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Software Helps Reduce Incidence of Arc Flash Hazards - Power Analytics - Facility Management Product Release


Power Analytics
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Incorporating multiple patented technologies, Paladin® Real-Time Arc Flash™ (RTAF) is the industry’s only software program that enables up-to-date assessments of changing threats as they emerge.

The dangers of arc flash are real and growing. More than 2,000 people a year are treated in burn centers with arc flash injuries. Arc flash occurs when working on energized equipment such as microgrids, a market that is projected to grow by 150 percent every year.

RTAF maintains an uninterrupted, 360-degree view of the facility and its potential arc flash hazards, continually checking all components, equipment and systems.

“It’s like having a dedicated power engineer who runs an arc flash study every 15 minutes against your current system conditions, increasing safety while minimizing work interruptions. Integrating RTAF into a site’s safety management and training plan is an exceptionally powerful strategy,” says Kevin Meagher, president of Power Analytics.

An enhancement of the Paladin Live™ software suite, RTAF provides detailed, updated safety procedures, protective gear recommendations and advisories for site personnel in a given vicinity. It also makes intelligent recommendations about where potential arc flash hazards could emerge, and gauges their potential severity. These recommendations are based upon IEEE 1584 and the NFPA 70E standards, entitled IEEE Guide for Performing Arc-Flash Hazard Calculations and Standard for Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces, respectively.

Prior to entering the area and beginning work, site personnel simply query the Paladin Real-Time Arc Flash Advisor. The system responds with an up-to-date recommendation on the appropriate safety procedures and personal protection equipment necessary to work in the vicinity. Forewarned about the nature of the potential threat, workers will be able to proceed with a higher degree of knowledge about specific safety risks they may encounter. For example, when performing repairs to equipment in which a worker could accidentally be exposed to an electrical hazard, Paladin Real-Time Arc Flash Advisor provides specific guidance on gloves, clothing, goggles, helmet, etc., the worker should wear to increase his or her safety.

While the monitoring arc flash potential in real time is a necessary component of any electrical system that includes the traditional power grid, it serves a critical function in new and advanced electrical systems. These include but are not limited to: data centers, microgrids, distributed generation and renewables.


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posted: 8/6/2015