Persons working on or in the vicinity of live parts of electrical installations are exposed to the risk of electric arcs. Arc faults can occur in the event of defects, short circuits or the disconnection of live parts wherever high-energy power distribution systems are installed. An electric arc entails major hazards for the system and the employees: high thermal energy, explosion and pressure wave, electromagnetic radiation, acoustic pollution as well as toxic gases and particles.

Various insurance providers - for example the NFPA in the USA or the DGUV in Germany - require operators of electrical systems to carry out a corresponding risk assessment and recurring assessments in order to analyze hazards and protect systems and employees accordingly. Dekra has developed a multi-stage, software-supported arc flash analysis process that identifies potential risks across the entire system. An extensive database is recorded on site by a Dekra expert. The data describes all medium and low-voltage components as well as electrical infrastructures and records existing preventive and protective measures. Specially developed software then enables the experts to assess the potential energy release and calculate accident scenarios. For example, short circuits can be simulated and incidents anticipated. This analysis complies with current national and international standards and regulations for accident prevention and electrical safety such as NFPA 70E, IEEE 1584, DGUV-I 203-077.

Based on the risk analysis, operators can take the necessary measures to minimize the risk for the entire system according to the TOP principle: i.e. define organizational measures, install additional protective equipment for the system or prescribe appropriate personal protective equipment for endangered workplaces.

Dekra was originally founded in 1925 with the aim of ensuring road safety through vehicle inspections. Today, Dekra is the world's largest independent non-listed expert organization in the field of testing, inspection and certification and customers to improve their results in the areas of safety and sustainability. In 2023, Dekra achieved a turnover of 4.1 billion euros. Around 49,000 employees provide qualified and independent expert services in around 60 countries on five continents.