NFPA 70E Low Voltage Qualified Electrical Workplace Safety Training

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Tacoma, WA.

Taught by Robert E. Fuhr, P.E. of PowerStudies.com

One day Seminar tuition is $350/person, with a $50 discount for companies sending 5 or more attendees (register@e-hazard.com or (502) 716-7073 for group reservation).

 Tuition Includes:

• Expert Instruction
• NFPA 70E-2012 Standard ($52.00 value)
• e-Hazard student manual ($40 value)
• Certificate of Completion - 8 hour*
• Demonstrations and samples of PPE from the industry’s leading manufacturers
• Lunch and snacks

*If registering 5 or more individuals from the same company, a $50 / person discount applies. Please contact e-Hazard at register@e-hazard.com or call us at (502) 716 7073.

** Certain courses are approved for credit for electricians in AK, DE, FL, ID, KY, LA, MT, NC, NE, NJ, NM, OH, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, WI and WY, and are accepted by most states for PDH’s for electrical engineers’ CSP’s. . Contact e-hazard for more details.

Who Should Attend?

• Safety Directors
• Electrical Contractors
• Maintenance Electricians
• Industrial Line Workers
• Owners
• Managers
• Supervisors

What You Will Learn?

• One NFPA 70E page cuts your PPE training by 75% (This one concept can fool-proof and simplify your PPE approach)
• Two common places for an Arc Flash
• Three misunderstood NFPA 70E concepts
• Four fixable things you dont know about your electrical system that could wreck your plant
• Seven electrical safe work habits
• Full, practical understanding of the NFPA 70E and great ideas from trainers who have implemented it!

Why should I choose e-Hazard?

• Our trainers are experts - The quality of our training begins with our staff — experienced instructors who helped write the standards critical to your protection.
• Concept-based training - All e-Hazard training materials are designed to enhance the adult learning process on key electrical safety concepts. Our expert team and adult education specialist focused on key concepts that challenge and stick.
• Content & Scheduling - e-Hazard classes can be customized and we provide felxible scheduling for your on-site classes.

Visit us at www.e-Hazard.com

To register, click here.

State of WA L&I approves e-Hazard’s 2012 NFPA-70E Refresher Course for (4) Electrician CEUs

The State of Washington Department of Labor & Industries has approved e-Hazard.com’s Low Voltage Qualified Electrical Safety Refresher course. This seminar is based upon the new 2012 NFPA-70E – Electrical Safety in the Workplace. Four CEU credits will be given to electricians who are registered with the State of Washington. This is a great way to get CEUs and learn about the latest NFPA 70E changes.

Low Voltage Qualified Refresher

4 Hours – 4 CEUs

This class keeps attendees current on the information gained in the standard Low Voltage Qualified class. In addition to a review of standard electrical safety principles, attendees also receive an update on NFPA 70E guidelines and requirements from the 2009 version to the recently instated 2012 version.

Dates & Costs

Please call Robert E. Fuhr at 253-639-8535 Ext 101 or send requests to quotes@powerstudies.com

What You’ll Learn

·   Electrical Safety Facts

·   Regulations & Standards

·   Electrical Hazards & Protection Strategies

·   Personal Protective Equipment

·   Hazard Assessment

·   Safety Related Work Practices

Who Should Attend

·   Electrical engineers

·   Electrical technicians

·   Electrical foremen

·   Electricians

·   Electrician apprentices

·   Electrical programmers & troubleshooters

·   Anyone working with up to 600 volts

·   Anyone who may exposed to energized, uninsulated or live circuit parts & conductors

NFPA 70E 2012 - Proposed Changes – Part 3

The proposed changes to NFPA 70E are being reviewed and readied for a vote at the NFPA Conference and Expo in Boston on June 12-15, 2011.    This is part 3 of a series of blogs discussing the proposed changes to NFPA 70E - 2012.  This information was based upon discussions and presentations at the IEEE Electrical Safety Workshop in February 2011.

120.2(C)(2)

(2) Form of Control. Three Two forms of hazardous electrical energy control shall be permitted: individual employee control, simple lockout/tagout, and complex lockout/tagout. For the individual employee control and the simple lockout/tagout, the qualified person shall be in charge. For the complex lockout/tagout, the person in charge shall have overall responsibility.

Informational Note: For an example of a lockout/tagout procedure, see Annex G.

120.2(D)(1)

Deletes Individual Qualified Employee Control Procedure

120.2(F)(2)(g) Grounding

(g) Grounding. Grounding requirements for the circuit shall be established, including whether the temporary protective grounding equipment grounds shall be installed for the duration of the task or temporarily are established by the procedure. …

 Similar changes have been made elsewhere in the Standard where this concept is covered.

130.1 New

All requirements of this article shall apply whether an incident energy analysis is completed or if the tables 130.7(C)(9) and (C)(10) are utilized in lieu of an incident energy analysis in accordance with 130.3 Exception No. 2.

130.1(A)

Energized electrical conductors and circuit parts to which an employee might be exposed shall be put into an electrically safe work condition before an employee works within the Limited Approach Boundary of those conductors or parts. If any of the conditions in 130.1(A)(1) through 130.1(A)(3) exist:

 (1) The employee is within the Limited Approach Boundary.

(2) The employee is within the Arc Flash Boundary.

(3) The employee interacts with equipment where conductors or circuit parts are not exposed, but an increased risk of arc flash hazard exists.

Informational Note: See definition of arc flash hazard in Article 100.

130.1(B)(1) Permit

130.1(B)(1) When Where Required. If When working within the limited approach boundary or the arc flash boundary of exposed on energized electrical conductors or circuit parts that are not placed in an electrically safe work condition … shall be performed by written permit only.

130.1(B)(2)(6) Permit Elements

(6) Results of the arc flash hazard analysis. (130.3)

a. The arc flash boundary

b. The necessary personal protective equipment to safely perform the assigned task.

c. The available incident energy or Hazard Risk Category.

Deletes (7) & (8)

130.2(B) Shock Boundaries

Existing Table 130.2(C) becomes Table 130.2(C)(1), for ac systems

Table 130.2(C)(2) shall be used for the distances associated with various dc system voltages

130.3 Exception 1 Arc Flash Hazard Analysis

Deletes the exception and adds an Informational Note.

Informational Note  No. 3: An arc flash hazard analysis may not be necessary for some three-phase systems rated less than 240 volts. See IEEE 1584 for more information.

130.3(B) PPE & PE

The requirements of 130.7 shall apply regardless of the method used to select the equipment.

130.3(B)(1)

130.3(B)(1) FPN: For information on estimating the incident energy, see Annex D. For guidance on selection of arc-rated clothing and other personal protective equipment (PPE), see Table H.3 in Annex H.

130.3(C) Equipment Labeling

(C) Equipment Labeling. Electrical equipment such as switchboards, panelboards, industrial control panels, meter socket enclosures and motor control centers 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) Only one of the following:

a. Available incident energy

b. Minimum arc rating of clothing

(2) Date of arc flash hazard analysis

(3) Nominal system voltage

(4) Arc flash boundary

130.5(B) New

(B) A qualified person shall determine if the overhead electrical lines are insulated for the voltage the lines are operating at.

130.6(G) New

G) Doors, hinged panels, and the like shall be secured to prevent their swinging into an employee and causing the employee to contact exposed energized electrical conductors or circuit parts rated at 50 volts or more or where an electrical hazard exists if movement of the door, hinged panel, and the like is likely to create a hazard.

130.7(C)X New

130.7 (C) X Hearing Protections.

Employees shall wear hearing protection whenever working within the arc flash boundary.

Table 130.7(C)(9)

Moves the maximum short circuit current, fault clearing time from the Specific Notes 1 to 4 into the appropriate section(s) of Table 130.7(C)(9).

The use of “N” does not indicate that rubber insulating gloves, insulated and insulating hand tools are not required in all cases. Rubber insulating gloves, insulated and insulating hand tools may be required by 130.2, 130.7(C)(6) and 130.7(D).

Adds the Arc Flash Protection Boundaries to Table 130.7(C)(9).

p 331 APR

Table 130.7(C)(9)(2) New

Renumber existing Table 130.7(C)(9) as Table 130.7(C)(9)(1) and adds a new Table 130.7(C)(9)(2) for DC Hazards

Table 130.7(C)(10)

Includes the requirement for a balaclava in hazard/risk category 2

2. Deletes hazard/risk category 2* and note 10.

3. Revises all tasks currently listed as hazard/risk category 2* in Table 130.7(C)9 to hazard/risk category 2.

p 348 APP, p 355 A

Table 130.7(C)(11)

Combines the information found in 130.7(C)10 and Table 130.7(C)10 and 130.7(C)11 and Table 130.7(C)11 into a single section and table.

130.7(C)(12) Clothing Factors

Garments that are not arc-rated shall not be permitted to be used to increase the arc rating of a clothing system.

130.7(C)(13)(a) & (b)

Arc Flash Suits. …. When the incident energy exposure is greater than 12 cal/cm2 a suitably rated arc flash suit hood shall be used. ….

(b) Face Protection …. Face shields with a wrap-around guarding to protect the face, chin, forehead, ears, neck area shall be used. ….

205.3 General Maintenance

(3) Maintenance, tests and inspections shall be documented

Article 320 Batteries and Rooms

Deleted requirements related to installation and/or design.

Such requirements are beyond the scope of NFPA 70E (and most belong in NFPA 70)

Annex D 10 New

Adds a new Annex D.10: DC Incident Energy Calculations

Annex F

Revised Risk Assessment

Annex H

Revised Annex H to provide guidance on clothing selection. Annex H has been split into 4 sections; two sections which provide guidance on selecting personal protective clothing when using the Hazard/Risk Categories and two sections providing guidance on selecting personal protective clothing when using incident energy values.

NFPA 70E 2012 - Proposed Changes – Part 2

The proposed changes to NFPA 70E are being reviewed and readied for a vote at the NFPA Conference and Expo in Boston on June 12-15, 2011.    This is part 2 of a series of blogs discussing the proposed changes to NFPA 70E - 2012.  This information was based upon discussions and presentations at the IEEE Electrical Safety Workshop in February 2011. 

110.5 Multi-Employer Relationship (C) New

Documentation.  There shall be a documented meeting between the host employer and the contract employer.

110.6(C) Training

including cardiopulmonary resuscitation and Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) use shall be …

110.6(D)(1)(f) New

The employer shall determine, through regular supervision and through inspections conducted on at least an annual basis that each employee is complying with the safety-related work practices required by this standard.

110.6(E)

The documentation shall contain the content of the training, each employee’s name and dates of training.

110.7(E) ESP Procedures

(E) Electrical Safety Program Procedures. An electrical safety program shall identify the procedures for working within the limited approach boundary and for working within the arc flash boundary of energized electrical conductors and circuit parts operating at 50 volts or more or where an electrical hazard exists before work is started.

110.7(F) Hazard/Risk Procedure

(F) Hazard/Risk Evaluation Procedure. An electrical safety program shall identify a hazard/risk evaluation procedure to be used before work is started within the Limited Approach boundary and before work is started within the arc flash boundary of energized electrical conductors and circuit parts operating at 50 volts or more or where an electrical hazard exists.

110.7(H) Electrical Safety Auditing

(H) Electrical Safety Auditing.

(1) Electrical Safety Program. The electrical safety program shall be audited to help ensure that the principles and procedures of the electrical safety program are still in compliance with the latest requirements and regulations. The frequency of the audit shall not exceed three years.

 (2) Field Work. Auditing of field work shall be performed to help assure that the requirements contained in the procedures of the electrical safety program are being followed. Where the auditing determines that the principles and procedures of the electrical safety program are not being followed, the appropriate revisions to the training program or revisions to the procedures shall be made.

110.7(H)(3) New

Documentation. The audit shall be documented.

110.8 Working Exposed to Electrical Hazards

Several sections have been deleted from 110.8 because they already exist in Article 130.

110.8(B)(1)(a) = 130.2(A)

110.8(B)(1)(b) = 130.3

110.8(B)(2) = 130.1(B)(1)

110.8(B)(3) = 130.2(D)

110.9 Use of Equipment

Relocates 130.4 to 110.9

A. Test Instruments and Equipment.

1. General: Only qualified persons shall perform testing work within the Limited Approach Boundary of energized electrical conductors or circuit parts operating at 50 volts or more.

110.9(C) GFCI Protection

Must be provided where required by Codes and Standards

Testing per manufacturer’s instructions (existing)

Outdoors

From NEC 590.6(A)

110.9(B)(3)(d) New

Informational Note: The hazard/risk evaluation procedure could also include identifying when the use of portable tools and equipment powered by sources other than 120 volts ac such as batteries, air, hydraulics, etc. should be used to minimize the potential for injury from electrical hazards for tasks performed in conductive or wet locations.

110.10 New

110.10 Underground Electrical Lines and Equipment. Before excavation starts and where there exists reasonable possibility of contacting electrical or utility lines or equipment, the employer shall take the necessary steps to contact the appropriate owners or authorities to identify and mark the location of the electrical lines or equipment. A hazard analysis shall be performed to identify the appropriate safe work practices that shall be utilized during the excavation.

Next week I will discuss the changes in Sections 120 – Establishing an Electrical Safe Work Condition and 130 – Work Involving Electrical Hazards.

NFPA 70E 2012 - Proposed Changes

The proposed changes to NFPA 70E are being reviewed and readied for a vote at the NFPA Conference and Expo in Boston on June 12-15, 2011.    Over the next several weeks, I will be discussing some of the these revisions and additions.  This  information was based upon discussions and presentations at the IEEE Electrical Safety Workshop in February 2011.  Items to be added or changed will be underlined.

Section 90.2 Scope (A) Covered      

This standard addresses electrical work practices for employee workplaces that are necessary for the practical safeguarding of employees relative to the hazards associated with electrical energy during activities such as the installation, inspection, operation, maintenance, and demolition of electric conductors, electric equipment, signaling and communications conductors and equipment, and raceways. This standard also includes safe work practices for employees performing other work activities that can expose them to electrical hazards.

Article 100 New Definition

Incident Energy Analysis. A component of an arc flash hazard analysis used to predict the incident energy of an arc flash for a specified set of conditions.

The committee also removed several definitions that were no longer being used and were originally in Chapter 4.  Chapter 4 was removed in the 2009 addition.

Article 105 (New)

This section will contain new General Information, Scope, purpose and other information.

Next week I’ll discuss more proposed changes and revisions.