Does OSHA require that an arc flash study is performed at my facility?

In 2015, OSHA published a fact sheet which stipulated that no later than January 1, 2015, employers must estimate the incident heat energy of any electric-arc hazard to which a worker would be exposed. While NFPA 70E does recommend several ways to do this, generally the most practical is to perform an arc flash study. 

The OHSA fact sheet can be found here.

What does IEEE 1584 have to do with arc flash studies? 

IEEE 1584 is the standard that outlines how working distance and incident energy should be calculated – and is used by all software vendors (SKM, CYME, EasyPower, ETAP). IEEE 1584 is referred to in NFPA 70E as a means for calculating working distance and incident energy. This standard was updated in 2018 and added complexity on how arc flash studies are to be completed. Among other things, an electrode configuration(s) must be chosen by the engineer performing the analysis which requires an in-depth understanding of how electrical equipment is constructed. Choosing the wrong electrode configuration for a given piece of equipment may result in an incident energy value that is either very conservative, or not conservative enough. This may result in a qualified electrical worker choosing the incorrect personal protective equipment (PPE) for the work location.

Learn more here.