Importance of Arc Flash Hazard Analysis and Mitigation in New Zealand | Carelabs

Arc flash hazard analysis is important in New Zealand facilities because AS/NZS 4836 places a specific obligation on facility owners to identify and control electrical risk — and incident energy, the key measure of arc flash severity, cannot be assumed or estimated by eye. It has to be calculated at each working point in the system.

Carelabs carries this out using ETAP modelling and the IEEE 1584 calculation method, producing incident energy figures, arc flash boundaries, and PPE category assignments for every panel covered. Mitigation options that come out of this analysis include protective device coordination adjustments and targeted equipment upgrades at the highest-risk points. WorkSafe New Zealand and Energy Safety both expect this kind of documented assessment as part of meeting AS/NZS 4836 and the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010.