Electrical System Safety Analysis
Protecting Workers and Assets from Power System Hazards
Critical Safety Statistics
Every year, electrical incidents cause over 300 workplace fatalities and 4,000 serious injuries in the United States. Behind each statistic is a preventable tragedy—and often, an electrical system that was never properly analyzed for safety hazards.
Whether you manage a manufacturing facility, hospital, data center, or commercial building, your electrical distribution system contains hazards that may be invisible until someone gets hurt. System safety studies identify these hazards, quantify the risks, and provide actionable solutions before an incident occurs.
Electrical safety analyzer studies and training, on the same project
An electrical safety analyzer study is the engineering deliverable: a short-circuit analysis, an arc flash hazard analysis (IEEE 1584), and a protective device coordination study. The output is a set of equipment labels, a one-line drawing with fault current and incident energy at every bus, and a settings sheet for every protective device. Without it, the labels on your gear are guesses.
The other half is electrical safety training. NFPA 70E is the standard, and it requires that every worker who performs energized work be trained on the hazards, the boundaries, and the PPE specific to the equipment they touch. ClarkTE delivers both halves under one PE: the safety analyzer study and the matching NFPA 70E training. Every worker leaves training with the labels they will see on the gear and the procedures keyed to those labels.
What is Electrical System Safety Analysis?
Electrical system safety analysis is a comprehensive engineering evaluation of your power distribution system to identify, quantify, and mitigate electrical hazards. This multi-faceted assessment typically includes three interconnected studies:
1. Short Circuit Analysis
Calculates the maximum fault current available at every point in your electrical system. This determines whether equipment can safely interrupt fault currents or if dangerous conditions exist.
Learn More →2. Arc Flash Studies
Analyzes the thermal hazard (incident energy) workers face when performing tasks on energized equipment. Results determine PPE requirements and safe work practices per NFPA 70E.
Learn More →3. Coordination Studies
Ensures protective devices (breakers, fuses, relays) operate in the correct sequence during faults, isolating problems quickly while keeping the rest of your facility energized.
Learn More →For Engineers: Studies utilize computer modeling (SKM PowerTools, ETAP, or similar) to perform comprehensive fault calculations, time-current coordination analysis, and arc flash hazard assessments per IEEE 1584-2018 methods.
Why This Service is Critical
Legal Compliance & OSHA Requirements
OSHA 1910.335(b) mandates that employers must provide safety-related work practices to protect employees from electrical hazards. This includes conducting arc flash hazard assessments. NFPA 70E, the industry standard for electrical safety, requires incident energy analysis or the PPE category method.
Without documented studies, your organization faces:
- OSHA citations with penalties up to $156,259 per willful violation
- Increased scrutiny after any electrical incident
- Potential criminal liability in case of worker fatalities
Worker Protection
Your electricians and maintenance personnel work on or near energized equipment regularly. Without proper hazard analysis:
- Workers don't know what PPE level is required
- Some tasks may be performed energized that should require de-energization
- Arc flash boundaries are unknown, leading to approach violations
- Incident energy may exceed available PPE protection levels
Equipment & Asset Protection
System safety studies reveal critical equipment vulnerabilities:
- Circuit breakers with inadequate interrupting ratings (catastrophic failure waiting to happen)
- Improperly sized protective devices that won't clear faults
- Coordination gaps that cause unnecessary widespread outages
- Equipment operating beyond safe capabilities
When Should You Schedule This Service?
Immediate Red Flags
- • No arc flash labels on equipment
- • Recent electrical incidents
- • OSHA inspection scheduled
- • Utility service upgrades
- • Labels older than 5 years
Mandatory Timing
- • Immediately if no studies exist
- • Every 5 years minimum
- • After system modifications
- • New equipment installations
- • Building expansions
ROI & Business Value
Average electrical burn injury cost
Average arc flash property damage
ROI preventing ONE incident
Study investment: $8,000-$40,000 depending on facility size
Industry Standards & Compliance
Primary Standards
- NFPA 70E: Electrical Safety in the Workplace
- IEEE 1584: Arc Flash Hazard Calculations
- IEEE 242: Protection & Coordination (Buff Book)
- NEC Article 110.16: Arc flash labeling
OSHA Regulations
- 1910.335: Protective equipment use
- 1910.333: Work practice selection
- 1910.137: Electrical PPE requirements
- General Duty Clause: Safe workplace provision
Protect Your People and Assets
Don't let your facility become a statistic. Every day without proper safety analysis is a day your workers face unknown risks.