SAFETY TIPS
On August 13, 2007, OSHA adopted revised electrical standards for General Industry. This marks the first update of the standards since 1981. Most of the public is aware of the fact that OSHA took this opportunity to incorporate Arc Flash safety requirements into its electrical standards. Some people may not be aware that at this time OSHA took some of its electrical safety standards previously used exclusively for the Construction Industry and applied them also to General Industry – most notably the use of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI’s).
The use of GFCI’s has been a requirement in the Construction Industry for some 28 years. During that time, the US Department of labor estimates that 650-1,100 lives have been saved by use of GFCI’s. Now OSHA has extended the ground-fault protection requirement to use in General Industry.
OSHA’s final rule permits an assured equipment grounding conductor program as an alternative to using GFCI’s only when approved GFCI’s are unavailable for the voltage and current rating. The final rule adopts the assured equipment grounding conductor program from the Construction Standard. GFCI devices and cord sets that are connected to the receptacle closest to the source of power are acceptable forms of protection.
Besides the requiring the use of GFCI’s and incorporation of Arc Flash safety standards, other important changes to the electrical standards for General Industry include beefed-up requirements for equipment grounding. The final rule requires the equipment grounding conductors to be effective as well as well as permanent and continuous.
The use of a cold water pipe and the metal frame of the building as an equipment grounding conductor on branch circuit extensions is allowed on existing installations. However, such connections must be replaced any time work is performed on the branch circuit.
Submitted by: Donald Roman
Regulatory Compliance Consultants, Inc.
For more information or questions concerning this article, contact our office at 419-882-9224.
Previous Tips
- March 2008 - OSHA’s Proposed Budget For FY 2009
- January 2008 - Revised Personal Protective Equipment Standard
- November 2007 - Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking changes
- October 2007 - APPENDIX A. Practice Recommendations for Health-Care Facilities Implementing the U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines for Management of Occupational Exposures to Bloodborne Pathogens
- September 2007 - Changes to the Personal Protective Equipment Standards
- August 2007 - Heat Stress Guidance
- July 2007 - HAS YOUR COMPANY BEEN TARGETED?
- June 2007 - OSHA’s Revised Electrical Standards To Take Effect August 13 - expanded
- May 2007 - OSHA’s Revised Electrical Standards To Take Effect August 13
- April 2007 - WORKPLACE EMERGENCIES
- December 2006 - TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES – WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
- November 2006 - New OSHA Regulations Hexavalent Chromium (Cr(VI)) Employee Workplace Exposure, 1910.1026
- October 2006 - ARE YOU SAFE FROM AN OSHA INSPECTION?