The European Arc Flash Guide

Guide Chapters


The European Arc Guidebook is broken down into 2 information chapters and 16 main chapters, you can access the Guidebook by following the link below:

These documents are subject to change. Last updated: September 18th, 2022.
The European Arc Guidebook

Alternatively, you can jump straight to the Table of Contents to help you navigate the book!
The European Arc Guidebook: Table of Contents

The European Arc Flash Guide

This book is essential reading for anyone responsible for designing or putting workers to task on, or near, large power electrical systems. This is especially relevant where local health and safety law uses a risk-based approach to electrical safety such as in Europe.
It is based upon a bedrock of risk management methodology using the 4Ps of Predict, Prevent, Process and Protect to ensure that arc flash hazards are systematically identified, analysed, and prevented from causing harm. Each of the 4Ps are described in detail starting with a quantitative prediction of harm from the arc flash hazard and then a separate chapter on prevention based upon practical measures avoid or minimise harm set against a hierarchy of risk control measures. The chapter on process, policy and procedures gives advice on a methodical approach to creating rules and ensuring competence. Finally, the chapter on protection describes, as a last resort, how personal protective equipment can be selected, used, and maintained.
This book is packed with the fruits of the author’s vast experience and there is a chapter dedicated to myths and mysteries as well as separate chapters for electrical utilities, duty holders, service providers, contractors, legislation, and data collection.
The book can be found at:

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/European-Arc-Flash-Guide-Specialists/dp/1982284064/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1632937886&sr=8-1

Balboa Press:
https://www.balboapress.com/en-gb/bookstore/bookdetails/830279-the-european-arc-flash-guide

The Author


Mike Frain is one of the most prolific exponents of arc flash risk management and electrical safety in Europe over many years. The author is a dual national of the Republic of Ireland and United Kingdom and has been at the forefront of raising awareness about the management of the arc flash risk in a very practical way in accordance with European standards. He is an authority on the drafting and training of electrical safety procedures and processes and has been trusted to deliver electrical safety consultancy advice for numerous household names in most sectors of industry across Europe.

As a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering & Technology, Mike has held senior management positions in electrical safety, contracting, utilities, consultancy, and facilities maintenance companies having direct responsibility for putting people to work on a full range of complex and large power electrical systems. He is an Expert for the British Standards Institute and International Electrotechnical Commission Live Working committees, Convener for the IEC Arc Flash Working Group (TC 78 WG 15) and the Team Leader for the IEC arc flash end user guidance project team. He is the Vice Chair of the IET Engineering Safety Policy Panel and leads the Arc Flash Working Group
A headshot image of Mike Frain.