Service · IEEE 1584-2018 · NFPA 70E-2027
Arc flash study that ends with labels on your gear
PE-reviewed, modeled to IEEE 1584-2018, quoted in 24 hours. Field data, report, labels and training from one team.
- PE-reviewed
- Built on current NFPA 70E-2027
- IEEE 1584-2018
- Field engineers travel to every US state
- Written quote in 24 hours
An arc flash study is an engineering analysis that models your electrical system, calculates the incident energy a worker could face at each piece of equipment, and sets the arc flash boundary and PPE for it. AFSC delivers the study to IEEE 1584-2018, has a licensed PE review it, and installs the labels.
Why now
When a facility needs this study
| Trigger | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| No study on file | Your labels and PPE rules have no engineering basis behind them |
| New facility or expansion | The equipment is new and nothing on it has been assessed yet |
| Last study is 5 years old | NFPA 70E-2027 requires a review; see our study update service |
| OSHA or insurer finding | You need a documented assessment to close the item |
| New transformer or utility change | Fault current moved and the old numbers may be wrong |
What is included
| Deliverable | What you get |
|---|---|
| Field data collection | Nameplate, cable and protective device data verified on site by our engineers |
| One-line diagram | An updated, as-found one-line diagram of the system in scope |
| Short circuit study | Available fault current at each bus and an equipment duty check |
| Coordination review | Protective device settings checked for selectivity and clearing time |
| Incident energy results | Incident energy in cal/cm², arc flash boundary and PPE category at every bus, to IEEE 1584-2018 |
| Mitigation options | Practical changes that lower incident energy, with before and after values |
| PE-reviewed report | A report your plant team can use, reviewed by a licensed Professional Engineer |
| Arc flash labels | Durable labels to NFPA 70E-2027 130.5(H), printed from the study data, supplied and installed on site by AFSC |
What you receive, page by page
Every number in the report traces to a line in the model, and every label on the gear traces to a line in the report. Here is how that chain looks on sample values.
What the report shows
What goes on the gear
How it works
Quote in 24 hours
Send your location, voltage levels, equipment count and deadline. You get scope, price and a dated timeline within 24 hours.
Site visit
Engineers collect and verify data, planned around your production and outage windows.
Analysis
We build the model, run short circuit, coordination and incident energy, and flag high-energy locations.
Report and labels
PE review, report delivery, labels installed and results walked through with your team.
Get your study scoped this week
Send your one-line diagram or tell us what you have. Scope, fixed price and a dated timeline come back within one business day.
Standards and proof
| Standard | What it governs in your study |
|---|---|
| IEEE 1584-2018 | The calculation method for arcing current and incident energy |
| NFPA 70E-2027 | Risk assessment, arc flash boundary, PPE selection, labels and the 5-year review |
| NEC (NFPA 70) | Equipment duty and marking, to the edition your state has adopted |
| OSHA 29 CFR 1910 | Your duty to assess hazards and protect workers (1910.132(d), 1910.335) |
A Gulf Coast refinery update inside a turnaround window: data walked down before the outage, settings changes reviewed with operations, labels installed while the units were down. Illustrative scenario, no figures claimed.
What is an arc flash study, in one paragraph?
It is the calculation that turns your one-line diagram into safe work rules. Engineers model every source and bus, find the fault current each can deliver, time how fast the protective devices clear it, and convert that into incident energy in cal/cm². The result sets boundaries, PPE and the label on each panel.
Arc flash analysis vs the full study
An arc flash analysis is the calculation step inside the study: incident energy and arc flash boundary at each bus, computed to IEEE 1584-2018. The full study wraps that analysis with verified field data, short circuit and coordination checks, mitigation options, a PE-reviewed report, and labels on the equipment. Buy the study, not just the math.
Arc flash hazard analysis, the three outputs you use
An arc flash hazard analysis gives each piece of equipment three numbers your crews use every day: the incident energy at the working distance, the arc flash boundary, and the PPE that protects against that energy. Everything else in the report explains, checks or lowers those three numbers. Those three go on the label.
Arc flash study for new facility projects
An arc flash study for new facility projects should run before energization, from the design one-line and the protective device settings the commissioning team will use. Labels then go on as the gear is energized, not months later. We verify the as-built equipment on site and update the model before handover.
Arc flash study questions
Question not here? Ask an engineer
Does an arc flash study need to be stamped by a PE?
No federal rule requires a PE stamp on an arc flash study, but many owners, insurers and engineering standards expect licensed engineering review. Every AFSC study is reviewed by a US-licensed Professional Engineer before delivery, so the work stands up when an inspector, insurer or new contractor asks who checked it.
Who is qualified to do an arc flash study?
A qualified engineer with power system modeling experience, working to IEEE 1584-2018 and NFPA 70E-2027, should do the study. Look for verified field data, recognized modeling software, and review by a licensed Professional Engineer. Your maintenance team supplies access and records; the engineering belongs with people who calculate fault current every day.
Can arc flash happen at 240V?
Yes. An arc flash can occur at 240 V and below. IEEE 1584-2018 covers three-phase systems down to 208 V. It notes that a sustained arc is less likely at 240 V nominal or less when the available short-circuit current is below 2,000 A. The study checks every bus instead of assuming the hazard away.
How much does the study cost?
Price depends on the number of buses, the highest voltage and how current your drawings are. Send your one-line diagram and you get a fixed written price within 24 hours. See how pricing works for what moves the number and what is always included.
Will the study disrupt production?
Rarely. Engineers read nameplates and settings with the equipment energized wherever that is safe, wearing PPE for the task. Anything that needs a cover removed is booked into a planned outage. You approve the field schedule before the visit, so production planning never gets a surprise from us.
What do you need from us to start?
Start with the site address, voltage levels, a rough equipment count and your deadline. A one-line diagram speeds up pricing but is not required. During the visit we need an escort, access to electrical rooms, and someone who can answer questions about recent changes to the system.
How is the 5-year review handled after the study?
Your report records the study date and the date the review falls due under NFPA 70E-2027. We can remind you before that date and update the model with any changes since. Use our study expiry checker to see where an existing study stands today.
Get your arc flash study quoted
Tell us about your facility. An engineer replies within one business day with scope, timeline and price.
- IEEE 1584-2018 and NFPA 70E-2027, PE-reviewed
- Labels and training in the same scope
- Field engineers travel to any US state