It happened again today...another arc flash, another severe injury.
This time an electrician from Ashoskie, N.C. was badly burned in an arc flash explosion while he was changing a breaker at a restaurant in Elizabeth City, N.C.
According to reports, the electric current flashed, setting the worker's clothing on fire. He was rushed immediately to the hospital and was listed in serious condition.
The injured man is reported to be a licensed worker employed by an electrical company that services restaurants in North Carolina. (For details about the accident, read the news report on the DailyAdvance.com.) Many questions need to be asked about an accident such as this, but two come to my mind right away: Did the restaurant follow OSHA guidelines? Was the electrician properly trained on NFPA regulations? What was needed here was a thorough arc flash loss prevention program, one that included an arc flash analysis, identification of the proper PPE needed and training on what to do and what not to do.
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