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Arc Flash Hazard Assessment and Safe Working Distances

Switchboards, motor control centres and distribution panels on African plants carry arc flash energy that can burn a worker standing a metre away, yet most sites treat live electrical work as an ordinary maintenance task. This course teaches how to calculate incident energy, mark approach boundaries and select rated protective clothing so that panel work is planned around real thermal risk. Practical examples use the panel ratings and fault levels found on typical industrial and commercial installations.

What you will be able to do

  • Explain how arc flash and arc blast injuries occur and which tasks carry the highest exposure.
  • Estimate incident energy and establish arc flash and shock approach boundaries for a panel.
  • Select arc rated clothing and protective equipment matched to the calculated energy level.
  • Produce warning labels and access controls for switchgear and distribution boards.
  • Plan energised work permits and justify when work should be done de-energised instead.
  • Investigate arc flash near misses and feed findings into panel design improvements.

Course outline

  1. 01How arc flash and arc blast cause injury
  2. 02Fault levels and incident energy estimation
  3. 03Approach boundaries and access control
  4. 04Arc rated clothing and equipment selection
  5. 05Labelling switchgear and distribution boards
  6. 06Energised work permits and de-energised alternatives
  7. 07Investigating arc flash near misses

Who should attend

Electrical supervisors, plant engineers, maintenance planners and safety officers who authorise or oversee work on switchgear, motor control centres and distribution boards.

Dates, venues and fees

DatesVenueDaysFeeCalendar
17 to 19 Aug 2026Pretoria3R13,000
24 to 26 Aug 2026Cape Town3R13,000
7 to 9 Sep 2026Online3US$900
14 to 16 Sep 2026Mozambique3US$1,500
21 to 23 Sep 2026Cairo3US$1,500
28 to 30 Sep 2026Accra3US$1,500
5 to 7 Oct 2026Lusaka3US$1,500
12 to 14 Oct 2026Kigali3US$1,500
19 to 21 Oct 2026Nairobi3US$1,500
26 to 28 Oct 2026Durban3R13,000
2 to 4 Nov 2026Johannesburg3R13,000
16 to 18 Nov 2026Mauritius3US$1,500
23 to 25 Nov 2026Dubai3US$1,500
30 Nov to 2 Dec 2026Lagos3US$1,500
7 to 9 Dec 2026Harare3US$1,500
14 to 16 Dec 2026Kampala3US$1,500
21 to 23 Dec 2026Dar es Salaam3US$1,500

Fees are per delegate. South African venues are priced in rand; other locations and online in US dollars. Fees exclude 15% VAT where applicable. Group bookings of three or more delegates from the same organisation qualify for a reduced rate; contact us for a quotation.

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