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Have You Really Trained Your Machine Operators (Jul/Aug-24)
Eye Safety & Safety Glasses (Jan/Feb-24)
Protecting Employees When Performing Machine Operations (Nov/Dec-23)
Protecting Students from Machine Hazards (Jul/Aug-23)
Electrical Safety (May/Jun-23)
Machine Guarding (Jan/Feb-23)
Have We Learned Anything About Safety Over the Last Fifty Years? (Nov/Dec-22)
OSHA Annouces 2021 Top 10 Frequently Cited Standards (Sep/Oct-22)
Have You Conducted Your Periodic Lockout & Tagout Audit? (Jan/Feb-22)
Workplace Violence (Jul/Aug-21)
Do You or Your Supervisors Really Care About Worker Safety? (May/Jun-21)
Creating A Safety Culture (Nov/Dec-20)
Before You Purchase New Machinery (Sep/Oct-20)
Do You or Your Supervisors Really Care About Worker Safety? (May/Jun-20)
OSHA Issues Interim Guidance to Help Prevent Worker Exposure to Coronavirus (COVID-19) (Mar/Apr-20)
Have You Recently Conducted Your Required Safety & Health Program Audits? (Nov/Dec-19)
Does OSHA Cite Employers Equally? (May/Jun-19)
Are You Ready For The New Year? (Mar/Apr-19)
Creating a Safety Culture Means Staying Informed (Nov/Dec-18)
Safe Lifting Techniques (Sep/Oct-18)
Are Your Machines Safe to Operate? (Jul/Aug-18)
Do You Know How Old Your Tires Really Are? (Jan/Feb-18)
Risk Assessment & Premise Liability Insurance (Nov/Dec-17)
Forklift Safety – You Can Save A Life Today (Sep/Oct-17)
Protect Your Employees from Heat Stress Related Injuries (Jul/Aug-17)
Lockout-Tagout from a Manager’s Perspective (May/Jun-17)
Do Your Employees Really Know How to Use Personal Protective Equipment? (Mar/Apr-17)
OSHA & Lockout/Tagout (Nov/Dec-16)
OSHA Increases Their Penalties Towards Employers (Jul/Aug-16)
Do You Know What Your Experience Modification Rate Is? (May/Jun-16)
Machine Safety (Sep/Oct-15)
Lockout, Tagout & Tryout – Are You in Compliance? (Jul/Aug-15)
Forklift Safety Practices (May/Jun-15)
Using the Right Power Saw to Cut Plastic Materials (Mar/Apr-15)
OSHA & Machine Safeguarding (Jan/Feb-15)
Ergonomics (Sep/Oct-14)
Respiratory Protection . . . Does Your Program Protect? (May/Jun-14)
First Aid Program (Mar/Apr-14)
Working with Composite Materials Safely and Preventing Dermatitis (Jan/Feb-14)
Preventing Winter Slips, Trips and Falls (Nov/Dec-13)
The Globally Harmonized System for Hazard Communication – Are You Ready For It? (Sep/Oct-13)
Safety & New Employee Orientation (Jul/Aug-13)
Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety (May/Jun-13)
Posting of OSHA Notices (Jan/Feb-13)
Staying Safe This Winter (Nov/Dec-12)
Personal Protection - Storage, Maintenance and Care (Sep/Oct-12)
Machine Safeguarding (Jul/Aug-12)
Is Your Lockout & Tagout Program Working? (May/Jun-12)
Getting Familiar with OSHA (Mar/Apr-12)
Is Your Piping Systems Properly Marked? (Jan/Feb-12)
Accident Prevention, Does Your Company Have An Effective Program? (Nov/Dec-11)
Defining FR – Flame Resistant Fabrics (Jul/Aug-11)
OSHA's Flammable & Combustible Liquids (May/Jun-11)
Safety & Health Program Check-up (Jan/Feb-11)
OSHA Is My Friend (Nov/Dec-10)
OSHA Standard for Control of Hazardous Energy Sources? (Sep/Oct-10)
Lockout/Tagout Program (Jul/Aug-10)
Safe Handling of Compressed Gas Cylinders (May/Jun-10)
What You Should Know about OSHA and Plastic Working Machinery (Mar/Apr-10)
Fasten Those Forklift Seat Belts (Jan/Feb-10)
My Back Hurts (Nov/Dec-09)
Fall Protection Program (Sep/Oct-09)
Accident Prevention & Investigation (Jul/Aug-09)
OSHA & Machine Safeguarding (May/Jun-09)
Carbon Monoxide Hazards (Mar/Apr-09)
OSHA Electrical Safety and Training (Jan/Feb-09)
Free Forklift ANSI Standards (Nov/Dec-08)
Worksite Fire Emergencies (Sep/Oct-08)
Machine Safety (Jul/Aug-08)
Ladder Safety (May/Jun-08)
Is Your Company on OSHA's Hit List?
OSHA Notifies Workplaces with High Injury and Illness Rates (Mar/Apr-08)
Safety Means . . . Never Having to Say You're Sorry (Jan/Feb-08)
Flammables and Combustible Liquids (Nov/Dec-07)
Designing-In Safety NOT Retrofitting Safety (Sep/Oct-07)
Back Safety and Lifting (Jul/Aug-07)
Machine Guarding (May/Jun-07)
Your Hearing Keep it for a Lifetime (Mar/Apr-07)
Light Up the Holidays the Safe Way (Nov/Dec-06)
Would You Risk Your Employee's Life? (Sep/Oct-06)
How to Control Workers' Compensation Costs (Jul/Aug-06)
Compliance with 70E Electrical Standards (May/Jun-06)
OSHA Is on the Move (Mar/Apr-06)
Workplace Violence (Jan/Feb-06)
The Aging Workforce (Nov/Dec-05)
The Safety Paradox (Sep/Oct-05)
Machine Guarding (Jul/Aug-05)
Effective Risk Management (May/Jun-05)
Safety Is Everyone's Business (Mar/Apr-05)
New Year's Resolution Safety (Jan/Feb-05)
Safe Driving (Nov/Dec-04)
Terror In The Skies Revisited (Sep/Oct-04)
How They Got Hurt (Jul/Aug-04)
In-Plant Air Monitoring & Analysis (May/Jun-04)
Safety on the Job and Complying with the Americans With Disabilities Act (Mar/Apr-04)
Link to Article Archive (Jan/Feb-04)
A Supervisor's Duty (Nov/Dec-03)
Machine Safety – Are Your Machines Safe to Operate? (Sep/Oct-03)
Summer is Here (Jul/Aug-03)
Working Safely On Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklifts) (May/Jun-03)
Does Your Safety and Health Workplace Program Contain All of These Elements? (Mar/Apr-03)
Methylene Chloride (Jan/Feb-03)
Safety Signs & Labels - Does Your Facility Comply? (Nov/Dec-02)
Indoor Air Quality (Sep/Oct-02)
When OSHA Arrives (Jul/Aug-02)
Facts About the Occupation Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) (May/Jun-02)
Workplace Fire Safety (Mar/Apr-02)
OSHA 300 Form (Jan/Feb-02)
Preparing for Disaster (Nov/Dec-01)
How Much is a Life Worth? (Sep/Oct-01)
Material Handling Programs (Jul/Aug-01)
It's Up To You To Protect Your Skin (May/Jun-01)
When You’ve Been Handed the Responsibility for Safety (Mar/Apr-01)
A Fresh Look at Machine Safeguarding (Jan/Feb-01)
Safe Work Habits (Nov/Dec-00)
The Importance of Material Safety Data Sheets (Sep/Oct-00)
Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (Jul/Aug-00)
Lockout/Tagout Program (May/Jun-00)
OSHA Violations, Citations and Penalties for 1998 (Mar/Apr-00)
Erogonomics and Machinery Safeguarding (Jan/Feb-00)
General Machine Principles (Nov/Dec-99)
SAFETY SOLUTIONS
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SAFETY SOLUTIONS: OSHA Electrical Safety and Training

Electrical safety and the NFPA 70E electrical requirements are fast becoming a very hot issue in the OSHA world. It is my opinion that most companies are not ready for the new OSHA electrical safety regulations or NFPA 70E.

At the present time, everyone I talk to is out buying Arc Flash clothing and conducting their Arc Flash Analysis thinking this is all they have to do to comply with OSHA. But they are missing the most important part of the OSHA standard.

What is it? Safe, written work procedures and training according to Subpart S Electrical safety rules.

What is the connection between NFPA 70E and OSHA?

NFPA 70E was originally developed at OSHA’s request to address electrical hazards in the workplace. OSHA bases its electrical safety requirements on the comprehensive information in NFPA 70E. OSHA considers NFPA 70E to be an effective how-to manual for OSHA regulation compliance.

How does NFPA 70E complement OSHA regulations?

OSHA requires the use of protective equipment when working where potential electrical hazards exist, although the agency does not specify how to select personal protective equipment. OSHA requires the employer to assess workplace hazards and the need for personal protective equipment. This assessment must be completed by a competent person. (See OSHA 1910.132 standards for this requirement)

In lieu of detailed OSHA regulations, OSHA recognizes, and in some cases refers to, industry consensus standards such as NFPA 70E as a tool for assisting with regulatory compliance. NFPA 70E provides practical solutions to satisfy the requirements of OSHA subpart S for general industry and subpart K for construction. It identifies the hazards and describes measures that can be taken to prevent electrical injuries.

Can you avoid OSHA citations by complying with NFPA 70E?

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, otherwise known as the general duty clause, requires an employer to furnish “employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees.” The clause enables OSHA to issue citations when unsafe conditions are identified for which a regulation does not exist. Industry consensus standards such as NFPA 70E may serve as evidence that a hazard is recognized and that there is a feasible means of correcting the hazard.

Do I have to train my employees in OSHA electrical standards and 70 E?

The answer is YES.

What is NFPA 70E Training?

FPA stands for the National Fire Protection Association. It is the authority on fire, electrical and building safety. The designation “70E” labels the latest book edition of training from the NFPA. This edition teaches modern-day electrical safety in the workplace. It warns workers of potential electrical hazards and helps them understand the codes and laws of working with and around electricity.

NFPA 70E is the standard used by the OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) detailing the “how tos” behind compliance with OSHA 1910 Subpart S and OSHA 1926 Subpart K.

As an employer, using NFPA 70E training, or arc flash training, will educate your employees on potential electrical hazards while helping increase safety on the job. The appropriate training can help save lives by teaching workers how to deal with and/or avoid shock, arc flash, arc blast and electrocution. These four hazards are responsible for hundreds of worker deaths and thousands of injuries per year in the United States alone.

When it comes to electricity, ignorance can injure or kill. The more you and fellow employees know, the safer your workplace will be. Also, keep in mind that some types of electrical work require various levels of training according to the law, and you must abide by OSHA standards.

On-Site Training

If your company employs quite a few workers and managers that need to take NFPA 70E training, you can hire experts like Podojil & Associates, Inc. The classes usually have an introduction to NFPA 70E, and the agenda typically includes increasing arc flash awareness and learning about NFPA 70E standards as well as OSHA 1910 Subpart S regulations. They’ll be trained in PPE selection maintenance, safe work practices, labelling for equipment and the dangers of transients. Meter safety, lockout/tagout and other electrical safety principles are taught. Classes also include safety videos and several tests for students.

Providing NFPA 70E training can protect lives by decreasing the risk of electrical injuries on the job. Use online resources to learn more about arc flash training, and give the gift of electrical safety to your employees and to yourself!

Stay safe. If you have questions on safety or the regulations, please email me at renama@podojilconsulting.com


Written by Ray Enama, a senior consultant for Podojil & Associates, Inc. Mr. Enama has more than 40 years experience in high and low voltage electrical systems. Mr. Enama also teaches part time for the OSHA training Institutes.

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