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NEW 1-Hour Online 70E For Managers And Safety Professionals

darynl — Fri, 04 May 2018 12:47:20 +0000

This new one-hour online 70E for managers class covers those things that a manager needs to know to effectively manage an electrical safety program. If your direct reports include electrically qualified workers this class can help you comply and create a safer working environment. We’ll cover the topics that managers and safety professionals have to be diligent about when managing workers around electrical hazards.

Link to Online 70E For Managers

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70E Topics Snapshot

darynl — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 16:06:50 +0000

70E Topics Snapshot Introduction

This is meant to serve as a snapshot of important 70E topics.

Work De-energized

Before work begins on equipment that would expose workers to electrical hazards, it must be de-energized, unless you can justify working live. OSHA and 70E are clear on this. The three ways to justify working live are if de-energizing causes increased hazards, as in life support or alarm systems; if it is infeasible due to equipment or operational limitations; or if the voltage is below 50v. OSHA doesn’t think many things are infeasible and money, downtime or additional costs can never be part of the decision process.

Electrically Safe Work Condition

An electrically safe work condition must be established by following your employer’s lockout/tagout procedures. These procedures must include a “live-dead-live” test with your multimeter. Always test before touch. All circuits must be considered live until a live-dead-live test verifies an absence of voltage. You will need to wear the proper PPE during the “live-dead-live” test.

“Live-Dead-Live” Test

First, test your meter on a known live circuit, then verify an for the absence of voltage on the equipment you are de-energizing by measuring phase-to-phase and each phase to ground. Then retest your meter on a known live circuit. A non-contact voltage detector is not suitable for verifying zero volts. You must wear PPE while performing the “Live-Dead-Live Test.”

Qualified For The Task

Only qualified workers are allowed to work on equipment that has not been de-energized. You can be considered qualified for some tasks or equipment but not others. Whatever work you are doing on energized equipment you must have been trained for, including receiving safety training for that task and equipment. The employer must document when training occurred, and its contents.

Demonstrate Qualification

A qualified worker must demonstrate to management, at least annually, that they are following the employer’s electrical safety program. Non-compliance will trigger retraining for that individual. This demonstration can be accomplished by annual audits or through periodic supervision.

Energized Electrical Work Permit

While working inside the restricted approach boundary, an EEWP is required. Among other things, it must describe the work to be done, hazards faced, steps taken to protect the worker, the justification for working live within the restricted boundary and it must be signed by those approving of the live work. Diagnostics and visual inspections are exempt from an EEWP.

Assess Risk Before Work Begins

A shock and arc risk assessment must be completed, and documented, before working on energized equipment. A qualified person must perform a risk assessment that identifies the hazards, estimate the likelihood and severity of possible occurrence and determine if additional precautions are necessary. The hierarchy of risk control must be followed – with PPE as a last resort.

Shock Risk Assessment

The likelihood of an occurrence increases as you cross the Limited and Restricted Approach Boundaries. The voltage determines the severity. Work inside the limited approach boundary triggers establishing an Electrically Safe Work Condition. While work inside the restricted boundary requires the worker to be insulated from the live parts and may trigger an energized electrical work permit.

Arc flash Risk Assessment

The arc flash risk assessment must estimate the likelihood and severity of an occurrence. Table 130.5(C) Estimate of the Likelihood of Occurrence of an Arc Flash Incident for AC and DC Systems identifies the likelihood. This table is used for either method of PPE selection and does not address severity. Severity will be addressed by the method you choose for arc flash PPE selection. Either the PPE Category Method or the Incident Energy Analysis Method

Hierarchy of Risk Control

The HRC will guide you when implementing preventive and protective measures. Elimination, substitution, engineering controls, awareness, administrative controls and as a last resort PPE.

Arc Flash PPE Category Method

This method utilizes tables that list equipment and tasks, then estimates what the PPE category of clothing would be needed. This method requires you to know the fault current and clearing time of your circuit. You can not use the PPE category method and the Incident Energy Analysis Method on the same piece of equipment.

Incident Energy Analysis Method

This method involves an extensive power study conducted by electrical engineers. Real world information collected in the field from your electrical distribution system will be used to calculate the incident energy for a piece of equipment. The clothing worn while being exposed to live conductors at that piece of equipment has to have an arc rating at least as high as the calculated incident energy. The incident energy that is found by the study is not permitted to be used to specify an arc flash PPE category.

Equipment Labeling

Equipment requiring servicing and maintenance while energized are required to be labeled. This label must contain voltage, arc flash boundary, and information to determine the arc rating of PPE. Equipment such as junction boxes, motor connection boxes, raceways and the like will not require a label because they aren’t typically opened for service while energized and they don’t necessarily have exposed conductors.

Electrical Safety Training

Qualified workers need electrical safety training at least every three years, sometimes sooner. This training includes any changes in the standards or the company’s procedures. The training dates, attendees, and the training contents need to be documented.

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Selecting Arc Flash PPE Using The Category Method

darynl — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 16:18:14 +0000

When selecting arc flash PPE using the category method; the fault current and clearing time parameters are key to doing it correctly. It’s time we got serious about these parameters

NFPA 70E permits either of two methods be used when selecting arc flash PPE. The PPE category method, which relies on tables, or the incident energy analysis method, which calls for an electrical power system analysis to be performed by electrical engineers. What many don’t realize is that because of the parameters in the PPE tables both methods require a power system analysis.

When using the PPE category method for selection of arc flash PPE, you must ensure that your equipment is within the clearing time and fault current parameters listed in the tables. If your circuit is not within these parameters, the standard states you can not use these tables and instead you must use the incident energy analysis method.

An electrical power system analysis involves electrical engineers using engineering software, and data collected in the field, to create a model of the electrical distribution system of your facility. This data includes transformer information, wires sizes, fuses, breaker model numbers and settings, all overcurrent-protection devices, etc. Collecting, modeling and analyzing this data can be time-consuming and costly; which is why many facilities struggle with getting it done. This study would provide you with your available fault current and clearing times that you must have to use the PPE category tables. Just a bit more work by the engineer and you would have a complete incident energy analysis.

From NFPA 70E Table 130.7(C)(15)(a) a 480-volt panelboard calls for category 2 arc rated PPE. The table further states the parameters of 25,000 amps of available fault current and a two-cycle fault clearing time. If your fault current or clearing time is outside of these parameters, it is possible the Cat 2 PPE recommended will fall short of the protection you need. There is no way of knowing these parameters without doing a power system analysis?

Another example would be an upstream current-limiting fuse protecting the panel you are about to open for troubleshooting. The informational note to Table 130.7(C)(15)(a) states that a current-limiting fuse has a typical clearing time of .5 cycles if it is within the current limiting range. This is an informational note and not part of the standard language however someone might be tempted to use this clearing time as their clearing time without knowing if the fault current is within the current limiting range of the fuse. Current-limiting fuses are very fast acting fuses and can reduce arc flash energy but only if there is enough current to drive the fuse into its current limiting range.

When selecting arc flash PPE the standard doesn’t allow us to assume we are at a .5 cycle clearing time. We have to verify we are and we can’t do that without getting electrical engineers involved.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that this is the same information you would have to collect and almost all of the calculations you need to perform an incident energy analysis. Just a little more work by the engineer and you will have a complete incident energy analysis. At this point, you would have no use for the tables. Most often the incident energy analysis recommends less PPE be worn, gives you a chance to mitigate the arc flash energy and is a better method.

Selecting arc flash PPE by either method is never an exact science. There are too many variables and unforeseen circumstances. The more of these variables you can control the more accurate your selection will be. One thing is for sure, wearing arc rated PPE helps reduce injury from arc flash. We need to do all we can to make sure we are wearing the proper PPE.

Relevant ETP Training
nfpa.org

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Understanding Arc Ratings – Bulwark Whitepaper

darynl — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 16:26:11 +0000

UNDERSTANDING ARC RATINGS

Understanding arc ratings is very important. You know your crew needs to wear FR clothing that meets a certain arc rating. But do you understand what that protection level means or how FR fabric gets its arc rating? To put it simply, FR fabric is exposed to a series of arc flashes to determine how much energy the fabric is able to block before it would likely cause the wearer to obtain a 2nd degree burn, 50% of the time. But that’s just the beginning. This whitepaper addresses the arc flash hazard, a brief history of the arc rating system and how it all comes together in the form of arc-rated FR fabrics to keep you and your crew compliant.

Download White Paper At Bulwark

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