 |
| Zaereth, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
Which can cause severe burns. The arc is usually hotter than the surface of the Sun and has the energy of an explosion. A conductive arc can form due to dust, faulty components or shorted terminals in an electrical panel due to a dropped tool. Another cause can be improperly placed test leads which bridge live parts. The huge surge in current through the low resistance arc can lead to catastrophic injuries and damage in the milliseconds before a protective device operates. Personnel working on electrical panels use PPE to protect themselves from the heat and intense UV of an arc flash. See this Fluke guide for more details.