Safety & Compliance · SOP

Electrical Safety Inspection Of Workshop Arc Flash Risk Assessment

A comprehensive procedure for identifying, evaluating, and documenting arc flash hazards in workshop electrical equipment. Compliant with CSA Z462 and NFPA 70E standards.

Estimated Time

75 min

Difficulty

Advanced

Regulation

CSA Z462 / NFPA 70E

Version

1.0

Free download — no sign‑up, no email.Take this SOP to your shop floor and make it yours.

↓ PDF (print‑ready) ↓ Word (editable)

Purpose

To establish a standardized procedure for conducting an electrical safety inspection and arc flash risk assessment within workshop environments. This SOP ensures compliance with CSA Z462 and NFPA 70E standards, identifies potential arc flash hazards, and defines mitigation protocols to protect personnel from electrical arc flash incidents. The inspection covers all electrical equipment rated above 50V AC or 100V DC and produces a documented risk assessment that informs required PPE levels, approach boundaries, and corrective actions.

Scope

This procedure applies to all workshop areas containing electrical equipment rated above 50V AC or 100V DC, including switchgear, panelboards, motor control centers, distribution boards, industrial machinery enclosures, and temporary power distribution. It covers the systematic inspection, data collection, incident energy calculation, boundary determination, and documentation of arc flash hazards. This SOP does not apply to utility-owned equipment upstream of the service entrance, de-energized electrical systems that have been properly locked out and tagged out, or equipment operating below 50V AC / 100V DC. All inspections must be performed by a qualified electrical worker holding appropriate certification for arc flash hazard analysis.

Safety Precautions

LOTOVerify a complete lockout/tagout (LOTO) on all energy sources before any panel covering is removed. Only qualified electrical workers holding a valid LOTO authorization may perform this step. Apply personal lockout devices and verify zero energy state before proceeding.
PPEAll personnel within the arc flash boundary must wear arc-rated clothing (minimum 8 cal/cm²), voltage-rated rubber gloves with leather protectors, hard hat with face shield rated for arc flash (minimum 8 cal/cm²), and safety glasses. Select PPE category based on calculated incident energy levels from the risk assessment.
BNDRYEstablish and clearly mark the limited approach boundary (restricted to qualified persons) and prohibited approach boundary. No unqualified personnel may cross the limited approach boundary. Post warning signs at all entry points to the work area.
VOLTUse a verified portable voltage detector rated for the system voltage (minimum CAT IV) to confirm absence of voltage before any contact with exposed conductors. Test the detector on a known live source immediately before and after each absence-of-voltage test. Follow the "test — test — test" protocol.

Required Tools & Materials

Certified arc flash hazard analysis software (SKM Power*Tools, ETAP, or EasyPower)
Calibrated portable voltage detector (CAT IV rated, with self-test function)
Personal protective equipment: arc-rated clothing (min. 8 cal/cm²), rubber voltage gloves with leather protectors, hard hat with arc-rated face shield, safety glasses
Digital multimeter with CAT IV rating and fused leads (min. 600V)
Infrared thermographic camera (optional but recommended for hot spot detection)
Lockout/tagout kit with padlocks, hasps, tags, and group lockout box
Arc flash warning labels (pre-printed thermal transfer or write-on labels)
Measuring tape (3 m+), digital camera, flashlight, and notepad for documentation
CSA Z462 — Workplace electrical safety standard and NFPA 70E reference documents

Digitize Your Safety & Compliance

Throw away the paper checklists. Have your operators complete safety audits, crash reports, and daily inspections directly on their phones using SafeDesk. Stay compliant with WorkSafeBC without the administrative bloat.

Try SafeDesk →

Procedure: Step-by-Step

1 Establish an electrically safe work condition. De-energize the equipment, apply lockout/tagout, and verify absence of voltage using a verified portable voltage detector (CAT IV). Test the detector on a known live source before and after each verification. Follow the "test — test — test" protocol.

2 Gather nameplate data from all equipment. Record manufacturer, voltage rating, continuous current rating, available fault current, transformer kVA and impedance, cable sizes and lengths, and system configuration (e.g., solidly grounded, impedance grounded). Document systematically on a data collection form.

3 Calculate incident energy and arc flash boundary. Input collected data into certified arc flash hazard analysis software (SKM, ETAP, EasyPower). Include utility fault current, transformer data, cable impedances, and system configuration. Run the analysis to compute incident energy (cal/cm²) at the working distance and the arc flash boundary (distance at which incident energy drops to 1.2 cal/cm²).

4 Determine approach boundaries. From the analysis, extract the arc flash boundary (AFB), limited approach boundary (LAB), restricted approach boundary (RAB), and prohibited approach boundary (PAB) per CSA Z462. Record these distances for each equipment item.

5 Select required PPE category. Based on the highest calculated incident energy at the working distance, assign the appropriate PPE category (1–4) per Table 130.7(C)(15)(a) in NFPA 70E. Ensure all personnel entering the arc flash boundary wear arc-rated PPE that covers the full incident energy level.

6 Apply arc flash warning labels. Affix durable labels to each equipment enclosure. Labels must show: equipment name and voltage, arc flash boundary distance, incident energy (cal/cm² at working distance), required PPE category, and flash hazard warning. Use thermal transfer labels for permanence.

7 Conduct visual inspection of all equipment. Look for signs of overheating (discoloration, melted insulation, burn marks), loose or corroded connections, moisture ingress, damaged enclosures, rust, and unauthorized modifications. Document any deficiencies with photographs and notes.

8 Perform thermographic inspection (if equipped). Using an infrared thermographic camera, scan all energized equipment under normal load conditions. Identify hot spots with temperature differentials exceeding 10°C between phases or between equipment and ambient. Flag connections showing >15°C rise for immediate remediation.

9 Complete the arc flash risk assessment report. Compile a formal report containing: equipment inventory list, single-line diagrams, calculated incident energies and boundaries, required PPE matrix per equipment item, findings from visual and thermographic inspections, and a prioritized list of corrective actions with associated deadlines.

10 Review findings and schedule remediation. Present the completed risk assessment to the facility safety manager and operations team. Assign responsibility and target dates for each corrective action. Do not return equipment to service until any mandatory safety-critical items (e.g., loose connections, damaged insulation) are resolved and re-verified.

Electrical Safety Inspection Of Workshop Arc Flash Risk Assessment

Digitize Your Safety & Compliance

Software that works like your best tools.