safety of electrical

Recognizing and Mitigating Specific Hazards in the Work Place Encountered by the Non-Electrical Skilled Worker

It is developed as an add-on module to the basic electrical safety training module for non-electrical workers.

This training provides additional electrical safety training for electrical hazards non-electrical skilled workers are exposed to in the work place.

Non-Electrical Skilled Worker

Review of Basic Electrical Safety Hazard Awareness for the Non-Electrical Worker

•   You should have taken as a prerequisite for this training “Basic Electrical Safety Hazard Awareness for Non-Electrical Personnel”.

v    This training covered the hazards associated with electrical energy – Shock, Arc and Blast.

Ø     These hazards can cause disability or death.

Ø     You were taught how to recognize electrical hazards.

 v    You were taught basic electrical safety that included:

Ø     Ground-fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)

Ø     Basic electrical cord safety

Ø     Resetting Breakers

Ø     Conductive Apparel

Ø     Wall Penetrations

Ø     Safe Work Practices for Equipment Applications

Ø     Only qualified electrical workers can perform electrical work

 v     You were taught basic electrical safety that included:

Ø     What to do in case of an electrical emergency.

Ø     To inspect your work area for unsafe electrical conditions.

Ø     To use equipment per its Listing and Labeling instructions i.e. no daisy chaining, no overloading of circuits, etc.

Ø     What to do if you identify an electrical hazard.

Ø     To contact your Site Electrical Safety Officer or Safety Engineer for specific electrical safety items.

 v   The following list of workers includes but is not limited to those who would be considered a “Non-Electrical Skilled Worker”. 

Ø    Fitters, Painters, Carpenters, Laborers, Utility Operators, Equipment Operators, D&D Workers, Janitors, Radiation Control Technicians, Waste Handlers and Warehouse Workers.

 v   Non-Electrical Skilled workers are:

Ø    Exposed to specific electrical hazards

Ø    Expected to work safely around electrical energy

Ø    To use electrical tools safely

Ø    To follow electrical safety requirements

Ø    To help keep other workers safe from electrical hazards.

Ø    Obey all postings and barriers protecting exposed energized electrical hazards.

DOE and NFPA 70E Requirements

v   DOE has identified NFPA 70E (70E) as the basis document for electrical safety at its facilities.

v   Compliance with 70E is mandatory.

v   70E has specific requirements for working safely with electrical energy.

 v   Only Qualified Electrical Workers can perform work “ON” or “NEAR” electrical equipment 

v   Non-electrical workers may use electrical equipment, but must be trained to   know the hazards of the equipment and how to use the equipment safely.   

v   If you don’t know how to operate a piece of equipment safely and don’t know the hazards involved in it use, stop work and get the required training.  

v   70E requirements for energized work apply if an exposed energized condition exists.  

v   70E requires that an electrically safe work condition (Lockout/Tagout – LO/TO) must be established unless work around energized equipment with exposed electrical components is permitted with all the required safety precautions established.

 v   If an exposed energized condition exists, there will be a Flash Protection Boundary and a Shock Protection  Boundary that will have specific PPE and access requirements.

v   These boundaries are established to protect you from the heat energy of an arc and from getting shocked.

v   70E requires proper barriers, posting, and/or attendants to inform unqualified workers of existing hazards.

v   The work control document should address these boundaries and your work task relationship to them.

v   Do not cross these boundaries unless you are qualified and authorized or are escorted by a qualified electrical worker.

v   You must have the PPE required by 70E for the boundary to be crossed.