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An incident energy study — commonly called an arc flash study — measures how much thermal energy would be released at each point in your electrical system during an arc fault, so you know the exact hazard level at every panel. Bowtie Engineering performs these studies to NFPA 70E, OSHA 1910, and IEEE 1584 standards, led by licensed Professional Engineers. You receive incident energy values in cal/cm², calculated arc flash boundaries, required PPE per location, and printed labels for every piece of equipment — the documentation OSHA and your insurer expect to see.
An arc flash study, also called an incident energy analysis, calculates the arc flash hazard at every piece of electrical equipment in your facility. It establishes how much energy would be released in an arc flash event at each location, in calories per square centimetre, and turns that figure into the two things your team actually needs: a label on the equipment and a PPE decision at the point of work.
Bowtie performs arc flash studies to IEEE 1584, NFPA 70E and OSHA CFR 1910, led by licensed Professional Engineers. You receive incident energy labels, shock hazard boundaries, PPE requirements and a report with accurate electrical one line diagrams.
Each study includes:
We also document where energized electrical equipment presents a high risk, helping you identify special equipment that may require advanced controls or additional protective equipment.
An arc flash occurs when electrical energy exits its intended path and travels through the air between conductors or from a conductor to the ground. This unplanned arc fault can trigger an explosive force known as an electrical arc flash.
Causes of arc flash incidents include:
Without proper controls and personal protective equipment, workers exposed to these electrical hazards face serious injury. That’s why arc flash safety must be integrated into every facility’s broader safety program and compliance efforts.
Bowtie Engineering’s arc flash assessment process follows NFPA 70E, OSHA 1910, and IEEE 1584 guidelines. Every project is handled by experienced electrical engineers and safety professionals who understand the dangers of arc flash at a practical level.
Each study includes:
We also document where energized electrical equipment presents a high risk, helping you identify special equipment that may require advanced controls or additional protective equipment.
Every arc flash incident is different but many are preventable. Bowtie’s arc flash studies are designed to deliver more than compliance paperwork. We help your teams:
With our help, you can map every panel, identify at-risk systems, and train your team to respond confidently even in high-pressure environments.
Bowtie also offers optional arc flash training that goes hand-in-hand with your arc flash study. These instructor-led or proctor-based sessions teach:
All training is aligned with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard and includes documentation of successful completion.
An arc flash study is only useful if it arrives in a form your team can work from. Every Bowtie study delivers the following.
Incident energy labels, installed on the analyzed equipment, showing the incident energy value, the arc flash boundary, the shock approach boundaries and the required PPE. Accurate electrical one line diagrams, which for many facilities is the first time the as built system has been documented properly. A full engineering report covering the modelling assumptions, the fault current calculations and the protective device coordination. PPE guidance tied to your actual values rather than to a generic category table.
For clients on a service contract all of it also loads into BowVue, so the incident energy data sits alongside the maintenance records and the qualified worker list rather than in a PDF someone has to go and find.
Data collection is the stage that depends on you. Our engineers need access to the equipment to record nameplate data, protective device settings, conductor sizes and lengths. The more accurate your existing documentation, the faster this stage goes. Facilities with no current one line diagram should expect it to take longer, because the diagram has to be built from what is actually installed.
Analysis is performed using industry standard modelling software including SKM, EasyPower and ETAP. Most of the time, this does not require the facility to shut down, though certain lack of maintenance safety issues may need equipment de-energized. That is agreed before work starts rather than discovered on the day.
The time it takes to do a completed incident energy study, depends on the electrical size of the facility. A facility with 500 or less bus would typically take four to six weeks start to finish.
Arc flash study pricing is driven by engineering time, which in turn is driven by the number of pieces of equipment to be analyzed, the complexity of the electrical system, the quality of your existing documentation and the site access available.
A study priced competitively but built on inaccurate data is worse than no study, because the labels will be wrong and your team will trust them. Bowtie quotes on scope rather than on equipment count alone.
We have written in more detail about what drives arc flash study cost and how to evaluate a proposal intelligently.
Most Arc Flash studies are priced between $9000.00 and $14,000. However the electrical size dictates actual level of effort and could exceed 6 figures. Unit pricing is fully transparent to incentivize the customer and the vendor to get it right and assure all systems are accounted for and labeled for the life safety of the qualified electrical worker.
Following the study, Bowtie produces and installs arc flash and shock hazard labels for every piece of analyzed equipment following NFPA 70E 130.5 (H). This is the minimum requirement, however other equipment less than 1.2 calorie per centimeter squared Bowtie will also produce a label and install to help with the proper visibility of incident energy values throughout your electrical system.
The label is where the whole study meets the worker. It has to show the incident energy value, the arc flash boundary, the limited and restricted approach shock boundaries, the required PPE and the upstream equipment identifier, for a proper condition of maintenance review. It has to stay legible in the environment it lives in. Labels that are technically correct but unreadable at the panel are a common finding when we review existing studies.
A Bowtie incident energy study (arc flash study) calculates the hazard level at every point in your electrical system and delivers the labels, boundaries, and PPE requirements you need for NFPA 70E and OSHA compliance. Studies are led by licensed Professional Engineers and performed to IEEE 1584 standards for facilities nationwide.
An arc flash study identifies risks in your electrical system and calculates incident energy levels at specific points. This helps determine arc flash boundaries, label panels, and recommend protective equipment.
They uncover hidden electrical hazards and help prevent electrical injuries through proper labeling, documentation, and PPE recommendations.
The study includes field evaluations, fault current calculations, arc flash labels, PPE recommendations, and compliance documentation.
Every 5 years or after major electrical changes, per NFPA 70E. If your system has changed recently, it’s time to reassess.
Yes. We provide recommendations for arc flash mitigation, including remote operation tools, system upgrades, or adjusting working distance.
Cost depends on the size and complexity of your electrical system — primarily the number of buses and pieces of equipment to be modeled, the condition of your existing one-line drawings, and site access. Because every facility differs, Bowtie quotes each study individually after a short scoping conversation. Call 866-730-6620 for a quote on your facility.
Timeline depends on facility size and how current your electrical documentation is. Field data collection is scheduled around your operations, and much of it can be performed without a shutdown. Bowtie provides a projected timeline with your quote so you can plan around it.
