Critical Considerations in
Workplace Electrical
Safety, 2015 Updates to NFPA 70E
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Your Safety Is Our Concern
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Any opinion expressed is the personal opinion of the author, and does not necessarily represent the official position of the NFPA or its Technical Committees.
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Ensuring a Safe Workplace
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has prepared a “standard” for employers to use which addresses electrical safety requirements in the workplace. This standard,
NFPA 70E‐2015, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, is considered an industry consensus standard as opposed to a federal standard in that it has not yet been fully endorsed as law by OSHA. This consensus standard includes information and guidance
on the following:
1.
Requirements for safe work practices.
2.
Information on hazards:
– Shock
– Arc Flash
3.
Requirements for shock and arc flash boundaries
4.
Requirements for personal protective equipment.
Electrical Hazards
• Electric Shock
• Electrical Arc Flash
• Electrical Arc Blast
Summary of Changes
• “Hazard vs. Risk”
– Normal operation of electric equipment
– Risk assessment to be performed prior to:
• Cutting or drilling into equipment, floors, walls, or structural elements
• Work on a battery system • Arc Flash Risk Assessment
– Incident energy analysis method; or
– arc flash PPE categories,
– Field‐marked equipment labeling requirements revised.
Summary of Changes
• Changes to “task tables”:
– A new task‐based table
– New equipment‐based tables – Hazard/risk category 0 has been removed • Changes to shock protection boundaries:
– Prohibited Approach Boundary was deleted.
– Restricted approach boundary ‐
• designated for conductive articles, and insulated tools.
• Changes to table 130.4(D)(a) Approach Boundaries
• Barricades – Arc Flash Boundary or Limited Approach Boundary
– Whichever is greater.
Summary of Changes
• Program requirements.
– Consider condition of maintenance.
– Field work audits ‐ not to exceed 1 year
• Maintenance Requirements:
– Responsibility for maintenance and documentation of electrical equipment. – New maintenance requirements for test instruments. Summary of Changes
• Changes in Scope of standard:
– Safety‐related maintenance requirements
– Other administrative controls • Changes to definitions:
– qualified person revised to meet OSHA
– energized electrical work permit added
– bare hand work deleted.
• Temporary protective grounding equipment part of job planning. Hazard vs. Risk
• The term “Hazard” replaced with “Risk”.
• Risk Assessment Procedure.
– Identify hazards, – Assess risks,
– Implement controls
• “Hierarchy of Risk Control Methods”.
Hazard vs. Risk
• Shock Risk Assessment: know the voltage.
• Arc Flash Risk Assessment:
– Determine if an arc flash hazard exists.
– Incident Energy Analysis Method or; – Arc Flash PPE Categories Method.
– Determine arc flash boundary and PPE.
Labeling Requirements
(1) Voltage
(2) Arc flash boundary
(3) At least one of the following:
a. Incident energy or arc flash PPE category, but not both!
b. Minimum arc rating of clothing.
c. Site‐specific level of PPE.
Hazard vs. Risk
• Normal Operation allowed:
– Properly Installed (NFPA 70 NEC)
– Properly Maintained (NFPA 70B or manufacturer’s recommendation.
– Doors and covers in place and secured.
– No evidence of impending failure.
Hazard vs. Risk
• Normal operation vs. “increased likelihood of injury..”
• Probability vs. severity
Hazard vs. Risk
• Dress for the arc flash hazard!
< 1.2 cal/cm2
4 to 8 cal/cm2
25 to 40 cal/cm2
Hazard vs. Risk
Cutting or Drilling. • Floors, walls or structure
• Identify location of conductors, cables, and equipment
• Place in electrical safe work condition
• Identify PPE and safe work practices
Task Tables
• Elimination of HRC 0 – How to handle existing labeling
– Best practices
• PPE Categories Method
– Task Table
– Equipment Table
– Arc Flash PPE Category Table
ESCO Electric HRC 0 arc flash protection, circa 2011.
Task Table
Equipment Table
Reproduced with permission from NFPA70E®‐2015, Electrical Safety in the Workplace, ©2014, National Fire Protection Association.
Arc Flash PPE Category Table
Reproduced with permission from NFPA70E®‐2015, Electrical Safety in the Workplace, ©2014, National Fire Protection Association.
Arc Flash PPE Category Table
TABLE 6 ‐ Continued
Reproduced with permission from NFPA70E®‐2015, Electrical Safety in the Workplace, ©2014, National Fire Protection Association.
Shock Protection Boundaries
• Prohibited approach boundary removed.
• Restricted approach boundary:
– No conductive items
– Insulated tools
ESCO Electrician using insulated gloves, tools, and barriers.
Shock Protection Boundaries
Barricades set up at Limited Approach or Arc Flash boundary, if greater. Program Requirements
• Consider Condition of maintenance
• Field work audit frequency – not to exceed 1 year.
QUESTIONS?
Jason Wolf, CSP
3450 3rd St. Marion, IA 52302
(319) 538‐7892
jasonwolf@theescogroup.com
Your Safety Is Our Concern
Thank You!
©2015 ESCO Group. All Rights Reserved. ESCO Marketing.