Sunday, July 29, 2012

Electrical Safety Training - Shock & Arc Flash Hazards

The primary standard in the US that determines the requirements for electrical safety training is the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPAs) Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, NFPA 70E.

Employees who work around electrical equipment, but are not those defined as qualified employees, are required to be trained such that they have sufficient information needed to provide for their safety.

Employees who are work on energized live (exposed) circuits operating at 50 V or more are required to be qualified.  Qualified Employees are defined as employees that are knowledgeable of the construction, installation, and operation of the equipment, and who has been trained to recognize and avoid the hazard associated with working on the equipment.  Qualified Employees are required to have electrical safety training.  Electrical safety training can be conducted in a classroom, through on-the-job mentoring, or a combination of the two. 

Topics that Qualified Employees should be trained to include:

  • OSHA requirements for electrical safety
  • NFPA 70E requirements for electrical safety
  • Electrical work permits
  • Electrical hazards
  • Risk assessments
  • Shock hazard boundaries
  • Arc Flash boundaries
  • Personal protective equipment
    • Types
    • Proper wear and fit
    • Limitations
    • Maintenance and care
  • Equipment labeling
  • Methodologies to reduce electrical hazards
  • Proper use and limitation of electrical test equipment
Qualified electrical safety training should include methods that show the employee understands the electrical safety material.  This can be through tests, practical examinations, or demonstrations.

Once a Qualified Employee has been trained, the employer shall determine competency to electrical safety related work practices on an annual basis.  Annual competency can be determined through regular supervision, or inspections. 

A Qualified Employee shall receive additional electrical safety training when:

  • Supervision indicates the employee is not complying with safety related work practices
  • Annual inspections indicate that the employee has insufficient knowledge of safety related work practices
  • New technology or equipment necessitate changes in safety related work practices
  • If the employee is required to employ non-standard safety related work practices
For this and other questions on electrical and product safety, please contact me via comments on this blog or through e-mail.

3 comments:

  1. Great tips for electrical safety. Involvement in safety training classes spokane valley can save lives. For every company it is very important. Keep on posting. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Really nice article many useful information give this article I have bookmark this link
    Thanks share some more articles

    Arc Flash Protection

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your article is very helpful to know about Electrical Safety Training. These tips are useful to the Employes as well as workers who are worked in the Hazardious location.osha arc flash training requirements are combined with NFPA 7E rules. NFPA arc flash training need to be conducted regularly to have more number of qualified working personnel in the facility. electrical arc flash training also need to emphasize on the general electrical safety rules.We are one of the top most electrical safety analysis consultants. we provide the services like Arc Flash Analysis, Short circuit Analysis, Relay Coordination, Harmonic Analysis. If you want to know more information about Arc Flash Traing, Please visit Arc Flash Training

    ReplyDelete