SAFETY TIPS

OSHA’s Revised Electrical Standards To Take Effect August 13

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s currently proposed revisions to their electrical standards for General Industry, (Subpart “S” of 29 CFR 1910), are scheduled to become effective August 13, 2007. This will be the first major change to the standards in 25 years. The majority of the revisions are based on the 2002 edition of the National Electrical Codes (NEC) and the National Fire Protection Associations’ (NFPA) 70E standards. While the National Electrical Codes deal mostly with new construction, NFPA’s 70E details maintenance considerations of existing electrical systems as well as new construction requirements.

Besides the fact that the electrical standards haven’t been updated in over two decades, OSHA, in its preamble to the new revised standards, provides additional reasoning for their issuance. “Electricity is widely recognized as a serious workplace hazard, exposing employees to electric shock, burns, fires, and explosions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 289 employees were killed in the workplace by contact with electric current in 2002.” “Between 1992 and 2001, an average of 4,309 employees lost time away from work because of electrical injuries.”

It is important to note that, although NFPA’s latest 70E standards were issued in 2004, OSHA has adopted its final rule based NFPA’s 2000 edition of 70E. The reasoning behind OSHA’s decision to pattern its newest revision based on an older edition of NFPA’s 70E is that: NFPA’s 2004 edition was published just prior to OSHA’s completion of it’s nearly two year revision study. Stepping back to re-write the OSHA standard would further delay introduction of their new standards. Substantive differences between NFPA’s 70E 2000 edition and 2004 edition are thought to be secondary to the importance of introduction of the new OSHA standard and regardless, OSHA encourages the adoption of NFPA’s 70E 2004 edition in industry electrical safe practice. Some of the new safe electrical practice guidelines taking effect August 13th deal with Arc Flash and Arc Flash safety, which have created quite a buzz in industry.

What is Arc Flash?

An (electric) “arc” may be defined as an electric current through air. An arc usually occurs because something has gone wrong – failed wiring, loose electrical conductor, a tool dropped or accidentally touching a live electrical conductor. An “arc flash” as defined by NFPA’s 70E is “A dangerous condition associated with the release of energy caused by an electric arc.” - an explosion of electrical energy, if you will.

An arc flash has the potential to: cause electrical shock, reach temperatures in excess of 5,000º F, and generate a pressure wave capable of knocking people and things across a room. Exposure to an arc flash occurrence can cause: cuts, contusions, broken bones, deafness, blindness, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burns, loss of consciousness, death. The potential for arc flash has been with us since we first harnessed electricity. It is only relatively recently that we have begun to understand it and the extent of its potential.

What will be required in the workplace?

In order to ensure arc flash safety for an employer’s electrical workers and compliance with the new regulations, a six-step approach is recommended for those facilities not already abiding by NFPA 70E:

A complete and thorough analysis of a facility’s electrical systems in order to determine arc fault current.
Calculating arc flash protection boundaries and determining employee Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and tooling required.
Placarding of electrical installations
Obtaining and utilizing appropriate PPE / tooling
Employee training
Enforcement

By complying with the revised electrical standards, OSHA’s endeavor is to prevent unsafe electrical practices from occurring in the workplace.

If you have further questions regarding the new Electrical Standard, or any other safety issue, please contact our office.

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