Electrical Safety

By Jeffrey C. Camplin

Maintenance and engineering technicians can come into contact with uncontrolled
electricity as they work on or near energized equipment. Regardless of their involvement
with electricity, they need proper training that teaches them ways to identify and evaluate
electrical hazards and demonstrates strategies for controlling recognized hazards.

A range of safety issues also affect employees engaged with electrical work, and
managers must integrate these issues into electrical-safety training programs.

OSHA Requirements

Electricity has long been recognized as a serious workplace hazard, and federal
regulations and training requirements apply to technicians who directly work on electrical
systems. Electrical standards from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) aim to protect employees exposed to dangers, such as electric shock,
electrocution, fires and explosions. OSHA’s general industry electrical safety standards
are published in Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR):

• Parts 1910.302 through 1910.308, Design Safety Standards for Electrical Systems
• Parts 1910.331 to 1910.335, Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices Standards.

The standards are based on the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards
NFPA 70, National Electric Code, and NFPA 70E, Electrical Safety Requirements for
Employee Workplaces.

OSHA regulations and the NFPA 70E electrical standard require that workers be quali-
fied in order to work on or near energized electrical systems. Qualified is defined in
OSHA’s regulation, 29 CFR 1910.399 as “one who is familiar with the construction and
operation of the equipment and the hazards involved.” OSHA has determined that a
qualified person: is an employee undergoing on-the-job training; has demonstrated, in the
course of such training, an ability to perform duties safely at his or her level of training;
and is under the direct supervision of a qualified person.

Whether an employee is deemed qualified depends on circumstances in the workplace. It

is possible — likely, in fact — that an individual is considered qualified for certain
equipment but unqualified for other equipment. Unqualified workers working near
electrical hazards must receive training on identifying and avoiding electrical hazards.

All employees need proper training to be thoroughly familiar with the safety procedures
for their jobs. Moreover, good judgment and common sense are integral to preventing
electrical accidents. The training required by OSHA must be either classroom-based or
on-the-job type, but managers must determine the degree of training provided by the risk
to the employee. For example, OSHA recommends that employees working on electrical
equipment follow basic procedures, such as:

• de-energizing equipment
• using lockout-tagout procedures to ensure equipment remains de-energized
• using insulating protective equipment
• maintaining safe distances from energized parts.

Managers must be familiar with all of OSHA’s electrical regulations when developing an
electrical safety-training program. OSHA-specific guidance is available by visiting
www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/electrical/standards.html.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) does not publish
electrical regulations, but it does research worker safety and health issues, including
electricity. NIOSH has developed an 88-page training booklet and instructor guide,
Electrical Safety, that managers can download free at www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2002-
123/2002-123a.html.

Identifying Hazards

The first step in protecting technicians from electrical hazards is training them to
recognize hazards they will encounter on the job. To do this, managers must know which
situations can place employees in danger.

Among the hazards NIOSH identifies as dangerous to workers are: inadequate wiring;
exposed electrical parts; overhead power lines; arc flashes; poorly insulated wires;
ungrounded or double-insulated systems and tools; overloaded circuits; damaged power
tools and equipment; improper personal protective equipment; and improper tools.

Electrical work presents other safety issues, including the use of chemicals, defective
ladders, ladders and tools that conduct electricity, and ergonomic considerations.

More than 30 percent of workers’ compensation claims from the Independent Electrical
Contractors between 1999 and 2002 were related to ergonomics, according to OSHA.

OSHA has developed an interactive computer program that describes common hazards
electrical workers can encounter, as well as possible solutions for these hazards.
Managers can access the program at www.osha-
slc.gov/SLTC/etools/electricalcontractors/index.html. Additional research documents on
electrical safety are available at www.cdc.gov/niosh/injury/traumaelec.html.

Evaluating Risks, Selecting Controls

The next component of NIOSH’s electrical training model involves the evaluation of risk
from recognized hazards. Technicians need to continually assess the risk from recognized
electrical hazards as conditions change or when other people are nearby.

Working at heights or in wet conditions obviously increases risk of injury. Electrical

problems might exist if ground fault circuits interrupters (GFCI) continually trip during
work. Technicians must pay attention to these signs and investigate the problem before
continuing work.

The final component of electrical training is determining appropriate controls for

electrical hazards in the workplace. Managers need to protect their staff against contact
with electrical voltages and control electrical currents to create a safe work environment.

Selecting a Provider

Determining electrical training needs depends on the size of a facility, job tasks, and
types of hazards. Managers need to look for an experienced and reputable training
provider to train a qualified person. Once this occurs, this individual can train other
employees within the facility.

Professional associations can guide managers to training providers. Off-site training

facilities provide good generic training, but qualified personnel also need site-specific
training. Managers might benefit from bringing in consultants or engineering firms not
only to provide training, but also to conduct site-specific electrical hazard assessments
and assist in developing or revising the safety program upon which training is based.

Finally, many facilities require a three-pronged approach of: formal off-site training;
evaluations; and training from equipment manufacturers for specific machinery, and
engineers/consultants where no manufacturer data or support is available. Managers can
arrange for in-house training of unqualified workers as long as a competent individual
covers the required information.

Jeffery Camplin, CSP, CPEA, REP is president of Camplin Environmental Services Inc.
in Rosemont, Ill.

A Quick Look at Arc-Flash Hazards

From 1992 through 2001, 44,363 electricity-related injuries occurred, according to the
National Institute of Occupational Health. Of those injuries, 17,101 involved electric arc-
flash burn.

Arc-flash incidents are caused by arcing faults, which can cause current to travel out of
its normal path and can happen in a fraction of a second. The incidents can injure workers
near the arcing fault, even if they are not working directly on the equipment.
Injuries associated with arc flashing are burns resulting from high levels of heat and
intense pressure associated with the incident.

To guard against arc flashes, managers first must determine if an arc-flash potential
exists. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety
in the Workplace, states in Article 130.3:

“A flash hazard analysis shall be done in order to protect personnel from the possibility
of being injured by an arc flash. The analysis shall determine the Flash Protection
Boundary (FPB) and the personal protective equipment (PPE) that people within the
Flash Protection Boundary shall use.” Managers can calculate the FPB by using the
equations given in the NFPA 70E or by using one of many available software programs.

Once managers determine FPB and PPE needs, they can incorporate this program into the
overall electrical-safety training program. The program’s arc-flash training components
should include:

• arc-flash awareness
• standards, codes, and regulations
• understanding arc-flash quantities
• PPE selection, use and limitations
• warning signs and labeling
• arc-flash hazard assessment
• hazards and controls for working on live parts
• required and recommended documentation.

— Jeffery Camplin