NFPA 70E Certification Training Notes and Hazard Analysis Quick Reference
- tsmith474
- Jul 14
- 16 min read
NFPA 70E Certification Training Notes
NFPA 70E is copyright protected by the National Fire Protection Association.
Purpose of This Handout
NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, provides electrical safety-related work practices intended to protect employees from electrical hazards such as:
Electric shock
Electrocution
Arc flash
Arc blast
Thermal burns
Secondary injuries caused by an electrical incident
NFPA 70E establishes processes involving policies, procedures, training, risk assessments, work planning, maintenance, and personal protective equipment to reduce electrical risks to an acceptable level.
This handout is a study and field-reference aid. It does not replace:
The complete NFPA 70E standard
Employer electrical safety policies
Equipment-specific procedures
Energized electrical work permits
Lockout/tagout procedures
Engineering studies
Equipment labels
Required employee training
Always use the actual 2024 edition of NFPA 70E and your employer’s electrical safety program when making safety decisions.
1. NFPA 70E, OSHA, the NEC, and NFPA 70B
These documents work together, but they have different purposes.
OSHA Regulations
OSHA regulations are federal workplace safety requirements. OSHA requires employers to protect employees from recognized electrical hazards.
OSHA requires exposed energized parts to be deenergized before employees work on or near them unless deenergizing creates an additional or increased hazard or is infeasible because of equipment design or operational limitations.
NFPA 70E
NFPA 70E explains electrical safety-related work practices that can be used to help satisfy OSHA’s performance-based electrical safety requirements.
NFPA 70E addresses:
Employer electrical safety programs
Employee training
Electrically safe work conditions
Lockout/tagout
Shock risk assessments
Arc-flash risk assessments
Approach boundaries
Energized electrical work
Personal protective equipment
Safety-related maintenance
Special electrical equipment
OSHA is the law, while NFPA 70E provides detailed, recognized practices for complying with electrical safety obligations.
NFPA 70 — National Electrical Code
The NEC primarily addresses the safe installation of electrical systems and equipment. It covers subjects such as wiring methods, conductor sizing, overcurrent protection, grounding, equipment installation, and special occupancies.
NFPA 70B
NFPA 70B addresses electrical equipment maintenance.
Proper maintenance is critical because electrical safety decisions may depend on equipment operating correctly. An overcurrent protective device that has not been properly maintained may not clear a fault within the time assumed by an arc-flash study. NFPA emphasizes that installation, maintenance, and safe work practices must work together.
The Electrical Safety Cycle
Remember the relationship:
NFPA 70: Install the electrical system safely.
NFPA 70B: Maintain the electrical system properly.
NFPA 70E: Perform work using safe electrical work practices.
2. How NFPA 70E Is Organized
NFPA 70E is divided into an introduction, articles, chapters, tables, informational notes, and informative annexes.
Article 90 — Introduction
Article 90 explains the purpose, scope, arrangement, and general application of the standard.
Use Article 90 to determine whether NFPA 70E applies to the work being planned.
Article 100 — Definitions
Article 100 contains defined terms used throughout the standard.
Always check Article 100 when a word appears to have a special technical meaning. Do not rely only on an ordinary dictionary definition.
In the 2024 edition, definitions that had previously appeared in Chapter 3 were relocated, revised, or consolidated into Article 100.
Chapter 1 — Safety-Related Work Practices
Chapter 1 contains the requirements most employees use regularly.
Article 110 — General Requirements
Article 110 addresses subjects such as:
Electrically safe work condition policy
Electrical safety programs
Risk assessments
Hierarchy of risk control methods
Training requirements
Qualified and unqualified persons
Job safety planning
Job briefings
Auditing
Host-employer and contractor responsibilities
Article 120 — Establishing an Electrically Safe Work Condition
Article 120 covers the process for establishing and verifying an electrically safe work condition, including:
Electrical lockout/tagout principles
Lockout/tagout procedures
Identifying energy sources
Interrupting load current
Opening disconnecting devices
Releasing stored energy
Applying locks and tags
Testing for absence of voltage
Applying temporary protective grounding when required
Article 130 — Work Involving Electrical Hazards
Article 130 applies when work involves electrical hazards that have not been eliminated.
It addresses:
Justification for energized work
Energized electrical work permits
Shock risk assessments
Arc-flash risk assessments
Shock protection boundaries
Arc-flash boundaries
Personal protective equipment
Insulated tools and equipment
Alerting techniques
Barricades, signs, attendants, and boundaries
Chapter 2 — Safety-Related Maintenance Requirements
Chapter 2 addresses maintenance conditions that affect employee safety.
Examples include:
Electrical equipment maintenance
Overcurrent protective devices
Protective relays
Circuit breakers
Fuses
Ground-fault protection
Test instruments
Personal safety and protective equipment
Insulated tools
Premises wiring
Hazardous-location equipment
Chapter 2 does not provide a complete maintenance program. It identifies maintenance conditions that directly affect electrical safety.
Chapter 3 — Safety Requirements for Special Equipment
Chapter 3 modifies or supplements Chapter 1 requirements for certain specialized equipment.
Examples include:
Electrolytic cells
Batteries and battery rooms
Lasers
Power electronic equipment
Research and development laboratories
Capacitors
Informative Annexes
The annexes provide useful explanatory material, examples, worksheets, calculation information, and guidance.
Examples include information about:
Risk assessments
Incident-energy calculations
Job briefing and planning checklists
Human performance
Electrical safety programs
Personal protective equipment
Informative annexes are not mandatory requirements unless an employer, contract, regulation, or policy specifically adopts them.
3. Mandatory Rules and Explanatory Material
Understanding the language used in NFPA 70E is important.
“Shall”
The word shall indicates a mandatory requirement.
“Shall Not”
The words shall not indicate a prohibited action.
“Permitted”
The word permitted means that an action is allowed, but it may not be required.
Informational Notes
Informational notes provide explanation, references, or examples. They are not enforceable requirements by themselves.
Exceptions
An exception modifies a general rule. Read the entire rule and every applicable exception before deciding what is required.
Tables
Tables must be used with their associated article text, notes, limitations, equipment conditions, and footnotes.
Never take a value from a table without checking:
The table title
The voltage range
Whether the table is for AC or DC
The type of equipment
The equipment condition
The task being performed
The working distance
The available fault current
The protective-device clearing time
All table notes and limitations
4. Important NFPA 70E Terms
Electrical Hazard
A dangerous condition in which contact with energized equipment or equipment failure could result in injury.
Electrical hazards may include:
Shock
Arc flash
Arc blast
Thermal effects
Hazard
A source of possible injury or damage to health.
Risk
A combination of:
The likelihood that an injury will occur
The severity of the possible injury
A hazard may exist even when the risk is controlled. Risk control does not necessarily remove the hazard.
Qualified Person
A qualified person has demonstrated skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training to identify and avoid the hazards involved.
Qualification is not universal. A person may be qualified for one task or type of equipment but not another.
The 2024 edition clarifies that a qualified person must be qualified for the specific equipment and tasks being performed.
Unqualified Person
An unqualified person has not received the training or demonstrated the skills and knowledge necessary to perform the specific electrical task.
An unqualified person may not cross electrical safety boundaries or perform energized electrical work unless specifically allowed, protected, and escorted as required by the standard and employer procedure.
Electrically Safe Work Condition
An electrically safe work condition is more than turning a switch off.
The conductors and circuit parts must be:
Disconnected from energized sources
Locked and tagged according to an established procedure
Tested to verify the absence of voltage
Temporarily grounded when required
The 2024 edition emphasizes that conductors and circuit parts are not considered to be in an electrically safe work condition until all applicable Article 120 requirements have been completed.
Exposed
A conductor or circuit part is exposed when it is not suitably guarded, isolated, or insulated and can be accidentally touched or approached closer than a safe distance.
Arc Rating
The value assigned to material describing its ability to resist exposure to an electrical arc.
Arc rating is normally expressed in:
cal/cm² — calories per square centimeter
Arc-rated clothing is not the same as ordinary flame-resistant clothing. Required PPE must have an arc rating suitable for the expected exposure.
Incident Energy
Incident energy is the amount of thermal energy impressed on a surface at a specified distance from an arc.
Incident energy is normally expressed in cal/cm².
Working Distance
The working distance is the distance between the possible arc source and the worker’s face or chest area used for incident-energy calculations.
Moving closer than the working distance listed in the study or table may expose the worker to more energy than the PPE was selected to withstand.
5. The Primary Rule: Establish an Electrically Safe Work Condition
The preferred electrical safety practice is to eliminate electrical hazards by establishing an electrically safe work condition before work begins.
Deenergized does not automatically mean safe.
OSHA requires parts that have been deenergized but have not been properly locked, tagged, and verified to be treated as energized.
The Eight Steps to Establish an Electrically Safe Work Condition
The following summarizes the process in NFPA 70E, Article 120. Always follow the employer’s written lockout/tagout procedure.
Step 1 — Identify All Sources of Electrical Energy
Use current drawings, diagrams, labels, equipment identification, and field verification to determine every possible source.
Consider:
Normal utility power
Alternate feeds
Generators
Uninterruptible power supplies
Solar photovoltaic systems
Batteries
Control power
Backfeeds
Induced voltage
Stored energy
Multiple transformers or secondary sources
Never assume there is only one source.
Step 2 — Properly Interrupt the Load and Open Disconnecting Devices
Shut equipment down using its normal operating controls when applicable.
After load current has been properly interrupted, open each disconnecting means for every identified source.
Push buttons, selector switches, interlocks, and programmable controls are not energy-isolating devices and must not be used as the sole means of establishing an electrically safe work condition. OSHA also prohibits relying on control-circuit devices as the sole method of deenergization.
Step 3 — Visually Verify Isolation Where Possible
When equipment design permits, visually verify that:
Disconnect blades are fully open.
Drawout-type circuit breakers are withdrawn to a fully disconnected position.
Other isolating devices are in the required open or disconnected position.
A handle position alone may not prove that internal contacts have opened.
Step 4 — Release Stored Electrical Energy
Stored electrical energy may remain after the supply has been disconnected.
Examples include:
Capacitors
Variable-frequency drives
Uninterruptible power supplies
Batteries
Long cable runs
Power electronic equipment
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and established procedures for discharging or controlling stored energy.
Step 5 — Release or Block Stored Mechanical Energy
Mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, gravitational, thermal, or pressure energy may cause electrical parts to become reenergized or create another hazard.
Examples include:
Rotating motors
Spring-charged mechanisms
Raised equipment
Pneumatic actuators
Hydraulic systems
Automatic transfer mechanisms
Release, restrain, block, or otherwise control this energy.
Step 6 — Apply Lockout/Tagout Devices
Apply locks and tags to each energy-isolating device according to the employer’s documented procedure.
Each employee must follow the requirements for:
Individual lockout
Group lockout
Shift changes
Testing or positioning
Removal of another employee’s lock
Complex lockout/tagout
Release from lockout/tagout
A tag is a warning device. It does not provide the same physical restraint as a lock.
Step 7 — Test for the Absence of Voltage
A qualified person must use an adequately rated test instrument to test each conductor or circuit part to which employees could be exposed.
The test must determine whether voltage exists because of:
Normal supply
Backfeed
Induced voltage
Stored energy
Incorrect wiring
Failed equipment
Verify that the tester operates correctly:
Test the instrument on a known voltage source.
Test every required conductor and circuit part.
Retest the instrument on a known voltage source.
This is commonly called the live-dead-live test.
OSHA requires a qualified person to use test equipment to verify that exposed circuit elements and equipment parts are deenergized and to check for induced voltage or backfeed.
The absence-of-voltage test is itself an energized task until the test proves otherwise. Wear the required shock and arc-flash PPE during testing.
Step 8 — Apply Temporary Protective Grounding When Required
Temporary protective grounds may be necessary when:
Induced voltage may be present.
Stored electrical energy may remain.
Deenergized conductors could contact energized conductors.
Accidental reenergization is possible.
Employer procedures require grounding.
Temporary protective grounds must be selected and installed to withstand the available fault current for the time required for the protective device to clear the fault.
6. Normal Operation of Electrical Equipment
Operating electrical equipment normally does not automatically mean that no electrical hazard exists.
Normal operation may be permitted when all required conditions are satisfied, including that the equipment is:
Properly installed
Properly maintained
Used according to its listing and instructions
Properly rated for the available fault current
Closed and secured
Equipped with covers that are installed and secured
Free from evidence of impending failure
Possible evidence of impending failure includes:
Arcing
Overheating
Smoke
Unusual noises
Loose parts
Visible damage
Deterioration
Warning indicators
Burning odors
When abnormal conditions exist, stop and perform a risk assessment. Do not operate equipment merely because the handle or control is outside the enclosure.
7. Electrical Risk Assessments
NFPA 70E requires risk assessments when employees may be exposed to electrical hazards.
The basic process is:
Identify the hazard.
Estimate the likelihood of an incident.
Estimate the potential severity of injury.
Determine whether additional protective measures are required.
Select and implement controls.
Document the result when required.
Communicate the controls during the job briefing.
Two separate assessments may be required:
Shock risk assessment
Arc-flash risk assessment
Completing one does not automatically complete the other.
8. Hierarchy of Risk Control Methods
Risk controls should be considered in the following order:
Elimination
Substitution
Engineering controls
Awareness
Administrative controls
Personal protective equipment
Elimination
Elimination is the preferred control because it removes the hazard.
For electrical work, elimination is normally accomplished by establishing and maintaining an electrically safe work condition.
Turning equipment off without completing Article 120 does not eliminate the hazard.
Substitution
Replace the hazard with something less hazardous.
Examples:
Using a lower control voltage
Replacing hazardous test methods
Using equipment designed to reduce exposure
Engineering Controls
Engineering controls reduce exposure through design.
Examples:
Current-limiting devices
Arc-resistant switchgear
Remote racking
Remote switching
Zone-selective interlocking
Differential protection
Energy-reducing maintenance switching
Barriers and guarding
Awareness
Awareness controls warn people about hazards.
Examples:
Arc-flash labels
Signs
Alarms
Warning lights
Barricades
Equipment markings
Administrative Controls
Administrative controls change how work is planned or performed.
Examples:
Written procedures
Training
Job briefings
Energized electrical work permits
Safe work rules
Restricted access
Qualified-person requirements
Scheduling
Audits
Personal Protective Equipment
PPE reduces the severity of injury but does not eliminate the hazard or prevent an incident from occurring.
PPE is the last line of defense, not the first choice.
9. Shock Protection
Shock protection is based on:
System voltage
Exposure to energized conductors or circuit parts
Approach distance
Employee qualification
Insulation and guarding
Tools and work practices
Limited Approach Boundary
The limited approach boundary is the distance from an exposed energized conductor or circuit part within which a shock hazard exists.
Unqualified persons must generally remain outside this boundary unless properly advised, protected, and escorted according to the standard.
Restricted Approach Boundary
The restricted approach boundary is closer to the exposed energized conductor or circuit part.
Only qualified persons using appropriate shock-protection techniques may cross this boundary.
Before crossing the restricted approach boundary, determine:
The voltage
The applicable boundary
The task
Required voltage-rated gloves and sleeves
Required insulated tools
Body positioning
Protection from conductive objects
Whether additional insulating or shielding materials are required
Rubber insulating gloves must be selected by voltage class, inspected before use, electrically tested at required intervals, and worn with protectors when required.
10. Arc-Flash Protection
An arc-flash risk assessment determines:
Whether an arc-flash hazard exists
Whether an arc-flash incident is likely for the task
Safe work practices
The arc-flash boundary
Required PPE
Arc-flash injuries may result from thermal energy, burning clothing, molten metal, pressure, sound, and flying debris. OSHA notes that many arc-flash burn injuries result when an arc ignites flammable clothing.
Arc-Flash Boundary
The arc-flash boundary is the distance at which the incident energy is expected to equal 1.2 cal/cm².
A person crossing the arc-flash boundary must wear the required arc-rated clothing and PPE.
The arc-flash boundary is different from the limited and restricted approach boundaries.
Two PPE Selection Methods
NFPA 70E permits two general methods for selecting arc-flash PPE:
Incident-Energy Analysis Method
Use the calculated incident energy shown by an engineering analysis or approved equipment label.
The arc rating of the clothing and PPE must be at least equal to the expected incident energy at the applicable working distance.
Arc-Flash PPE Category Method
Use the task and equipment tables only when all table conditions and limitations are satisfied.
The table method requires verification of factors such as:
Equipment type
Voltage
Available fault current
Protective-device clearing time
Working distance
Equipment condition
Do Not Mix the Methods
Do not use an incident-energy value to select a PPE category.
Do not use a PPE category number from a label as though it were an incident-energy value.
Use the method selected by the employer’s electrical safety program and apply it correctly.
11. Reading an Arc-Flash Label
An equipment label may include:
Nominal system voltage
Arc-flash boundary
Available incident energy and working distance
Minimum arc rating
Arc-flash PPE category, when the category method is used
Equipment identification
Study date
Shock approach information
Source or transformer information
Before relying on a label, verify:
The label applies to the equipment being worked on.
The label is legible.
The system configuration has not changed.
Protective-device settings have not changed.
Available fault current has not changed.
The study has not become outdated.
Equipment has been properly maintained.
The task and working distance match the information used for PPE selection.
A label does not authorize energized work. It communicates hazard information.
12. Energized Electrical Work
The general rule is to establish an electrically safe work condition.
Energized work is not justified merely because:
Deenergizing is inconvenient.
Shutdown will reduce production.
The work is behind schedule.
A customer does not want an interruption.
The employee has performed the task energized before.
Arc-rated PPE is available.
The task will only take a few minutes.
OSHA permits energized work only under limited circumstances involving additional or increased hazards or infeasibility due to equipment design or operational limitations.
Energized Electrical Work Permit
An energized electrical work permit may be required when a person:
Works within the limited approach boundary of exposed energized conductors or circuit parts
Interacts with equipment in a manner that increases the likelihood of an arc-flash incident
The permit documents subjects such as:
Why energized work is justified
Description and location of the work
Shock risk assessment
Arc-flash risk assessment
Boundaries
Safe work practices
Required PPE
Restricted access
Job briefing
Approval signatures
Certain diagnostic, testing, troubleshooting, inspection, and access tasks may qualify for permit exceptions. An exception from the written permit does not eliminate requirements for qualification, planning, risk assessments, boundaries, safe work practices, tools, or PPE.
13. Job Safety Planning and Job Briefing
Before work involving exposure to electrical hazards begins, the work must be planned and employees must receive a job briefing.
Job Safety Plan
The job safety plan should address:
Description of the task
Electrical hazards
Other hazards
Shock risk assessment
Arc-flash risk assessment
Energy sources
Work procedures
Special precautions
Required PPE
Required tools
Barricades and boundaries
Emergency response
Changes in conditions
Employee responsibilities
Job Briefing
The briefing communicates the plan to everyone involved.
The briefing should cover:
Hazards associated with the job
Work procedures
Special precautions
Energy-source controls
PPE requirements
Each person’s role
Emergency procedures
Questions or concerns
NFPA guidance emphasizes that job planning and the briefing must occur before work involving exposure to electrical hazards begins.
Conduct another briefing when:
The work scope changes.
A new hazard is discovered.
Conditions change.
A different employee joins the task.
The work is interrupted.
The procedure is not being followed.
The original plan is no longer adequate.
14. Personal Protective Equipment
Electrical PPE may include:
Arc-rated shirts and pants
Arc-rated coveralls
Arc-flash suits
Arc-rated hoods or balaclavas
Face shields
Safety glasses or goggles
Hearing protection
Voltage-rated gloves
Protectors for rubber insulating gloves
Rubber insulating sleeves
Hard hats
Leather footwear
Insulating blankets, mats, and covers
Before using PPE:
Confirm it is correct for the hazard.
Inspect it for damage or contamination.
Verify required testing is current.
Wear it correctly.
Close and fasten all required openings.
Do not wear prohibited meltable clothing beneath arc-rated clothing.
Remove conductive jewelry and personal items when they create a hazard.
Store and maintain PPE correctly.
PPE must be used with safe work practices. PPE does not make an unsafe task safe.
15. Test Instruments and Insulated Tools
A qualified person must select test equipment that is:
Rated for the voltage
Rated for the electrical environment
Suitable for the measurement
Suitable for the available fault conditions
Properly maintained
Visually inspected before use
Inspect test leads, probes, connectors, insulation, and housings before each use.
Insulated tools must:
Be rated for the voltage
Be inspected before use
Be protected from damage
Not be used as a substitute for deenergizing
Be removed from service when damaged
A noncontact voltage detector may be useful as a preliminary indicator, but it may not be acceptable as the only instrument used to verify an electrically safe work condition.
16. Key Changes in the 2024 Edition
Students should be aware of several significant 2024 changes:
Definitions previously located in Chapter 3 were moved, revised, or consolidated into Article 100.
Employers must establish, document, and implement an electrically safe work condition policy.
Conductors and circuit parts are not considered to be in an electrically safe work condition until all applicable Article 120 requirements are completed.
Qualification is clarified as being specific to the equipment and task.
The terminology for electric shock risk assessments was clarified.
Requirements were revised for absence-of-voltage verification when the work location is not within sight of the point where voltage was tested.
Maintenance requirements were revised.
Battery requirements were revised to address thermal hazards.
Capacitor requirements were revised, including recognition of ground sticks for absence-of-voltage testing under applicable conditions.
17. A Practical Method for Using NFPA 70E
When given an electrical task, use the following process:
Step 1 — Define the Task
Be specific.
Example:
“Remove a dead-front cover from a 480-volt panelboard to test line-side voltage.”
Do not use a vague description such as “work on panel.”
Step 2 — Identify Every Hazard
Consider:
Shock
Arc flash
Arc blast
Stored energy
Backfeed
Induced voltage
Mechanical movement
Fall exposure
Confined spaces
Poor illumination
Restricted access
Step 3 — Determine Whether the Hazard Can Be Eliminated
Ask:
Can the equipment be shut down?
Can an electrically safe work condition be established?
Can the task be completed at another location?
Can remote testing or switching be used?
Can the system be redesigned or the schedule changed?
Step 4 — Determine Employee Qualification
Ask:
Is the employee trained for this equipment?
Is the employee trained for this task?
Can the employee recognize the hazards?
Can the employee select and use the required PPE and tools?
Can the employee perform the absence-of-voltage test?
Step 5 — Locate the Applicable Requirements
A common search sequence is:
Article 100 for definitions
Article 110 for general rules, training, planning, and qualification
Article 120 for an electrically safe work condition
Article 130 for work involving electrical hazards
Chapter 2 for maintenance conditions
Chapter 3 for special equipment
Informative annexes for additional guidance
Step 6 — Read the Entire Section
Include:
Main rule
Subsections
Exceptions
Informational notes
Tables
Table notes
Cross-references
Step 7 — Apply Employer Procedures
The employer’s written procedure should explain how NFPA 70E is applied to the company’s equipment, employees, and work.
Step 8 — Document and Communicate
Complete required:
Risk assessments
Job safety plan
Job briefing
Lockout/tagout documentation
Energized electrical work permit
PPE selection
Equipment inspection
Approval process
18. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Believing that “off” means electrically safe
Beginning work before identifying every source
Trusting a circuit directory without field verification
Using a control switch as an energy-isolating device
Skipping the live-dead-live test
Testing only phase-to-phase and not phase-to-ground
Wearing PPE without completing a risk assessment
Treating PPE as permission to perform energized work
Using an arc-flash label without checking the task and equipment condition
Mixing the incident-energy and PPE-category methods
Ignoring table notes and limitations
Assuming qualification applies to every electrical task
Allowing an unqualified person to cross a boundary
Using damaged test leads or insulated tools
Working from an outdated one-line diagram
Failing to conduct a new briefing when conditions change
Treating the absence-of-voltage test as a deenergized task
Performing work when equipment shows evidence of impending failure
Assuming low voltage means low risk
Continuing work when the written procedure does not match actual field conditions
19. Student Quick-Reference Questions
Before beginning electrical work, ask:
What exactly is the task?
What hazards are present?
Can the hazards be eliminated?
Has an electrically safe work condition been established?
Have all sources been identified?
Has stored energy been controlled?
Has lockout/tagout been applied?
Has absence of voltage been properly tested?
Is temporary grounding required?
Am I qualified for this equipment and task?
Have shock and arc-flash risk assessments been completed?
What boundaries apply?
What PPE and tools are required?
Is the equipment properly installed and maintained?
Is an energized electrical work permit required?
Has a job safety plan been completed?
Has everyone participated in the job briefing?
What will we do if conditions change?
What is the emergency response plan?
Do I understand the work well enough to perform it safely?
When any answer is unknown, stop and obtain the necessary information before starting work.
20. Final Key Points
Electrical safety is a shared employer and employee responsibility.
Establishing an electrically safe work condition is the preferred method of protecting employees.
Deenergized equipment must be locked, tagged, tested, and grounded when required.
Qualification is specific to the equipment and task.
Shock and arc flash are separate hazards requiring separate evaluations.
Boundaries control access; they do not eliminate the hazard.
PPE is the last line of defense.
A label communicates hazard information but does not authorize energized work.
Energized work requires justification, planning, qualification, controls, and authorization.
Equipment condition and maintenance affect electrical safety.
Stop work whenever the task, equipment, hazards, or field conditions do not match the plan.
Remember
Identify the hazard. Eliminate it whenever possible. Establish an electrically safe work condition. Verify before touching.
Comments