A CLOSER LOOK AT POWER STUDIES
Put our Experience to Work for You
Info About Your Facility & Free Proposal
Step 1.
We'll send you a form that gives you the ability to let us know more about your facility and power study needs. If you have any questions during this process, we are here to help!
Once we have a better understanding of your facility, how up-to-date your electrical plans are, and how we can meet your power study needs, we will send you a free proposal.
After the signed proposal is returned to us, we start gathering the data.
Data Collection
Step 2.
During the data collection process, our field technicians work with you to find what they need from your facility like gathering information on:
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Available One-Line Diagrams
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Conductor Sizes and Lengths
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Distribution Equipment Ratings and Types
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Overcurrent Protective Devices
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Transformer Ratings and Impedances
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Incoming Energy Levels to the Facility
Most of the time we come on-site and collect this information ourselves but if you have a new building or your electrical records are up-to-date, we can sometimes work with you or your electricians to gather the information needed. After the data collection phase, we begin to analyze the data.
Engineering Analysis
Step 3.
We create a computer model of your electrical system using EasyPower® or SKM software. The model contemplates various operating scenarios (motors running, motors off, utility power, generator power, etc.).
This model allows us to calculate the short circuit current at key locations in your system to determine if the electrical equipment is adequately rated for your installation.
If you’ve purchased the coordination study option, we’ll take a look at the settings of your protective devices and make recommendations for their adjustment to optimize coordination, protection, and safety.
Using the computer model, we complete the arc flash study. Our studies are IEEE 1584 compliant.
We have decades of experience with power systems.
Arc Flash Labels & Reports
Step 4.
D.P. Lund Company uses what was learned in the engineering analysis stage to provide:
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Labels per ANSI Z535.3 Specifications
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One Line Diagrams
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PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) Requirements
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Fault Analysis and Arc Flash Reports
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**Dual language labels can be provided.
Make Device Setting Changes
& Install Arc Flash Labels
Step 5.
If a coordination study was included, we will make recommendations for the optimization of breaker settings to increase fault coordination and reduce arc flash incident energy levels.
We can make these changes and install the arc flash labels if you wish (giving you a separate quote for this option), or we can provide device setting reports and arc flash labels via mail for your own forces or a contractor to utilize.
If you’re also having us provide electrical safety training, it generally makes the most sense to combine the device settings and label installation with the training trip to your facility.
Since the calculations are based on the recommended settings, the arc flash labels should not be installed until after the settings are updated to match the recommendations.
Arc Flash, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
& Electrical Safety Training
Step 6.
It doesn't matter if all your equipment is labeled if your employees don't know how to interpret the information. We have developed a 4-hour curriculum that covers OSHA 1910 Subpart S - Electrical, NFPA 70E, and NEC requirements for:
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Arc Flash
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Personal Protective Equipment
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Electrical Safety Training
We Teach You How to Work Not Just What You Can't Do
Our instructor, Dana Lund's, combination of engineering technical knowledge and practical experience from working with a tool belt on, allows him to analyze and teach the code from an entirely different viewpoint. You don’t want to learn about this code from someone who doesn’t understand the real world consequences of what they are telling you. You want to learn from someone who looks at every requirement and thinks about how that will affect the electrical worker in terms of both safety and productivity.
**OSHA 1910 Subpart S requires that your staff be trained; most of our clients find it best for us to provide that training, but we will still price this separately in our proposal to you for your convenience.
Adopting an Electrical Safety Program
Step 7.
If you don't already have an electrical safety program in place, this is one of the most crucial steps you need to take as an owner, manager, or safety officer of your business.
D.P. Lund Company has developed a model electrical safety program that gives you firm guidelines and important forms that will allow you to establish your company's own electrical safety program with verbiage that stresses the importance of worker compliance by citing the NFPA 70E and OSHA 1910 Subpart S - Electrical requirements.
If you choose this option, in addition to the model handbook, you will receive the following worksheets to use with your program:
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Outside Contractor Notification Form
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Workplace Safety Observation Form
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Employee Training Summary
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Job Briefing and Planning Checklist
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Energized Electrical Work Permit (EEWP)
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Risk Assessment for Equipment with a Current Arc Flash Label
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Risk Assessment for Equipment that Does Not Have a Current Arc Flash Label
**We provide our Model Electrical Safety Program as an optional feature and will price this separately when you ask us for a quote.
Keeping Your Power Study Current
Step 8.
NFPA 70E Article 130.5 (2) states:
An Arc Flash Risk Assessment shall be performed and shall:
Be updated when a major modification or renovation takes place. It shall be reviewed periodically, at intervals not to exceed 5 years to account for changes in the electrical distribution system that could affect the results of the arc flash risk assessment.
From this statement it’s clear that in 5 years the study must be revisited. The good news is that this can be done at a vastly reduced cost; if we keep the electrical model current. Also, you should be aware that the cost to add a piece of new equipment to the study is quite low.
Generally speaking there are two conditions that necessitate an update to the study.
Changes, including:
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Changes to breaker settings (like the instantaneous trip dial or other adjustments on the breaker).
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Breaker replacement with other than an identical unit.
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Fuse replacement with other than an identical unit.
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Changes to electrical equipment, if the replacement isn’t identical.
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Changes to conductors:
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Length changes if greater than 10% of the total length.
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Changes in conductor size.
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Changes in the number of parallel runs.
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Motor removal if the unit is 25 horsepower or greater.
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Any electric utility changes that you become aware of (transformer replacement, etc.).
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Additions, including:
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New equipment that requires an arc flash label.
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Addition of a motor or motorized equipment that is 25 horsepower or greater.
Unless the change is extensive, we can most likely process the update without physically coming to your facility. In general, we will need the same information shown on the one line diagram that was provided with your study report. We can email you forms to aid in data collection.
It’s often convenient to mark-up the one line with the changes. If you call us we’ll be happy to email or mail a copy of your current one line for your use. Here are examples of the information that would be required:
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Breaker make and part number.
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Fuse make and part number.
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Electrical equipment makes and part numbers.
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Motor horsepower if they are 25 or greater.
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Conductor information.
If your project involved blueprints we can often obtain the necessary information from a copy of the prints and the submittals or operation & maintenance manual. Close-up pictures of the equipment showing the manufacturer’s label can also be helpful. If you use an electrical contractor we can work with them to get the information needed.
When changes or additions come along, don’t hesitate to call us. We’re always happy to discuss your needs.
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Once we get an idea of the scope of the change, we can provide either a fixed fee or not-to-exceed proposal via email. If you accept the proposal we will process the change and mail you the following:
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New and/or updated arc flash labels.
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Updated one line diagram.
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Updated recommended breakers settings report.
As mentioned above, if we stay on top of changes the benefits are many:
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Increased safety for workers.
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Continual compliance with OSHA and NFPA 70E requirements.
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The ability to process the 5-year arc flash study for a small fraction of your initial investment.
This is why we encourage our clients to keep D.P. Lund Company updated with any changes to their facility. When we work together, we can save your company time, effort, money, and keep you much more safe than if you just do your study then forget about it for 5 years.
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