Arc Flash Safety Labels | Clarion Safety Systems

Q: "What is an arc flash and why are arc flash labels important?"

"An arc flash is a sudden release of electrical energy through the air when a high-voltage gap exists and there is a breakdown between conductors. This can cause severe burns, fires, and even death. Arc flash labels warn personnel about these hazards and clearly communicate the need to follow safety procedures, wear proper PPE, and de-energize equipment before servicing."

Q: "What standards must arc flash labels comply with?"

"Clarion Safety’s arc flash labels meet NFPA 70E, NEC, OSHA, ANSI Z535, and ISO 7010 requirements. NEC mandates that labels be placed where they are clearly visible before anyone begins work. OSHA requires that equipment operating at 50 volts or more be assessed for arc flash and shock hazards, and labeled appropriately to protect workers."

Q: "Where should arc flash labels be placed on electrical equipment?"

"Arc flash labels should be applied to the outside of electrical panels, switchboards, meter socket enclosures, and any energized equipment where workers could be exposed to arc flash hazards. Labels must be positioned so they are easily seen before the equipment is accessed or serviced."

Q: "What is the difference between general and specific arc flash labels?"

"General arc flash labels are typically used by equipment manufacturers to indicate that NFPA 70E safety practices and PPE requirements must be followed when servicing equipment. Specific (multi-field) arc flash labels are used by equipment owners to display exact data from their arc flash risk assessments, including incident energy, working distance, PPE category, and approach boundaries."

Q: "Can I order custom arc flash labels for my equipment?"

"Yes. Clarion Safety offers custom arc flash labels designed to your specifications, including your company logo, color coding, and data fields from your arc flash studies. Custom labels help ensure accurate, up-to-date safety information for each piece of equipment and support ongoing regulatory compliance."

Q: "How do Clarion Safety arc flash labels support compliance and safety?"

"Clarion Safety’s arc flash hazard labels use the ISO 7010 standardized symbol for arc flash hazards, promoting universal understanding and reducing risk of misinterpretation. Combined with our durable materials, ANSI Z535 formatting, and compliance-focused designs, they help keep your workforce safe and your facility in compliance."

Arc flash labels identify hazards and inform personnel about safety issues, helping to reduce the risk of personal injury or death for those who work on or near energized electrical equipment. An arc flash is when a flashover of electric current leaves its intended path and travels through the air to another conductor or the ground. These events occur 5-10 times a day in the United States. Arc flash can be caused by accidental contact, condensation, corrosion, dust, material failure, and many other events. The intense heat that arc flashes give off makes just about anything that's within the vicinity of them potentially flammable, including clothing, equipment, and furniture. Because of this, hazard mitigation strategies must be implemented. Using safety labels and stickers with thorough and best practice content, including symbols, is an important way to communicate about these electrical hazards.

Clarion Safety’s arc flash safety labels comply with NFPA 70E and NEC arc flash labeling practices and use the ISO 7010 symbol “To warn of an arc flash” which was standardized in 2016. NEC regulations require that these markings are placed in a location where they are clearly visible before anyone begins work, commonly on the outside of panel boards, switchboards, and meter socket enclosures. OSHA also requires every piece of equipment operating at 50 volts or more and not put into a de-energized state to be evaluated for arc shock and flash protection.

Through our leadership in ANSI and ISO, we’re pleased to have been a part of the working effort to have a single standardized graphic, helping to promote a global understanding of the potential for arc flash hazards. Our “general” arc flash safety labels are used by equipment manufacturers to indicate the need to follow NFPA 70E safety practices and PPE requirements when servicing the equipment. Our “specific” multi-field arc flash labels are used by equipment owners to convey precise information related to each piece of their equipment (and their power supplies), using data from their arc flash studies.

Keep your team protected and in compliance with safety protocols with Clarion Safety’s line of arc flash hazard labels. Don’t see the safety label you need? Contact us for more information on how we can provide arc flash safety solutions for your workplace.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Arc Flash Labels

What is an arc flash and why are arc flash labels important?

An arc flash is a sudden release of electrical energy through the air when a high-voltage gap exists and there is a breakdown between conductors. This can cause severe burns, fires, and even death. Arc flash labels warn personnel about these hazards and clearly communicate the need to follow safety procedures, wear proper PPE, and de-energize equipment before servicing.

What standards must arc flash labels comply with?

Clarion Safety’s arc flash labels meet NFPA 70E, NEC, OSHA, ANSI Z535, and ISO 7010 requirements. NEC mandates that labels be placed where they are clearly visible before anyone begins work. OSHA requires that equipment operating at 50 volts or more be assessed for arc flash and shock hazards, and labeled appropriately to protect workers.

Where should arc flash labels be placed on electrical equipment?

Arc flash labels should be applied to the outside of electrical panels, switchboards, meter socket enclosures, and any energized equipment where workers could be exposed to arc flash hazards. Labels must be positioned so they are easily seen before the equipment is accessed or serviced.

What is the difference between general and specific arc flash labels?

General arc flash labels are typically used by equipment manufacturers to indicate that NFPA 70E safety practices and PPE requirements must be followed when servicing equipment.
Specific (multi-field) arc flash labels are used by equipment owners to display exact data from their arc flash risk assessments, including incident energy, working distance, PPE category, and approach boundaries.

Can I order custom arc flash labels for my equipment?

Yes. Clarion Safety offers custom arc flash labels designed to your specifications, including your company logo, color coding, and data fields from your arc flash studies. Custom labels help ensure accurate, up-to-date safety information for each piece of equipment and support ongoing regulatory compliance.

How do Clarion Safety arc flash labels support compliance and safety?

Clarion Safety’s arc flash hazard labels use the ISO 7010 standardized symbol for arc flash hazards, promoting universal understanding and reducing risk of misinterpretation. Combined with our durable materials, ANSI Z535 formatting, and compliance-focused designs, they help keep your workforce safe and your facility in compliance.