NETA Handbook Series II - Safety Vol 2-PDF

SAFETY

HANDBOOK

Published By

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SAFETY HANDBOOK

VOLUME II

Published by InterNational Electrical Testing Association

NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER

NETA Technical Papers and Articles are published by the InterNational Electrical Testing Association. Opinions, views, and conclusions expressed in articles herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of NETA. Publication herein does not constitute or imply any endorsement of any opinion, product, or service by NETA, its directors, officers, members, employees, or agents (hereinafter “NETA”).

All technical data in this publication reflects the experience of individuals using specific tools, products equipment, and components under specific conditions and circumstances which may or may not be fully reported and over which NETA has neither exercised nor reserved control. Such data has not been independently tested or otherwise verified by NETA.

NETA makes no endorsement, representation, or warranty as to any opinion, product, or service referenced in this publication. NETA expressly disclaims any and all liability to any consumer, purchaser, or any other person using any product or service referenced herein for any injuries or damages of any kind whatsoever, including, but not limited to, any consequential, special incidental, direct, or indirect damages. NETA further disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied including, but not limited to, any implied warranty or merchantability or any implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose.

Please Note: All biographies of authors and presenters contained herein are reflective of the professional standing of these individuals at the time the articles were originally published. Titles, companies, and other factors may have changed since the original publication date.

Copyright © 2013 by InterNational Electrical Testing Association, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the publisher.


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SAFETYHANDBOOK

VOLUME II

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Communication is a Key Element to Electrical Safety in the Workplace ................................................................................................5 NETA Safety Committee

Lockout/Tagout: Taking It For Granted ...........................................................................8Jim White and Ron Widup, Shermco Industries

Medium- Voltage Starter Control Circuit: Safety Issue ....................................................11Al Havens, E-Hazard.com

PPE Requirements for Installation of Temporary Protective Grounds .....................................................................................13Scott Blizard and Paul Chamberlain, American Electrical Testing Co. Inc.

The Forgotten Workplace, Home .................................................................................16Don Brown, Sharmco Industries

Using Personal Protective Grounds in Industrial Facilities ...........................................20Lynn Hamrick, Shermco Industries

When Is an Energized Electrical: Work Permit Required? ...........................................22Lynn Hamrick, Shermco Industries

Electrical Emergency Repsonse: Methods Of Release ....................................................25Dave Smith, Canada Training Group

Changes to 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC: Cranes and Derricks - Working Around Overhead Power Lines .................................................28James R. White, Shermco Industries



269.488.6382www.netaworld.org

SAFETYHANDBOOK

VOLUME II

TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTINUED...

Utilizing Only Qualified Persons for Electrical Work Can Reduce Risk ..................... 33Dennis K. Neitzel, C.P.E., AVO Training Institute Inc.

Wearing PPE: Important or Not? ........................................................................... 39Jim White and Ron Widup, Shermco Industries

Implementing Lightning Protection Systems ........................................................ 42Lynn Hamrick and Owen Wyatt

Lubrication: The Do’s and Don’ts of Electrical Equipment Lubrication ..................... 45Paul Chamberlain, American Electrical Testing Co.

ASTM F18 Report Electrical Protective Equipment 4/16/2012 to 4/17/2012 ............................................................................ 47Ralph Patterson,Power Products Solutions

Arc-Flash Clothing and PPE - What Does NFPA 70E Say? .................................... 50Jim White and Ron Widup, Shermco Industries

Battery Safety Concerns .................................................................................. 53Stephen Canale, American Electrical Testing Co.

Performing Personal Audits .............................................................................. 58Ralph Patterson,Power Products Solutions

NETA Accredited Companies ........................................................................... 61



269.488.6382www.netaworld.org

For industrial facilities, OSHA requirements, as well as the NFPA 70E standard, are provided to delineate the work rules and personal protective equipment necessary to identify and mitigate the effects of electrical hazards in the workplace. The purpose of this Safety Corner article is to place emphasis on how these requirements rely on effective communication to enhance electrical safety in the workplace. The NFPA 70E standard will be used as the basis for this article.

Effective communication typically considers both content and context. Content is what is being communicated either in a written or verbal form. With respect to electrical safety in the workplace, the standards and associated written procedures are the content of effective electrical safety communication. Context has to do with understanding the language and circumstances of the communication. Worker training, skills, and knowledge of electrical equipment and electrical hazards are the context of effective electrical safety communication. A qualified worker is capable of taking requirements and procedural content and putting it in the appropriate context to perform an electrical work task safely.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY COMMUNICATION CONTENT

As stated above, standards and associated written procedures are the content of effective electrical safety communication. NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, is a key document that provides the content necessary for electrical safety in the workplace. Below is a brief summary of the communication content provided in NFPA 70E:

• Definitions – NFPA 70E, Article 100, provides definitions of terms “essential to the proper application of [the] standard.” The standard also provides informational notes and annexes to assist the worker in understanding the content of the standard.

• General Requirements – NFPA 70E, Article 110, provides electrical safety-related work practices and procedures. Requirements associated with the electrical safety program are presented. Key content for the electrical safety program include work procedures, electrical work permits, electrical hazard analysis, and evaluation.

• Electrically Safe Work Conditions – NFPA 70E, Article 120, communicates requirements associated with performing an adequate lockout/tagout (LOTO) process for electrical equipment

so that the electrical hazards are mitigated. Further clarification is provided that, if equipment is not locked or tagged out in accordance with this process, it should be considered energized.

• Electrically Hazardous Work Conditions – NFPA 70E, Article 130, provides a description of the circumstances that would allow electrically hazardous work to be performed. To ensure proper electrical hazard awareness, requirements associated with performing shock hazard and arc-flash hazard analyses are provided. Based on these analyses, the qualified electrical worker can select the appropriate work practices and personal protective equipment associated with performing the work safely. Additionally, requirements for equipment labeling and electrical hazard alerting techniques (i.e., safety signs and tags, barricades, attendants, etc.) are presented.

NFPA 70E is a living document that is updated every three to four years. Therefore, its content should be reviewed with each issued revision. There is no grandfathering associated with implementing electrical safety requirements in the workplace. New or updated safety requirements must be implemented upon issuance.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY COMMUNICATION CONTEXT

In addition to the electrical safety content provided in standards and written procedures, worker training, skills, and knowledge of electrical equipment and electrical hazards are the context of effective electrical safety communication. This is why so much emphasis is placed on using qualified electrical workers to work on or around electrical hazards. As stated above, a qualified worker is capable of taking requirements and procedural content and putting it in the appropriate context to perform an electrical work task safely. Some of this context is related to electrical equipment and system reliability and operability. This can only be accomplished with correct or appropriate maintenance. To enhance a workers capability to provide an appropriate context for performing work safely, NFPA 70 provides for some electrical communication context as well:

• Definitions – NFPA 70E, Article 100, provides definitions of terms “essential to the proper application of [the] standard.” Qualified electrical workers should understand and be familiar with these terms.

COMMUNICATION IS A KEY ELEMENT TO ELECTRICAL SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE

NETA World, Winter 2011-2012 Issue By NETA Safety Committee

5Safety Handbook

• General Requirements – NFPA 70E, Article 110, includes responsibilities for owners and contractors to tell each other about known hazards as well as reporting observed safety violations of the standard. Requirements associated with worker training and the electrical safety program are presented. Key contextual elements of the electrical safety program include job briefings and electrical hazard awareness.

• From NFPA 70E, Article 130.3 – “The arc flash analysis shall be updated when a major modification or renovation takes place. It shall be reviewed periodically, not to exceed five years, to account for changes in the electrical distribution system that could affect the results of the arc-flash hazard analysis.” The arc-flash analysis is the basis for selection of arc-flash PPE. If the analysis and associated labeling are not correct, the selected PPE may be inadequate to protect the worker.

• From NFPA 70E, Article 205.1 – “Employees who perform maintenance on electrical equipment and installations shall be qualified persons…and shall be trained in, and familiar with, the specific maintenance procedures and tests required.” Not all electrical workers are qualified to perform all electrical tasks. Electrical maintenance and testing activities have evolved into using more sophisticated equipment and techniques. Typically, additional training on the use of this testing equipment is required.

• From NFPA 70E, Article 205.2 – “A single line drawing, where provided for the electrical system, shall be maintained in a legible condition and kept current.” This is an often overlooked component of any good maintenance program. Having up-to-date drawings is a requirement for performing maintenance in a safe and proper manner. It is also critical in determining and implementing proper lockout/tagout processes and procedures.

• From NFPA 70E, Article 205.4 – “Overcurrent protective devices shall be maintained in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions or industry consensus standards.”

• From NFPA 70E, Article 205.6 – “Equipment, raceway, cable tray, and enclosure bonding and grounding shall be maintained to ensure electrical continuity.” The only way to verify that a facility has maintained electrical continuity in the grounding system is to test and measure that continuity. This testing is typically performed in several steps. First, a fall-of-potential test is performed to verify that the grounding electrode or system is adequately connected to ground. Then many point-topoint tests are performed to verify adequate connection of equipment, raceway, etc. to the grounding electrode.

• From NFPA 70E, Article 205.7 – “Enclosures shall be maintained to guard against accidental contact with energized conductors and circuit parts and other electrical hazards.”

• From NFPA 70E, Article 205.8 – “Locks, interlocks, and other safety equipment shall be maintained in proper working condition to accomplish the control purpose.”

• From NFPA 70E, Article 205.9 – “Access to working space and escape passages shall be kept clear and unobstructed.”

• From NFPA 70E, Article 210.3 – “Current-carrying conductors (buses, switches, disconnects, joints, and terminations) and bracing shall be maintained to: (1) Conduct rated current without overheating; (2) Withstand available fault current.”

• From NFPA 70E, Article 210.4 – “Insulation integrity shall be maintained to support the voltage impressed.” Insulation failure or breakdown is one of the more significant causes of failures for transformers, cables, cable terminations, cable splices, buses, and joints. Because of this, a range of tests has been developed to test and monitor insulation integrity (insulation resistance testing, ac and dc high-potential testing, power-factor testing, polarization index testing, partial discharge testing, VL F tan delta, etc.). Combinations of these tests are typically performed in an effort to determine the overall health of insulation systems.

• From NFPA 70E, Article 210.5 – “Protective devices shall be maintained to adequately withstand or interrupt available fault current.” Maintenance, which includes operability testing, must be performed on a periodic basis to ensure that protective devices operate as designed. With the recent requirements associated with arc-flash hazards analysis, correct protective device operation is critical to the accuracy of the arc-flash analysis, while minimizing and mitigating the arcflash hazards.

• From NFPA 70E, Article 225.1 – “Fuses shall be maintained free of breaks or cracks in fuse cases, ferrules, and insulators. Fuse clips shall be maintained to provide adequate contact with fuses. Fuseholders for current-limiting fuses shall not be modified to allow the insertion of fuses that are not current-limiting.” Any good maintenance program for low-voltage and mediumvoltage, fused disconnect switches includes visual inspection, contact resistance testing, and fuse resistance testing. Fuse sizing should be as designed and analyzed. Any change to a fuse size or type requires a review of the coordination and arc-flash studies.

Safety Handbook6

• From NFPA 70E, Article 225.3 – “Circuit breakers that interrupt faults approaching their interrupting ratings shall be inspected and tested in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.” To feasibly meet this requirement, an accurate short-circuit study, which is usually performed along with the arc-flash analysis, is typically required.

Over the past 10 years, the above electrical safety communication context should be well known to any qualified electrical worker. Most employers have provided very specific training associated with electrical safety in the workplace. If a qualified electrical worker is not aware of the requirements discussed above, the worker’s qualifications should be questioned.

In summary, effective communication typically considers both content and context. With respect to electrical safety in the workplace, the standards and associated written procedures are the content of effective electrical safety communication. NFPA 70E is a key document that provides the electrical safety content for a qualified worker. Worker training, skills, and knowledge of electrical equipment and electrical hazards provide the context for appropriately or correctly communicating and implementing the electrical safety requirements. This knowledge of the electrical equipment and electrical hazards includes whether correct system documentation, analyses, maintenance and operability are being provided for the equipment. With this information, a qualified worker should be capable of taking requirements and procedural content and putting them in the appropriate context to perform an electrical work task safely.

7Safety Handbook

All of us in the field have had repeated training on lockout/tagout. NETA technicians can have annual training, then training at each customer’s site, and often several other times throughout the year and their career. It is often the topic of tailgate meetings and safety briefings. It is probably human nature to hear something so often and from so many sources that we go on auto-pilot at times. Instead of going through the procedures deliberately, even the best of us may not hit it as hard as we should. The following true case study illustrates this point.

The project involved maintenance work that was being performed by several contractors at a company’s location in the Midwest (the host). The work involved medium-voltage switchgear in a building and an outside substation. The switchgear was of a standard metalclad, drawout, vacuum interrupter design and was in excellent condition. As can be seen in Figure 1, the switchgear also was marked with the single-line on the front of the gear.

Figure 1: Switchgear Involved in the Incident

The worker involved in the incident was assigned to clean the switchgear and vacuum bottles in a section of equipment that had been properly locked out, tagged out, tested and grounded. The work on this section of switchgear had been ongoing for a couple of days. One of the other contractors asked the worker to clean and test a circuit breaker cell that was not on the original list of equipment to be maintained. The host company that owned the equipment approved the addition of this circuit breaker cell to the list. The circuit breaker cell was to a bus tie breaker that had been deenergized the evening before, but had been returned to service. (See Figure 2).

Figure 2: Location of the Incident

It was believed that it was communicated to all the companies that were considered to be either authorized or affected that the bus tie breaker had been returned to service. Locks, tags and signage were in place from all parties except the worker who was asked to do the maintenance. Since the company that the worker was employed by was not scheduled to perform any maintenance on that particular circuit, the company was not perceived to be affected or authorized when the LOTO was performed. The involved worker had completed a Job Safety Analysis ( JSA) prior to the start of work that day, but did not include the newly-added circuit breaker cell, so the backfeed hazard caused by the tie breaker was not addressed. The affected worker did not place his own locks or tags on the switchgear as it was already secured (see Figure 3). The locks and tags were on the back side of the circuit breaker cubicle.

The worker involved in the incident opened the door on the front of the circuit breaker cell in order to perform the assigned maintenance. He did not test the circuit. The worker knelt down on one knee and manually opened the shutters over the bus stabs. Figure 4 shows the exposed energized bus stabs with the shutters open.

LOCKOUT/TAGOUTTAKING IT FOR GRANTED

NETA World, Winter 2011-2012 Issue By Jim White and Ron Widup, Shermco Industries

Safety Handbook8

Figure 3: Location of the Incident

Figure 4: Exposed Bus Location

As the worker extended his hand to begin cleaning the tie breaker cell, an arc flash and shock to the worker occurred. Other maintenance personnel in the area immediately came to his aid and extinguished the fire on his clothing and called 911. The injured worker was transported to a burn center where he received the appropriate medical attention. The worker survived this incident and received burn injuries to his right hand and a blow-out injury to his knee (Figures 5 and 6). After a fairly long recovery period, this worker should be able to continue on with his life, an option that many people in his situation would not have had under similar circumstances.

Figure 5: Burn Injuries to Hand

Figure 6: Blowout Injury to Knee

Under similar circumstances, companies have been known to fire employees for violating safety rules. That is one approach. He did not test the circuit prior to working on it. He did not complete a JSA. He did not consider how dangerous working bus tie circuits can be. No arc-flash protective clothing or PPE was worn. We could point to several mistakes that were made, but the root cause does not belong entirely to the worker. There were mistakes made by almost all parties involved. The host company approved the additional cell maintenance without considering all the consequences. Neither the host nor the contractor requesting the circuit breaker cell be added to the list advised the affected worker that the circuit had been reenergized.

When I was in boot camp our Drill Instructor told us that assume makes an ass out of you and me. It was true then, and it is true today. In this instance, assumptions came into play several times, both by the worker and by the companies involved. The good news is that it did not result in a fatality, but that does not relieve the pain and suffering that the employee had to endure. This same

9Safety Handbook

type of scenario is likely repeated at many job sites throughout the U.S. Multiple contractors, dozens, maybe hundreds of workers, power system equipment and devices, all have to be taken into consideration when performing maintenance activities. It can become a blur.

People are people, and people make mistakes. That is why we have OSHA, NFPA 70E, procedures, policies, etc. Most, if not all of us have either been involved in accidents or know people who have been. It’s not like it’s a secret that people make mistakes, but to talk to some, they seem to think only others have that failing.

SUMMARYSafety is not about just any one procedure or rule. It’s about

slowing down, planning, and executing that plan. There are plenty of tools available to help us: policies, procedures, codes, standards, federal regulations, and state and local laws. I am not about to say that the worker involved in this incident was not taking safety seriously, but he failed to follow some fundamental safety rules like test-before-touch. If he had taken just that one step, there would be nothing to write about.

Ron Widup and Jim White are NETA’S representatives to NFPA Technical Committee 70E (Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces). Both gentlemen are employees of Shermco Industries in Dallas, Texas a NETA Accredited Company. Ron Widup is President of Shermco and has been with the company since 1983. He is a Principal member of the Technical Committee on “Electrical Safety in the Workplace” (NFPA 70E) and a Principal member of the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) Code Panel 11. He is also a member of the technical committee “Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance” (NFPA 70B), and a member of the NETA Board of Directors and Standards Review Council. Jim White is nationally recognized for technical skills and safety training in the electrical power systems industry. He is the Training Director for Shermco Industries, and has spent the last twenty years directly involved in technical skills and safety training for electrical power system technicians. Jim is a Principal member of NFPA 70B representing Shermco Industries, NETA’s alternate member of NFPA 70E, and a member of ASTM F18 Committee “Electrical Protective Equipment for Workers.”

Safety Handbook10

Most medium-voltage starters have a recessed plug to accept an extension cord connection to power up the starter’s control circuit when the contactor carriage of the starter is in the test position. The function of the test position is to use external control power and test the operation of the control circuit without energizing the connected motor. The control circuit may have a bond from the neutral on the test connection on the controller carriage to the frame of the carriage. This sets up a not so obvious problem for maintenance personnel.

Having the control circuit’s neutral bonding to the carriage’s frame allows electrical current to flow between the 120 Vac power distribution panel (PDP) through two paths. The first is the normal path, which is through the neutral, or grounded conductor, of the extension cord. The second path is through the neutral bond in the PDP, through the facility’s grounding system, conduits and equipment grounding, to the carriage frame itself, then to the neutral bonding jumper on the test connection on the carriage. These two paths of current flow are illustrated in Figure 1.

This current path is objectionable ground current and does not comply with Article 250.6 in the National Electrical Code®. This ground current is potentially dangerous if the neutral in the extension cord is not continuous.

The remedial action for existing equipment is the following:

1. Remove the bond on the carriage frame of the contactor. This is not as dangerous as it sounds. The neutral bond to ground at the PDP will function as the appropriate grounded connection using an extension cord while the controller carriage is in the test position.

2. Apply a bond to the frame of the starter enclosure at the control power transformer’s (CPT) secondary neutral connection. The contactor carriage frame will be inherently connected to the starter enclosure frame through metal connection of the carriage wheels. Measure the dc resistance between the carriage frame and enclosure after establishing the bond at the CPT’s neutral connection. Use 0.5 ohm as a guideline. Investigate any value greater than that. U se an electronic ohmmeter that can measure 0.001 ohm.

Figure 1With new equipment, insist the manufacturer bond the CPT’s

neutral connection to ground on the enclosure itself, not the contactor carriage frame. Verify that the carriage frame receptacle/plug for the control circuit has a pin dedicated and connected to the frame of the enclosure, on the enclosure side of the starter and to the frame of the carriage on the contactor carriage side of the starter. That guarantees the two frames are electrically bonded. The bond will not depend on the carriage wheels making good contact with the enclosure frame. Thoroughly examine the proposed starter’s control circuit to make certain there is no neutral bond to the contactor carriage frame shown on the equipment’s drawings.

MEDIUM – VOLTAGE STARTER CONTROL CIRCUIT: SAFETY ISUE

NETA World, Winter 2011-2012 Issue By Al Havens, E-Hazard.com

mediUm-voltaGe starter control circUit safety issUe

having the control circuit’s neutral bonding to the carriage’s frame allows electrical current to flow between the 120 vac power distribution panel (PdP) through two paths. The first is the normal path, which is through the neutral, or grounded conductor, of the extension cord. The second path is through the neutral bond in the PdP, through the facility’s grounding system, conduits and equipment grounding, to the carriage frame itself, then to the neutral bonding jumper on the test connection on the carriage. These two paths of current flow are illustrated in Figure 1.

MEDIUM-VOLTAGE STARTER CONTROL

most medium-voltage starters have a recessed plug to accept an extension cord connection to power up the starter’s control circuit when the contactor carriage of the starter is in the test position. The function of the test position is to use external control power and test the operation of the control circuit without energizing the connected motor. The control circuit may have a bond from the neutral on the test connection on the controller carriage to the frame of the carriage. This sets up a not so obvious problem for maintenance personnel.

NETAWORLD • 73

M e d i U M - v o lt a g e s t a r t e r c o n t r o l c i r c U i t SafeTy iSSUe

Extension Cord

Ground Bus

240/120 VAC PDP

Neutral Bus

Medium Voltage MCC Enclosure

Starter Carriage

Test Switch in “Test” Position CPT

Extension cord shown without connectors to PDP for clarity

N

H

G

Normal Neutral Current Path

Objectionable Current Path

H N

To Starter Control Circuit

figure 1

By aL HavenS,E-Hazard.com

11Safety Handbook

Al Havens brings more than 40 years of electrical safety experience to the classroom, 26 of which as Senior Electrical Engineer for U.S. Gypsum. He has extensive experience in industrial plant and underground mine power distribution upgrades and is expert in the design and commission of high resistance ground, switchgear battery and automatic power factor systems.

Al served as head of the USG Energy Monitoring Task Force and established their NFPA 70E compliance and training programs. He has presented to both the IEEE Electrical Safety Conference and the International Electrical Testing Association (NETA) Conferences on electrical equipment and high resistance grounding, and worked extensively on compliance issues with the Mine Safety and Health Agency (MSHA).

Safety Handbook12

The purpose of temporary protective grounds is to protect the personnel servicing the equipment and to create a safe work environment. Prior to servicing a piece of electrical equipment, it is important to ensure that it is in a safe state and to verify zero voltage before applying temporary protective grounds. In many situations, more than one set of grounds or grounding apparatus must be applied. When identifying the placement of temporary protective grounds, ensure all work will be performed within the zone of protection. For correct placement and sizing of temporary protective grounds and grounding apparatus, refer to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269 Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution Standard. It states under paragraph (n) Grounding for the protection of employees that grounding must be utilized as a means of protecting employees on de-energized lines, and that “For the employee to work lines or equipment as de-energized, the lines or equipment shall be de-energized under the provisions of paragraph (m) of this section and shall be grounded as specified in paragraphs (n)(3) through (n)(9) of this section. However, if the employer can demonstrate that installation of a ground is impracticable or that the conditions resulting from the installation of a ground would present greater hazards than working without grounds, the lines and equipment may be treated as de-energized provided all of the following conditions are met:”

1. The lines and equipment have been deenergized2. There is no possibility of contact with another energized source3. The hazard of induced voltage is not present.

1910.269 then states under (n)(4) that “Protective grounding equipment shall be capable of conducting the maximum fault current that could flow at the point of grounding for the time necessary to clear the fault. This equipment shall have an ampacity greater than or equal to that of No. 2 AWG copper.”

WHAT LEVEL OF PPE IS REQUIRED WHEN INSTALLING TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE GROUNDS?

Any work on or near exposed energized equipment that encroaches within the Restricted Approach Boundary or the Arc-Flash Protection Boundary requires some form of additional personal protection. The level of protection required depends on the incident energy level and proximity to the circuit. A copy of the 2012 NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace© should be referenced prior to beginning the grounding operation. A lot of the tasks can be found within Table 130.7(C) (15)(a), formerly known as Table 130.7(C)(9) in the 2009 version. When using the table, take notice of the notes at the end of the table because they may change the requirements of PPE required to perform the task.

Applying protective grounds to a circuit comprised of the same equipment, within the same voltage range, reference Table 130.7(C)(15)(a) and back to (C)(16) to determine what is needed for personal protective equipment when applying the grounds.

PPE REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTALLATIONOF TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE GROUNDS

NETA World, Winter 2011-2012 Issue By Scott Blizard and Paul Chamberlain, American Electrical Testing Co., Inc.

The table terminology now coincides with OShA. It states that they are temporary protective grounds, and that it is being done after voltage test. This means that even with the presence of zero voltage, the application of grounds must be done when wearing personal protective equipment at a hazard / risk Category level 4, with rubber insulating gloves as a means of protecting the personnel. The following table shows the PPE required for hazard risk Category level 4.

Application of the clamp to the grounded side can be achieved without the use of the full level of PPE unless encroaching within the approach distance of some piece of equipment. Clamping the ground to equipment that has been removed from service and de-energized should be accomplished using a shotgun stick while wearing full gear. Table 130.7(C)(15)(a) requires gloves to perform the task and the notes state that they need to be rated for the “maximum line-to-line voltage upon which work will be done.”

COVER STORY

PPe reqUirements for installation of temPorary Protective GroUnds

table 1

tAble 2

22 • WINTER 2011

Tasks Performed on Energized Equipment

Hazard / Risk Category

Rubber Insulating

Gloves

Insulated and Insulating Hand

Tools Metal Clad Switchgear, 1 kV Through 38 kV Parameters: Maximum of 35 kA short-circuit current available; maximum of up to 0.2 second (12 cycle) fault clearing time; minimum 36 inches working distance Potential arc-flash boundary with exposed energized conductors or circuit parts using above parameters: 422 inches Application of temporary protective grounding equipment, after voltage test

4 Y N

HAZARD / RISK CATEGORY 4

FR Clothing - Minimum Arc Rating of 40 (Note 1)

Arc Rated Long Sleeve Shirt (Note 9) Arc Rated Pants (Note 9) Arc Rated Coveralls (Note 9) Arc Rated Arc Flash Suit Jacket (AR (Note 9) Arc Rated Arc Flash Suit Pants (AR) (Note 9) Arc Rated Arc Flash Suit hood (Note 9) Arc rated Jacket, Parka, or Rainwear (AN)

FR Protective Equipment

Hard Hat FR Hard Hat Liner (AR) Safety Glasses or Safety Goggles (SR) Hearing Protection (Ear Canal Inserts) Arc Rated Gloves (Note 2) Leather Work Shoes (AN)

Table 1

13Safety Handbook

The table terminology now coincides with OSHA. It states that they are temporary protective grounds, and that it is being done after voltage test. This means that even with the presence of zero voltage, the application of grounds must be done when wearing personal protective equipment at a Hazard / Risk Category Level 4, with rubber insulating gloves as a means of protecting the personnel. The following table shows the PPE required for Hazard Risk Category Level 4.


RECOMMENDED PRACTICES Here are some valuable steps that should be taken prior to

commencing work:

1. Be familiar with the equipment being serviced

2. Check drawings and one-lines

3. Walk the site to identify any physical hazards

4. Check the equipment for a recent Arc Flash Hazard Analysis

5. Write a switching and tagging order, or utilize the lockout/tagout procedure specific to the equipment

6. Write a Job Hazard Analysis, and / or the prejob briefing, identifying all site and task specific hazards

7. Discuss the prejob briefing with coworkers, and see if they have any insight into past successes or failures in dealing with similar tasks

8. Put on the required level of PPE after verifying that the task has a known or calculated Hazard / Risk Category. Ensure that no additional PPE will be necessary when applying protective grounds

9. De-energize equipment

10. Verify that the voltage testing device is functional against a known source

11. Verify zero voltage, and have someone double check it

12. Reverify that the test device is functional against a known source

13. Apply the grounding side of the clamp and ensure that it is No. 2 AWG or larger ground cable

14. Apply grounds to the equipment utilizing a reach or remote method such as a shotgun

15. Remove the PPE when the task is complete

CONCLUSION Refer to industry standards such as the NFPA or OSHA as

necessary and wear the required PPE when installing temporary protective grounds. Be safe; when in doubt, always err on the side of caution.

While reviewing the 2012 NFPA 70E in research for this article, the author noted that 130.8(C)(7) does not exist anywhere within the body of the Standard, except in the reference indicated. The author has submitted a proposal to the NFPA to amend this typographical error.

REFERENCES 1) OSHA Standards for General Industry, 29 CFR Part 1910.269,

Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution Standard

2) NFPA 70E – Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, 2012 and 2009 Editions.

The table terminology now coincides with OShA. It states that they are temporary protective grounds, and that it is being done after voltage test. This means that even with the presence of zero voltage, the application of grounds must be done when wearing personal protective equipment at a hazard / risk Category level 4, with rubber insulating gloves as a means of protecting the personnel. The following table shows the PPE required for hazard risk Category level 4.


COVER STORY

PPe reqUirements for installation of temPorary Protective GroUnds

table 1

tAble 2

22 • WINTER 2011

Tasks Performed on Energized Equipment

Hazard / Risk Category

Rubber Insulating

Gloves

Insulated and Insulating Hand

Tools Metal Clad Switchgear, 1 kV Through 38 kV Parameters: Maximum of 35 kA short-circuit current available; maximum of up to 0.2 second (12 cycle) fault clearing time; minimum 36 inches working distance Potential arc-flash boundary with exposed energized conductors or circuit parts using above parameters: 422 inches Application of temporary protective grounding equipment, after voltage test

4 Y N

HAZARD / RISK CATEGORY 4

FR Clothing - Minimum Arc Rating of 40 (Note 1)

Arc Rated Long Sleeve Shirt (Note 9) Arc Rated Pants (Note 9) Arc Rated Coveralls (Note 9) Arc Rated Arc Flash Suit Jacket (AR (Note 9) Arc Rated Arc Flash Suit Pants (AR) (Note 9) Arc Rated Arc Flash Suit hood (Note 9) Arc rated Jacket, Parka, or Rainwear (AN)

FR Protective Equipment

Hard Hat FR Hard Hat Liner (AR) Safety Glasses or Safety Goggles (SR) Hearing Protection (Ear Canal Inserts) Arc Rated Gloves (Note 2) Leather Work Shoes (AN)

Table 2

Safety Handbook14

Paul Chamberlain has been the Safety Manager for American Electrical Testing Co., Inc. since 2009. He has been in the safety field for the past 12 years, working for various companies and in various industries. He received a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

Scott Blizard is the current Vice President-Chief Operations Officer and the former head of Safety for American Electrical Testing Co., Inc. Scott is a master electrician and a NETA Level 4 Test Technician with over 30 years of experience in the electrical industry.

15Safety Handbook

Have you ever received an electric shock while doing something at home? Most of us have at one time or another. This could have happened for any number of reasons. It could have been a faulty extension cord, or a bad connection to a power tool, or maybe even it was unintentionally touching a bare wire. In any case, it did not feel good. Many people think about their safety while at work but seem to leave it there. They do not take it home with them. If only they could leave the hazards there as well. Unfortunately, it does not happen that way. Most of the time, there are actually more hazards in the home than in the workplace.

WHAT HAZARDS?Everyone is aware of the necessity to maintain the equipment

at their workplace, but what about at your home? What happens if you do not take care of your vehicle? Your yard? Your home? Something as simple as checking the receptacles in the walls of your house can let you know that there could be impending problems. Have you ever had to squeeze or spread the prongs of a plug to get it to stay in the receptacle in the wall? Generally, that is caused by the internal contacts becoming worn out. Overheating can cause that as well as the age of the receptacle. If it is used often, the normal wear and tear on the contacts inside the receptacle can just stretch out of place and cause a loose plug. That is one item that can very easily be addressed by the homeowner. Do you unplug the vacuum cleaner by pulling on the cord instead of going “all the way over” to the plug? It is just this kind of action that can start the deterioration of your home electrical system. When replacing the receptacles, do not just take out the old one and put in the new one. Look at the condition of the receptacle itself. If there is some discoloration or obviously burned or scorched surfaces do a little investigating to find out what caused it. Many times it will be no more than a loose connection on the old receptacle. It could, however, be the result of overloading the receptacle.

And what about those pesky two-prong receptacles that do not have a ground on them? Believe it or not, there are still a lot of homes that have an inadequate, ungrounded electrical system. Many homeowners have relied on the three prong adapters to help remedy this problem. This is not a good idea at all. If there is no grounding conductor in your electrical outlet, you will only be increasing the potential problems. The photos below show a very good example of what will happen if you use these types of adapters. If you do not have a good, functional ground system in

your home, you are putting yourself at risk of a dangerous, and sometimes fatal, electric shock, or even fire. This is not the type of repair that can be done by the typical homeowner. This kind of work needs to be done by a qualified professional.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR.Look for the abnormal. Use your senses at all times while in

your home. Look for something that does not work the way that you think it should. Is the plug loose in the receptacle or does the plug continually fall out while you are working? Do you smell burning insulation? Do you hear a humming coming from the electrical panel? Does an appliance plug feel hot when you unplug it?

If you are going to take on the task of replacing a light switch or a receptacle in your house, good for you. But before you do, ask yourself this question – “Do I feel comfortable doing this kind of work?” If not, then you need to contact that qualified electrical contractor to make the repairs. If you do feel comfortable doing this kind of work, you need to take certain precautions prior to starting the work.

Rule number one is to turn off the power! You must turn off the power before attempting any type of electrical work, no matter what your skill level. Are you sure that the power is turned off? Many times, home builders will run the circuitry to include the maximum number of receptacles to each circuit breaker. And some times this means tying receptacles from different rooms onto the same circuit, especially on a common wall between two rooms.

Invest in a good quality voltage detector that you can use around the house. It does not have to be the most expensive tester, but make sure that it will hold up to repeated use, and the occasional drop test. A good reliable category II or III digital multimeter would be a great investment in your safety around the home. These can be purchased for a reasonable price at most home improvement stores or electrical distributors. Another item that you should invest in is a pair of rubber insulating gloves. Not the same kind of rubber gloves used for dishwashing, but the correct type used in electrical work. Before you start to roll your eyes and think, no way am I going to wear those just to replace a light switch, remember that the most common voltage involved in electrical fatalities is 120 Vac. Once you determine that the power is indeed turned off, you can take off the gloves and do the work.

THE FORGOTTEN WORKPLACE – HOMENETA World, Winter 2011-2012 Issue

By Don Brown, Shermco Industries

Safety Handbook16

HOW DO I REDUCE THE HAZARDS AT HOME?The first thing to do is understand what the hazards are. Then

you can look for ways to reduce, or in many cases, eliminate them. Probably the most common hazard to the electrical system in the home is overloading. Plugging in too many devices into a circuit will cause the wiring and the devices (plugs and receptacles) to heat up and fail. In a best case scenario, this overload will be cleared by the

circuit breaker in your electrical panel. If a breaker trips, it does it for a reason. In the majority of the cases, a tripped breaker is caused by an overload to the circuit. If the circuit is drawing too many amperes, the breaker will sense it and open. This is a warning to the homeowner. Unfortunately, most homeowners just think this is a bad breaker that has started to trip for no reason other than it is old. Breakers do not normally go bad on a correctly designed system, and if they do trip, it is to protect the wiring of the electrical system. If a breaker trips, look for an overloaded receptacle, one that has more than two devices plugged into it.

Although this a bit of an extreme situation, think about the holiday season when all of the decorations are plugged into a wall outlet. Everyone wants to have the best display and the most lights, but if you do not understand the limitations of your electrical system, you can, and more than likely will, have a situation like the one just shown. If this happens in your home, do not try to fix it yourself. This is the time to spend the extra money on a qualified electrical contractor, one that will be able to evaluate the extent of the damage to your home’s wiring.

Many people are getting into the do-it-yourself mode of remodeling their homes as the economy gets tougher. This is a great idea for making your home a little more comfortable in trying times, but be careful about how you go about it. Putting a new coat of paint on the walls may seem easy, but pay attention to the details, especially when it comes to painting around receptacles, light switches, and other electrical fixtures. Some folks want these devices to blend into the room so they won’t stand out. That is fine, as long as you take the time to replace them with devices that coordinate with the room décor. Do not just paint over the receptacles and switches.

Example 1. 3-Prong Wall Oulet

Example 2. Back of 3-Prong Wall Oulet

Example 3. 3-Prong Adapter, Side View

Example 4. 3-Prong Adapter, Front View

17Safety Handbook

As the holiday season approaches, the decorations get pulled out of storage. What condition are they in? How were they stored for the last ten months or so? Were they damaged before being put away last year? These are all questions that need to be asked. Look at the decorations, extension cords, and the strings of lights as you start to pull them out of the storage boxes. Do not just grab and start to pull them out. That is one sure way to break the lights themselves. Do not just grab the plug and put it into the extension cord lying in the same storage box with them. Look each one over before

plugging it in. If there is one broken light bulb and it is resting on your skin, plugging it in is one sure way to get shocked. And there is the possibility of cuts and broken glass getting stuck in your legs or hands. Pay close attention to how many strings of lights are plugged together. Typically the light manufacturers will place a warning on the boxes giving a maximum number of strings that should be connected together. Read and heed that warning. If you do not, it will cause problems.

WHAT TO DO NEXTKeep an eye on your home. You may be remodeling a room,

setting up Christmas decorations, or just putting in a new ceiling fan. If you find anything out of the ordinary, make note of it and get it corrected before it leads to other, more serious issues. If you decide to tackle a project like replacing a light switch or outlet in the wall, make certain that the power is turned off before you start the work. Test the circuit that you will be working on with a reliable test meter. Be sure that all of the connections you make are tight and secure and the wires are not being pinched by cover plates or screws. Use your senses around the house. Look for problems; listen to your electrical panel; smell for burning insulation; and feel for heated plugs, switches, and outlets. But most importantly, do it safely or call a qualified electrical contractor to do the work for you.

Example 5. This Kind of Overload Can Result in This:

Example 6.

Example 7. Painted Wall Oulet

Safety Handbook18

Don Brown has been involved in the electrical industry for over 35 years – 15 of those specific to electrical testing. He was a master electrician, safety consultant, and business owner. He has consulted for companies such as Intel, Air Liquide, Bell Helicopter, and Chesapeake Energy. Don now serves Shermco Industries as a Senior Training Specialist.

Example 7. Holiday Lights

19Safety Handbook

You are sitting around waiting for the outage to begin. Your task is to perform preventive maintenance on the 15 kV class switchgear lineup feeding a large industrial facility. As seems typical of the situation, an argument is in full force over the need and adequacy of the personal protective grounds being applied. The local contractor intends to use what looks like a modified set of automobile jumper cables. Your supervisor is requiring use of a much more substantial configuration of cables with fancy connectors on each end. He is also requiring that two ground sets be attached so that his workers are working between the ground sets. The customer is trying to resolve the situation. He just wants to start the outage. This is when one of the contractor’s men offers a statement like, “We used to just throw a logging chain across the bus. If it came back out at you, it wasn’t dead.” During times such as those described above, it is nice to know the requirements associated with use and selection of personal protective grounds.

The primary purpose of personal protective grounding is to provide adequate protection against electrical shock causing death or injury to personnel while working on de-energized lines or equipment. For medium- and high-voltage applications, protective grounds are required as part of the lockout/tagout program. This is accomplished by grounding and bonding lines and equipment to limit contact or exposure to voltages at the work site to a safe level if the lines or equipment are accidentally energized from any source of hazardous energy. The greatest source of hazardous energy in most cases is direct energization of lines or equipment from the power system. Other sources of hazardous energy may include:

• Stored energy (capacitors and cables) • Static build-up • Electromagnetic coupling • High-voltage testing • Back-feed from atypical power sources

Personal protective grounding is intended for temporary grounding during installation, maintenance, and repair or modification of lines and equipment. It is not intended to substitute for a prolonged or permanent plant or station equipment grounding connection which should be provided by permanent grounding and wiring methods. Any employee working on de-energized medium- and high-voltage equipment is responsible for understanding protective grounding requirements and procedures. Further, facility managers and supervisors are responsible for ensuring

that workers are knowledgeable of and comply with grounding procedures. Only trained and qualified workers shall apply and remove temporary personal protective grounds.

OSHA requirements for personal protective grounding at an industrial facility is actually found in 29 CFR 1910.269, the standard typically associated with utility systems. As it states in the note from 1910.269(a)(1)(i)(A), “(t)he types of installations covered … include the generation, transmission, and distribution installations of electric utilities, as well as equivalent installations of industrial establishments.” Medium-voltage electrical infrastructure within an industrial facility is an equivalent installation. In accordance with 1910.269(n)(2), “For the employee to work lines or equipment as de-energized, the lines or equipment shall be de-energized … and shall be grounded as specified in paragraphs (n)(3) through (n)(9) of this section.”

PROTECTIVE GROUNDS – SIZING AND SELECTION Protective ground cables and associated grounding equipment

shall meet the following requirements:

• Personal protective grounds shall be capable of conducting the maximum fault current that could flow at the point of grounding for the time necessary to clear the fault. This equipment shall have an ampacity greater than or equal to that of No. 2 AWG copper.

• Personal protective grounds shall have an impedance low enough to cause immediate operation of protective devices in case of accidental energizing of the lines or equipment. This translates into being capable of carrying the maximum av ailable fault current, including dc offset current due to waveform asymmetry, for high values of fault circuit impedance X/R ratio.

Table 1

USING PERSONAL PROTECTIVE GROUNDS IN INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES

NETA World, Winter 2011-2012 Issue By Lynn Hamrick, Shermco Industries

Safety Handbook20

The guidelines for determining the adequacy of personal protective grounds are contained in ASTM F855-2004, Standard Specifications for Temporary Grounding Systems to Be Used on De-Energized Electric Power Lines and Equipment. Based on information in ASTM F855, Table 1 is what we are using in the field for evaluating the adequacy of protective grounds.

Select protective ground sets which are easy to apply. This includes considerations associated with the field application conditions and minimizing preparation and installation time. Standardized ground set configuration, to the extent practical, is desirable at each location to keep the number of sizes and types to a minimum. The ground sets should be fabricated as an assembly of suitably rated components (conductor, ferrules, and clamps) to withstand thermal and electromechanical stresses imposed while conducting fault current (see Figure 1).

It is also recommended that the ground sets be stored and transported properly to avoid damage and ensure that the ground sets are maintained in good working order.

PROTECTIVE GROUNDS – LOCATION The guiding principle for protective grounding in facilities is that

the grounds should be installed as close to the workers as practical in order to provide an effective current shunt around the body and to limit exposure voltage. Keep in mind that the conductor-end and ground-end clamps of protective grounds should be connected near the locations where workers will likely contact parts of equipment that may inadvertently become energized. The protective grounds should be connected directly to the equipment, bus, or conductors to be grounded. No impedance or device (circuit breaker, disconnect switch, transformer, line trap, etc.) shall be permitted between the point of connection of the protective grounds and the location of contact by the workers. Additionally, avoid connecting the ground-end clamps to a grounding point (plant grounding conductor) that is not bonded directly to permanently grounded parts of the equipment to be worked on. Otherwise, ground loops may be formed with embedded ground mat conductors in plant concrete which can significantly increase the exposure voltage.

Figure 1

PROTECTIVE GROUNDS – APPLICATION AND REMOVAL

Before any personal protective grounds are installed, the applicable lines and equipment shall be tested and found absent of nominal voltage. This typically involves measuring the voltage with a voltage sensor on the end of a hot stick. Appropriate personnel protective equipment and safety precautions consistent with the circuits being energized should be utilized when testing for voltage and while applying the grounds. When attaching the grounds, the ground-end connection shall be attached first, and then the other ends shall be attached by means of a live-line tool. When removing protective grounds, the connections shall be removed from the line or equipment using a live-line tool before the groundend connection is removed.

Protective grounds may be removed temporarily to accommodate tests. During those tests, it is the responsibility of the tester and owner to ensure that workers use insulating equipment and are isolated from any hazards. Also, the tester and owner should institute any additional measures as may be necessary to protect each exposed worker from the previously grounded lines and equipment becoming energized.

The general rule for on the job personal electrical safety around de-energized lines and equipment is the lines and equipment shall be considered energized until protective grounds are installed. Until grounded, minimum approach distances apply with regard to the use and application of personnel protective equipment and procedures.

Further, personal protective grounds must be designed, fabricated, and applied in a manner that satisfies the following basic criteria:

• Maximize personal safety while working on de-energized high voltage equipment through the use of appropriate protective grounding equipment, procedures, and training

• Limit work site exposure voltages to a safe level during accidental energization

• Ensure that protective grounds will not fail under the most severe fault conditions

• Provide the final energy barrier in the facility lockout/tagout (LOTO) program under direct control of personnel at the worksite.

Lynn Hamrick brings over 25 years of working knowledge in design, permitting, construction, and startup of mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation and controls projects as well as experience in the operation and maintenance of facilities. Lynn is a Professional Engineer, Certified Energy Manager and has a BS in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Tennessee.

21Safety Handbook

SAFETY

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Most questions associated with the need for an energized electrical work permit (EEWP) have to do with the performance of the following specific work tasks:

• Perform visual inspections ofinfrared (IR)surveys of energized circuits

• Removal or installation of bolted covers that exposes energized circuits

• Opening or closing hinged covers that exposes energized circuits

• Work on energized electrical conductors or circuit parts

• Application of safety grounds

• Insertion or removal of equipment from energized circuits

• Switch operation of energized equipment

In this article, each of these work tasks will be discussed with regard to the need for processing an EEWP prior to performing the work.

As a basis for the discussion, the requirements from NFPA 70E, Electrical Safety in the Workplace, 2012 Edition, will be used. From NFPA 70E, Article 130.1:

“(B) ENERGIZED ELECTRICAL WORK PERMIT (1) When Required. When working within the limited approach

boundary or the arc flash boundary of exposed energized electrical conductors or circuit parts that are not placed in an electrically safe work condition,… work to be performed shall be considered energized electrical work and shall be performed by written permit only.

(2) Elements of Work Permit. The energized electrical work permit shall include, but not be limited to, the following items:

1. Description of the circuit and equipment to be worked on and their location

2. Justification for why work must be performed in the energized condition

3. Description of the safe work practices to be employed

4. Results of the shock hazard analysis

a. Limited approach boundary

b. Restricted approach boundary

c. Prohibited approach boundary

d. Necessary shock personal and other protective equipment to safely perform the assigned task

5. Results of the arc flash analysis

a. Available incident energy or hazard/risk category

b. Necessary personal protective equipment to safely perform the assigned task

c. Arc flash boundary

6. Means employed to restrict the access of unqualified persons from the work area

7. Evidence of completion of a job briefing, including a discussion of any job-specific hazards

8. Energized work approval (authorizing or responsible management, safety officer, or owner, etc.) signatures

WHEN IS AN ENERGIZED ELECTRICALWORK PERMIT REQUIRED?

NETA World, Winter 2011-2012 Issue By Lynn Hamrick, Shermco Industries

Safety Handbook22

(3) Exemptions to Work Permit. Work performed within the limited approach boundary of energized electrical conductors or circuit parts by qualified persons related to tasks such as testing, troubleshooting, and voltage measuring shall be permitted to be performed without an energized work permit, if appropriate safe work practices and personal protective equipment…. are provided and used. If the purpose of crossing the limited approach boundary is only for visual inspection and the restricted approach boundary will not be crossed, then an energized electrical work permit shall not be required.

With NFPA 70E – 2009, the language of this article led one to focus on using the EEWP when shock hazards were present with an implied applicability for arcflash hazards through the information required for personal protective equipment (PPE) selection and application. With the newly issued NFPA 70E – 2012, the language has been revised to require an EEWP when either a shock hazard or an arc-flash hazard is present. This was a needed clarification to the standard that eliminates some of the questions associated with implementing the EEWP process. Prior to discussing the most-asked questions on EEWP application, it should be noted that appropriate PPE and planning for the hazards encountered is required whether an EEWP is required or not. This is the case with EEWP-exempt work, as well as EEWP-related work.

The following discussions will deal with whether or not an EEWP should be required for the work tasks previously identified as most used. The recommendations presented are those of the author. Final determination and implementation of site-specific requirements are the responsibility of facility owners. They should consider their specific work tasks and select the appropriate work rules and processes for their facility which best fit their interpretation of the standard.

In general, when performing work tasks which historically have increased the probability of a hazard and/or will require physically interacting with the energized circuit, an EEWP should be required.

Perform visual inspection or IR surveys of energized circuits. Visual inspections and IR surveys should be considered testing or troubleshooting activities. The standard specifically states that, from a shock hazard standpoint, this work task does not require an EEWP if the restricted boundary is not breached. However, further clarification should be provided with regard to requiring an EEWP when the arc-flash boundary is breached, which is the case when performing many visual inspections or IR surveys. In general, when performing work tasks which historically increase the probability of a hazard and/or will physically interact with or cause a change in the energized circuit, an EEWP should be required. Given this statement, the decision to require that an EEWP be provided to perform visual inspection or IR surveys is dependent on what work tasks are required to accommodate the inspection or survey. If a worker must simply open a hinged door to perform the inspection/survey, no EEWP should be required since there is no increase in the probability of a hazard and there

is no physical interaction with the energized circuit. However, if the worker must remove bolted covers to perform the inspection or survey, an EEWP should be required due to an increase in the probability of the hazard associated with removing bolts and the cover. As stated above, the appropriate PPE for the hazard is required whether an EEWP is required or not.

Removal or installation of bolted covers that exposes energized circuits. Any work task that includes the removal or installation of bolted covers associated with exposed energized circuits should require that an EEWP be performed. Historically, this task has been shown to increase the probability of the hazard.

Opening or closing hinged covers that exposes energized circuits. Work tasks that include the opening or closing of hinged covers associated with exposed energized circuits should require an EEWP unless this task is being performed as part of a testing, troubleshooting, and voltage measuring effort.

Work on energized electrical conductors or circuit parts. Work tasks that include working on energized electrical conductors or circuit parts should require an EEWP unless these tasks are being performed as part of a testing, troubleshooting, and voltage measuring effort.

• Resetting thermal overloads should be considered part of a testing and troubleshooting effort as long as this activity is performed such that there is no increase in the probability of a hazard and there will be no automatic change in the energized circuit while exposed.

• Replacing blown fuses should also be considered part of a testing and troubleshooting effort. However, replacing blown fuses presents a unique challenge. Fuses within power circuits that are greater than 50V should not be replaced while the portion of the circuit that contains the fuse and fuseholder is energized. Therefore, the portion of the circuit that includes the fuse and fuseholder should be placed in a deenergized state by going throughan appropriate lockout/tagout (LOTO) process to accommodate the fuse replacement. Unfortunately, there may still be exposed energized circuit parts present while the fuse is being replaced in the now deenergized portion of the circuit (i.e., the line side of the associated disconnect for the circuit). Appropriate PPE requirements and safety precautions should be implemented during the fuse replacement process to mitigate any increased probability of the hazard and physical interaction with the energized portion of the circuit.

• Implementing design changes to a circuit (i.e., the thermal overload is modified or a different fuse type or size is installed) should require an EEWP to ensure that the safety-related aspects of the change are adequately considered. These aspects should include operability review of the circuit as well as any impacts on the arc-flash analysis for the circuit. Additionally, any change to the protective system should include written authorization prior to implementation.

23Safety Handbook

• Application of safety grounds. The application of safety grounds is typically part of an established LOTO or clearance process. In most cases, an EEWP may not be required. However, in some cases, the LOTO process may result in a power circuit configuration modification (i.e., using an alternate power source) such that the available short-circuit current to the circuit is not the same as the analyzed hazard. This change could affect the required sizing of the safety grounds. In these cases, a specific EEWP associated with the application of safety grounds should be considered so that appropriate analysis and written authorization for the change is provided. It is the responsibility of the qualified worker to recognize this configuration change during the job planning and job briefing process and require the appropriate process prior to application of the safety grounds.

Insertion or removal of equipment from energized circuits. Any work task that includes the insertion or removal of electrical equipment from energized circuits should require that an EEWP be performed. These tasks include the following:

• Remove/install circuit breakers or fused switches in lighting panels;

• Insertion or removal of motor control center buckets;

• Insertion or removal (racking) of circuit breakers or starters in switchgear cubicles;

• Insertion or removal of fused switches from bus ducts.

Historically, these tasks have been shown to increase the probability of the hazard.

Switch operation of energized equipment. As clarification, this discussion applies to switch operations of energized electrical distribution equipment where there is a known hazard. When switch operations are performed with no equipment guards in place (i.e., the door open), an EEWP should be required since known hazards are present unless this task is being performed as part of a testing, troubleshooting, and voltage measuring effort.

Technically, for switch operations with the door closed, there is no exposed circuitry due to guarding. Most mediumvoltage (1 kV to 38 kV) equipment includes safety interlocks such that switching operations can only be performed with guards in place (i.e., the door closed). With guards in place, the shock hazard is eliminated. Some interpretations of the standard suggest that there is no arc-flash hazard when the guards are in place. Typically, arc-flash hazard analyses are performed with the assumption that the circuit is exposed and energized, not guarded. Realistically, there may be an arc-flash hazard even with all guards in place. With high current, low voltage (<1 kV) applications, there may be a significant arc-flash hazard as is implied in NFPA 70E, Table 130.7(C)(15)(a), where Hazard Risk Category 2 PPE and clothing is required when operating a device with a possible arcflash hazard.

The decision on whether an EEWP is required should be made considering the extent of the arc- flash hazard, the condition of the equipment, and the operating conditions under which the operation is to be performed. A switch operation physically interacts with the energized circuit. Additionally, performing a switch operation with a nonload-breaking device (i.e., most disconnect switches), when under a load condition, has been shown to increase the probability of an arc-flash event. Given the above, it is recommended that an EEWP be implemented for a switch operation with the door closed whenever the operation involves a circuit under load conditions and there exists an exposed arc-flash hazard of greater than Hazard Risk Category 2, or 8 cal/cm2 based on an arc-flash hazard analysis. For circuits that are guarded and which have an exposed arcflash hazard of less than Hazard Risk Category 2, no EEWP should be required. If the extent of the arc-flash hazard is not known due to unavailability of an arc-flash hazard analysis, use of an EEWP is highly recommended.

This article has provided discussion and recommendations associated with the use of and need for an EEWP for several work tasks. With the newly issued NFPA 70E – 2012, the language has been revised to require an EEWP when either a shock hazard or an arc-flash hazard is present. Additionally, it is recommended that an EEWP should be required when performing work tasks which historically increase the probability of a hazard and/or will physically interact with the energized circuit. Work tasks that are associated with testing, troubleshooting, and voltage measuring efforts are typically exempt from the EEWP process. The recommendations presented are those of the author. Final determination and implementation of site-specific requirements are the responsibility of facility owners. They should consider their specific work tasks and select the appropriate work rules and processes for their facility which best fit their interpretation of the standard.

Lynn Hamrick brings over 25 years of working knowledge in design, permitting, construction, and startup of mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation and controls projects as well as experience in the operation and maintenance of facilities. Lynn is a Professional Engineer, Certified Energy Manager and has a BS in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Tennessee.

Safety Handbook24

I. INTRODUCTION Both CSA Z462 [1] and NFPA70E [2] require workers to be

trained in emergency procedures. Part of this requirement is that workers or employees “exposed to electrical hazards shall be trained in methods of release of victims from contact with exposed energized electrical conductors or circuit parts.”

Even though the regular and continued use of voltage rated rubber gloves and leather covers is mandated in both standards, there will still be instances where mistakes are made, hazards not identified, procedures not followed, practices not practiced, etc. In these instances an electrical rescue may have to be effected.

In addition, both standards include the following as a requirement of a Qualified Worker: “The decision-making process necessary to determine the degree and extent of the hazard and the PPE and job planning necessary to perform the job safely.”

It is therefore inherent that a rescuer must meet this requirement to conduct an electrical rescue. The plethora of look-alike electrical equipment in industry makes electrical rescue by a non-electrical worker a highly dangerous task.

II. METHODS OF RELEASE A. Electrocution

The effect of electrical current on our body and various organs is well known. Three causes of immediate death can be current flow through the head, affecting the breathing center of the brain which controls the diaphragm muscle; current flow across the chest causing the diaphragm to constrict, leading to asphyxiation; or current flow through the chest causing the heart to go into ventricular fibrillation or cardiac arrest.

There must be a number of factors in place to receive an electrical shock. The first must be contact with a source of electrical energy, which can only be caused by a breakdown or bypassing of the insulation system in an energized piece of equipment or part of a system; the second must be contact with another source of energy or ground; and then enough current to affect the person.

B. Electrical Muscular Paralysis If you witness a person in contact with an electrical circuit,

you may not even be aware that there’s a problem. One of the author’s clients had a welder standing beside a steel table that had an electrical outlet on it that had come in contact with the table. As the welder stood beside the table, he put his hand on it and

went into muscular paralysis; the others with him did not realize it until someone noticed he was in physical stress. At that point, they quickly discovered that the table was energized.

Most times it will be evident that the person is receiving an electrical shock. If the current is high enough, there will be such a violent muscular reaction that the body is propelled away from the contact because of the reaction of large muscle groups. Other times, though, a person will be hung up on a system. As current flows through muscle fibre, the fibres will contract. If someone’s hand is on an object, current flow will cause the hand to contract making it difficult or impossible for the person to release their hands from the energized object. This natural phenomenon of the hand is the source of the old advice, “Always brush with the back of your hand.”

C. Danger to Rescuer Knowing precisely what to do in an electrical accident is

important for both the rescuer and the victim. A common mistake people will make, and continue to make, is to think that a good swift body check is an effective way to release someone from a circuit. Depending on a tremendous variety of factors, it may or may not work.

When Lou Abel was a young roughneck his co-worker was rolling up a power cable and made the mistake of leaving it plugged in under wet and muddy conditions.

Lou’s recollection: “He suddenly went completely rigid and a high pitch squeal came out of him!” Lou grabbed his shoulder to release him but was immediately thrown flat on his back. With the energy drained from him, Lou could not even lift himself off the ground, and as his co-worker continued the high pitched squeal, Lou clearly remembers wishing he would die soon so the screaming would stop. Before that occurred, another worker had the presence of mind to unplug the cable that the fellow had been rolling up.

After the fact it is perfectly clear that de-energizing is the correct response but in the stress of an accident you cannot imagine what an untrained response would be.

You must understand that the person’s body is an extension of the electrical system and you have no idea what effect touching the person will have. Most workers are trained in hazardous gases and in confined spaces, and know that if someone is down and out in a confined space, regardless of their excitation level, that they must

ELECTRICAL EMERGENCY REPSONSE: METHODS OF RELEASE

PowerTest 2012 By Dave Smith, Canada Training Group

25Safety Handbook

not affect a rescue because it’s dangerous. The same thinking must be learned about a person in contact with an electrical system.

D. Electrical Tool Dangers Electric hand tool electrocutions are rare now-a-days but

before the 1971 introduction of double insulated (DI), and recent development of battery operated (BO) tools, they caused many deaths. If a person was hanging on to a metal hand tool that became energized and were grounded with the other hand, it would be very difficult to rescue this person, as they would be tightly clamped to both the energized tool and the ground point. In this case swiftly unplugging the tool would be the correct response.

Companies assume their workers all use DI or BO tools but an audit will always discover angle grinders, saws-alls and other metal tools. Contract workers, especially welders, are a concern to be noted during tool audits.

It would be simple and inexpensive to have a tool and appliance tester set up at the tool crib and ensure that all metal cased electrical tools - drill presses, chop saws, etc, are insulation resistance (IR) tested at regular intervals. In 31 years, this author has only met one company that also set aside one day a year for workers to bring personal tools to the plant to be IR tested.

E. The Need to Promote MOR Training If you are an electrical worker, you want to make sure that

everyone around you knows how to effectively rescue you. The author was teaching in a facility and a young student was pleased as punch because, a week earlier, he had saved an electrician hung up in a panel.

He said that even though he had “saved the electrician,” the electrician was furious because, when he hit the electrician’s arm with a 2” x 4,” he broke his arm.

So if you’re an electrical worker, and you don’t want somebody applying a 2” x 4” piece of lumber to your body in your moment of need, you want to ensure that everyone around you understands clearly how to properly perform an electrical rescue.

F. Continuous System Awareness When you are in a substation you should always know where the

electricity is being fed from and where the main disconnects are. You should also know the various voltage systems; for instance an indoor substation could have 25kV, 15kV, 5kV, 600V, 480V and below. Most of these should be shown on a single line diagram that is required to be prominently posted in the station. If you do not know what is there, and where it is, you are not qualified to be in the station alone.

You should know how to disconnect each of these systems as well; these disconnect points will be identified on the single line but not their actual locations in the substation. You should always note where these are in case of an emergency.

If you’re working in an electrical room with panels and MCC’s,

you should always know how to disconnect them. If you’re working around a piece of machinery, you should know where the main disconnect for the machine is.

Astute companies will have main disconnects clearly identified so if an electrical rescue has to be performed any worker can quickly and immediately go to the source of power. They will also have electrical rescue hooks beside all panels.

G. Look Alike Equipment Our electrical industry also needs to adopt concepts from the

dangerous goods industry. In that industry there is a detailed list of every hazardous material and a specific placard for it. In the electrical industry we need to develop specific identifiers for every voltage level and placards to be put on every panel.

Enter into many indoor substations or electrical rooms and you will be faced with multiple sets of electrical grey look-alike cabinets with nothing apparent to distinguish one voltage level from the other. There will also be no indication of the main disconnect means other than a small plastic label.

This paper recommends that the voltage of every system be prominently identified in the top centre of all accessible sides in 16” high letters and the main disconnect door be identified with fire engine red paint.

H. Uncommon Insulators If there’s no way to disconnect (that you can see), you may have

to remove the victim from the source of power. Depending on how tightly they’re clenched to it will determine how easy it is for you. Every one of us carries insulators on us. At low voltage, a leather belt whipped around someone’s arm can be used to pull them away. Your shirt can be used in the same way to pull someone away. Imagine right now if someone around you was hung up on a circuit what you could use to release them and remain safe yourself. The reason that fire crews practice regularly is so that when they encounter a fire, their practice has prepared them. You need to do the same mentally for electrical accidents. Firefighters can run into a thousand different situations; their training is general so it can be applied to all situations. Prepare yourself and your workers as well.

I. Uncommon Grounding We know that in an electrical rescue, the person is going to have a

difference of potential across their body. Most likely, their body is between one live source and ground and will you have to get them off the live source. An alternative may be to divert the current. If a person inadvertently has their hand stuck in a panel, the first natural reaction is to pull out, but if they push in and ground their hand and arm, the current flow may be diverted.

If someone was accidently connected to a remote piece of equipment because of an internal insulation fault and a failure of the ground system to function properly, then finding a way to short the cabinet to ground with something as simple as a pry bar or

Safety Handbook26

crowbar may divert the current to ground and reduce the voltage across the victim.

III. CONCLUSIONS There are some situations where it’s too risky to attempt a

rescue, and in those unfortunate situations you will live with the trauma that every accident witness before you has also had to live with. Hopefully, by following some of these simple suggestions, if you see an electrical accident, and a victim needs to be released from a live electrical, then these suggestions may be of value. Till next time, be ready, be careful, and be safe.

II. REFERENCES [1] CSA Z462-08, Workplace Electrical Safety.

[2] NFPA 70E, 2009 Edition, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace.

27Safety Handbook

FATALITY AND INJURY STATISTICSAt the 2006 IEEE/IAS Petroleum and Chemical Industry

Committee (PCIC) conference James Cawley presented a paper titled, “Trends in Electrical Injury.”1 This paper is often quoted and showed the most significant causes of electrocution in the workplace from 1992 to 2002. Figure 1 is from that paper and shows that contact with overhead power lines is the most frequent cause of death from electrocution, accounting for 42% of the total. According to Mr. Cawley approximately 50% of those fatalities were from cranes or derricks making contact with overhead lines.

Figure 1: All-Industry Electrical Fatality Rate by Event

In the May 2009 edition of EHS Today,2 an on-line safety magazine, Mr. Cawley and Mr. Brett Brenner of Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) updated that study by including figures up to 2007. From 2003 to 2007 there were 1213 electrocutions from contact with overhead power lines, 43% of which involved cranes and derricks. For the time period of 1992 through 2007, at least, contact with overhead power lines has consistently been the leading electrical cause of death in the workplace.

When looking only at crane-related deaths, contact with overhead power lines accounts for approximately 24% of the total (173 of 719 fatalities) from 1992 to 2002 according to ESFI. The preamble to the new OSHA Subpart CC states that there are 89 crane-related fatalities each year (approximately 27% of the total) and the new regulations could prevent 22 fatalities and 175 injuries each year.

The Center to Protect Worker’s Rights (CPWR) conducted a study that looked at construction site accidents involving cranes from 1992 to 2006 and found 623 crane-related fatalities, of which 157 were due to electrocutions from contact with overhead power lines (25% of the total). Table 1 is from the CPWR study by Dr. Michael McCann(3). This study also found that only 25% of electrocutions in the study were to the operator of the crane. Most of the electrocutions were to workers near the crane, accounting for 52% of the fatalities.

Table 1: Construction Fatalities Due to Contact With Overhead Lines

NEW OSHA SUBPART CCOSHA had not updated the existing regulations concerning

cranes and derricks since it was issued in 1971. In 1998 OSHA began work on the current update, which is contained in Subpart CC, “Cranes and Derricks in Construction.” Subpart CC was read into the Federal Register on August 9, 2010 and became effective November 8, 2010, although portions of it do not become fully effective for four years from that date. OSHA is allowing the training and certification of operators to extend until November 10, 2014.

1926.1408 “POWER LINE SAFETY – UP TO 350KV” Before beginning operations, a hazard assessment must be

performed. The work zone is to be identified by one of two methods: 1) using flags or range-limiting devices to prevent the operator from operating the equipment beyond the marked boundaries or 2) define the work zone as the equipment’s maximum working radius in an area 360° around it, Figure 2.

CHANGES TO 29 CFR 1926 SUBPART CC: CRANES AND DERRICKS – WORKING AROUND

OVERHEAD POWER LINESPowerTest 2012

By James R. White, Shermco Industries, Inc.

Safety Handbook28

Figure 2: Work Zone 360° Around Crane Up To Maximum Radius

As part of the hazard assessment it must be determined if any part of the crane, including any rigging or lifting accessories, could get within 20 feet of an overhead power line the operator must take one of three actions:

1. Have the utility deenergize the power line and ground it using proper procedures and equipment. The operator must confirm this has taken place by visibly verifying the placements of grounds on the affected lines

2. Ensure no part of the crane or accessories can get closer than 20 feet to the affected line

3. Use Table “A” clearances instead of the 20 foot clearance. Table A is shown as Table 2.

If the minimum clearances cannot be maintained, the following steps must be taken:

• Conduct a planning meeting with the operator and all workers who may be in the area. The location of the power line(s) must be reviewed and the steps that will be taken to prevent contact

• Tag lines must be non-conductive, if used

• An elevated warning line, barrier or line of signs visible to the operator must be erected using flags or other high-visibility markings. These are to be either 20 feet from the power line or at the Table “A” distances. If the operator cannot see the elevated warning line a dedicated spotter must be provided and one of the four measures detailed in 1926.1408(B)(4) must be used. If this option is used, the utility must provide the requested voltage information within two working days of the employer’s request.

The four steps required in 1926.1408(B)(4) are:

• Use a proximity alarm set to warn the operator that he/she is too close

• Use a dedicated spotter who is in continuous contact with the operator. The dedicated spotter must be equipped with a visual aid to assist in determining distance to the line. The spotter must also be positioned so that he or she can effectively gage the clearance distance, use equipment that enables him to directly communicate with the operator and give timely information to the operator so clearance distance can be maintained

• A device, such as a range control device, must be used that warns the operator when to stop movement

• A device that automatically limits the range of motion to prevent encroachment

• An insulating link or device installed between the end of the load line and the load

The requirements in 1926.1408(B)(4) do not apply to work that is covered by Subpart V, “Power Transmission and Distribution.”

If any part of the crane may be operated below power lines those lines must be deenergized and grounded by the owning utility. There are three exceptions: 1) where the work is covered by Subpart V or 2) if the boom, when fully extended, cannot extend closer than either 20 feet within the power line or Table “A” distances or 3) the employer demonstrates it is infeasible to deenergize the power lines and also meets the requirements of 1926.1410. All power lines must be assumed to be energized unless the utility confirms they are deenergized and there are a visible set of grounds installed.

Table 2: 1926.1408 Table “A”

5/White

Figure 2Work Zone 3600 Around Crane Up To Maximum Radius

As part of the hazard assessment it must be determined if any part of the crane, including any rigging or lifting accessories, could get within 20 feet of an overhead power line the operator must take one of three actions:

1. Have the utility deenergize the power line and ground it using proper procedures and equipment. The operator must confirm this has taken place by visibly verifying the placements of grounds on the affected lines.

2. Ensure no part of the crane or accessories can get closer than 20 feet to the affected line.

3. Use Table “A” clearances instead of the 20 foot clearance. Table A is shown as Table 2.

Table 21926.1408 Table “A”

29Safety Handbook

If work is occurring near transmitter/communications towers where a charge may be induced in the equipment or materials being handled the transmitter must be deenergized or the equipment must be grounded and non-conductive tag lines must be used, if necessary.

One of the primary purposes of the revisions to the regulations concerning cranes and derricks is clarifying and implementing training requirements for equipment operators and crew members in 1926.1408(g). The new regulation requires training for each person on:

1. The procedures to be followed in the event of contact with an overhead power line

2. The hazard of step and touch potentials3. The importance of the operator remaining inside the cab,

except in cases where there is a fire or explosion hazard4. The safest method of evacuating the cab, if necessary, while it

may be energized 5. Training the crew not to approach or touch the equipment or

the load 6. Minimum safe clearances to overhead power lines 7. That power lines are to be considered energized unless tagged

and grounded at the site 8. Power lines are to be considered uninsulated unless a

qualified person confirms they are insulated for the voltage 9. Limitations of proximity voltage detector, insulating links/

devices and range controls 10. Procedures to properly ground equipment and the limitations

of grounding 11. Spotters must be trained to be effective and on the content of

this in accordance with1926.1408.

POWER LINE SAFETY (ABOVE 350KV) This section states that the minimum distances increase to 50

feet when the power line voltage is above 350kV. If the power line is operating above 1000kV, the distances must be established by the utility owner or a registered professional engineer qualified with respect to transmission and distribution systems.

1926.1409 POWER LINE SAFETY (all voltages) – Equipment Operations Closer Than Table “A” Limits

If power lines are energized, operation closer than 20 feet is prohibited unless all the following conditions are met:

1. It is infeasible to maintain the Table A limits 2. It is infeasible to deenergize and ground the power line 3. The utility or registered professional engineer must determine

the minimum safe approach distance that must be maintained to prevent contact. Factors to be considered are: a. Conditions affecting atmospheric conductivity b. Time required to bring the equipment and load to a

complete stop c. Wind conditions d. Degree of sway in the power line e. Lighting conditions f. Other factors affecting the ability to prevent contact.

4. A planning meeting between the operator and utility (or registered professional engineer)

5. Reclosers or reclosing relays must be disabled 6. Must have a spotter who is in continuous contact with the

equipment operator 7. An elevated warning line or barricade visible to the

equipment operator 8. Use an insulating link between the end of the load line

(or below) and the load.

1926.1411 POWER LINE SAFETY – WHILE TRAVELING UNDER OR NEAR POWER LINES WITH NO LOAD

This section establishes procedures and criteria that must be met for equipment traveling under or near a power line on a construction site with no load. Equipment traveling on a construction site with a load is governed by § § 1926.1408, 1926.1409 or 1926.1411, whichever is appropriate, and § 1926.1417(u).

This section also requires that the clearances of Table T be met when the boom/mast and supporting system is lowered. Table T is shown as Table 3.

Table 3: 1926.1411 Table T

Safety Handbook30

1926.1411 also requires:

1. The effects of terrain be considered so the clearances of Table T are not breached

2. If any part of the equipment could get closer than 20 feet, there must be a dedicated spotter

3. If traveling at night or under poor visibility condition the power lines must be illuminated and a clear path must be identified and used

1926.1412 INSPECTIONS This section provides inspection requirements for cranes and

derricks that have been modified, repaired, adjusted, post assembly and on each shift. The documentation that is required, monthly and annual inspections is also covered in this section.

1926.1415 SAFETY DEVICES This section specifies the mandated safety devices for cranes

and derricks. These include:

1. Crane level indicator

2. Boom stops

3. Job stops

– Equipment with foot pedal brakes must have stops

4. Hydraulic outrigger jacks and hydraulic stabilizer jacks must have an integral holding device or check valve

5. Equipment on rails must have rail clamps and rail stops, except for portal cranes

6. Horn

All of these devices must be inspected and be working properly in order to operate the crane or derrick.

1926.1418 AUTHORITY TO STOP OPERATION The operator has the authority to stop operation of the crane or

derrick until a qualified person verifies it is safe to resume.

1926.1419 SIGNALS – GENERAL REQUIREMENTS This section provides requirements of when a signal person is

required, types of signals, hand signals, non-standard hand signals, new signals, suitability of signals and communications with multiple cranes or derricks.

1926.1420 SIGNALS – RADIO, TELEPHONE OR OTHER ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF SIGNALS

Devices used to transmit signals must be tested prior to use, be hands-free and must have a dedicated channel. If being operated on or near railroad tracks, operation must be coordinated with the movement of other equipment or trains on the same or adjacent tracks.

1926.1422 SIGNALS – HAND SIGNAL CHART Hand signal charts must be posted on the equipment or be

conspicuously posted in the vicinity of operations.

1926.1427 OPERATOR QUALIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION

The operator must be qualified or certified to the following criteria:

1. Certification by an accredited crane operator testing organization or

2. Qualification by an audited employer program. The employer’s qualification of its employee must meet the following requirements:

a. Must take a written or practical test that is developed by an accredited crane operator testing organization or is an employer program approved by an auditor

b. Written and practical tests must be conducted with nationally-recognized standards by an independent auditor

c. Employer programs must be audited within 3 months of beginning the program and every 3 years after

3. Qualifications are not portable

4. Certifications are valid for 5 years.

Military qualifications are issued by the US military. This applies to active duty personnel and US military employees, but not contractors. The qualification is not portable and is valid only for the period of time stipulated by the issuer.

LICENSING BY A GOVERNMENT ENTITY IS VALID IF CERTAIN CRITERIA ARE MET.

If an operator is not qualified or certified, they can only operate the crane or derrick while undergoing training and is continuously monitored by a trainer who is qualified or certified.

Test can be administered verbally if they can successfully complete a written demonstration of literacy pertinent to the work and demonstrates they can use the type of written manufacturer procedures applicable to the equipment. The test can be administered in any language and the language must be documented on the certificate. The materials used in the equipment must be written is the language noted on the certificate.

MINIMUM CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS 1) A written test that covers the information necessary for

safe operation of the equipment, including the controls and operational/performance characteristics, the ability to calculate load/capacity information for a variety of configurations of the equipment, procedures for preventing and responding to contact with an overhead power line. The qualification must also establish that the operator can determine the suitability of the ground or surface to support the equipment and load, site hazards, site access and the requirements of this Subpart.

In addition, the operator must have the ability to read and locate the relevant information located in paragraph (j)(1)(i) of this section, and he must take a practical exam demonstrating the following skills and knowledge:

31Safety Handbook

1. Ability to inspect equipment and note defects

2. Operation and maneuvering of equipment

3. Application of load chart information

4. Application of safe shut down and securing procedures

All crane operators must be qualified or certified by November 10, 2014.

CONCLUSION Subpart CC contains many new requirements for the operation

and inspection of cranes and derricks. The qualification and certification requirements will be one area that employers will have to comply with, but have until November, 2014 to do so. Other parts of this regulation are effective as of November, 2010. This new regulation should reduce the number of accidents involving cranes and derricks and ensure a safe working environment for others working near them.

REFERENCES 1. IEEE PCIC 2006, James Cawley and Gerald Homce, Trends in Electrical Inury

2. OSHA 29CFR1926, Subpart CC, Cranes and Derricks in Construction;

3. Electronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety & Health, Michael McCann, Janie Gittleman, Mary Watters, Crane-Related Deaths in Construction & Recommendations for Their Prevention.

Jim White is nationally recognized for technical skills and safety training in the electrical power systems industry. He is the Training Director for Shermco Industries, and has spent the last twenty years directly involved in technical skills and safety training for electrical power system technicians. Jim is a Principal member of NFPA 70B representing Shermco Industries, NETA’s alternate member of NFPA 70E, and a member of ASTM F18 Committee “Electrical Protective Equipment for Workers”.

Safety Handbook32

Abstract: The hazards of electricity are well known by industry; the electrical hazard analysis has been done or the process is well underway; electrical safety programs and procedures have been developed and implemented; and personal protective equipment (PPE) has been purchased. With all of this in place, why are electrical injuries and fatalities still occurring at an alarming rate? Investigations into electrical incidents indicate that employers are not enforcing their electrical safety programs, employees are not adhering to the requirements, and employees are not properly qualified to perform the work they are assigned to do.

INTRODUCTION This paper will not only define and identify who a Qualified

Person is; it will also identify the training, for both skills and knowledge, required for a person to be considered qualified. There seems to be a misunderstanding in industry of what constitutes a Qualified Person and what training is required; this will be clarified. Maintenance, performed by Qualified Persons, of electrical protective devices, particularly circuit breakers and relays, is vital not only to the electrical systems and equipment reliability, but also to the safety employees working on, near, or with these systems and equipment. This paper will provide an insight into the requirements and how this can reduce the risk of employee injuries and fatalities.

OSHA and NFPA, as well as others, require employers to protect their employees from electrical hazards in the workplace. There must be a strong emphasis on “qualified persons only” performing work on or near exposed energized and deenergized electrical systems and equipment. An understanding of the potential hazards of electricity, which include electrical shock, arc flash, and arc blast, must be addressed as a major part of qualifying employees. This paper will focus on an overview of the requirements for:

• Qualified Person Requirements

• Conducting a Needs Assessment

• Conducting a Job/Task Analysis

• Conducting an Electrical Hazard Analysis

• Selecting Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Developing safe work practice programs and procedures

• Providing the required training for qualified persons

All of this is necessary in order to properly train and qualify employees and to protect them while they are working on, near, or with electrical systems and equipment.

QUALIFIED PERSON REQUIREMENTS There is a serious misconception throughout industry that a

licensed Journeyman or Master Electrician constitutes a Qualified Person. This is not necessarily true. A Journeyman or Master license is obtained through a required number of years working under a licensed electrician (depending on the state, county, or municipality requirements) and passing a National Electrical Code® (NEC) exam. As an example; a licensed Master Electrician may have 10 years of hands-on field experience and qualifications in wiring residential buildings but he/she would not be experienced or qualified to work in a petrochemical facility and therefore could not be hired as a Qualified Person. The following definitions will make this clear.

The requirements for qualifying employees must be established before the needs assessment and job/task analysis can be properly conducted. These OSHA and NFPA mandated requirements establish the foundation for training and qualifying maintenance employees and must be considered when conducting the needs assessment, as well as the job/task analysis.

The NEC defines a Qualified Person as “One who has skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training to recognize and avoid the hazards involved.” [1] OSHA 29 CFR 1910.399 modifies this definition of a Qualified Person to be more specific: “One who has received training in and has demonstrated skills and knowledge in the construction and operation of electric equipment and installations and the hazards involved.” [2] OSHA provides additional information on what constitutes a Qualified Person in the following notes to the definition:

“Note 1 to the definition of ‘‘qualified person:’’ Whether an employee is considered to be a ‘‘qualified person’’ will depend upon various circumstances in the workplace. For example, it is possible and, in fact, likely for an individual to be considered ‘‘qualified’’ with regard to certain equipment in the workplace, but ‘‘unqualified’’ as to other equipment. (See 1910.332(b)(3) for training requirements that specifically apply to qualified persons.) [2]

UTILIZING ONLY QUALIFIED PERSONSFOR ELECTRICAL WORK CAN REDUCE RISK

PowerTest 2012 By Dennis K. Neitzel, C.P.E., AVO Training Institute, Inc.

33Safety Handbook

Note 2 to the definition of ‘‘qualified person:’’ An employee who is undergoing on-the-job training and who, in the course of such training, has demonstrated an ability to perform duties safely at his or her level of training and who is under the direct supervision of a qualified person is considered to be a qualified person for the performance of those duties.” [2]

Since one of the three qualification requirements is being trained in the hazards of the equipment, it must be addressed specifically. OSHA and NFPA 70E have provided strict requirements for safety training that go hand-in-hand with the qualification of an employee. The following information is provided in order to clarify the OSHA mandates for training employees in the electrical field.

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.332, Training, requires a Qualified Person to be trained in “the safety-related work practices that are required by 1910.331 through 1910.335 that pertain to their respective job assignments.” OSHA goes on to require: “Qualified Persons (i.e. those permitted to work on or near exposed energized parts) shall, at a minimum, be trained in and familiar with the following:

• The skills and techniques necessary to distinguish exposed live parts from other parts of electric equipment.

• The skills and techniques necessary to determine the nominal voltage of exposed live parts, and

• The clearance distances specified in 1910.333(c) and the corresponding voltages to which the qualified person will be exposed

Note 1: For the purposes of 1910.331 through 1910.335, a person must have the training required by paragraph (b)(3) of this section in order to be considered a qualified person.

Note 2: Qualified persons whose work on energized equipment involves either direct contact or contact by means of tools or materials must also have the training needed to meet 1910.333(C)(2).” [3]

OSHA 1910.332 also states the following concerning the training required for qualified employees:

“The training requirements contained in this section [1910.332] apply to employees who face a risk of electric shock…”

Note: Employees in occupations listed in Table S-4 face such a risk and are required to be trained. Other employees who also may reasonably be expected to face comparable risk of injury due to electric shock or other electrical hazards must also be trained.” [3]

Table S-4: Typical Occupational Categories of Employees Facing A Higher Than Normal Risk of Electrical Accident

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269(a)(2)(i), as well as NFPA 70E, 110.2 requires employees to be trained in and familiar with the safety-related work practices, safety procedures, and other safety requirements as it pertains to their respective job assignments. OSHA also requires employees to be trained in any other safety practices, including applicable emergency procedures that are related to their work and are necessary for their safety. [5] [4]

Qualified employees are required to be trained and competent in:

• Skills and techniques necessary to distinguish live parts for other parts

• Skills and techniques necessary to determine the nominal voltage

• Minimum approach distances to live parts

• The proper use of:

– Special precautionary techniques

– Insulating and shielding materials

– Insulated tools and test equipment

– Job planning

OSHA 1910.269 and NFPA 70E states that a person must have this training in order to be considered a qualified person. They also require the employer, through regular supervision and annual inspections, to verify that employees are complying with the safety-related work practices. Additional training or retraining may also be required if: [5] [4]

• The supervision or annual inspection indicate non-compliance with work practices

• New technology

• New types of equipment

• Changes in procedures

• Employee is required to use work practices that they normally do not use

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OSHA 1910.269 and NFPA 70E considers tasks that are performed less often than once per year to necessitate retraining before the performance of the work practices involved. This retraining may be as simple as a detailed job briefing prior to the commencement of the work or it may require more in-depth classroom instruction along with on-the-job training. [5] [4]

All training is required to establish employee proficiency in the work practices and procedures. In fact, OSHA 1910.269 requires the employee to demonstrate proficiency in the work practices involved before the employer can certify that the employee has been trained. [5]

Note the statement that requires the employee to demonstrate proficiency in the work practices involved. The only way the employee can demonstrate proficiency is through a written exam and/or to actually do the work after receiving or as part of the training. Hands-on training would be required in order to accomplish this OSHA requirement (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Hands-On Low-Voltage Circuit Breaker Training

OSHA 1910.332 states: “The training required by this section shall be of the classroom or on-the-job type. The degree of training provided shall be determined by the risk to the employee.” [3] NFPA 70E goes on to state that “the training shall be classroom, on-the-job, or a combination of both, and that retraining shall be performed at intervals not to exceed 3 years.” NFPA 70E also requires training and retraining to be documented. [4]

One of the most important aspects of electrical safety is to ensure that all employees who are or may be exposed to energized electrical conductors or circuit parts are properly trained and qualified.

In addition to the requirements stated above from OSHA, and the NEC; NFPA 70E, 110.2, Training Requirements, states that employees are required to be “trained to understand the specific hazards associated with electrical energy,” “the safety-

related work practices,” and “procedural requirements.” These training requirements are necessary to help protect employees from the “electrical hazards associated with their respective job or task assignments” as well as to “identify and understand the relationship between electrical hazards and possible injury.” Training in emergency procedures is also required when employees are working “on or near exposed energized electrical conductors or circuit parts.” [4]

OSHA 1910.269(a)(2) also states that “the training shall establish employee proficiency in the work practices required by this section and shall introduce the procedures necessary for compliance with this section.

The employer shall certify that each employee has received the training required by paragraph (a)(2) of this section. This certification shall be made when the employee demonstrates proficiency in the work practices involved and shall be maintained for the duration of the employee’s employment.” [5]

According to OSHA, “Qualified Persons” are intended to be only those who are well acquainted with and thoroughly conversant in the electric equipment and electrical hazards involved with the work being performed.

OSHA and NFPA are consistent in their requirements for training and qualifying employees to perform work on electrical equipment and systems. As can be seen by the above statements, proper training is a vital part of the worker’s safety and proficiency, as well as reducing risk to the employee. These requirements are also mandated OSHA and NFPA 70E.

NEEDS ASSESSMENT The needs assessment is required before any significant

Qualified Person training can be developed and implemented. This assessment involves relevant company personnel who are aware of the job requirements and all applicable codes, standards, and regulations. Information that is collected during the needs assessment will provide insights into any past or present performance problems that must also be addressed in the training program. This process can also be used to determine whether or not training is the solution to any problems that may exist. Other factors, which affect performance, must also be recognized and considered. These other factors could include the quality of procedures, human factors, management style, and work environment. Any one or all of these factors may affect job performance, as well as the need for training or retraining, in order to establish employee proficiency.

JOB/TASK ANALYSIS A review of the information collected during the needs

assessment will help to write the initial job description.

35Safety Handbook

The description should contain the following components:

• Job Title • Qualification requirements for the job • General description of job requirements • Description of the job position within the organization,

including lines of supervision and assistance available to the employee

• Description of job environment • Listing of tools and equipment used in the job• Listing of resource documents and references used in the job • Inventory of tasks

The most difficult part of the job description to develop is the task inventory, which is a listing of all tasks that make up the job. A task is defined as an observable, measurable unit of work which has a definite beginning and end. A task can be a performed in a relatively short period of time (i.e., minutes, hours, or days), and is independent of other actions. Each task is then made up of elements or steps, each of which must also be identified.

Once the Needs Assessment and the Job/Task Analysis are completed, the hazards associated with each task must be identified by performing an electrical hazard analysis, which includes the shock and arc flash hazard analysis required by NFPA 70E. Proper training and qualification cannot be developed and conducted until these three functions are completed.

ELECTRICAL HAZARD ANALYSIS The results of an electrical hazard analysis constitutes one of

the most important factors in determining hazard mitigation techniques, risk management responsibilities, the selection of personal protective equipment, developing a training program for qualified persons, and developing an effective electrical safety program. This analysis identifies the three hazards of electricity; shock, arc flash, and arc blast.

The base requirement for conducting the hazard analysis is provided by OSHA 1910.132(d) which states: “The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).” [6] NFPA 70E, 110.3(B)(1) further identifies what is required by requiring a Shock Hazard Analysis and a Arc Flash Hazard Analysis for equipment operating at 50 volts or more. The shock hazard analysis (NFPA 70E, 130.4) is used to determine the voltage exposure, shock protection boundaries, and the required PPE necessary to protect employees and minimize the possibility of electrical shock. The arc flash hazard analysis (NFPA 70E, 130.5) is also used to help protect employees by establishing the arc flash boundary and required PPE to protect employees. [4]

OSHA 1910.132(d)(2) requires employers to certify that they performed a hazard assessment. The signed certification must include the date of the hazard assessment and the identification of the workplace (area or location) evaluated. OSHA compliance

officers may require employers to disclose the certification records during an Agency inspection. [6]

The electrical hazard analysis also identifies the requirements for an Energized Electrical Work Permit, as required by NFPA 70E, paragraph 130.1(B). Where employees are exposed to energized conductors and circuit parts operating at 50 volts or more, which have not been placed in an electrically safe work condition, the hazards must be identified on the Energized Electrical Work Permit along with the required PPE and work procedures. This permit must be written, signed, and authorized by management, and it must be used in order to help protect employees who are or may be exposed to any electrical hazards. Essentially the electrical hazard analysis helps to ensure that the training and PPE selected is appropriate for the hazards present in the workplace. [4]

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Again referring to OSHA 1910, Subpart I, Personal Protective

Equipment, 1910.132(d) requires employers to perform a hazard assessment of the workplace to determine if personal protective equipment is necessary. This assessment is an important part of the process to help ensure that the PPE selected is appropriate for the hazards that are or may be present in the workplace. [6]

Training is also a requirement as stated in OSHA 1910.132(f)(1): “The employer shall provide training to each employee who is required by this section to use PPE. Each such employee shall be trained to know at least the following: [6]

• When PPE is necessary

• What PPE is necessary

• How to properly don, doff, adjust, and wear PPE

• The limitations of the PPE; and,

• The proper care, maintenance, useful life and disposal of the PPE.”

Paragraph (f)(2) goes on to state that “Each affected employee shall demonstrate an understanding of the training specified in paragraph (f)(1) of this section, and the ability to use PPE properly, before being allowed to perform work requiring the use of PPE.” [6]

Paragraph (f)(3) further states that “When the employer has reason to believe that any affected employee who has already been trained does not have the understanding and skill required by paragraph (f)(2) of this section, the employer shall retrain each such employee. Circumstances where retraining is required include, but are not limited to, situations where: [6]

• Changes in the workplace render previous training obsolete; or

• Changes in the types of PPE to be used render previous training obsolete; or

• Inadequacies in an affected employee’s knowledge or use of assigned PPE indicate that the employee has not retained the requisite understanding or skill.”

Safety Handbook36

Paragraph (f)(4) of 1910.132 states: “The employer shall verify that each affected employee has received and understood the required training through a written certification that contains the name of each employee trained, the date(s) of training, and that identifies the subject of the certification.” [6]

NFPA 70E, 130.4 addresses the requirements for performing the Shock Hazard Analysis to determine the potential voltage exposure, shock protection boundaries (i.e. Limited, Restricted, and Prohibited Approach Boundaries), and the required rubber insulating PPE (i.e. gloves, blankets, sleeves, etc.). [4]

NFPA 70E, 130.5 provides the requirements for performing the Arc Flash Hazard Analysis to determine the incident energy, establish the Arc Flash Boundary, and to determine the requirements for arc-rated clothing and PPE for application within the Arc Flash Boundary. When work is to be performed within the Arc Flash Boundary, the arc flash hazard analysis must be used to determine the incident energy levels that the employee will be exposed to. The incident energy value is then used to select the proper arc-rated clothing and PPE to be used by the employee for the specific task to be performed. (See Figure 2) [4]

Figure 2: Arc-Rated PPE Other personal protective equipment, that is often overlooked, is

the requirement to use insulated hand tools. OSHA 1910.335(a)(2) requires that “When working near exposed energized conductors or circuit parts, each employee shall use insulated tools or handling equipment if the tools or handling equipment might make contact with such conductors or parts.” (See Figure 3) [3]

A common misconception is that when using insulated tools, rubber-insulating gloves are not needed. This is a false concept. The primary purpose of rubber gloves is shock protection and the primary purpose of insulated tools is to prevent an electrical arc flash by going phase-to-ground or phase-to-phase with the tool. Rubber-insulating gloves and insulated hand tools must be used together in order to help avoid the electrical hazards.

Figure 3: Typical Insulated Hand Tools

A good summary statement comes from OSHA 1910.335(a)(2)(ii) which states: “Protective shields, protective barriers, or insulating materials shall be used to protect each employee from shock, burns, or other electrically related injuries while that employee is working near exposed energized parts which might be accidentally contacted or where dangerous electric heating or arcing might occur. When normally enclosed live parts are exposed for maintenance or repair, they shall be guarded to protect unqualified persons from contact with the live parts.” [3]

ELECTRICAL SAFETY PROGRAM OSHA 1910.333(a) states that “Safety-related work practices shall

be employed to prevent electric shock or other injuries resulting from either direct or indirect electrical contacts, when work is performed near or on equipment or circuits which are or may be energized. The specific safety-related work practices shall be consistent with the nature and extent of the associated electrical hazards.” [3]

Paragraph (2) of 1910.333(a) goes on to say that “If the exposed live parts are not deenergized, other safety-related work practices shall be used to protect employees who may be exposed to the electrical hazards involved. Such work practices shall protect employees against contact with energized circuit parts directly with any part of their body or indirectly through some other conductive object. The work practices that are used shall be suitable for the conditions under which the work is to be performed and for the voltage level of the exposed electric conductors or circuit parts.” Paragraph (b)(1) also states that “Conductors and parts of electric equipment that have been deenergized but have not been locked out or tagged…shall be treated as energized parts, and paragraph (c) of this section applies to work on or near them.” [3]

Paragraph (c)(1) for energized work “applies to work performed on exposed live parts (involving either direct contact or by means of tools or materials) or near enough to them for employees to be exposed to any hazard they present.” [3]

Paragraph (c)(2) states that “Only qualified persons may work on electric circuit parts or equipment that have not been deenergized… Such persons shall be capable of working safely on energized circuits and shall be familiar with the proper use of special precautionary techniques, personal protective equipment, insulating and shielding materials, and insulated tools.“ Paragraph

37Safety Handbook

(3) states that “If work is to be performed near overhead lines, the lines shall be deenergized and grounded, or other protective measures shall be provided before work is started.” [3]

The OSHA Instruction STD 1-16.7, Directorate of Compliance Programs, Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices--Inspection Procedures and Interpretation Guidelines, states: “Under 1910.333(a)(2) if the employer does not deenergize, then suitable safe work practices for the conditions under which the work is to be performed shall be included in the written procedures and strictly enforced.” [6]

NFPA 70E, 110.3 requires the employer to implement an Electrical Safety Program appropriate for the voltage, energy, and circuit conditions. This program is required to contain the following elements: [4]

• Awareness and Self-Discipline • Electrical Safety Program Principles • Electrical Safety Program Controls • Electrical Safety Program Procedures • Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Procedure • Job Briefing • Electrical Safety Auditing

CONCLUSION As can be seen by the above quotes from NFPA 70E and OSHA,

an employee, in order to be considered a qualified person, must receive extensive training. In order to determine the required training a Needs Assessment along with a Job/Task and Hazard Analysis must be performed. The goal of any training program is to develop and maintain an effective and safe work force.

Electrical power systems today are often very complex. Protective devices, controls, instrumentation, and interlock systems demand that technicians be trained and qualified at a high technical skill level. Safety and operating procedures utilized in working on these systems are equally as complex requiring technicians to be expertly trained in all safety practices and procedures.

OSHA regulations, as well as NFPA 70E, require employers to document that employees have demonstrated proficiency in electrical tasks. Employers must “certify” that their employees are qualified and that this certification is maintained for the duration of the employee’s employment. OSHA’s intent here is to ensure that the training is well documented; a notation in the employees training record would suffice for in-company training. If the employee attends training outside of his/her company, a Certificate of Completion would serve as acceptable documentation that the training was successfully completed. A copy of the certificate should be maintained in the employees training record.

Utilizing only Qualified Persons to perform electrical work can greatly reduce the risk to the safety of the employee, as well as increasing reliability of the electrical system and equipment.

REFERENCES: [1] NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2011 Edition;

[2] OSHA 29 CFR 1910.399, Definitions;

[3] OSHA 29 CFR 1910.331-.335, Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices, Aug. 6, 1990;

[4] NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, 2012 Edition;

[5] OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269, Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution, Jan. 31, 1994;

[6] OSHA 29 CFR 1910, Subpart I, Personal Protective Equipment, 1910.132, General Requirements;

[7] OSHA Instructions STD 1-16.7, Directorate of Compliance Programs, July 1, 1991

Dennis K. Neitzel, CPE, is Director Emeritus of AVO Training Institute, Inc., Dallas, Texas, and has 44 years experience in Utility, Commercial, and Industrial facility electrical equipment and systems. He is an active member of IEEE, ASSE, AFE, IAEI, and NFPA. He is a Certified Plant Engineer (CPE) and a Certified Electrical Inspector-General. Mr. Neitzel earned his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering Management and his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering Applied Sciences. He is a Principle Committee Member on the NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace; a member of the Defense Safety Oversight Council Electrical Safety Working Group; Working Group Chairman for the revision of IEEE Std. P902 (The Yellow Book), IEEE Guide for Maintenance, Operation, and Safety of Industrial and Commercial Power Systems (changing to IEEE 3007.1, 3007.2, & 3007.3); and is co-author of the Electrical Safety Handbook, McGraw-Hill Publisher.

Safety Handbook38

WEARING PPE:IMPORTANT OR NOT?

Do you hate wearing your PPE? Doesn’t everyone? Who wants to wear clothing and equipment that is hot, bulky, interferes with the job, slows you down, makes you itch, fogs up your protective eyewear, and causes you to sweat to the point that you become uncomfortable?

Does any of this sound familiar? And did you know the NFPA 70E standard has many pages on what to wear and how to wear it? In the 70E standard, there are two tables on shock hazards, one for ac voltages and one for dc voltages, and seven tables specifically on arc-flash clothing and PPE. Four of these tables appear in Annex H. (Note to all: make sure you check these out!) These tables, and the supporting text in the standard and annexes, represent a tremendous amount of time, research, and effort on the part of companies and individuals who contribute to NFPA 70E, all with the intent of preventing people from being injured or killed. This column will highlight two incidents involving arc flash events. One person was protected by PPE, and the other was not.

THE FIRST INCIDENTThe first incident involved a gentleman named Donnie Johnson.

Donnie has a website at www.donniesaccident.com and has given us permission to use his story to help others avoid what happened to him. The following is a brief summary of the incident, and we would encourage readers to view his video and read the complete article on his website.

Donnie Johnson is the assistant manager of the service department for an electrical contractor. He has been an electrician for 28 years. On Thursday, August 12, 2004, Donnie was involved in an arc flash incident and suffered third degree burns down to the muscle on both arms and hands, and second degree burns to his face, head, and neck. In Donnie’s words, “I have sat through safety meetings before, thinking the whole time that the only reason for the meeting was to meet some company insurance requirement or the company just trying to cover itself in case an accident happened. Once this happened to me, I realized whether or not this was the case, the things they were saying could have protected me. Honestly, if I had been wearing the personal protection equipment that was provided for me, that I was trained to use and still in the PPE bag between the front seats of my van; my trip to the hospital would have probably been just for a check-up and a few, minor burns. Although my injuries were electrical in nature, whether you are a plumber, a carpenter or a mason there are safety procedures that could protect you from injury or save your life.”

Donnie mistakenly used a motor rotation meter, which should only be used on deenergized circuits to check phase rotation on a live, 480- volt circuit. The resulting meter failure blew carbon into the energized bus, creating a phaseto- phase arc flash that severely injured him. Again quoting Donnie, “I remember hearing some sizzling noise and seeing few glowing orange spots or slag, other than that it was pitch black. I could see daylight from around the exterior door of the room and I just started heading that way. I scrambled on my finger tips and toes and it felt as if something had a hold on my belt loop, like I couldn’t move fast enough.

There had been two maintenance men from this facility in the electric room with me but they were on the other side of the equipment. I called out their names, but didn’t hear a response. I found out later from them that they had gotten out just as the explosions started and that it had been a little longer than I had recalled from the actual explosion until I found my way out of the building. I remember standing up outside and realizing that I was hurt, but I still didn’t fathom how bad. I thought to myself that this kind of thing ‘doesn’t happen to me.’” Donnie was obviously in shock from the heat and arc blast created by the arc flash. He was fortunate in one regard, he did not inhale the vaporized copper, which could have seared his esophagus and lungs, and then solidified, closing his airway and rendering portions of his lungs non-functional.

NETA World, Summer 2012 Issue by Jim White and Ron Widup, Shermco Industries

Figures 1: Damaged Equipment

39Safety Handbook

Donnie remembers little from the time he was admitted until about a month and a half later, but his wife kept a journal while he was in the hospital: “Over the next couple of days I became very swollen and was looking bad. My dad came to see me for the first time, and usually an unemotional man he was visibly upset. On the fifth day the surgeons grafted skin from my right leg to my right arm. All went well and I was due to have the breathing tube removed within a day or two. My mother and step-father came to Tampa to help my wife. The next day, my blood pressure dropped extremely low and my heart rate increased significantly. The doctors tested for infection. Test results would not be back for two days. My brother came to town as I was not looking good. While waiting for the test results and my health was deteriorating, all my wife could do was worry. The test results showed I had an E. coli infection in my lungs. This would be the first of many infections. Your skin is your main protection from infection, and with the burns on my arms, the grafting on my legs and the breathing tube, it was open season on me for every infection that came along. These infections slowed the healing process of my injuries to almost a stand still. I developed pneumonia and blood infections. A decision was made to graft my left arm as well because the burns were not healing as expected. My health continued to falter. The infections, wounds and the medicines also prevented me from receiving tube feeding, so my only source of nourishment was an IV drip.” Donnie returned to work in early 2006. That was 18 months of his life he will never get back, 18months of pain, frustration, and rehabilitation. Donnie is also lucky in the respect that his wife stood beside him through all this. Often, the stresses created by the aftereffects of a major accident can destroy what has often become an already weakened and strained relationship. Having a strong family and spousal relationship is an important aspect of recovery.

THE SECOND INCIDENTThe second incident occurred in December of 2009. A contractor

was finishing the installation of new medium-voltage switchgear. The contractor installed all the panels, but neglected to remove the temporary protective grounds installed as part of his procedure. The contractor then informed the owner that the switchgear was ready for energization. When the owner’s electrician closed the circuit breaker, the resulting arc flash blew the doors open, exposing the electrician to the heat and pressure wave of the arc. Figures 1 and 2 show the damaged equipment. Note the damage to the side of the switchgear enclosure.

The end result of this story is far different, though. There was no lengthy, painful hospital stay, no rehabilitation, no skin grafts or infections. This worker had donned his 40 cal/cm2 arc-rated flash suit prior to operating this new switchgear. As a result of following both safe work practices as outlined in NFPA 70E and his company’s safe work practices and procedures this electrician had no injuries …even though the intense heat pretty much destroyed his PPE! (See Figures 3 and 4.)

Figures 2: Damaged EquipmentFigures 3 & 4: Destoyed PPE

Safety Handbook40

SUMMARYIs there anyone who actually enjoys wearing arcrated protective

clothing and PPE? Probably not. But we do not only because it is a necessity and a requirement of our jobs, not only because it is the rules and what the company tells us to do, but we also do it for ourselves and our families.

In spite of its shortcomings, PPE does work. Despite any controversy about what actual exposures may or may not be for any specific circumstance and even if the PPE is under-rated for the incident energy, the injuries received will be much less severe than if no PPE had been worn. An arc-flash event can change your life in an instant, and not for the better. Most of us will find our careers changed or even ended, our lives significantly less than they would have been. Like Donnie, we may be wiser for the experience, but would any of us volunteer for that? If not for yourself, think of the negative effects that such an event can have on your family, your spouse, and your children who did not ask to be spectators to the slow, painful rebuilding of your life, an event that can be avoided with safe work practices and that PPE you hate to wear.

___________________________________________________

Ron Widup and Jim White are NETA’S representatives to NFPA Technical Committee 70E (Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces). Both gentlemen are employees of Shermco Industries in Dallas, Texas a NETA Accredited Company.

Ron Widup is President of Shermco and has been with the company since 1983. He is a Principal member of the Technical Committee on “Electrical Safety in the Workplace” (NFPA 70E) and a Principal member of the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) Code Panel 11. He is also a member of the technical committee “Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance” (NFPA 70B), and a member of the NETA Board of Directors and Standards Review Council.


41Safety Handbook

I was recently asked to give a presentation on lightning protection requirements for a client. In performing research, I was surprised to find that, although there is much information on recommendations associated with lightning protection, there really are no requirements associated with lightning protection. As evidence of this, the military handbook MILHDBK- 419A, Grounding, Bonding, and Shielding for Electronic Equipment and Facilities states the following:

“The degree to which lightning protection is required, is a subjective decision requiring an examination of the relative criticalness of the structure location and its contents to the overall mission of the facility.”

So, the decision associated with whether lightning protection is implemented or not is a subjective one. The purpose of this article is to provide basic information associated with implementing lightning protection for a facility.

As background for this discussion, the following information is provided from the UL website: “Each year thousands of properties are damaged or destroyed by lightning. Lightning accounts for more than one billion dollars annually in structural damage to buildings in the United States. What is not reported is the loss of business,

downtime and liability that occurs when businesses or commercial tenants are forced to shut down to repair lightning damage.”

To further assist in the decision on whether lightning protection should be provided for a facility, consideration should be given to the following three factors:

1. Probability of a lightning strike

2. Type of building construction

3. Criticality of and process within building

The probability of lightning strike is a function of the keraunic level of the area (i.e., the thunderstorm activity), the effective height of the building, and the attractive, area for a lightning strike. From the Internet, Figure 1 was provided. The isokeraunic level of an area is representative of the amount of lightning strikes there are in that area. The effective height and attractive area for a lightning strike were provided in the military handbook (MIL-HDBK-419A) and are provided in Figures 2 and 3. Basically, the higher the value for any of these parameters, the higher the probability of having an issue with lightning strikes.

For the type of building construction, steel frame buildings with metal coverings and steel towers typically suffer minimum damage due

IMPLEMENTING LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEMS

NETA World, Summer 2012 Issue By Lynn Hamrick and Owen Wyatt, Shermco Industries

Figure 1: Isokeraunic Level Map of US


For the type of building construction, steel frame buildings with metal coverings and steel towers typically suffer minimum damage due to lightning. Therefore, minimal protection should be required. Other structures would be more susceptible to damage from a lightning strike.

With regard to the criticality of a process within a building, communication and process controlequipment are highly susceptible to damage from lightning as are classified explosion areas and processes. This is why industrial facilities with requirements for production reliability are typically proponents of implementing lightning protection systems.

imPlementinG liGhtninG Protection systems

LigHtning


Niche MArkeT TeSTiNG

By lynn haMrICk anD owen wyatt,Shermco Industries

NETAWORLD • 61


As background for this discussion, the following information is provided from the UL website: “Each year thousands of properties are damaged or destroyed by lightning. Lightning accounts for more than one billion dollars annually in structural damage to buildings in the United States. What is not reported is the

loss of business, downtime and liability that occurs when businesses or commercial tenants are forced to shut down to repair lightning damage.”






60 • SUMMER 2012

I was recently asked to give a presentation on lightning protection requirements for a client. In performing research, I was surprised to find that, although there is much information on recommendations associated with lightning protection, there really are no requirements associated with lightning protection. As evidence of this, the military handbook MIL-HDBK-419A, Grounding, Bonding, and Shielding for Electronic Equipment and Facilities states the following:


figure 1: Isokeraunic Level Map of US

figure 2: Effective Height of Structure

figure 3: Attractive Area of Structure

STRUCTURE

GRADE LEVEL

MEDIAN TERRAIN LEVEL

h

ra

w

ℓ

TOTAL ATTRACTIVE AREA: Aa = wℓ + πra2 + 2ra(w + ℓ)

ra = 80 √ ʅ (e-0.02h -e-0.05h) + 400 (1-e-0.0001h2)


For the type of building construction, steel frame buildings with metal coverings and steel towers typically suffer minimum damage due to lightning. Therefore, minimal protection should be required. Other structures would be more susceptible to damage from a lightning strike.



LigHtning



By lynn haMrICk anD owen wyatt,Shermco Industries

NETAWORLD • 61


As background for this discussion, the following information is provided from the UL website: “Each year thousands of properties are damaged or destroyed by lightning. Lightning accounts for more than one billion dollars annually in structural damage to buildings in the United States. What is not reported is the

loss of business, downtime and liability that occurs when businesses or commercial tenants are forced to shut down to repair lightning damage.”






60 • SUMMER 2012

I was recently asked to give a presentation on lightning protection requirements for a client. In performing research, I was surprised to find that, although there is much information on recommendations associated with lightning protection, there really are no requirements associated with lightning protection. As evidence of this, the military handbook MIL-HDBK-419A, Grounding, Bonding, and Shielding for Electronic Equipment and Facilities states the following:


figure 1: Isokeraunic Level Map of US

figure 2: Effective Height of Structure

figure 3: Attractive Area of Structure

STRUCTURE

GRADE LEVEL

MEDIAN TERRAIN LEVEL

h

ra

w

ℓ

TOTAL ATTRACTIVE AREA: Aa = wℓ + πra2 + 2ra(w + ℓ)

ra = 80 √ ʅ (e-0.02h -e-0.05h) + 400 (1-e-0.0001h2)

Figure 3: Attractive Area of Structure

Figure 2: Effective Height of Structure

Safety Handbook42

to lightning. Therefore, minimal protection should be required. Other structures would be more susceptible to damage from a lightning strike.


DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION STANDARDSOnce the decision is made to implement a lightning protection

system, the following guidance standards should be used in establishing the system’s design and installation requirements:

• UL 96, Lightning Protection Components

• UL 96A, Installation Requirements for Lightning Protection Systems

• LPI – 175 (2011), Installation Code

• NFPA 780 (2011), Standard for the Installation of Lightning Protection Systems

• NFPA 78, Safety Code for the Protection of Life and Property Against Lightning

For buildings and other structures, a combination of air terminals, down conductors, and adequate ground bonding is required. For air terminals, the maximum interval spacing on the roof should be 20 feet at roof edge or ridges and 50 feet in mid roof areas. The air terminal height should be between 10 inches to 36 inches above the tallest roof structure (Figure 4). When the roof profile is changed with the addition of HVAC equipment or other roof projections, consideration should be given to additional air terminals. Multiple down conductors should also be considered Where the building perimeter is less than 250 feet, at least two down conductors should be provided to connect the air terminals to the grounding system for the structure. Where the building perimeter is greater than 250 feet, down conductors should be provided for every 100 feet of perimeter. For any lightning protection system, appropriate connection of the air terminals to the down conductors and the down conductors to the grounding system are the keys to effective lightning protection. Bonding in accordance with NEC requirements should be provided. Further, consideration of dissimilar metals (i.e., AL to CU connection) should also be considered.

Both UL (Underwriter’s Laboratory) and LPI (Lightning Protection Institute) offer certification of lightning protection systems. This certification is provided in an effort to ensure that national standards are met including those set forth by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 780) and the Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL 96A). For LPI, the certification also places requirements on the design, materials, workmanship and inspection based on the LPI- 175. It should be noted that to certify a lightning protection system, only certified inspectors may be used to perform the inspection.

RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE AND TESTINGRegular maintenance activities should include inspecting the

air terminals for anchorage and verifying that they are free of damage or excessive corrosion. Furthermore, connections from the air terminals to the down conductors and down conductors to the grounding system should be inspected to verify that they are free of damage or excessive corrosion. Electrical testing should be performed on a recommended frequency of every five years. As with other grounding systems, ground resistance testing and ground system continuity testing should be performed for each area. For ground resistance, a threepoint fall-of-potential test should be performed in accordance with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 81, IEEE Recommended Guide for Measuring Ground Resistance and Potential Gradients in the Earth for the ground sources. In addition, point-to-point, continuity tests should be performed from these ground sources to all of the air terminals of the structure. All measurements and testing will be performed by qualified personnel using specialty test equipment designed for this type of testing. For most structures, a preferred maximum of 10 ohms should be provided from the air terminals to ground. For industrial facilities with sensitive Figure 4: Air Terminal

Safety Handbook43

equipment and processes, a maximum of 5 ohms from the air terminals to ground is recommended. Point-to-point connections that are greater than 0.5 ohm should be investigated and corrected.

CONCLUSIONSThe implementation of a lightning protection system is not

required by codes and standards. Unfortunately, lightning strikes can cause significant damage and downtime for a facility. There is a basic methodology for determining if a facility should implement lightning protection systems into their design activities. It involves a review of weather information and a facility’s critical equipment and operating philosophy. UL and LPI have provided very specific requirements for implementing an effective lightning protection system if a facility so chooses. To maintain an effective lightning protection system, recommended levels of maintenance should be implemented. The associated maintenance activities should include a combination of frequent visual inspections of the lightning protection system and periodic electrical testing of the system.

Lynn Hamrick brings over 25 years of working knowledge in design, permitting, construction, and startup of mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation and controls projects as well as experience in the operation and maintenance of facilities.

Lynn is a Professional Engineer, Certified Energy Manager and has a BS in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Tennessee.

Owen Wyatt is a Level 2 NETACertified Test Technician and is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Iowa. Owen has experience in performing design activities associated with electrical substations, protective relay systems, SCADA systems, and electrical infrastructure systems in accordance with NEC requirements.

Owen has also performed numerous power system studies to include fault current, protective device coordination and arc flash analysis. Additionally, he is experienced in commissioning electrical systems in accordance with NETA specifications. These commissioning activities include relay testing, medium-voltage switchgear testing, and associated control system testing to NETA specifications.

Safety Handbook44

In order to create a safe work environment, it is imperative to ensure switching devices are adequately lubricated so they operate smoothly and efficiently as designed. There are several factors to take into consideration when choosing a lubricant for electrical equipment. Let’s take a look at some of those factors.

First, a determination must be made to identify the type of lubricant to be used. The manufacturer’s service manuals and bulletins must be reviewed to ensure the correct lubricant is applied to the correct locations on the equipment being serviced. If the lubricant is being used on electrical parts that are typically energized, then the lubricant needs to be rated for such use.Another concern is whether the lubricant is applied manually

using a brush or sprayed on. Most commercial lubricants can be purchased in bulk form or in an aerosol can. The design and configuration of the equipment being serviced will determine which application method is required.

Once you determine the correct lubricant for the application, you must then determine how much of the product should be purchased and stored? The quantity of service to be performed determines the amount of materials needed. Most petrocarbon derived chemicals have a shelf life, after which time their effectiveness in lubrication decreases. If the servicing is done in small quantities or infrequently, then it makes little sense to have a large quantity of the lubricant sitting on the shelf for an extended period of time. Alternatively, if the service performed frequently or on a large number of devices, it does not make sense to store hundreds of small aerosol spray cans, which may require special storage and disposal considerations. In the latter situation, it may be better to purchase the material in bulk, such as a 55 gallon container, and use other means of application such as small pump sprayers. Certain chemicals may be considered hazardous or flammable materials requiring special storage containment and notification to the local emergency planning commission.

If either the material or the propellant is flammable as noted above, it cannot be used in an area where heat or a potential arc could ignite it. Review the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

for the lubricant and determine its flash point. Avoid materials that contain the words flammable or keep away from heat or flames on its label or that contain a propane propellant. These materials typically have a very low Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) indicating that it will readily ignite in the presence of heat or spark.

Health considerations are also a factor when considering an appropriate lubricant. What personal protective equipment (PPE) does the employee need to wear in order to apply the lubricant? The technician or electrician may need to wear nitrile gloves and safety glasses or goggles in order to handle the chemical safely. The equipment to be serviced is often enclosed within a cabinet with limited ventilation. This means fumes and vapors can accumulate and potentially overwhelm the employee. In cases where the lubricant has this potential, additional ventilation or respiratory protection may be required. One should determine whether or not the fumes generated from the chemical are denser than air because fumes that are denser than air can collect in low lying areas, causing a flammable or health hazardous atmosphere. To find additional information on this, refer to the MSDS for the specific lubricant being used.

The environmental impact of storing and disposal of the chemical should also be considered. Any environmental impacts that the chemical will have if there is an accidental release should also be included on the MSDS. If it is determined that the chemical could pose an environmental hazard upon release, training should be conducted with employees on spill response procedures for the specific chemical.

Disposal of wastes from lubricants can also pose an environmental risk. Both state and federal agencies such as DEP, EPA, and DEM may require notification when one disposes of certain quantities of chemical wastes. There are also time limitations on the storage of regulated waste chemicals based on certain quantities. Waste generators, shippers, and disposers are required to obtain certifications and track the shipment of the chemical from cradle to grave.

Before using any lubricant, review its health effects, flammability, and reactivity. Sometimes this can be done simply by referencing

LUBRICATION: THE DOS AND DONT’S OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT LUBRICATION

NETA World, Summer 2012 Issue By Paul Chamberlain, American Electrical Testing Co., Inc.

Figure 1: Example of Hazardous Information from an Aerosol Spray Lubricant Label.

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the label, but other times more information may need to be obtained from the MSDS. Figure 1 is an illustration of a common white lithium aerosol spray lubricant that provides the HMIS and NFPA label data.

By reviewing the label in Figure 1, one can see that this lubricant under NFPA and HMIS have very similar ratings. However, it is necessary to know what those ratings mean. To do this, reference the ratings straight from the NFPA and HMIS. Figure 2 is a good descriptive picture of those ratings for a chemical.

By referencing the MSDS for the white lithium grease, and cross referencing it to the description of the NFPA Label in Figure 2, one can see that the grease has a flash point of <100 degrees Fahrenheit and is considered Hazardous on the health scale. So this material should not be exposed to an open flame or spark. Additionally, it is a material that has a high enough health rating to warrant concern.

However, by taking proper precautions while using the grease, like wearing protective gloves (i.e., nitrile), not concentrating and breathing the fumes, and ensuring that it is not exposed directly to open flame, one can use the material safely in most cases. The reality is that this spray has a propane propellant, and so if this material were in a nonaerosol form, the flammability of the material would be significantly lower. If it is necessary to use this material in an area where the possibility of flames or sparks exist, then a nonaerosol version is recommended.

In summary, there are many factors to consider when determining what type of lubricant to use. Most of this information can easily be obtained from the Material Safety Data Sheets. The MSDS for any chemical used by your company needs to be available to all employees when they are on duty and kept updated per OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200 – The Hazard Communication Standard. Before using a lubricant, one should review the MSDS to determine whether the product will satisfy the criteria for the intended use, what safety precautions may be needed, and what PPE may be required.

Paul Chamberlain has been the Safety Manager for American Electrical Testing Company Inc. since 2009. He has been in the safety field for the past 12 years, working for various companies and in various industries. He received a Bachelors of Science Degree from Massachusetts

Figure 2: Rating Information for NFPA Labels.

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During the October meeting, Hugh Hoagland and Dr. Tom Neal discussed arc plasma jets hitting arc-rated clothing and PPE. because of the porous nature of fabric, the arc plasma jet penetrates more and reduces the arc rating. Arc-rated face shields and windows are not affected by the arc plasma in the same manner and do not have a reduced arc rating. Tests performed have shown that at less than 20 cal/cm2 there is less concern about this reduction, which is estimated to be between 25 percent and 50 percent. Arcs in enclosures tend to focus the arc plasma which could lead to more exposure for those working on metal-enclosed equipment. Dr. David Sweeting is said to support a dual method of testing arc-rated clothing and possibly a dual rating system. One of the issues concerning the information above is that copper calorimeters tend to contribute to the incident energy when arc plasma hits them, as they vaporize. The question was asked if the results being seen are reliable as the currently-used instrumentation is not adequate to measure arc plasma. A motion was made to develop a test method for testing within the arc plasma. Reflective trim was also discussed. There are no current specifications for reflective trim on arc-rated clothing. It is used on firefighter’s gear, but it seems to perform well on rainwear-type PPE. It fails the vertical flame test required by F1506. The recommendation was to perform single-shot arc testing to determine ignition point and approval of reflective trim for arc-rated clothing and PPE.

The F18.15.10 committee voted to leave F696, Standard Specification for Leather Protectors for Rubber Insulating Gloves and Mittens, as is. The task group voted to disband until its services were needed.

Also in the October meeting The F855 task group discussed protective grounding sets. Marcia Eblen said PG&E had performed testing on ground sets and found the crimps on most ferrules to be inadequate for the rated short-circuit current. There is concern regarding ground sets currently in service. One issue is mixing various manufacturer’s clamps, ferrules and cables together and not testing the result. Another issue is the use of various crimping tools, some of which do not exert enough pressure to properly seat the crimp. The recommendation was that the manufacturer’s rating should only be used if all components are from that manufacturer. One proposal was to compare the ampacity of 10 foot, 25 foot, and 50 foot grounds.

F855 is moving forward to close some existing loopholes in the manufacture of ground sets and to set minimum requirements for pull strength, ampacity at the minimum and maximum clamp extensions, and using a standard method for determining I2t, probably at 15 cycles.

The clear jacket on ground sets does not have fire retardant chemicals in it, because they cloud the plastic. Several attendees commented that they had seen or heard of fires being caused by the jackets bursting into flames. Jackets that are colored do have the flame retardant chemical.

The F18.35.41 task group met and discussed meter puller shields. There are two types, one mounted on a hot stick (small and round and fits on the end of the hot stick) and the other is larger and square and fits on the meter puller. Marcia Eblen discussed PG&E’s tests on meter shields. A six-cycle arc at 480 volts was difficult to sustain consistently during their tests. She recommended the possibility of increasing the voltage for consistency. She noted that the lower short-circuit currents in their tests produced higher incident energy than higher currents, as the higher currents tended to blow out the arc more quickly. One recommendation was to perform the tests at 10kA/480V as a worst-case scenario. Some preliminary tests will be performed to develop the criteria for the standard. A separate test for mechanical strength was proposed, probably using a higher short-circuit current.

In the April sessions, the first major item is concerning patching of rubber insulating products, such as blankets, sleeves and gloves. This is covered by ASTM F18.25.08 (ASTM F479, “Standard Specification for In-Service Care of Insulating Blankets”). Concerns were voiced that in the current standard there are no restrictions on how many patches can be made to a single item. Theoretically, a blanket could have patches placed end-to-end on the entire surface. No one thought that could happen, but it was agreed that some practical limit needs to be recommended. A second concern was that patching could hide other damage

to the product. Third was a concern over the patching methods being used in the field, which could have poor adhesion between patch and blanket. These issues were brought up by a manufacturer and they recommended that patching be prohibited.

The Alabama Power Company representatives voiced that they had been patching blankets for years and had seen no issues in the

ASTM F18 REPORT ELECTRICAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT 4/16/2012 TO 4/17/2012

NETA World, Summer 2012 Issue by Ralph Patterson, Power Products Solutions

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field. Gulf Power also said they had been patching blankets for 30 years and had no failures in the field. They also stated that they had no adhesion issues between the patch and blankets. All present agreed that patching should be limited to blankets and should not extend to gloves or sleeves, as blankets are used to isolate, whereas gloves and sleeves are used to insulate. It was also agreed that samples of patched blankets from these companies would be submitted for third-party testing and that written procedures covering what is acceptable patching methods and materials and what is not be developed and incorporated into the standard.

The second major item concerns arc flash testing of rubber insulating gloves and leather protectors. Due to a high number of abstentions on the last ballot, this failed and goes back to committee. This was very disappointing, as having an arc rating on gloves would be helpful in determining whether a set of gloves would provide adequate protection for the hands, as required by OSHA regulations and NFPA 70E. Attendees were allowed to state their reasons for supporting or opposing this standard. As NETA representative to ASTM F18 I expressed that the standard was needed for compliance. The representatives from two utilities voiced their opposition, stating it was not needed.

One utility representative presented a Power- Point presentation showing how rubber insulating gloves and leather protectors had prevented injury to the hands of several workers. The main objection I had to his presentation was he very obviously overstated the incident energy the workers were exposed to in order to prove that an arc rating was not needed. Another utility representative stated that an arc rating would make the leathers thicker. This defied any sense of reason or logic. I implored the utility representatives to not just think of their personal wants on the issue, but to consider the tens of thousands of industrial electrical workers who would benefit from such a standard. During the meeting it was brought forward that two of the three glove manufacturers were already testing their products to the draft standard and have been since 2003. They also stated that anyone who wanted the gloves stamped with the arc rating only had to request it and they would. This was the first I (or a lot of others) had heard about this and I would suggest that NETA-member companies take advantage of this service.

The third important item was brought up during the F18.45.21 meeting (ASTM F855, “Standard Specifications for Temporary Protective Grounds to Be Used on De-energized Electric Power Lines and Equipment”). There was considerable discussion about ratings of personal protective grounds and test methods. It seems that although the thermal characteristics of ground clamps are accurately portrayed in Table 1, the mechanical stresses may not be. A Grade 5 clamp tested at 30 cycles may not hold up to the mechanical forces when tested at 15 cycles.

The representative from PG&E shared the results of their extensive testing on ground clamps and ground sets. One such series of tests is on YouTube® and is titled, “Bierer Belmont”, with tests run on 2” solid bus using various manufacturer’s clamps. Lots of failures at the 15 cycle level. The problem is primarily when using clamps on solid bus. The failures are at the screw portion where it initially bends away from the bus, and then shatters the clamp. Small clamps also seem to have a higher failure rate. Example given was that a 6” clamp would pass the test, but a 2” clamp would not.

Another point brought out is that clamps on solid bus cannot be clamped too tightly, as the clamp can shatter due to mechanical stress. If tightened properly it will shift slightly on bus and hold. Clamps on cables do not seem to have the same issue.

The most common failure with clamps is the conductor pulling out of the clamp due to improper pressure. The pressure issue runs both to the high side and low side. If the pressure on the ferrule-to-cable interface is too low, the cable will pull out of ferrule. If the pressure is too high, it will cause the ferrule to shatter. The correct pressure is minimum 2100 lbs and maximum 3000 lbs.

When PG&E ran tests on 40 foot ground assemblies they found that the cable failed by blowing into several sections. It was described as looking like it was cut with a torch. The cable inside the jacket was shredded, much like a bird’s nest. They were unsure why this occurred and are doing further testing. There may be a recommendation for a 20’ limit, but more testing needs to be performed. PG&E also stated that ball/stud ground sets were the only sets that passed all their tests.

I would recommend that NETA-member companies check with their supplier and determine whether the ground sets were tested at 15 cycles or 30 cycles. If they were tested at 30 cycles, what is referred to as the “30-30” test, then the assemblies should not be used at the 15 cycle rating. This may not be an issue with our companies, but they need to be aware of the potential problems of misapplication. All the manufacturers were unaware of the problem, as they typically don’t test at the 15 cycle point. There will be more discussion on this at the October meeting.

During the F18.15 meeting, (Worker Personal Protective Equipment) the test method for sleeves was discussed. It appears that some thirdparty testing companies use a test method that does not test the shoulder area. There was a recommendation that when sleeves are tested in this way that either the sleeves or the box be marked to indicate the sleeve was not fully tested.

The NFPA 70E task group recommended that section 250.2 be modified. 250.1 currently states, “250.1 Maintenance Requirements for Personal Safety and Protective Equipment. Personal safety and protective equipment such as the following shall be maintained in a safe working condition:

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(1) Grounding equipmentThis sets up a conflict, as Section 250.2 states, “(B) Testing.

The insulation of protective equipment and protective tools, such as items specified in 250.1(1) through (14), shall be verified by the appropriate test and visual inspection….” The jacket on personal protective grounds is intended to protect the conductor, not to provide insulation. The recommendation is to propose an exception for the insulation testing of ground sets.

Arc rated face shields have been shown to have a higher arc rating when exposed to arc plasma than expected. Some tests have shown they may be good up to 20 cal/cm2, but further testing is needed to confirm this. Arc-rated fabric seems to have a lower than expected arc rating when exposed to arc plasma, as it can penetrate the fabric some. Again, further testing is needed. A new test set up may be proposed for arc-rated clothing and PPE that approximates the arc effect from horizontal bus, such as is used in plug-in type equipment.

When testing fabrics with arc-ratings above 100 no burn indication is possible, due to damage done to the instrumentation. Proposed using a maximum limit, such as 100+ and possibly using an express method, where only three data points are collected, instead of the currently required number. Tests would have to show that there was no burn after the three shots.

F18.35.37 (In-Service testing of Live-Line Tools). Method of end-to-end testing using dc voltages being developed. This would be a guide, not a standard and would instruct companies what to do and how to do it properly. One suggested value was 0.5 to 1 micro-amp/kV, but the final value will have to be determined by further testing. With dc tests any temperature rise above ambient would indicate a problem, also. All agreed that portable tool testers worked well.

There were other committee sessions, but these were the primary ones that had information of importance to NETA-member companies.

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ARC-FLASH CLOTHING AND PPEWHAT DOES NFPA 70E SAY?

NFPA 70E has a wide following in the electrical industry and with good reason. Not only is it generally considered the latest word on protecting electrical workers, but OSHA recommends it as a guide for meeting the federal regulations. It provides proven and workable safe work practices and has been used as the basis for development of other country’s electrical safety standards and regulations.

What does the latest [2012] edition of NFPA 70E have to say about arc-rated PPE? We will take a look at several nuggets of information within the 70E to explain further.

We have dicussed it previously, but close attention should be paid to Article 100, Definitions. If you read and understand the definitions, it will help to understand the standard in a more comprehensive and complete manner.

INFORMATION FOUND IN ARTICLE 100, DEFINITIONS• Arc-Flash Hazard Informational Note No. 1: An arc-flash

hazard may exist when energized electrical conductors or circuit parts are exposed or when they are within equipment in a guarded or enclosed condition, provided a person is interacting with the equipment in such a manner that could cause an electric arc. Under normal operating conditions, enclosed energized equipment that has been properly installed and maintained is not likely to pose an arcflash hazard.

• Arc-Flash Hazard Informational Note No. 2: See Table 130.7(C)(15)(a) and Table 130.7(C)(15)(b) for examples of activities that could pose an arc-flash hazard.

Usually, guarded equipment does not pose a hazard from arc flash, but when interacting with electrical equipment in a manner that could cause failure the arc-flash hazard has to be considered, even though there are no exposed energized conductors or circuit parts. This is why Informational Note No. 2 provides guidance regarding activities that may fall in to this category.

It is also important to note that equipment in normal operation, installed in accordance with the NEC and other applicable codes and standards, along with being maintained correctly in accordance with manufacturer’s recommenda-tions and industry consensus standards (such as the ANSI/NETA maintenance testing standard), does not pose an arc-flash hazard. This does not mean there is no possibility of an arc flash, just that the possibility is

small. If for any reason the equipment is suspect (such as during troubleshooting) wearing additional arc-rated PPE is probably in order. Remember, it all goes back to the hazard assessment.

• Arc-Rated Informational Note No. 1: Arc-rated clothing or equipment indicates that it has been tested for exposure to an electric arc. Flame-resistant (FR) clothing without an arc rating has not been tested for exposure to an electric arc.

This is to differentiate an electrical worker’s protective clothing and PPE from that worn by other trades that require flame-resistant clothing such as steel mills, oil and gas, firefighters, etc. They may have FR clothing, but it may not be rated for exposure to electrical arcs.

INFORMATION FOUND IN ARTICLE 130, WORK INVOLVING ELECTRICAL HAZARDS• 130.5 Arc Flash Hazard Analysis 130.5(B) Protective

Clothing and Other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Application with an Arc Flash Hazard Analysis. Where it has been determined that work will be performed within the arc flash boundary, one of the following methods shall be used for the selection of protective clothing and other personal protective equipment (PPE):

• (1) Incident Energy Analysis

• (2) Hazard/Risk Categories” [Tables 130.7(C)(15) and 130.7(C)(16)]

The most widely-preferred method for choosing arc-rated clothing and PPE is to have an arc flash hazard analysis performed and have the equipment labeled. However, there are many facilities where that just is not going to happen, so the tables in Section 130.7 can be used instead. Be aware that neither method is foolproof and both have drawbacks, but the arcflash hazard analysis is the best we have right now for determining the correct levels of PPE. It will likely be improved once the findings of the IEEE/NFPA Joint Collaboration Arc-Flash Research Project are released.

• 130.7 Personal and Other Protective Equipment 130.7(C) Personal Protective Equipment. (1) General

…….When an employee is working within the arc-flash boundary, he or she shall wear protective clothing and other personal protective equipment in accordance with 130.5. All parts of the body inside the arcflash boundary shall be protected.

NETA World, Fall 2012 Issue by Jim White and Ron Widup, Shermco Industries

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Section 130.5 covers the arc-flash hazard analysis or the use of the tables. Note that all parts of the body are to be protected if they inside the arcflash boundary. Hands, ears, eyes, etc. All PPE and clothing specified in tables 130.7(C)(16) or Annex H.3(b) must be worn.

Rather than cover each item in this section, let’s skip down to Article 130.7(C)(7)(c) Hand and Arm Protection. Maintenance and Use which states, “Electrical protective equipment shall be maintained in a safe, reliable condition. …….”

Arc-flash PPE and clothing must be stored, laundered, and used properly in order to provide adequate p Figure 1: It Was Too Big To Fit in a Trash Bag rotection from an arc flash. This is really where we want to go in this article. How do we care for and use arc-rated PPE and clothing so it remains reliable?

RULE 1: TREAT IT LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.Your life does depend on it! Rolling arc-rated flash suits into a

knot, cramming it into a bag or leaving it out to collect dust is not maintaining it (Figure 1). It should be inspected, folded and placed in a suitable container, either a locker or a garment bag. All hook and loop (Velcro ®) fasteners should be closed so they are not

exposed to lint and dirt. If it gets oil or grease on it, other than just a few spots, launder it. It can be laundered at home, but it must be laundered separately. Just follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

RULE 2: LAYERING REDUCES THE POSSIBILITY OF BURNS.

If you thought that arc-rated PPE provides the level of protection for the incident energy embroidered in or on the label, think about this: ASTM F1959 states that at the rated incident energy of arc-rated clothing or PPE for 1/10th of a second there is a 50 percent probability of a second-degree burn on bare skin underneath it. This applies to arc-rated face shields and arc-rated windows as well. If you suspect that the electrical equipment you are about to work on may have issues, for instance when troubleshooting, wear extra layers of PPE. Think of equipment that requires troubleshooting as being in distress; it is no longer operating normally and you need to wear the maximum recommended arc-rated clothing and PPE when you troubleshoot it. Wearing cotton or arc-rated underlayers provides additional protection from burns.

RULE 3: INSPECT YOUR ARC-RATED CLOTHING AND PPE PRIOR TO USING IT.

Look for any rips, tears, or openings in either the outer layer or the inner layer. On multilayer flash suits all layers are important to meet the identified arc rating. The inside is as important as the outside. Look for seams that are coming loose, especially in the armpits and the crotch. These are high-stress areas and must also be inspected inside the garment as well as on the outside. Inspect the sewing along zippers and Velcro® to ensure they are not curling or becoming detached. If they are, they won’t seal properly. Grease spots larger than about one inch or so in diameter will probably

Figure 1: It Was Too Big To Fit in a Trash Bag

Figure 2: Troubleshooting Electrical Equipment is Hazardous Work

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require laundering as grease, oil, and other lubricants increase heat transfer through the fabric. Check the label to make certain it meets ASTM F1505 and NFPA 70E. Also make certain the arc rating is sufficient for your exposure.

On arc-rated face shields and hoods, make certain the face shield is secure to the hard hat. Look for excessive scratching in the viewing area (not to the sides). Excessive means that it limits your vision so you cannot see clearly. Make certain the hard hat suspension is secured inside the hard hat and that the sweat band is not cracked or broken. Ensure any extensions on the arc-rated face shield are secured properly with all needed fasteners, and never use an arc-rated face shield without the chin cup. Some face shields are rated with the chin cup and some without. Not wearing the chin cup would allow the arc plasma to roll up your chest and under the face shield. Inspect the arc-rated windows on arcrated hoods to ensure there are no gaps around them. If the Velcro® is missing in the upper corners an arc flash may cause a burn to the top of your head. Inspect the hood for cuts, rips, tears, grease or oil spots, loose seams, etc., just like the flash suit itself.

RULE 4: KNOW THE LIMITATIONS OF YOUR EQUIPMENT AND PPE.

Exceeding the limitations of your protective clothing and equipment, or your tools and meters, for that matter, is a sure way to be injured or killed. We love the old movies where the pilot is trying to get his plane over the mountain peak and he’s saying, “Come on, girl! Come on, baby! I know you can do it! Don’t let me down!” Invariably he makes it, but in real life the local authorities would be mounting an expedition to rescue survivors, Figure 3.

Don’t think inanimate objects hear you or care about you. Know your own limitations as well. If you are sick, tired, or distracted by crushing issues, you probably should not be performing hazardous tasks.

RULE 5: TELL ME AGAIN WHY YOU HAVE TO DO THIS ENERGIZED?

Turn it off!! That is the best way to eliminate the hazards.

SUMMARYUnderstanding the application, and more importantly the

limitations, of your PPE is vital if you are to go through the work day properly protected from the hazards of electricity. So please take the time to read and understand the definitions, the application, and the limitations of your PPE.

Hey that Rule No. 5 – you might want to move that one up to the top of the list.___________________________________________________

Ron Widup and Jim White are NETA’S representatives to NFPA Technical Committee 70E (Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces). Both gentlemen are employees of Shermco Industries in Dallas, Texas a NETA Accredited Company.

Ron Widup is President of Shermco and has been with the company since 1983. He is a Principal member of the Technical Committee on “Electrical Safety in the Workplace” (NFPA 70E) and a Principal member of the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) Code Panel 11. He is also a member of the technical committee “Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance” (NFPA 70B), and a member of the NETA Board of Directors and Standards Review Council.


Figure 3: Come On, Baby, You Can Do It!

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BATTERY SAFETY CONCERNS

There are few components in an electrical system that expose workers to the number and range of hazards as do battery systems. Exposed electrical conductors, hazardous gasses, dangerous chemicals, potential for explosions, and heavy lifting are just a few of the hazards present when working with and around batteries.

The following provides some insight into these potential dangers and proposes ways to keep safe when working on or near battery systems. Our focus will be mainly on wet cell battery systems which are typically used in switchgear applications. However, many of the issues are also relevant when dealing with other types of battery systems.

WHAT MAKES BATTERY WORK SO DANGEROUS?

There are several hazards that workers need to be aware of when working with or around batteries:

Electrical HazardsBatteries expose workers to especially dangerous electrical

hazards because their source of potential is always exposed and they contain no overload protection. Getting across the terminals of a battery is hazardous. Workers must be extra careful to avoid this hazard. A terminal short is caused when the positive and negative terminals are connected to each other via a conductive item. The terminals being shorted against each other for a long enough period of time can cause an overload in the battery and potentially a spontaneous failure due to overheating. Additionally, the shorting of two terminals on a battery can generate sparks which can cause flammable gasses (see explosive hazards below) to ignite or explode. Even if the battery does not fail due to the short circuit, the life of the battery is significantly degraded due to the heavy load placed upon it and the significant heating that occurrs.

Chemical HazardsMost wet cell batteries contain an acid (usually sulfuric), as well

as heavy metals (usually lead). If a lead-acid battery is unsealed, there is the potential for spills and leaks which can cause acid burns upon the skin if a worker is exposed. Additionally, lead is hazardous when ingested. Other batteries contain different chemical health hazards. They can contain lithium, cadmium, bromide, and other heavy metals that can potentially be a health hazard if ingested, injected, or absorbed in large enough quantity.

Explosive HazardsHydrogen gas is generated as a by-product of the battery’s

chemical reaction. This off-gas, if not properly vented, can build to a point where it can become explosive (four percent is the lower explosive limit, LEL). Exposing this gas to sparks or open flames can cause a significant explosion.

Lifting HazardsBatteries are heavy in relation to size. Workers must take special

care when attempting to lift or move batteries. Get aid when moving a heavy battery or use a lifting aid as needed. If using a lifting aid, training in the use of that equipment is required.

PREPARING FOR BATTERY WORKAs with any potentially hazardous work, it is important to gain

a good understanding of the work at hand and of the components involved. The battery manufacturer’s installation and maintenance manuals are a good source of information and should be read thoroughly before beginning work. In addition, workers should take the time to read and understand the various standards that are available relating to battery systems (NFPA 111, IEEE 450 and 484, and IEEE 1187 and 1188 are recommended). There are also new IEEE standards relating to spill containment (IEEE P1578) and battery technician qualifications (IEEE P1657), presently in draft form, which are worth a look.

A comprehensive prejob briefing or job hazard analysis should be performed with all workers to discuss the planned tasks and each of the potential hazards in detail.

IS THE BATTERY AREA SAFE?As discussed earlier, batteries present significant safety hazards

and must be treated with great caution. Only qualified personnel should be allowed to enter an area where batteries are in use. Qualified personnel are knowledgeable in all aspects of battery safety, as well as with spill containment and mitigation techniques. Qualified personnel are also knowledgeable in battery maintenance procedures and with general electrical safety. (For more details on Qualified Persons, refer to NFPA-70E.)

When entering an area containing batteries, the first step is to take a look around the area and confirm that proper safety items are in place. The space is required to be well ventilated, well lit, and must have unobstructed access to exit doors. Safety signage

NETA World, Fall 2012 Issue by Stephen Canale, American Electrical Testing Co.

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that provides emergency responders with clear indications of the potential dangers is required. Check that fire extinguishers (class ABC) are strategically placed throughout the area. The battery manufacturer’s Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) sheets must be available.

There must be at least one eye wash station nearby (as close to the point of exposure as possible not to exceed 25 feet) and it is required to be adequately filled with at least a 15 minute supply of clean water. Never flush eyes with acid neutralizer solution –

always use clean water. If battery jars or cases are to be installed or replaced, there is a heightened possibility of an acid spill. During the handling of battery jars, they could be dropped or tipped, causing acid to leak and to potentially find its way onto worker’s skin. In this case, a body wash station must also be readily available and it is also required to be filled with clean water. If a body wash station is not available, it is recommended to purchase a portable station and place it nearby, again within 25 feet of the exposure area.

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Never allow smoking, open flames, or any activity that could result in sparks or electrical arcing in any battery area. Metal ladders and any other large or long conductive objects should also be kept out of the battery area. Jewelry should never be worn in the battery area. Additionally, taping conductive tools does not adequately prevent the tool from inadvertently causing a spark. Always use insulated tools that are listed for the voltage present and test equipment that is insulated and properly fused.

Other items recommended to be readily available while working on battery systems include:

• Ample amount of acid neutralizing solution (a mixture of one pound baking soda to one gallon of clean water, or other acceptable solutions). This solution is used to neutralize any acid that may contact the skin or spill to the floor. It can also be used to clean the battery jars and to neutralize any acid that may spill onto surrounding areas.

• Spill containment booms to contain any possible battery acid leaks or spills.

• Plastic, leak-proof containers of ample size to hold battery jars. These containers should be readily available to contain battery jars in the event any jars become cracked or broken. The container will hold the jar itself and contain any acid that leaks from the jar.

SPECIAL PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE ) IS NEEDED FOR BATTERY WORK

Battery work requires its own unique set of PPE. Workers need to protect themselves from the hazard of electrical shock, exposure to battery acids, and potential explosions as well as be prepared for a possible spill of battery acid.

Some of the recommended PPE include:

1. Chemical Resistant Goggles and Face Shield– It is important to keep eyes protected in the event of a battery explosion. Goggles and a face shield must be worn at all times while working on batteries to help protect from potential explosions. Another good reason to always wear wrap-around goggles is the tendency most people have to rub their eyes. When working around batteries, it is easy to get acid on hands and gloves. The goggles will help prevent the rubbing of eyes with contaminated gloves and hands.

2. Chemical Resistant Gloves and Aprons–Battery acid is typically present on the outer part of all battery jars. Acid seeps through the battery terminal connections, is dripped onto the jars when specific gravity readings are taken, and is vented during the battery charging process. Wearing gloves and an apron will help keep this acid off of skin and clothing.

3. Protective overshoes and overalls.

4. A hard hat where applicable.

PPE used when working with batteries will quickly become contaminated with grease, dirt, and battery acid. Thoroughly clean all PPE after each day to preserve its useful life. Replace batteryrelated PPE frequently.

MONITORING BATTERY CONDITIONS FOR SAFE OPERATION

Battery systems should be inspected for general condition on a regular basis, preferably at least weekly, to ensure they are in a safe condition. Some of the items to monitor are:

General Battery Condition:During inspection the general condition of each battery jar should

be noted. Each jar should be checked for cleanliness and cleaned if necessary. Use a clean, damp cloth for cleaning battery jars. Never use chemical cleaners as these can erode the battery jars. If a neutralizing solution is used to clean the battery, follow up with a clean, damp cloth to clear any residue left by the solution.

Check each jar’s casing for signs of cracking. Small cracks can form on the jars and these can grow to the point where acid begins to leak. Any jars showing signs of cracking should be replaced as soon as possible.

Never allow smoking, open flames, or any activity that could result in sparks or electrical arcing in any battery area.

55Safety Handbook

The general condition of each battery terminal post should be checked. Large buildups of oxidation should be removed and noted. Any significant signs of acid seepage through the posts should also be noted and cleaned. Discoloration of the posts can also be a sign of a pending problem. In general, problems noted with any posts should be followed up by a removal, cleaning, and reinstallation of the connections at the post.

Where cable connections exist, carefully inspect the connection. Proper strain relief should be in place and there should be no strain placed on the terminal posts. Posts are made of soft lead, and excessive strain can easily break the post resulting in a dangerous electrical hazard.

Each jar in a wet cell battery should contain a flame arrester that sits in an opening at the top of the jar. These arresters reduce the effect of any possible explosion of the jar. Each of these arrestors should be carefully inspected for damage and for any blockage. Damaged flame arresters should be immediately replaced. Blocked or dirty arresters should be thoroughly cleaned with a neutralizing solution. If any arrester cannot be completely cleaned, it should be replaced.

Plate Condition and Sediment Buildup:The interior plates of a battery can become loose or broken. A

broken plate can make contact with other plates within the battery and this contact can cause a buildup of heat within the battery jar. This heat, if in the presence of enough hydrogen and oxygen, can cause an explosive failure of the battery. Any battery jar with broken plates should be removed from the battery string.

The chemical reactions that take place within a battery cause a deterioration of the internal plates. This is a normal process that will result in a small amount of sediment at the bottom of each jar. A thorough inspection of the level, coloration, and size of the sediment particles can be helpful in determining the health of the battery. Excessive or unusual sediment can indicate a problem. In addition, sediment levels can potentially reach the bottoms of the battery plates, causing internal shorts that may result in explosion.

Charging Level:Battery charger voltage and ripple voltage should be checked

regularly to ensure that the battery is not overcharged. An overcharging battery will produce higher levels of highly flammable hydrogen gas. Overcharging and creating high heat volumes, or overcharging and creating an incidental spark, can cause this off gas to ignite, and the battery will explode.

Electrolyte Level:The level of electrolyte in each jar should be monitored. Jars

will have fill level lines, and electrolyte levels should always be maintained between these lines. Low electrolyte levels can be an

Battery charger voltage and ripple voltage should be checked regularly to ensure that the battery is not overcharged. An overcharging battery will produce higher levels of highly flammable hydrogen gas.

Testing Voltage

Safety Handbook56

indication of a problem within the battery or possible overcharging. Allowing the electrolyte to drop below the tops of the battery plates can result in an explosion.

Always fill batteries according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Be careful not to overfill any jars as this can result in spewing of battery acid during charging.

BATTERY INSTALLATION/ REPLACEMENT SAFETY

The installation, maintenance, or replacement of batteries poses some additional hazards of which workers should be aware of. Workers should be ready for the possibility of a dropped, toppled, or damaged battery. Also, a floor scraping squeegee to help manage any spills, adsorbing booms for containing any spills, and plenty of acid neutralizers should be kept close by.

When handling battery jars, keep in mind that they are much heavier than they appear. Proper lifting techniques and lifting equipment should always be used.

When installing batteries, pay close attention to proper polarity and be aware of the possibility of electrical arcing when connecting battery jars.

Workers should also be aware that battery jars crack fairly easily. Battery jars should be gently eased into place, never dropped in. When placing jars on the floor for staging, be sure that the floor is completely clean. Placing a battery jar onto any small objects that might be on the floor can easily cause the jar to crack, resulting in battery acid leakage. Soft padding placed on the staging floor is also helpful.

Finally, special precautions must be made when transporting batteries. Cracked or broken battery jars must be contained within an acceptable, acid resistant, and leak proof container. Transport vehicles must bear proper hazardous waste signage, contain a copy of the MSDS sheet for the battery, and be equipped with proper safety equipment.

Spent or damaged batteries must also be correctly disposed of per the applicable EPA and state guidelines. Documentation of the proper disposal of the battery must also be maintained according to state and federal environmental regulations.

SUMMARYBattery work poses many special hazards. Workers must always

be acutely aware of these hazards by keeping the following points in mind whenever undertaking battery work:

• Gain a solid understanding of batteries by reading the available standards

• Ensure that the battery area is safe and contains all of the required safety equipment

• Be properly prepared for battery work by performing daily job briefings and by wearing and using proper PPE

• Be especially aware of the batteries’ exposed terminals and the hazards they pose

• Ensure that the batteries themselves remain safe by performing regular inspections

• When installing or replacing batteries, be prepared for the special hazards associated with lifting and handling batteries

Stephen Canale has worked in the electrical industry for over 32 years, specializing in backup and emergency power Systems. He holds degrees and certifications in digital electronics, project management, and software development.

For the past 12 years Stephen has worked as Special Projects Manager for American

Electrical Testing, Inc. He also spent 10 years as Director of Field Operations for a major data center design/build firm, and has worked as a field engineer for several uninterruptible power system manufacturers.

Stephen is also lead developer and owner of ePowerForms, a software application used for collecting and managing electrical testing data.

57Safety Handbook

PERFORMING PERSONAL AUDITS

Personnel inspections, assessments, evaluations, or audits all intend to accomplish the same task, an evaluation of work performance. These observations can be performed within any level of a company and should be inclusive of all departments and skill levels. To ensure impartial results, some companies hire an outside entity to perform these inspections for them. In most cases, companies choose to have a member of the management team conduct the observation with certain standards and expectations in mind. For example, the frequency of the inspection and proof checking to be done by a third party or safety manager.

OSHA requires the employee be observed performing the lockout / tagout procedures annually. OSHA specifically states under 29 Code of Federal Regulations 1910.147 when this verification is required. It is slightly varied for each of the different industries that OSHA regulates. Two specific regulations that pertain directly to electrical testing are 1910.147, applicable in commercial type installations, and 1910.269 specifically regulates the operation and maintenance of electric power generation, control, transformation, transmission, and distribution lines and equipment.

1910.147 requires that employers observe that procedures are being correctly followed by the employee(s) performing the lockout / tagout. Refer to excerpts below:

1910.147(c)(6) Periodic inspection.

1910.147(c)(6)(i) The employer shall conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirements of this standard are being followed.

1910.147(c)(6)(i)(A) The periodic inspection shall be performed by an authorized employee other than the ones(s) utilizing the energy control procedure being inspected.

1910.147(c)(6)(i)(B)The periodic inspection shall be conducted to correct any deviations or inadequacies identified.

1910.147(c)(6)(i)(C) Where lockout is used for energy control, the periodic inspection shall include a review, between the inspector and each authorized employee, of that employee’s responsibilities under the energy control procedure being inspected.

1910.147(c)(6)(i)(D) Where tagout is used for energy control, the periodic inspection shall include a review, between the inspector and each authorized and affected employee, of that employee’s responsibilities under the energy control procedure being inspected, and the elements set forth in paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of this section.

1910.147(c)(6)(ii)The employer shall certify that the periodic inspections have been performed. The certification shall identify the machine or equipment on which the energy control procedure was being utilized, the date of the inspection, the employees included in the inspection, and the person performing the inspection.

We can see that the 1910.269 standard does not differ greatly from 1910.147 in its requirements by taking a look at the excerpt below.

1910.269(a)(2)(ii)(D)The proper use of the special precautionary techniques, personal protective equipment, insulating and shielding materials, and insulated tools for working on or near exposed energized parts of electric equipment.

Note: For the purposes of this section, a person must have this training in order to be considered a qualified person.

1910.269(a)(2)(iii)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 section.

OSHA states that it is a requirement for the company to inspect and certify that employees are properly performing lockout/tagout. Incorporating this certification as part of a field assessment or observation meets the above standard. There are other required observations that are dependent upon the task and industry. Another example of a task that requires a documented observation is the operation of a fork truck. Please check www.osha.gov as a guide in determining what applies.

Personnel audits can be tailored for field service companies and can encompass such duties as proper use of protective and

NETA World, Winter 2012 Issue by Paul Chamberlain, American Electrical Testing Co.

OSHA requires the employee be observed performing the lockout / tagout procedures annually.

Safety Handbook58

cautionary flagging and tagging. In some instances a client may have a different procedure for this, so it would be good policy to ensure that employees not only follow their company’s policy, but where applicable, follow the client’s policy. The default course of action in this type of scenario is to play it safe and follow the more stringent policy. The observer would need to know what the client requirements are prior to performing the observation.

The auditor should also be familiar with the procedure that they are observing. In some cases, he or she may even be considered an expert in the task. If this is the case, then perhaps the auditor can give direction and add to the employee’s knowledge of the task by observing and critiquing. Being knowledgeable in the procedure can also help the auditor identify when a procedure is being performed incorrectly. We all develop bad habits, and in a lot of cases we are unaware of them. So if the auditor is knowledgeable of the correct procedure and notices the employee performing it in a different or incorrect manner, the auditor can correct the task prior to it causing an incident.

An obvious benefit to conducting field inspections and observations is ensuring that the employees use the correct personal protective equipment otherwise known as PPE. The manager should inspect the PPE to ensure that it is worn at the appropriate time and location, and that the PPE is in serviceable condition.

Inspection of the general work environment is a benefit to the company and the manager. Even though a lead technician or foreman may be conducting a prejob briefing inspection daily, he can still miss something that needs correction. Having someone who can lend a fresh set of eyes to the area can help identify potential problems or issues that could contribute to lost production or an injury.

During a personnel audit, the inspector should make it a point to ask the employees thought provoking questions for honest feedback.

Is there anything that the company could do to make the job easier, safer, or better?

Does the equipment assigned to the project work correctly?

Do you have the right tools for the job?

Can you see the need for any additional PPE or tools to perform this task?

The answers to these questions can sometimes be challenging or even ludicrous, but occasionally a question can shed light on a brilliant idea and possibly become the catalyst to revolutionize a task. If the employee gives a good answer, consider rewarding the employee for the contribution and give credit where due. Comment on the safe behaviors you observed. Discuss with the employee any consequences of unsafe acts and safer ways to do the job.

Conducting field observations ensures that employees are

following company policies and procedures such as vehicle safety and driving policies. Basic safety such as wearing seatbelts, inspection of vehicles, and not using cell phones while driving are items that should be included on a checklist.

If the company requires a lot of driving, or has federally regulated vehicles, it may be necessary to observe employees while operating the vehicle. This can either be conducted as a ride-along with the employee or follow-along observation. Consider creating a separate form just for these types of observations, since the rules-of-the-road are extensive, and regulations vary depending upon the state in which they operate and the type of vehicle they drive.

Face time with field personnel is beneficial on its own. Having the manager get out into the field will increase communication with employees and show support and commitment from the management team. This in turn will potentially make the job more productive. The best way a manager can ensure he makes the time available to perform personnel audits is to schedule it. The best way a company can ensure that it gets done is to mandate it and reward those that meet or exceed the requirement.

In summary, there are many obvious advantages to performing site inspections, assessments, evaluations, and audits. They boost morale, prevent injuries, and can be used to satisfy regulatory requirements. Inspectors should be knowledgeable in the scope of work, make time to get out into the field, be able to match the face to the name and give praise when it is due while at the same time ensuring proper procedures are being followed and equipment is in good working order and being used correctly. Audit forms such as these can go a long way in improving a company’s safety culture. Keep a record of these audits in a secure place for future reference.

Paul Chamberlain has been the Safety Manager for American Electrical Testing Company Inc. since 2009. He has been in the safety field for the past 12 years, working for various companies and in various industries. He received a Bachelors of Science Degree from Massachusetts

Safety Handbook59

NETA Accredited Companies Valid as of January 1, 2014

For NETA Accredited Company List Updates Visit www.netaworld.org

For additional information on NETA visit netaworld.org For additional information on NETA visit netaworld.org

Ensuring Safety and ReliabilityTrust in a NETA Accredited Company to provide independent, third-party electrical testing to the highest standard, the ANSI/NETA Standards.

NETA has been connecting engineers, architects, facility managers, and users of electrical power equipment and systems with NETA Accredited Companies since1972.

United StateSAlAbAmA

AMP Quality Energy Services, LLC 4220 West Schrimsher SW, Site W1 PO Box 526 Huntsville, AL 35804(256) 513-8255 [email protected] Rodgers Utility Service Corporation 4614 Commercial Dr. NWHuntsville, AL 35816-2201(256) 837-8400 Fax: (256) [email protected] D. Peterson

ArizonA

ABM Electrical Power Solutions 3602 East Southern Ave., Suite 1 & 2 Phoenix, AZ 85040(602) 796-6583www.abm.com Jeff Militello

American Electrical Testing Co., Inc. 12566 W. Indianola Ave.Avondale, AZ 85392(480) [email protected] Madaglia

Electric Power Systems, Inc.557 E. Juanita Ave., #4Mesa, AZ 85204 (480) 633-1490 Fax: (480) 633-7092www.eps-international.com

Electrical Reliability Services 1775 W. University Dr., Suite 128Tempe, AZ 85281(480) 966-4568 Fax: (480) 966-4569www.electricalreliability.com

Hampton Tedder Technical Services 3747 West Roanoke Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85009(480) 967-7765 Fax:(480) 967-7762 www.hamptontedder.com

Southwest Energy Systems, LLC 2231 East Jones Ave., Suite A Phoenix, AZ 85040(602) 438-7500 Fax: (602) 438-7501 [email protected] www.southwestenergysystems.com Robert Sheppard

Western Electrical Services, Inc.5680 South 32nd St. Phoenix, AZ 85040(602) 426-1667 Fax: (253) 891-1511carcher@westernelectricalservices.comwww.westernelectricalservices.com Craig Archer

CAliforniA

ABM Electrical Power Solutions720 S. Rochester Ave., Suite AOntario, CA 91761 (951) 522-8855 Fax: (909) 937-6798www.abm.comBen Thomas

Apparatus Testing and Engineering 7083 Commerce Cir., Suite H Pleasanton,CA 94588 (925) 454-1363 Fax: (925) [email protected] (Jerry) Carr

Apparatus Testing and EngineeringPO Box 984Folsom, CA 95763-0984(916) 853-6280 Fax: (916) [email protected] James Lawler

Applied Engineering Concepts1105 N. Allen Ave.Pasadena, CA 91104(626) 398-3052 Fax: (626) [email protected] Castonguay

Electrical Reliability Services5810 Van Allen WayCarlsbad, CA 92008 (760) 804-2972 www.electricalreliability.com

Electrical Reliability Services6900 Koll Center Pkwy., Suite 415 Pleasanton, CA 94566 (925) 485-3400 Fax: (925) 485-3436 www.electricalreliability.com

Electrical Reliability Services10606 Bloomfield Ave.Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670(562) 236-9555 Fax: (562) 777-8914www.electricalreliability.com

Hampton Tedder Technical Services 4571 State St.Montclair, CA 91763 (909) 628-1256 x214 Fax: (909) [email protected] Tedder

Industrial Tests, Inc.4021 Alvis Ct., Suite 1Rocklin, CA 95677(916) 296-1200 Fax: (916) 632-0300 [email protected] Poole

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For additional information on NETA visit netaworld.org

Pacific Power Testing, Inc.14280 Doolittle Dr.San Leandro, CA 94577 (510) 351-8811 Fax: (510) 351-6655steve@pacificpowertesting.comwww.pacificpowertesting.comSteve Emmert

Power Systems Testing Co. 4688 W. Jennifer Ave., Suite 108Fresno, CA 93722 (559) 275-2171 x15 Fax: (559) [email protected] Huffman

Power Systems Testing Co.6736 Preston Ave., Suite ELivermore, CA 94551(510) 783-5096 Fax: (510) 732-9287 www.powersystemstesting.com

Power Systems Testing Co.600 S. Grand Ave., Suite 113Santa Ana, CA 92705-4152(714) 542-6089 Fax: (714) 542-0737 www.powersystemstesting.com

POWER Testing and Energization, Inc. 731 E. Ball Rd., Suite 100Anaheim , CA 92805(714) 507-2702 www.powerte.com

Tony Demaria Electric, Inc. 131 West F St.Wilmington, CA 90744(310) 816-3130 x111Fax: (310) [email protected] Demaria

ColorAdoElectric Power Systems, Inc.6753 E. 47th Avenue Dr., Unit DDenver, CO 80216(720) 857-7273 Fax: (303) 928-8020 www.eps-international.com

Electrical Reliability Services7100 Broadway, Suite 7E Denver, CO 80221-2915(303) 427-8809 Fax: (303) 427-4080 www.electricalreliability.com

Magna IV Engineering96 Inverness Dr. East, Unit REnglewood, CO 80112(303) 799-1273 Fax: (303) [email protected] Aric Proskurniak

Precision Testing Group5475 Hwy. 86, Unit 1 Elizabeth, CO 80107 (303) 621-2776 Fax: (303) [email protected] Glenn Stuckey ConneCtiCut

Advanced Testing Systems 15 Trowbridge Dr.Bethel, CT 06801 (203) 743-2001 Fax: (203) [email protected] www.advtest.com Pat MacCarthy

American Electrical Testing Co., Inc.34 Clover Dr.South Windsor, CT 06074(860) 648-1013 Fax: (781) 821-0771 [email protected] Poulin

EPS Technology29 N. Plains Hwy., Suite 12Wallingford, CT 06492(203) 679-0145 www.eps-technology.com

High Voltage Maintenance Corp.150 North Plains Industrial Rd.Wallingford, CT 06492(203) 949-2650 Fax: (203) 949-2646 www.hvmcorp.com

Southern New England Electrical Testing, LLC3 Buel St., Suite 4Wallingford, CT 06492(203) 269-8778 Fax: (203) 269-8775 [email protected] Asplund, Sr.

floridAC.E. Testing, Inc. 6148 Tim Crews Rd.Macclenny, FL 32063(904) 653-1900 Fax: (904) [email protected] Chapman

Electric Power Systems, Inc.4436 Parkway Commerce Blvd.Orlando, FL 32808(407) 578-6424 Fax: (407) 578-6408 www.eps-international.com

Electrical Reliability Services11000 Metro Pkwy., Suite 30 Ft. Myers, FL 33966 (239) 693-7100 Fax: (239) 693-7772 www.electricalreliability.com Industrial Electric Testing, Inc.201 NW 1st Ave.Hallandale, FL 33009-4029(954) 456-7020 www.industrialelectrictesting.com

Industrial Electric Testing, Inc.11321 West Distribution Ave.Jacksonville, FL 32256(904) 260-8378 Fax: (904) 260-0737gbenzenberg@bellsouth.netwww.industrialelectrictesting.com Gary Benzenberg

Industrial Electronics Group850369 Highway 17 South PO Box 1870Yulee, FL 32041(904) 225-9529 Fax: (904) [email protected] E. Teal

GeorGiAElectrical Equipment Upgrading, Inc. 21 Telfair Pl.Savannah, GA 31415(912) 232-7402 Fax: (912) [email protected] Miller

Electrical Reliability Services2275 Northwest Pkwy. SE, Suite 180 Marietta, GA 30067(770) 541-6600 Fax: (770) 541-6501 www.electricalreliability.com

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Electrical Testing, Inc.2671 Cedartown Hwy.Rome, GA 3016-6791(706) 234-7623 Fax: (706) 236-9028 [email protected]

Nationwide Electrical Testing, Inc.6050 Southard TraceCumming, GA 30040(770) 667-1875 Fax: (770) [email protected] B. Bagle

illinois

Dude Electrical Testing, LLC 145 Tower Dr., Suite 9Burr Ridge, IL 60527(815) 293-3388 Fax: (815) [email protected] Dude

Electric Power Systems, Inc.23823 Andrew Rd.Plainfield, IL 60585(815) 577-9515 Fax: (815) 577-9516 www.eps-international.com

High Voltage Maintenance Corp. 941 Busse Rd. Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 (847) 640-0005www.hvmcorp.com

PRIT Service, Inc. 112 Industrial Dr. PO Box 606 Minooka, IL 60447(815) 467-5577 Fax: (815) 467-5883 [email protected] Hageman

indiAnA

American Electrical Testing Co., Inc. 4032 Park 65 Dr.Indianapolis, IN 46254(317) 487-2111 Fax: (781) 821-0771 [email protected] Canale

Electrical Maintenance & Testing Inc. 12342 Hancock St.Carmel, IN 46032 (317) 853-6795 Fax: (317) [email protected] K. Borst

High Voltage Maintenance Corp.8320 Brookville Rd., #EIndianapolis, IN 46239(317) 322-2055 Fax: (317) 322-2056 www.hvmcorp.com

iowA

Shermco Industries2100 Dixon St., Suite CDes Moines, IA 50316(515) 263-8482 [email protected] Hamrick

Shermco Industries796 11th St. Marion, IA 52302(319) 377-3377 Fax: (319) [email protected] Hamrick

louisiAnA

Electric Power Systems, Inc.1129 East Hwy. 30Gonzalez, LA 70737(225) 644-0150 Fax: (225) 644-6249www.eps-international.com

Electrical Reliability Services14141 Airline Hwy., Building 1, Suite XBaton Rouge, LA 70817(225) 755-0530 Fax: (225) 751-5055www.electricalreliability.com

Electrical Reliability Services9636 St. Vincent, Unit AShreveport, LA 71106(318) 869-4244www.electricalreliabilty.com

Electrical Reliability Services121 E. Hwy108Sulphur, LA 70665(337) 583-2411 Fax: (337) 583-2410 www.electricalreliability.com

Tidal Power Services, LLC8184 Hwy. 44, Suite 105 Gonzales, LA 70737 (225) 644-8170 Fax: (225) 644-8215darryn.kimbrough@tidalpowerservices.comwww.tidalpowerservices.comDarryn Kimbrough

Tidal Power Services, LLC 1056 Mosswood Dr.Sulphur, LA 70663 (337) 558-5457 Fax: (337) 558-5305steve.drake@tidalpowerservices.comwww.tidalpowerservices.com Steve Drake

mAine

Electric Power Systems, Inc.56 Bibber Pkwy., #1Brunswick, ME 04011(207) 837-6527www.eps-international.com

Three-C Electrical Co., Inc.72 Sanford DriveGorham, ME 04038(800) 649-6314 Fax: (207) [email protected] Cialdea

mArylAnd

ABM Electrical Power Solutions 3700 Commerce Dr., #901- 903 Baltimore, MD 21227(410) 247-3300 Fax: (410) 247-0900www.abm.com Bill Hartman

ABM Electrical Power Solutions4390 Parliament Pl., Suite QLanham, MD 20706(301) 967-3500 Fax: (301) 735-8953 www.abm.com Frank Ceci

Harford Electrical Testing Co., Inc. 1108 Clayton Rd.Joppa, MD 21085 (410) 679-4477 Fax: (410) [email protected] Biondino

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High Voltage Maintenance Corp.9305 Gerwig Ln., Suite BColumbia, MD 21046(410) 309-5970 Fax: (410) 309-0220 www.hvmcorp.com

Potomac Testing, Inc.1610 Professional Blvd., Suite ACrofton, MD 21114(301) 352-1930 Fax: (301) 352-1936 [email protected] Bassett

Reuter & Hanney, Inc.11620 Crossroads Cir., Suites D - EMiddle River, MD 21220 (410) 344-0300 Fax: (410) 335-4389 www.reuterhanney.comMichael Jester

mAssAChusettsAmerican Electrical Testing Co., Inc.480 Neponset St., Bldg. 6Canton, MA 02021-1970(781) 821-0121 Fax: (781) 821-0771 [email protected] A. Blizard

High Voltage Maintenance Corp. 24 Walpole Park South Dr. Walpole, MA 02081(508) 668-9205 www.hvmcorp.com

Infra-Red Building and Power Service152 Centre St.Holbrook, MA 02343-1011 (781) 767-0888 Fax: (781) 767-3462 [email protected] www.infraredbps.comThomas McDonald Sr.

Three-C Electrical Co., Inc.40 Washington StreetWestborough, MA 01581(508) 881-3911 Fax: (508) 881-4814 [email protected] Cialdea

miChiGAnDYMAX Service Inc.46918 Liberty Dr. Wixom, MI 48393 (248) 313-6868 Fax: (248) 313-6869 www.dymaxservice.comBruce Robinson

Electric Power Systems, Inc.11861 Longsdorf St.Riverview, MI 48193 (734) 282-3311www.eps-international.com

High Voltage Maintenance Corp. 24371 Catherine Industrial Dr., Suite 207Novi, MI 48375 (248) 305-5596 Fax: (248) 305-5579 www.hvmcorp.com

Northern Electrical Testing, Inc.1991 Woodslee Dr.Troy, MI 48083-2236(248) 689-8980 Fax: (248) 689-3418 [email protected] www.northerntesting.comLyle Detterman

POWER PLUS Engineering, Inc. 46575 Magallan Dr.Novi, MI 48377(248) 344-0200 Fax: (248) 305-9105 [email protected] Mancuso

Powertech Services, Inc.4095 South Dye Rd.Swartz Creek, MI 48473-1570(810) 720-2280 Fax: (810) 720-2283 [email protected] www.powertechservices.com Kirk Dyszlewski

Utilities Instrumentation Service, Inc.2290 Bishop Circle EastDexter, MI 48130 (734) 424-1200 Fax: (734) [email protected] www.uiscorp.comGary E. Walls

minnesotA

DYMAX Holdings, Inc.4751 Mustang Cir.St. Paul, MN 55112(763) 717-3150 Fax: (763) 784-5397 [email protected] www.dymaxservice.com Gene Philipp

High Voltage Service, Inc.4751 Mustang Cir.St. Paul, MN 55112(763) 717-3103 Fax: (763) 784-5397www.hvserviceinc.comMike Mavetz

missouri

Electric Power Systems, Inc.6141 Connecticut Ave.Kansas City, MO 64120(816) 241-9990 Fax: (816) 241-9992 www.eps-international.com

Electric Power Systems, Inc.21 Millpark Ct.Maryland Heights, MO 63043-3536 (314) 890-9999 Fax:(314) 890-9998 www.eps-international.com

Electrical Reliability Services348 N.W. Capital Dr. Lees Summit, MO 64086 (816) 525-7156 Fax: (816) 524-3274 www.electricalreliability.com

nevAdA

ABM Electrical Power Solutions6280 South Valley View Blvd., Suite 618Las Vegas, NV 89118(702) 216-0982 Fax: (702) 216-0983 www.abm.com Jeff Militello

Control Power Concepts353 Pilot Rd, Suite BLas Vegas, NV [email protected] Fettig

Electrical Reliability Services6351 Hinson St., Suite BLas Vegas, NV 89118 (702) 597-0020 Fax: (702) 597-0095 www.electricalreliability.com

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Electrical Reliability Services1380 Greg St., Suite 217Sparks, NV 89431 (775) 746-8484 Fax: (775) 356-5488 www.electricalreliability.com

Hampton Tedder Technical Services 4920 Alto Ave.Las Vegas, NV 89115 (702) 452-9200 Fax: (702) 453-5412 www.hamptontedder.comRoger Cates

new hAmpshire

Electric Power Systems, Inc.915 Holt Ave., Unit 9Manchester, NH 03109 (603) 657-7371 Fax: (603) 657-7370 www.eps-international.com

new Jersey

American Electrical Testing Co., Inc. 50 Intervale Rd., Suite 1Boonton, NJ 07005(973) 316-1180 Fax: (781) 316-1181 [email protected] Somol

Eastern High Voltage11A South Gold Dr.Robbinsville, NJ 08691-1606(609) 890-8300 Fax: (609) 588-8090 [email protected] www.easternhighvoltage.comJoseph Wilson

High Energy Electrical Testing, Inc.515 S. Ocean Ave.Seaside Park, NJ 08752(732) 938-2275 Fax: (732) 938-2277 [email protected] www.highenergyelectric.com Charles Blanchard

Longo Electrical-Mechanical, Inc.1625 Pennsylvania Ave.Linden, NJ 07036(908) 925-2900 Fax: (908) [email protected] Longo

Longo Electrical-Mechanical, Inc.One Harry Shupe Blvd., Box 511Wharton, NJ 07855(973) 537-0400 Fax: (973) [email protected] Longo

M&L Power Systems, Inc.109 White Oak Ln., Suite 82 Old Bridge, NJ 08857(732) 679-1800 Fax: (732) 679-9326 [email protected] Bagle

Scott Testing Inc.1698 5th St.Ewing, NJ 08638(609) 882-2400 Fax: (609) 882-5660 [email protected] Sorbello

Trace Electrical Services & Testing, LLC293 Whitehead Rd.Hamilton, NJ 08619(609) 588-8666 Fax: (609) 588-8667 [email protected] Vasta

new mexiCo

Electric Power Systems, Inc. 8515 Cella Alameda NE, Suite A Albuquerque, NM 87113 (505) 792-7761 www.eps-international.com

Electrical Reliability Services8500 Washington Pl. NE, Suite A-6Albuquerque, NM 87113 (505) 822-0237 Fax: (505) 822-0217 www.electricalreliability.com

new york

A&F Electrical Testing, Inc.80 Lake Ave. S., Suite 10Nesconset, NY 11767 (631) 584-5625 Fax: (631) 584-5720 [email protected] Kevin Chilton

A&F Electrical Testing, Inc.80 Broad St., 5th FloorNew York, NY 10004 (631) 584-5625 Fax: (631) 584-5720 [email protected] www.afelectricaltesting.com Florence Chilton

American Electrical Testing Co., Inc. 76 Cain Dr.Brentwood, NY 11717 (631) 617-5330 Fax: (631) 630-2292 [email protected] Schacker

Elemco Services, Inc.228 Merrick Rd.Lynbrook, NY 11563 (631) 589-6343 Fax: (631) 589-6670 [email protected] O’Brien

High Voltage Maintenance Corp.1250 Broadway, Suite 2300New York, NY 10001 (718) 239-0359 www.hvmcorp.com

HMT, Inc.6268 Route 31Cicero, NY 13039 (315) 699-5563 Fax: (315) 699-5911 [email protected] Pertgen

north CArolinAABM Electrical Power Solutions3600 Woodpark Blvd., Suite GCharlotte, NC 28206(704) 273-6257 Fax: (704) [email protected] Goins

ABM Electrical Power Solutions5805 G Departure Dr. Raleigh, NC 27616(919) 877-1008 Fax: (919) 501-7492 www.abm.com Rob Parton

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ELECT, P.C.7400-G Siemens Rd. PO Box 2080 Wendell, NC 27591 (919) 365-9775 Fax: (919) [email protected] W. Tyndall

Electric Power Systems, Inc.319 US Hwy. 70 E, Unit EGarner, NC 27529(919) 322-2670www.eps-international.com

Electrical Reliability Services6135 Lakeview Road, Suite 500Charlotte, NC 28269(704) 441-1497www.electricalreliability.com

Power Products & Solutions, Inc.12465 Grey Commercial Rd. Midland, NC 28107 (704) 573-0420 x12 Fax: (704) 573-3693 [email protected] www.powerproducts.biz Ralph Patterson

Power Test, Inc.2200 Hwy. 49Harrisburg, NC 28075 (704) 200-8311 Fax: (704) 455-7909 [email protected] Walker

ohioCE Power Solutions, LLC4500 W. Mitchell Ave.Cincinnati, OH 45232 (513) 563-6150 Fax: (513) 563-6120 [email protected] Harris

DYMAX Service, Inc.4213 Kropf Ave. Canton, OH 44706 (330) 484-6801 Fax: (740) 333-1271 www.dymaxservice.comGary Swank

Electric Power Systems, Inc.2601 Center Rd., #101Hinckley, OH 44233 (330) 460-3706 Fax: (330) 460-3708 www.eps-international.com

Electrical Reliability Services610 Executive Campus Dr.Westerville, OH 43082 (877) 468-6384 Fax: (614) [email protected] www.electricalreliability.com

High Voltage Maintenance Corp.5100 Energy Dr.Dayton, OH 45414 (937) 278-0811 Fax: (937) 278-7791www.hvmcorp.com

High Voltage Maintenance Corp.7200 Industrial Park Blvd. Mentor, OH 44060 (440) 951-2706 Fax: (440) 951-6798 www.hvmcorp.com

Power Services, LLC998 Dimco Way, PO Box 750066Centerville, OH 45475 (937) 439-9660 Fax: (937) 439-9611 [email protected] Beucler

Power Solutions Group, Ltd.670 Lakeview Plaza Blvd. Columbus, OH 43085(614) [email protected] www.powersolutionsgroup.comStuart Spohn

Power Solutions Group, Ltd.425 W. Kerr Rd.Tipp City, OH 45371 (937) 506-8444 Fax: (937) 506-8434bwilloughby@powersolutionsgroup.comwww.powersolutionsgroup.com Barry Willoughby

oklAhomA

Shermco Industries1357 N. 108th E. Ave.Tulsa, OK 74116 (918) 234-2300 [email protected] Harrison

oreGon

Electrical Reliability Services4099 SE International Way, Suite 201 Milwaukie, OR 97222-8853(503) 653-6781 Fax: (503) 659-9733 www.electricalreliability.com

Taurus Power & Controls, Inc.9999 SW Avery St.Tualatin, OR 97062-9517 (503) 692-9004 Fax: (503) 692-9273 [email protected] www.tauruspower.comRob Bulfinch

pennsylvAniA

ABM Electrical Power Solutions710 Thomson Park Dr.Cranberry Township, PA 16066-6427 (724) 772-4638 Fax: (724) [email protected] (Pete) McKenzie

American Electrical Testing Co., Inc. Green Hills Commerce Center5925 Tilghman St., Suite 200Allentown, PA 18104(215) 219-6800 [email protected] Munley

Burlington Electrical Testing Co., Inc.300 Cedar Ave.Croydon, PA 19021-6051(215) 826-9400 x221 Fax: (215) [email protected] P. Cleary

Electric Power Systems, Inc.1090 Montour West Industrial Blvd. Coraopolis, PA 15108 (412) 276-4559www.eps-international.com

Electric Power Systems, Inc.2495 Boulevard of the Generals Norristown, PA 19403 (610) 630-0286www.eps-international.com

EnerG Test204 Gale Lane, Bldg. 2 – 2nd FloorKennett Square, PA 19348(484) 731-0200 Fax: (484) [email protected] Bleiler

High Voltage Maintenance Corp.355 Vista Park Dr.Pittsburgh, PA 15205-1206 (412) 747-0550 Fax: (412) 747-0554 www.hvmcorp.com

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Longo Electrical-Mechanical, Inc.1400 F Adams RoadBensalem, PA 19020(215) 638-1333 Fax: (215) [email protected] Longo

North Central Electric, Inc. 69 Midway Ave.Hulmeville, PA 19047-5827 (215) 945-7632 Fax: (215) 945-6362 [email protected] Messina

Reuter & Hanney, Inc.149 Railroad Dr. Northampton Industrial ParkIvyland, PA 18974 (215) 364-5333 Fax: (215) 364-5365 [email protected] Michael Reuter

south CArolinA

Power Products & Solutions, Inc.13 Jenkins Ct.Mauldin, SC 29662(800) 328-7382 [email protected] www.powerproducts.bizRaymond Pesaturo

Power Solutions Group, Ltd.135 Old School House Rd. Piedmont, SC 29673 (864) 845-1084 Fax: (864) [email protected] www.powersolutionsgroup.com Frank Crawford

tenneseeElectric Power Systems, Inc.146 Space Park Dr.Nashville, TN 37211(615) 834-0999 Fax: (615) 834-0129 www.eps-international.com

Electrical & Electronic Controls6149 Hunter Rd.Ooltewah, TN 37363 (423) 344-7666 x23 Fax: (423) [email protected] Michael Hughes

Power & Generation Testing, Inc.480 Cave Rd. Nashville, TN 37210 (615) 882-9455 Fax: (615) 882-9591 [email protected] Ramieh

texAsAbsolute Testing Services, Inc.6829 Guhn Rd.Houston, TX 77040(832) 467-4446 Fax: (713) 849-3885 [email protected] www.texasats.comRichard Gamble

Electric Power Systems, Inc.4100 Greenbriar Dr., Suite 160 Stafford, TX 77477(713) 644-5400www.eps-international.com

Electrical Reliability Services1057 Doniphan Park Cir., Suite AEl Paso, TX 79922 (915) 587-9440 Fax: (915) 587-9010 www.electricalreliability.com

Electrical Reliability Services1426 Sens Rd., Suite 5 Houston, TX 77571 (281) 241-2800 Fax: (281) 241-2801 www.electricalreliability.com

Grubb Engineering, Inc.3128 Sidney BrooksSan Antonio, TX 78235(210) 658-7250 Fax: (210) [email protected] Robert D. Grubb Jr.

National Field Services649 Franklin St.Lewisville,TX 75057 (972) 420-0157 www.natlfield.comEric Beckman

Power Engineering Services, Inc.9179 Shadow Creek Ln.Converse,TX 78109 (210) 590-4936 Fax: (210) 590-6214 [email protected] R. Engelke

Saber Power Systems9841 Saber Power LaneRosharon, TX 77583(713) [email protected] Taylor

Shermco Industries33002 FM 2004Angleton , TX 77515(979) 848-1406 Fax: (979) [email protected] www.shermco.com Malcom Frederick

Shermco Industries1705 Hur Industrial Blvd. Cedar Park, TX 78613 (512) 267-4800 Fax: (512) [email protected] Ewing

Shermco Industries2425 E. Pioneer Dr.Irving, TX 75061(972) 793-5523 Fax: (972) 793-5542 [email protected] Widup

Shermco Industries12000 Network Blvd., Bldg. D, Suite 410San Antonio, TX 78249(512) 267-4800 Fax: (512) [email protected] Kevin Ewing Tidal Power Services, LLC4202 Chance Ln.Rosharon, TX 77583(281) 710-9150 Fax: (713) 583-1216 [email protected] www.tidalpowerservices.com Monty C. Janak

utAhElectrical Reliability Services3412 South 1400 West, Unit AWest Valley City, UT 84119 (801) 975-6461 www.electricalreliability.com

Western Electrical Services, Inc.3676 W. California Ave.,#C-106Salt Lake City, UT 84104rcoomes@westernelectricalservices.comwww.westernelectricalservices.com Rob Coomes

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virGiniA

ABM Electrical Power Solutions814 Greenbrier Cir., Suite E Chesapeake, VA 23320(757) 548-5690 Fax: (757) 548-5417www.abm.comMark Anthony Gaughan, III

Electric Power Systems, Inc.827 Union St. Salem, VA 24153 (540) 375-0084 Fax: (540) 375-0094www.eps-international.com

Potomac Testing, Inc.11179 Hopson Rd., Suite 5 Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-7334 Fax: (804) 798-7456 www.potomactesting.com

Reuter & Hanney, Inc.4270-I Henninger Ct.Chantilly, VA 20151 (703) 263-7163 Fax: (703) 263-1478 www.reuterhanney.com

wAshinGton

Electrical Reliability Services2222 West Valley Hwy. N., Suite 160 Auburn, WA 98001 (253) 736-6010 Fax: (253) 736-6015 www.electricalreliability.com

POWER Testing and Energization, Inc.22035 70th Ave. SouthKent, WA 98032 (253) 872-7747 www.powerte.com

POWER Testing and Energization, Inc.14006 NW 3rd Ct., Suite 101Vancouver, WA 98685(360) 597-2800 Fax: (360) 576-7182 [email protected] www.powerte.comChris Zavadlov

Sigma Six Solutions, Inc.2200 West Valley Hwy., Suite 100 Auburn, WA 98001 (253) 333-9730 Fax: (253) 859-5382 [email protected] White

Taurus Power & Controls, Inc.6617 S. 193rd Pl., Suite P104Kent, WA 98032(425) 656-4170 Fax: (425) 656-4172 [email protected] Lightner

Western Electrical Services, Inc.14311 29th St. EastSumner, WA 98390(253) 891-1995 Fax: (253) 891-1511dhook@westernelectricalservices.comwww.westernelectricalservices.comDan Hook

Western Electrical Services, Inc.4510 NE 68th Dr., Suite 122 Vancouver, WA 98661 (888) 395-2021 Fax: (253) 891-1511 [email protected] www.westernelectricalservices.comTony Asciutto

wisConsin

CE Power Solutions of Wisconsin, LLC3100 East Enterprise Ave.Appleton, WI 54913(920) 968-0281 Fax: (920) 968-0282 [email protected] Fulton

Electrical Energy Experts, Inc.W129N10818, Washington Dr.Germantown,WI 53022 (262) 255-5222 Fax: (262) 242-2360 [email protected] www.electricalenergyexperts.com William Styer

Electrical Testing Solutions2909 Green Hill Ct.Oshkosh, WI 54904(920) 420-2986 Fax: (920) [email protected] www.electricaltestingsolutions.comTito Machado

Energis High Voltage Resources, Inc. 1361 Glory Rd.Green Bay, WI 54304(920) 632-7929 Fax: (920) [email protected] www.energisinc.comMick Petzold

High Voltage Maintenance Corp.3000 S. Calhoun Rd.New Berlin, WI 53151 (262) 784-3660 Fax: (262) 784-5124 www.hvmcorp.com

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canada

Magna IV Engineering200, 688 Heritage Dr. SECalgary, AB T2H1M6 Canada(403) 723-0575 Fax: (403) 723-0580 [email protected] Virginia Balitski

Magna IV Engineering1005 Spinney Dr.Dawson Creek, BC V1G 1K1 Canada(780) 462-3111 Fax: (780) [email protected]

Magna IV Engineering1103 Parsons Rd. SW Edmonton, AB T6X 0X2 Canada(780) 462-3111 Fax: (780) [email protected] Balitski

Magna IV Engineering106, 4268 Lozells AveBurnaby, BC VSA 0C6Canada(604) 421-8020

Magna IV Engineering8219D Fraser Ave. Fort McMurray, AB T9H 0A2 Canada (780) 791-3122 Fax: (780) 791-3159 [email protected] Virginia Balitski

Magna IV Engineering1040 Winnipeg St. Regina, SK S4R 8P8 Canada(306) 585-2100 Fax: (306) 585-2191 [email protected] Frostad

Magna Electric Corporation 3430 25th St. NECalgary, AB T1Y 6C1 Canada (403) 769-9300 Fax: (403) 769-9369 [email protected] www.magnaelectric.com Cal Grant

Magna Electric Corporation3731-98 StreetEdmonton, AB T6E 5N2 Canada(780) 436-8831 Fax: (780) [email protected] Granacher

Magna Electric Corporation1033 Kearns Crescent, Box 995Regina, SK S4P 3B2 Canada(306) 949-8131 Fax: (306) 522-9181 [email protected] Heid Magna Electric Corporation851-58th St. EastSaskatoon, SK S7K 6X5 Canada(306) 955-8131 x5 Fax: (306) [email protected] Wilson

Magna Electric Corporation1375 Church Ave.Winnipeg, MB R2X 2T7 Canada (204) 925-4022 Fax: (204) [email protected] www.magnaelectric.comCurtis Brandt

Orbis Engineering Field Services Ltd. #300, 9404 - 41st Ave. Edmonton, AB T6E 6G8 Canada(780) 988-1455 Fax: (780) [email protected] Lorne Gara

Pacific Powertech Inc.#110, 2071 Kingsway Ave. Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 1T2 Canada(604) 944-6697 Fax: (604) 944-1271 [email protected] Josh Conkin

REV Engineering, LTD3236 - 50 Ave. SE Calgary, AB T2B 3A3 Canada(403) 287-0156 Fax: (403) [email protected] Nicholas Davidson, IV

BrUSSelS

Shermco IndustriesBoulevard Saint-Michel 47 1040 Brussels, Brussels, Belgium+32 (0)2 400 00 54 Fax: +32 (0)2 400 00 32 [email protected] Paul Idziak

chileMagna IV EngineeringAvenida del Condor Sur #590Officina 601Huechuraba, Santiago 8580676 Chile +(56) [email protected] Fuentes

PUerto rico

Phasor EngineeringSabaneta Industrial Park #216 Mercedita, Puerto Rico 00715 (787) 844-9366 Fax: (787) 841-6385 [email protected] Rafael Castro

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ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL ELECTRICAL TESTING ASSOCIATION

The InterNational Electrical Testing Association (NETA) is an accredited standards developer for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and defines the standards by which electrical equipment is deemed safe and reliable. NETA Certified Technicians con-duct the tests that ensure this equipment meets the Association’s stringent specifica-tions. NETA is the leading source of specifications, procedures, testing, and requirements, not only for commissioning new equipment but for testing the reliability and performance of existing equipment.

CERTIFICATIONCertification of competency is particularly important in the electrical testing industry. Inherent in the determination of the equipment’s serviceability is the prerequisite that individuals performing the tests be capable of conducting the tests in a safe manner and with com-plete knowledge of the hazards involved. They must also evaluate the test data and make an informed judgment on the continued ser-viceability, deterioration, or nonserviceability of the specific equipment. NETA, a nationally-recognized certification agency, provides recognition of four levels of competency within the electrical testing industry in accordance with ANSI/NETA ETT-2000 Standard for Certification of Electri-cal Testing Technicians.

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE TESTING ORGANIZATIONAn independent overview is the only method of determining the long-term usage of electrical apparatus and its suitability for the

intended purpose. NETA Accredited Companies best support the interest of the owner, as the objectivity and competency of the testing firm is as important as the competency of the individual technician. NETA Accredited Companies are part of an independent, third-party electrical testing associa-tion dedicated to setting world standards in electrical maintenance and acceptance testing. Hiring a NETA Ac-credited Company assures the customer that:

• The NETA Technician has broad-based knowledge — this person is trained to inspect, test, maintain, and calibrate all types of electrical equipment in all types of industries.

• NETA Technicians meet stringent educational and experience requirements in accordance with ANSI/NETA ETT-2000 Standard for Certification of Electrical Testing Technicians.

• A Registered Professional Engineer will review all engineering reports

• All tests will be performed objectively, according to NETA specifications, using cali-brated instruments traceable to the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST).

• The firm is a well-established, full-service electrical testing business.

Setting the Standard

Documents

NETA Handbook Series II - Safety Vol 2-PDF