Your Quick Guide to Using the New Arc Flash Symbol
Posted by Clarion Safety Systems | 26th Feb 2018
Arc flash is a serious workplace electrical event. It can cause severe safety incidents, resulting in worker injuries and deaths. Using appropriate labels on electrical equipment and signs in workplaces is critical to allowing workers to be more informed about risks and proper precautions to take. Graphical symbols are an important part of these types of warnings, but until recently, there was not an internationally standardized symbol available to use.
Recognizing the benefits of standardization, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recently registered a specific symbol meaning “To warn of an arc flash.” The standardized arc flash symbol is now available in an amendment to ISO 7010 Graphical symbols – Safety colours and safety signs – Registered safety signs , and can be found through ISO’s Online Browsing Platform. Through Clarion’s leadership in ISO and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), we’re pleased to have been a part of this change which will help to promote a global understanding of the potential for arc flash hazards.
| PAST SYMBOLS OFTEN USED FOR ARC FLASH | NEW ISO SYMBOL FOR ARC FLASH |
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Now that the new arc flash symbol is available, you may have questions on how to implement it in your product safety label program, or in your facility safety sign system. When it comes to practically applying the new symbol, there are a couple scenarios to consider:
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If your arc flash labels and signs don’t
utilize symbols
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this will be the time to replace them with labels and signs that incorporate the new ISO symbol in their design. As part of our best practice product line, Clarion offers both arc flash safety labels for products and workplaces, as well as electrical hazard facility safety signs, each incorporating the new symbol.
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For labels and signs that use the ISO 7010 symbol to warn of electricity, or other symbols , this will be the time to replace existing warnings with ones that use the new symbol. If your design uses two symbols (such as a combination of the symbol for electricity hazards with the symbol for explosion/pressure hazards) you can now simply use the new symbol. Another option for labels is to retrofit your equipment by placing a symbol-only label with the new symbol next to the equipment’s existing label.
Do you have questions about your arc flash safety label or safety sign needs? Contact us so we can help. We also offer safety label assessments, where we can work with you to evaluate your labels in line with today’s best practices, looking at your arc flash warnings as well as your bigger picture needs for your full label program.