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GUIDE DESCRIPTIONThis guide describes best practices for arc ash labeling 1. The intent is to provide arc ash labeling thatdelivers proper safety warnings and maximizes communication throughout the facility.

If you should need further assistance after reviewing this best practice guide, please contact one ourknowledgable customer service representatives at 1-800-788-5572.

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CONTENTS

1. Tools .............................................................................

2. De nitions .................................................................

What is Arc Flash? .............................................

De nitions of Terms ..........................................

3. Evaluation - Facility Inspection ......................

4. Label Creation .........................................................

Needed Equipment and Supplies ...............

Label Creation Steps ........................................

Material Loading ................................................

Label Creation Using Die-Cut Labels .......

Label Creation Using Continuous Vinyl ..

5. Label Placement ....................................................

Labels Should Be Placed ...............................

Removing Old Labels .......................................

6. Label Maintenance ...............................................

1 See Disclaimer at the end of this document.


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1. TOOLS

The recommended tools and equipment involved with this labeling project include: Technical or safety information regarding equipment. Computer with Windows Operating System (Win 2000 and above) Word processing software (MS Word, Open Of ce Document, etc) Optional

Laptop (for portability)

DuraLabel Printer 2 (http://www.duralabel.com) Optional DuraLabel battery (for portability) DuraLabel supplies (http://www.duralabel.com)

Tape 4" x 6" Die-cut labels with preprinted Danger header

4" x 6" Die-cut labels with preprinted Warning header Continuous (Orange) Thermal transfer ribbon Black

Optional 4" x 6" Die-cut labels with preprinted Danger header (Spanish) 4" x 6" Die-cut labels with preprinted Warning header (Spanish or French) DuraLabel Arc Flash Hazard Package MBX Vinyl Zapper Cleaning supplies to prepare surface for labeling

2. DEFINITIONS

What is arc ash?

An arc ash is a rapid, explosive discharge of electrical energy that usually results from a short circuit fault.Metal vaporized by the 5,000+ degree temperatures of an arc ash produces a high temperature plasma.A blast shock wave propels unvaporized metal as high velocity shrapnel. An arc ash can occur in as littleas 1/1000 of a second. It is unexpected, violent and deadly.

Arc ash incidents injured ve to ten people every day in 2005. The number of injuries can be reducedusing various techniques such as remote breaker racking, remote door openers/closers, takingprecautions when working on equipment, using the proper PPE, as well as other measures. A fundamentalof any arc ash safety program is the use of labels and signs to provide warnings about arc ash andinformation about safety requirements.

For more information about arc ash see: http://www.labelprinters.org

2 Although other industrial quality printers may be used, the DuraLabel PRO is a popular thermal transferprinter proven to make effective pipe markers. The DuraLabel PRO is a high productivity printer that creates


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De nitions of Terms (from NFPA 70E)

The following terms are frequently found on arc ash labels and signs.

Flash Boundary An approach limit at a distance from exposed live parts within which a person couldreceive a second degree burn if an electrical arc ash were to occur.

Limited Approach Boundary An approach limit at a distance from an exposed live part within which a shock hazard exists.

Prohibited Approach Boundary An approach limit at a distance from an exposed live part within whichwork is considered the same as making contact with the live part.

Restricted Approach Boundary An approach limit at a distance from an exposed live part within whichthere is an increased risk of shock, due to electrical arc over combined with inadvertent movement, forpersonnel working in close proximity to the live part.

Incident Energy The amount of energy impressed on a surface, a certain distance from the source,

generated during an electrical arc event. One of the units used to measure incident energy is calories percentimeter squared (cal/cm 2 ).

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) All parts of the body inside the ash protection boundary shallbe protected. Arc-Rated FR clothing and other personal protective equipment (PPE) shall be used by theemployee based on the incident energy exposure associated with the speci c task. Recognizing thatincident energy increases as the distance from the arc ash decreases, additional PPE shall be used forany parts of the body that are closer than the distance at which the incident energy was determined.


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3. EVALUATION FACILITY INSPECTION

Conduct an inspection of your facility to determine the need for new and replacement arc ash labels.

When evaluating your facility, look for and/or pay attention to: Existing labels Are they still legible? (Damaged, deteriorated, etc)

Are they accurate? (Proper calculations, boundaries, PPE, etc)

Equipment without labels New equipment Does the new equipment pose an arc ash danger? Have boundaries been calculated? Areas where maintenance is performed Traf c areas

There are currently several calculation methods that are being used to determine arc ash boundaries.Each method has its own strengths and weaknesses. See Table 1 to compare the most common methods.

Table 1

The focus of these standards is calculating the radiated heat or incident energy falling on a surfaceproduced by an arcing fault. Although no single method can fully calculate arc ash hazards, it isrecommended that IEEE 1584 be used as the primary arcash calculation method (especially for working in

ash protection boundaries) and using the other methods such as NFPA 70E in special situations.

Equipment and systems should have an arc ash label when the system operates at 50 volts or more.

NOTE: Arc ash calculation is not an exact science. Always use caution and multiple methods to verify results.

4. LABEL CREATION

NFPA 70E standards do not state what information should be included on an arc ash label, only that arcash labels must be used. However, NFPA 70E recommends including as much information as possible.

Thorough information concerning the level of the arc ash hazard allows quali ed persons to know whatlevel of precaution and type of personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary when working on or nearthe equipment.

Methods Advantages LimitationsFLUX.exe Easy to use

Common Applies only to open-air, single-phase arcs Inaccurate when multiple correction factors

are added.

NFPA 70E Easy to use Quick PPE reference

Tables must be applied within their speci edranges.

IEEE 1584 Most recent and comprehensive Hasnt been available for long in workplace;some doubts about accuracy.


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Needed Equipment and Supplies

There is more than one option to get the needed arc ash labels. If you only need a small number, theycan be ordered online or from local sign or label stores. However, if you need a bulk order, it is moreeconomical to use a DuraLabel printer and DuraLabel supplies.

DuraLabel offers an Arc Flash Hazard Package that provides commonly used arc ash labeling materials.

The DuraLabel Arc Flash Hazard Package includes: DuraLabel Printer (software included) 4" Orange 3.0 mil Permanent Adhesive 4" x 6" Danger Arc Flash Die-Cuts 4.3" Black Standard Resin Ribbon

This is the standard package. However this package can be customized .

Some special supplies for certain needs: 4" x 6" Danger Arc Flash Die-Cuts without lines 4" x 6" Warning Arc Flash Die-Cuts without lines Spanish 4" x 6" Danger Arc Flash Die-Cuts without lines Spanish 4" x 6" Warning Arc Flash Die-Cuts without lines French 4" x 6" Warning Arc Flash Die-Cuts without lines

Label Creation Steps (with DuraLabel PRO)

Two options are available with the DuraLabel. The Flash Label Software, included on the DuraLabel CD,

provides a database for storing and tracking arc ash labels, and it directly prints on the 4" x 6" die-cutDuraLabel arc ash labels. The DuraLabel can also print arc ash labels using continuous vinyl tapes.

When using continuous vinyl tapes, design the required labels with a familiar word processing program,such as Microsoft Word or Open Of ce Document. The CD included with the DuraLabel comes with pre-made MS Word templates and examples. The DuraLabel printer can print on continuous vinyl supplies upto 4" wide.

Material Loading1. Load DuraLabel printer with DuraLabel continuous orange vinyl, continuous white with orange

header vinyl, or die-cut labels with pre-printed header.a. If loaded with die-cut labels, set the gap sensor following the instructions in the DuraLabel

manual.2. Load DuraLabel printer with DuraLabel black ribbon.


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Label Creation Using Die-Cut Labels1. Open DuraLabel Arc Flash Labeling software.2. By clicking Options , you can select which language to print in. (English, Spanish, French)3. Enter data elds.4. Select number of labels to be printed.5. Print the label.

Label Creation Using Continuous Vinyl1. Open word processor.2. Load the DuraLabel Arc Flash Template. This will format page to appropriate size.3. Modify the template to include information such as boundary distance, energy, and necessary PPE 4. Print the label.

5. LABEL PLACEMENT

Labels should be placed: On or close to the appropriate system or equipment. To be visible from the point of normal approach.

Removing Old Labels

Most labels are meant to be permanent and are extremely tough to remove. When applying new arcash labels, it may be necessary to remove older labels. The MBX Vinyl Zapper easily removes vinyl,

decals, re ective tape, and adhesives in a single operation using an Eraser Wheel. The Eraser Wheel isdesigned with notched rubber ngers that grab edges of vinyl to peel away from surfaces without damagingunderlying OEM paint, or other substrate material.

By changing wheels, the MBX Vinyl Zapper can be used for other applications, such as cleaning andpreparing surfaces for new labels.

MBX Vinyl Zapper applications: Remove vinyl, decals, re ective tape, and adhesive with no paint damage. Remove crud, concrete, debris, and waste from industrial, manufacturing or construction operations. Remove corrosion, oxidation, rust, and scale without damaging material beneath. Remove paint, protective coatings, and sealers. Remove soft and gummy materials without clogging. Remove slag and weld burn. Decontaminate metal surfaces. Roughen berglass, plastic, or rubber surfaces for repair or bonding. Clean contours, nooks, and crannies, bolt threads, sharp edges, and uneven surfaces.


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6. LABEL MAINTENANCE

Labels should be properly maintained to ensure legibility and readability. Under normal conditions labelswill last 5-7 years. Environmental conditions can result in a shorter or longer life.

Labels should be inspected on a periodic basis and replace any that are missing or have deterioratedbeyond legibility. Accumulation of debris, grease, oil, or other materials should be cleaned off.

Labels are only useful if they are visible. DuraLabel supplies are chemical resistant and solvents andcleaning agents may be used when necessary to clean off dirt, grime, oil, etc

If cleaning is not possible and label is not readable, replace the existing label with a new one. DuraLabellabels are designed to be permanent. Should the need to remove a pipe marker ever arise, a Vinyl Zappercan be used to remove the label.

Set up a schedule to reevaluate your facility. Refer to the Evaluation of Facility section of this guide forhelp.

DISCLAIMER: This guide is for general purposes only. It is not a substitute for review of applicable standard. We have attempted tomake this guide as complete and accurate as possible. However, you are responsible for meeting all code requirements, for providing arcflash labeling throughout your facility, and for having complete, correct and proper arc flash labeling. We provide no guarantees, nor

warranties as to the correctness, accuracy or applicability of the information in this guide. We disclaim all liability associated with theuse of the information provided in this guide.

2008 Graphic Products, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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