Are you NFPA 70E Compliant?

In February of 2004, the Standards Council of the National Fire Protection Association approved and issued new regulatory standards for Electrical Safety in the Workplace relative to the NEC (National Electrical Code). This was done at the behest of OSHA and OSHA has adopted the standard.

The standard requires that all facilities considered a workplace shall conform with the following:

• Employers shall train “Qualified” and “Unqualified” personnel to understand the specific hazards of electrical energy relative to their potential for injury. This is to include safety related work practices and procedures.
• Employers shall implement an electrical safety program; including, but not limited to, a lock-out/tag-out system and a permitting process for work on live electrical systems. The employees shall implement the practices and procedures of the program.
• A Hazard/Risk analysis shall be done on all electrical systems of a facility operating at 50 Volts or more. This analysis shall include a documented shock hazard and flash hazard analysis.
• All switchboards, panelboards, control panels, and motor control centers shall be marked with an approved style label with all information pertaining to the panel’s electrical characteristics, arc flash and shock hazards, and PPE requirements.

(Refer to the NFPA 70E book of Standards for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, 2004 edition for the specifics of the requirements.)

If you are not yet compliant, we can help. We can provide for certified training of your electrical personnel, hazard analysis, all required labeling and documentation, and PPE requirements. We can provide you with a comprehensive, cost conscious program to bring you into compliance.

There have been numerous very costly fines issued to employers who have not complied with the standard. (Up to $500,000 for an electrical injury accident, not including litigation.) Don’t let this affect your bottom line!

E-mail Rick Will or contact by phone at (812) 422-5358 for a FREE consultation and quote.