Electrical Compliance Is Key!
C3 Engineering Knows Electrical Compliance!
Compliance is the most underlooked aspect of any electrical system.
As a matter of fact, it can be tricky to navigate but our pros understand compliance and can make it look easy! We aren’t sure we can get you and your team to a point where they think it’s easy, but we know we can get you to a point where you understand what it is and what the benefits are. Our compliance activities are based around the “Six step compliance checklist” which breaks compliance down into its main components and makes it relatively easy to implement. Honest! It may be a relief to learn that in this case, your activities focused on Compliance will make your employees safer and your plant or facility run better. The NFPA 70e requirements, along with the OSHA requirements are actually reasonable and manageable. We will help you take the necessary steps to be compliant in regards to electrical safety.
DO YOU NEED TO BE COMPLIANT?
OSHA’S General Duty Clause:
Section S(A)(l) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act requires an employer to furnish to its employees: employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to its employees.
Why do you need to be compliant?
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- OSHA is now using NFPA 70E as a national consensus standard for citations
- Protect your assets (Personnel & Facility)
- Limit your liability
- Identify potential hazards
- Reduce the risk of violations and citations
What if you don’t become compliant?
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- Increases your risk for electrical hazards
- Exposes your potential for willful violations
- Greatly increases your facility’s liability
How do you become compliant?
We’ve taken the guesswork out of the equation! This six step compliance checklist will ensure that you are up to date and compliant. Open each item for more information.
1. Understand NFPA 70E and Develop a Site Specific Written Safety Plan
Goal #1: Understand NFPA 70E and Develop a Site Specific Written Safety Plan
70E-110.1(A): “The employer shall implement and document an overall electrical safety program that directs activity appropriate to the risk associated with electrical hazards.” 70E-110.1(H): “The electrical safety program shall include a risk assessment procedure and shall comply with 110.1(H)(1) through 110.1 (H)(3).”
2. Train and Qualify Employees in Accordance With NFPA 70E Compliance Guidelines
Goal #2: Train and Qualify Employees in Accordance With NFPA 70E Compliance Guidelines
70E-105.3(A): The employer shall have responsibilities to (1) “establish, document, and implement the safety-related work practices and procedures required by this standard”, (2) “provide employees with training in the employer’s safety-related work practices and procedures”.70E-110.2(A): Training requirements “shall apply to employees exposed to an electrical hazard when the risk associated with that hazard is not reduced to a safe level by the applicable electrical installation requirements.”70E-110.2(A)(1): “A qualified person shall be trained and knowledgeable in the construction and operation of equipment or a specific work method and be trained to identify and avoid the electrical hazards that might be present with respect to that equipment or work method.”
3. Generate and Post a Facility Electrical One-Line Diagram
Goal #3: Establishing an Electrically Safe Work Condition
70E-120.1(A): Each employer shall establish, document, and implement a lockout/tagout (LOTO) program and procedures to safeguard workers from exposure to electrical hazards. 70E-205.2: “A single-line diagram, where provided for the electrical system, shall be maintained in a legible condition and shall be kept current.”
4. Perform a Shock Risk/ Arc-Flash Risk Assessment and Apply Labels
Goal #4: Perform a Shock Risk / Arc-Flash Risk Assessment and Apply Labels
70E-130.4(A): A shock risk assessment shall determine the voltage to which personnel will be exposed, the boundary requirements, and the PPE necessary in order to minimize the possibility of electric shock to personnel.
70E-130.5(A): “An arc flash risk assessment shall be performed:”
(1) “to identify arc-flash hazards”
(2) “to estimate the likelihood of occurrence of injury or damage to health and the potential severity of injury or damage to health”
(3) “to determine if additional protective measures are required, including the use of PPE”
70E-130.5(H): “Electrical equipment such as switchboards, panelboards, industrial control panels, meter socket enclosures, and motor control centers that are in other than dwelling units and that are likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized shall be field-marked with a label containing all the following information:”
(1) Nominal system voltage
(2) Arc flash boundary
(3) At least one of the following:
a. Available incident energy and the corresponding working distance, or the arc flash PPE category in Table 130.7(C)(15)(a) or Table 130.7(C)(15)(b) for the equipment, but not both
b. Minimum arc rating of clothing
c. Site-specific level of PPE
“The method of calculating and data to support the information for the label shall be documented.”
5. Provide the Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Goal #5: Provide the Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
70E-130.7: “When the employee is working within the restricted approach boundary, the worker shall wear PPE in accordance with 130.4. When an employee is working within the arc flash boundary, he or she shall wear protective clothing and other PPE on accordance with 130.5. All parts of the body inside the arc flash boundary shall be protected”
6. Perform Preventative Maintenance on Electrical Equipment
Goal #6: Perform Preventative Maintenance on Electrical Equipment
130.5(B): The estimate of the likelihood of occurrence of injury or damage to health and potential severity shall take into consideration the following:
(1) The design of the equipment, including its overcurrent protective device and operating time
(2) The electrical equipment operating condition and condition of maintenance.
70E-205.3: “Electrical equipment shall be maintained in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions or industry consensus standards to reduce the risk associated with failure” and the subsequent exposure of employees to electrical hazards. 70E-205.3 Informational Note: “Common industry practice is to apply test or calibration decals to equipment to indicate the test or calibration date and overall condition of equipment that has been tested and maintained in the field.”
Learn More About Our Compliance Services
Compliance services
C3 Engineering offers a wide range of electrical compliance services. If you have any questions about services that are not outlined on this page, please use the form below to reach out and we would be happy to assist you in any way we can.