Electrical Safety Program Development Based on the 2012 NFPA 70E

• If your Company is in the process of becoming NFPA 70E compliant, Section 110.3(A) of the 2012 NFPA 70E states that “the employer shall [first] implement and document an overall electrical safety program that directs activity appropriate for the electrical hazards, voltage, energy level, and circuit conditions.”
• Technical Skills Development Services Inc. takes pride in developing electrical safety programs that meet or exceed these requirements. Our programs are designed around the equipment and typical tasks that are specific to the customers’ particular environment, process, and company culture. Our typical program follows the guidelines of the NFPA 70E and is outlined as follows:

Program Outline

• Introduction
  1. Scope (client-driven)
  2. Philosophy (client-driven)
  3. Definitions
  4. Personal Responsibility
  5. Electrical Safety Team (client-driven)
  6. Format of Procedures
• General Electrical Safe Work Practices
  1. Relationship with Contractors (client-driven)
  2. Training Requirements
  3. Job Briefing
  4. Working While Exposed to Electrical Hazards
  5. Use of Equipment
• Establishing an Electrically Safe Work Condition
  1. Process of Achieving an Electrically Safe Work Condition
  2. Lockout/Tagout (client-driven if a plan is already  in place)
• Working on or Near Live Parts
  1. Justification for Work
  2. Energized Electrical Work Permits
  3. Shock Protection (client-driven)
  4. Arc Flash Protection (client-driven)
  5. Working on or Near Uninsulated Lines
  6. General Precautions When Working on or Near Live Parts
• Annexes
  1. Permit to Establish an Electrically Safe Work Condition (including LOTO)
  2. Permit to Work on Exposed, Energized Electrical Equipment, Conductors, or Parts       
  3. Job Briefing and Checklist Form  

Electrical Safety Program Development Process

A typical process of developing an NFPA 70E-compliant electrical safety program that fits your Company’s needs is as follows:

• Your Company’s representative contacts us to initiate the process.
• One of your Company’s representatives informs us whether or not your facility has had an arc flash analysis completed.
• Technical Skills Development Services Inc. will submit a proposal that includes program outline, cost, and terms of payment along with a list of satisfied clients that you may contact upon request.
• If you agree to the terms of the proposal, Technical Skills Development Services Inc. will arrange for an on-site visit [included in proposed cost] of your facility to make a general assessment of your electrical systems.
• If an arc flash analysis has been completed at your facility, Technical Skills Development Services Inc. will request a copy of the analysis results to be used in the development of your electrical safety program;
• The personal protective equipment requirements section of your personalized program will be designed to accommodate the actual incident energy levels listed in your arc flash analysis report and equipment labels.
• If an arc flash analysis has not been completed at your facility, Technical Skills Development Services Inc. will request a copy of your current one-line electrical drawings [if available] to be used in the development of your electrical safety program.
• The personal protective equipment requirements section of your personalized program will be designed to accommodate all levels of hazard risk category based on the 2012 NFPA 70E Tables in Article 130.
• An initial bound draft of the completed electrical safety program will be submitted for your review and feedback in approximately 4-8 weeks from the date of the site visit, depending on the complexity of your electrical systems.
• The final bound version will be submitted to your Company immediately after any revisions necessary based on the draft review.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

Technical Skills Development Services Inc. encourages our clients to become completely familiar with their customized Electrical Safety Program once the final version is delivered.

In order to implement and enforce your new Electrical Safety Program effectively, it must be presented to all relevant employees by a trainer who has the expertise and electrical knowledge in all areas of the Program. Technical Skills Development Services Inc. suggests that you package your Electrical Safety Program with one of our NFPA 70E/Arc Flash On-Site training courses. The course will be customized to reflect the contents of your personalized Electrical Safety Program. We invite you to visit our On-Site Training Page for more information on this course.