Arc Flash NPFA 70E 5

Summary

This script outlines safety protocols for jobs involving electrical hazards. It mandates the completion of a job safety plan by a qualified person, which includes a shock risk assessment and identification of protective measures. A job briefing is required to communicate the plan to involved employees, ensuring understanding and addressing concerns. Special considerations are given to tasks requiring a licensed electrician or energized work permits, emphasizing the need for alternative plans and training. The script also discusses the conditions under which work on low-voltage conductors is deemed safe and the importance of work permits in managing risk.

Takeaways

• ⚠️ Before starting electrical work, a job safety plan must be completed and a job briefing conducted with all involved employees.
• 👷‍♂️ The job safety plan should be prepared by a qualified person and include a description of the job, tasks, and identification of electrical hazards.
• 🔍 A shock risk assessment is mandatory, which estimates the likelihood and severity of injury, and determines if additional protective measures are needed.
• 📋 The job briefing should cover the safety plan, energized electrical work permit information, and be conducted just before the work starts.
• 🗣️ The person in charge must communicate job requirements clearly and ensure employees understand the procedures and can voice concerns.
• 🛠️ If tasks require the skills of a licensed electrician, it may be prudent for the electrician to perform the job briefing.
• 🏥 Additional electrical training may be necessary for employees before they perform tasks involving electrical hazards.
• ⚡ Energized work is permitted only if de-energizing introduces more hazards or increased risk, and a justification must be provided.
• 🏥 Consideration for alternative plans is crucial in case of incidents during energized work, especially for critical systems like life support.
• 🔌 Energized electrical conductors and circuit parts operating at less than 50 volts are not required to be de-energized unless they present a thermal or shock hazard.
• 📄 The energized electrical work permit, outlined in NFPA 70E, ensures that responsible decisions are made regarding the increased risk of injury.

Q & A

What is required before starting a job that involves exposure to electrical hazards?

Before starting a job that involves exposure to electrical hazards, a job safety plan must be completed by a qualified person and a job briefing conducted with all employees involved.

Who should complete the job safety plan and what should it include?

The job safety plan should be completed by a qualified person and should be documented. It should include a description of the job, individual tasks, identification of electrical hazards, a shock risk assessment, and determination of additional protective measures including the use of PPE.

What is the purpose of a shock risk assessment?

The shock risk assessment must identify shock hazards, estimate the likelihood and potential severity of injury or health damage, and determine if additional protective measures are required.

What should be covered in the job briefing?

The job briefing should cover the job safety plan, information on the energized electrical work permit if required, and discuss work procedures to ensure all parties understand the procedures before starting the task.

Why is it important for the employee in charge to communicate effectively during the job briefing?

Effective communication during the job briefing is crucial for ensuring that all employees understand what is required of them and for addressing any concerns they may have about the task, procedure, or their safety.

Under what circumstances might a licensed electrician perform the job briefing?

A licensed electrician might perform the job briefing when the tasks involved require the skills of a licensed electrician.

When should the job briefing be performed in relation to the work tasks?

The job briefing should be performed before the work tasks are started, but not so far ahead that the information might be forgotten.

What should be done with the completed job briefing?

The completed job briefing should be sent to the general superintendent and the Safety Director.

What is the purpose of an energized work permit?

An energized work permit ensures that responsible decisions are involved in accepting the increased risk of injury to the employee assigned to the energized electrical work.

What is considered when determining if de-energizing introduces additional hazards or increased risk?

When determining if de-energizing introduces additional hazards or increased risk, consideration should be given to the result of an incident that may occur, not only what equipment failure presents a greater hazard, but also the equipment could be inoperable for considerably longer than during a scheduled outage.

Why might energized work be permitted even when there is a lower voltage?

Energized work may be permitted at lower voltages when it is infeasible to perform diagnostic work without exposing employees to energized conductors and circuit parts, or when the equipment design limitations make de-energizing impractical.

What is the significance of the 50-volt threshold in relation to electrical shock hazards?

Electrical conductors operating at less than 50 volts are not required to be de-energized for the capacity of the source and any overcurrent protection between the energy source and a worker are considered, and it's determined that there will be no increased exposure to electrical burns or explosion due to electric arcs under normal conditions.

Outlines

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🔌 Electrical Safety Protocols and Job Briefings

The paragraph outlines the necessity for a job safety plan and briefing before starting any task involving electrical hazards. A qualified person must complete the safety plan, which should be documented and include a description of the job, tasks, and associated electrical hazards. It also requires a shock risk assessment to identify potential hazards and determine if additional protective measures, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), are needed. The job briefing should cover the safety plan and any necessary permits, ensuring all involved employees understand the procedures and can voice any concerns. The briefing should be conducted by a licensed electrician if the task requires such skills. It is also mentioned that additional electrical training may be necessary, and energized work should only be permitted if de-energizing introduces greater hazards. The decision to perform energized work should consider the potential consequences of incidents and equipment failures, and alternative plans should be in place. The paragraph also discusses the conditions under which electrical conductors operating at less than 50 volts are not considered to present an electrical shock hazard, but may still pose a thermal hazard.

Keywords

💡Job Safety Plan

A Job Safety Plan is a documented strategy that outlines the safety measures to be taken before starting work that involves exposure to hazards, such as electrical work. In the context of the video, it is a crucial component of ensuring worker safety and includes a description of the job, identification of hazards, and risk assessments. The script emphasizes that this plan must be completed by a qualified person and should be documented to cover all aspects of the job and associated tasks.

💡Job Briefing

A Job Briefing is a meeting conducted with employees before starting work tasks to communicate the safety plan and any other relevant safety information. The video script highlights the importance of this briefing in ensuring that all parties understand the procedures and can voice any concerns about safety. It should be conducted close to the start of the work tasks to ensure the information is fresh in the employees' minds.

💡Electrical Hazards

Electrical Hazards refer to the risks associated with exposure to electrical energy, which can lead to injury or death. The script discusses the necessity of identifying these hazards during the job safety planning phase and conducting a shock risk assessment to determine the likelihood and severity of potential injuries.

💡Shock Risk Assessment

A Shock Risk Assessment is a process of identifying shock hazards and estimating the probability and potential severity of electrical shocks during a job. The script mentions that this assessment is a critical part of the job safety plan, as it helps determine if additional protective measures are needed to safeguard workers.

💡Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) includes garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer from injury or infection. In the video's context, PPE is considered as a potential additional protective measure following a shock risk assessment to mitigate the risks identified during electrical work.

💡Energized Electrical Work Permit

An Energized Electrical Work Permit is a document that authorizes work on electrical equipment that is energized. The script explains that this permit is necessary when de-energizing the equipment introduces additional hazards or increased risks, and it ensures that responsible decisions are made about the risk acceptance for the task at hand.

💡De-energizing

De-energizing refers to the process of disconnecting electrical equipment from its power source to make it safe for work. The video script discusses situations where de-energizing might introduce additional hazards, and thus, energized work is permitted instead.

💡Life Support Equipment

Life Support Equipment is machinery or devices that are critical for maintaining life, such as ventilators or heart monitors. The script provides an example where life support equipment might need to remain energized, and alternative plans must be in place to ensure continuity of support in case of an incident.

💡Remote Programming and Monitoring Ports

Remote Programming and Monitoring Ports are interfaces that allow for the control and monitoring of equipment without direct physical contact. The script suggests that if it is feasible to install such ports, the need for employees to be exposed to energized conductors may be reduced, changing the justification for energized work.

💡Thermal Hazard

A Thermal Hazard is a risk of injury due to heat, which can occur even at voltage levels less than 50 volts. The script gives an example of battery installations where an arc from a short-circuit could present a significant thermal hazard, illustrating the need for comprehensive risk assessments beyond just electrical shock considerations.

💡NFPA 70E

NFPA 70E is a standard for electrical safety in the workplace developed by the National Fire Protection Association. The script references NFPA 70E as a source for the job briefing and planning checklist, emphasizing its importance as a guideline for safe work practices involving electrical hazards.

Highlights

Before starting electrical hazard jobs, a job safety plan and briefing are required.

The job safety plan must be completed by a qualified person and documented.

The plan should describe the job, tasks, and identify electrical hazards.

A shock risk assessment is mandatory, estimating the likelihood and severity of injury.

Additional protective measures, including PPE, may be required based on the assessment.

The job briefing should cover the safety plan and information on permits if necessary.

The briefing and planning checklist can be found in NFPA 70E and on ProCorp.

The employee in charge must communicate requirements clearly to involved employees.

A licensed electrician may perform the job briefing if tasks require their skills.

The job briefing should occur before tasks start but not too early to be forgotten.

It should include a discussion of work procedures for full understanding.

Employees should have the opportunity to express safety concerns during the briefing.

Completed job briefings should be sent to the general superintendent and Safety Director.

Additional electrical training may be necessary before performing tasks.

Energized work is permitted where de-energizing introduces additional hazards.

Justification for energized work should consider greater hazards and incident outcomes.

Alternative plans should be in place for incidents during energized work.

Energized work may be infeasible due to equipment design limitations.

Remote programming and monitoring ports can change the feasibility of de-energizing.

Conductors operating at less than 50 volts are not required to be de-energized for shock risk.

Thermal hazards can exist even at less than 50 volts, such as from battery installations.

An energized electrical work permit outlines the process for accepting increased risk.

The work permit ensures responsible decisions are made regarding employee safety.

Transcripts

before starting each job that involves

exposure to electrical hazards the

employee in charge shall complete a job

safety plan and conduct a job briefing

with the employees involved the job

safety plan shall be completed by a

qualified person be documented include a

description of the job and the

individual tasks include identification

of the electrical hazards associated

with each task and include a shock risk

assessment the shock risk assessment

must identify shock hazards estimate the

likelihood of occurrence of injury or

damage to health and the potential

severity of injury or damage to health

and determine if additional protective

measures are required including the use

of PPE the job briefing shall cover the

job safety plan and the information on

the energized electrical work permit if

a permit is required the job briefing

and planning checklist is located in

informative annex I of the NFPA 70e it

can also be found in the safety

reference job on procorp under NFPA 70e

the job briefing and checklist can be

referenced as needed the employee in

charge must be able to communicate what

is required to the employees involved if

the tasks involved required the skills

of a licensed electrician then it might

be wise for the licensed electrician to

perform the job briefing the job

briefing needs to be performed before

the work tasks are started however it

should not be performed so far ahead

that the employee involved might forget

well discovered the job briefing should

include a discussion of the work

procedures so that all parties fully

understand the procedures before

beginning the task the job briefing also

gives employees the opportunity to

express any concerns they have about the

task the procedure and their safety send

the completed job briefing to your

general superintendent and the Safety

Director you should be aware that

additional electrical training may be

necessary before you are put at risk of

an electrical injury if you do not feel

that sufficient training has been

provided to you or that training did not

address your specific concerns you

should express the need for the

appropriate training before performing

the task energized work shall be

permitted where the employer can

demonstrate that de-energizing

introduces additional hazards or

increased risk before authorizing

energized work with a justification of a

greater hazard

consideration should be given to the

result of an incident that may occur not

only what equipment failure presents a

greater hazard but the equipment could

be inoperable for considerably longer

time than during a scheduled outage for

example the proposed justification may

be that life support equipment must

or Donnell energized there must be an

alternative planned if an incident does

occur during repair and the equipment is

rendered inoperative

how will life-support be maintained when

such an event occurs another example is

a hazardous area ventilation system that

may depend on the continuity of

electrical pepper however temporary

ventilation may be available often the

alternative plan provides the reasoning

and ability to conduct it to work D

energized in many situations due to the

equipment design limitations diagnostic

work such as voltage or temperature

measurement troubleshooting and testing

of electrical equipment is infeasible to

reform without the employee being

exposed to energized conductors and

circuit parts with the event of remote

programming and monitoring ports however

what was considered to be infeasible may

have changed if it is feasible to

install a remote programming port to

program a motor controlled center bucket

electronic overload relay open the door

and expose an employ to energized

electrical conductors and circuit parts

may no longer be justified energized

electrical conductors and circuit parts

operate at less than 50 volts shall not

be required to be dinner judged for the

capacity of the source and any

overcurrent protection between the

energy source and a worker are

considered and it's determined that

there will be no increased exposure to

electrical burns or to explosion due to

electric arcs under normal conditions

electrical conductors energize that

voltages less than 50 volts not present

an electrical shock hazard a thermal

hazard can exist in circuits that have a

significant capacity to deliver energy

even when the voltage level is less than

50 volts for instance battery

installations can be connected so that

an arc resulting from a short-circuit

could present a significant thermal

hazard and our flash event could occur

provided there's a large enough battery

even if less than 50 volts or as a

result of a discharge from a capacitor

if an uninsulated wrench is left across

the terminals of a 12 volt battery for

an extended period of time it can become

red-hot and can easily burn skin if

touch without appropriate protection an

energized electrical work permit can be

found in the informative nxj of the NFPA

70e and in the safety reference job on

pro core the purpose of a work permit is

to ensure that people and responsible

decisions are involved in the decision

whether or not to accept the increased

risk of injury to the employee assigned

to the energized electrical

an additional benefit of the work permit

is that its review might initiate a

decision to perform the work

de-energized