrical hazards. A properly completed arc flash study identifies:

The arc flash boundary at each piece of equipment
Incident energy levels (in cal/cm²) at defined working distances
The appropriate PPE for personnel performing energized work
Actionable mitigation strategies to reduce arc flash hazard levels

An arc flash study is not the same as simply applying NFPA 70E PPE category tables from a chart. A true incident energy analysis study, performed per IEEE 1584 methods, accounts for your specific system parameters, including available fault current, protective device clearing times, and working distances, to produce facility-specific, defensible results.

Why Choose Elliot Engineering for Your Arc Flash Study?

Elliot Engineering is committed to delivering exceptional arc flash study services that prioritize safety, accuracy, and compliance. Our team of dedicated power system engineers manages every step of your arc flash hazard analysis, from data collection through final report delivery and arc flash labeling.

Expertise and Autonomy: Our engineers specialize exclusively in power system studies. Unlike generalist firms, every electrical safety assessment we perform is managed end-to-end by engineers who perform this work every day, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and no hand-offs that introduce errors.
Comprehensive, PE-Stamped Reports: Every arc flash hazard analysis is reviewed and stamped by a Registered Professional Engineer. Our studies include a protective device coordination study to proactively reduce hazard levels, not just document them, improving system protection and overall performance.
Proven Experience: With over 20 years of arc flash study experience, we follow rigorous methodologies and use advanced data verification techniques to ensure our findings are reliable and defensible.
Full Regulatory Alignment: Our electrical safety assessment process is conducted in accordance with NFPA 70E, IEEE Std. 1584, and ANSI Std. C37, the recognized frameworks employers rely on to meet OSHA’s electrical safety obligations.
Client-Centric Approach: We prioritize clear communication, compliance guidance, and customized solutions designed to fit your facility’s unique electrical system needs and operational realities.

Get Started with Elliot Engineering

Protect your workforce and ensure compliance with industry-leading Arc Flash Testing and Analysis services. Contact Elliot Engineering today to schedule a consultation.

Our Arc Flash Study Process

Elliot Engineering follows a rigorous, seven-step arc flash study process to ensure every assessment is thorough, accurate, and actionable. Here is how we conduct your arc flash hazard analysis from start to finish.

Step 1: Data Collection

Our engineers gather critical data on electrical equipment, protective devices, and transformer specifications. Required information includes:

Data from the utility, including available fault current, operating voltage, and specifics regarding the utility’s protective equipment at the point of service.
Specifics for each protective device in the electrical system, including manufacturer, model, available time/current settings, and short-circuit interrupting rating.
Transformer impedance, tap settings, and ratings.
Conductor specifics, including lengths, sizes, and types of all overhead lines, bus ducts, and cables.

Step 2: Power System Modeling

We develop detailed one-line diagrams to visualize system configurations and analyze power distribution. If you already have one-line diagrams, we will update the data and work from them, if possible.

Accurate electrical system drawings are necessary to identify power sources, voltage levels, electrical equipment, and protective devices.

Elliot Engineering utilizes SKM Power Tools, ETAP and EasyPower for system modeling and analysis.

Step 3: Short Circuit Study

A short circuit study is a required component of any arc flash hazard analysis. This study determines the magnitude of current flowing throughout the power system at critical points at various time intervals after a “fault” occurs. These calculations will be used to determine the bolted fault current, which is essential for the calculation of incident energy and interrupting ratings of your equipment.

Comparison of equipment ratings with calculated short circuit and operating conditions will identify underrated equipment. We perform all short circuit studies in accordance with ANSI Std. C37 and IEEE Std. 141-1993 (Red Book).

Step 4: Protective Device Coordination Study

Protective device coordination study should be performed to ensure selection and arrangement of protective devices limits the effects of an over-current situation to the smallest area. Results will be used to make recommendations for mitigation of arc flash hazards.

Coordination study results directly inform arc flash mitigation recommendations. Although this is an optional study, arc flash hazard mitigation cannot be performed without it. Elliot Engineering performs coordination studies in accordance with IEEE Std. 242-2001 (Buff Book).

Step 5: Arc Flash Calculations

Using NFPA 70E and IEEE 1584 standards, our engineers calculate incident energy levels and determine arc flash protection boundaries at every relevant equipment bus in your system. These calculations are based on available short circuit current, protective device clearing time, and distance from the arc.

The magnitude of arc flash hazards is determined using methods from NFPA 70E, IEEE 1584, or NESC Tables 410-1 and 410-2, as applicable to your system configuration.

Step 6: Reporting & Mitigation Recommendations

We provide a detailed Arc Flash Report, including actionable mitigation strategies to enhance safety. This will be supplied to you for a short review period, during which your team can review mitigation recommendations.

At this point, we can hold a Management Summary meeting to interpret the report results. Upon approval, we will provide a final report and full sized one-line diagrams, stamped by our Registered P.E. The drawings and report will also be supplied to you in a digital format.

Step 7: Arc Flash Labeling & Safety Training

We generate and install customized hazard labels and offer tailored training programs to educate employees on arc flash safety.

Hazard labels identify incident energy and working distance, nominal system voltage, and the arc flash boundary. In addition to standard requirements, our labels also include limited and restricted approach boundaries, date, upstream protective device, and recommended personal protection equipment.

We can also provide bolted fault current if desired. We provide labels that are compliant with NFPA 70E 130.3

By adhering to this comprehensive process, Elliot Engineering ensures your facility is fully protected against arc flash incidents, safeguarding both personnel and equipment.

Arc Flash Risk Assessment Requirements: NFPA 70E & OSHA

Understanding arc flash risk assessment requirements is critical for any facility that conducts or permits energized electrical work.

What Does NFPA 70E Require

NFPA 70E is the primary standard for electrical safety in the workplace in the United States. Two key sections govern arc flash risk assessment requirements:

NFPA 70E Section 130.4 requires a shock risk assessment before beginning any energized electrical work
NFPA 70E Section 130.5 requires an arc flash risk assessment that:
- Determines whether an arc flash hazard exists
- If a hazard exists, determines: the appropriate safety-related work practices, the arc flash boundary, and the correct PPE to be worn

Navigating all of the requirements, conditions, and exceptions arising from these assessments requires significant familiarity with the current standard. Elliot Engineering’s engineers maintain up-to-date expertise in NFPA 70E compliance.

Does OSHA Require an Arc Flash Study?

OSHA’s electrical safety standards and the General Duty Clause make arc flash hazard analysis and risk assessment essential for any facility where energized electrical work is performed. While NFPA 70E is not itself an OSHA regulation, it is the widely recognized framework that employers use to meet those obligations. OSHA can reference NFPA 70E as evidence of hazard recognition and feasible abatement when evaluating workplace citations, making alignment with the standard an important component of any electrical safety program.

Failure to adequately protect employees from recognized electrical hazards, including arc flash, can result in OSHA citations, substantial financial penalties, and increased employer liability.

How Often Is an Arc Flash Study Required?

NFPA 70E requires that arc flash risk assessments be reviewed at intervals not exceeding five years, and updated whenever significant changes are made to the electrical system. Specifically, a review or update is required:

At intervals not exceeding 5 years
After major electrical system modifications (new equipment, utility service changes, protective device upgrades, or load additions)
Following an arc flash incident or near-miss event

If your facility’s arc flash study is more than five years old, or if significant electrical changes have occurred since the last assessment, it is time to schedule an update.

What Is an Arc Flash and Why Does It Matter?

An arc flash occurs when electrical current deviates from its intended path, traveling through the air between conductors and releasing a powerful burst of thermal energy. Arc flash incidents are among the most serious electrical hazards in any workplace, capable of producing:

Temperatures up to 35,000°F at the arc, nearly four times the surface temperature of the sun
Severe, life-threatening thermal burn injuries
Permanent blindness from the intense light flash
Hearing damage from the accompanying pressure wave
Fatalities from blast force and shrapnel

Multiple arc flash incidents occur in U.S. workplaces every day. According to the Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI), the direct and indirect costs to an employer from a single fatal electrical accident can reach millions of dollars. Beyond the financial impact, the human cost is irreversible.

The urgency is real: NFPA 70E requires arc flash risk assessments before any person is exposed to electrical hazards. Increasing power demand combined with aging electrical infrastructure across the U.S. only heightens the risk, making a current, accurate arc flash hazard analysis more important than ever.

Request a Quote for Your Arc Flash Study

Elliot Engineering provides arc flash study and hazard analysis services for industrial and commercial facilities nationwide. Our Professional Engineers are ready to discuss your requirements and help ensure your facility’s electrical safety program aligns with NFPA 70E, IEEE 1584, and OSHA’s electrical safety requirements.

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