Arc flash studies that keep crews and facilities NFPA 70E compliant.
Incident-energy analysis, equipment labeling, and PPE determination, delivered on their own or as part of a full electrical design.
NFPA 70E requires that workers know the incident energy they face before they open energized equipment, and that the equipment carry a label saying so. Meeting that means modeling the system, calculating the available fault current and clearing times at every point of work, and translating the result into a label and a PPE category a crew can actually use.
We build the system model from the equipment as it exists, including utility fault-current data, conductor lengths and sizes, transformer impedances, and protective device settings. Incident energy is calculated at each work location, and the arc flash boundary and required PPE category follow from the calculation rather than from a generic table.
Where the calculated incident energy comes back too high to work safely, the study identifies what actually drives it. Usually it is a protective device setting or a coordination decision upstream, and adjusting it is far cheaper than the alternatives. That analysis is delivered with the study rather than left as an exercise for the facility.
What it covers
- Incident-energy analysis
- Equipment labeling
- Arc flash boundary determination
- PPE category determination
- NFPA 70E compliance documentation
- Mitigation recommendations
Arc flash study report
The full analysis, sealed by a licensed professional engineer, with the model inputs and assumptions documented.
Equipment labels
Labels for each piece of equipment carrying incident energy, arc flash boundary, and required PPE.
One-line diagram
An updated one-line reflecting the system as modeled, useful well beyond the study itself.
Mitigation options
Where incident energy is high, what is driving it and what would bring it down.
Sectors served
Arc Flash Studies sealed by a professional engineer, in 22 states.
See where we are licensedArc Flash Studies: common questions.
What is an arc flash study?
An arc flash study models an electrical system to calculate the incident energy a worker would be exposed to at each point where they might work on energized equipment. The result determines the arc flash boundary, the required PPE category, and the labels that must be applied to the equipment under NFPA 70E.
Do I need an arc flash study?
NFPA 70E requires that employees be informed of the arc flash hazard before working on or near energized equipment, and that equipment be labeled accordingly. In practice that means facilities with electrical equipment their own staff or contractors service need a current study.
How often should an arc flash study be updated?
NFPA 70E calls for the analysis to be reviewed at least every five years, and sooner whenever the electrical system changes in a way that affects available fault current or clearing times, such as a new service, added distribution, or changed protective device settings.
Can an arc flash study be done without a full electrical design?
Yes. Vertical Design Services performs arc flash studies as a standalone engagement on an existing facility, as well as part of a complete electrical design on new work.
What do I receive from an arc flash study?
A sealed report with the analysis and documented assumptions, equipment labels showing incident energy, arc flash boundary and required PPE, an updated one-line diagram of the system as modeled, and, where the calculated energy is high, an explanation of what is driving it and what would reduce it.
Need arc flash studies on a project?
Share the project type, location, and timeline. A licensed engineer reviews every inquiry and responds directly.