NFPA 70E and E Light's electrical safety policy requires us to do two hazard risk analysis anytime we are going to do work where an employee could intentionally or accidentally come into contact energized electrical conductors, parts or equipment if the voltage level is 50 volts or greater. The two risk assessments are a shock risk assessment and an arc flash risk assessment. This is a hard a fast rule and we must be constant vigilant in following it. Our lives depend on it.
The risk assessments must be done before any work is done. The risk assessments, if it is determined that there is a risk of electrical shock or an arc flash or both, then either the equipment needs to be placed into an electrically safe work condition. Meaning all of the steps of reaching an electrically work condition have to be met before any work can be done. The steps are as follows:
NFPA 70E 120.6 Process for Establishing and Verifying an Electrically Safe Work Condition.
Establishing and verifying an electrically safe work condition shall include all of the following steps, which shall be performed in the order presented, if feasible:
(1) Determine all possible sources of electrical supply to the specific equipment. Check applicable up-to-date drawings, diagrams, and identification tags.
(2) After properly interrupting the load current, open the disconnecting device(s) for each source.
(3) Wherever possible, visually verify that all blades of the disconnecting devices are fully open or that drawout-type circuit breakers are withdrawn to the test or fully disconnected position.
(4) Release stored electrical energy.
(5) Block or relieve stored nonelectrical energy in devices to the extent the circuit parts cannot be unintentionally energized by such devices.
(6) Apply lockout/tagout devices in accordance with a documented and established procedure.
(7) Use an adequately rated portable test instrument to test each phase conductor or circuit part at each point of work to test for the absence of voltage. Test each phase conductor or circuit part both phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground. Before and after each test, determine that the test instrument is operating satisfactorily through verification on any known voltage source.
(8) Where the possibility of induced voltages or stored electrical energy exists, ground all circuit conductors and circuit parts before touching them. Where it could be reasonably anticipated that the conductors or circuit parts being de-energized could contact other exposed energized conductors or circuit parts, apply temporary protective grounding equipment.
If the work must be done without reaching an electrically safety work condition, then an energized work permit must be completed and submitted to the Director of Education and Loss Prevention and the President of the Company and both have to approve the permit before work can be done.
It is critical that we all work together to ensure that we follow these basic administrative controls so that we can avoid electrical shock accidents. Every employee has the duty to make sure we are doing this every day. If you are asked to do work where there is a possibility that you could be exposed to 50 volts or greater of energized parts, conductors or equipment and these things have not been done….then it is your duty to refuse to do that work. It is not just your right…..it is your responsibility. If you are a supervisor or manager, never ask an employee to expose themselves to these hazards without following the procedures. There is no job that needs to be done that is so important that it is work risking the lives of our employees.
Think about what we are doing, think about what we are being asked to do and think about what you are deciding to do before we do it. Do this only always.
Remember the most common causes of accidents:
Convenience- doing things because it is more convenient than doing it safely
Overconfidence- I have done this before, I know what I am doing and I can do this safety without making a mistake and getting hurt. That is thought most people that violated a policy had before they were hurt.
Ignorance- Not know the risks and not taking the time to learn the risks can lead to serious accidents
No Time- “We have to get it done.” “We are running out of time.” “We can do this realy quick.” “Doing it that way takes too much time.” Sound familiar? There is no job that needs to be done so badly that we need to do it unsafely.
We can avoid accidents and be safe if we all use Best practices, are always Aware, we use No shortcuts and we remember and apply the principle that Knowledge is power.
No more COIN, only BANK
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