Oferta turística

I. Purpose.

The objective of the Electrical Safety Program to protect employees from electrical hazards during the performance of inspection activity.

II. Scope.

The program applies to all OSHA employees who conduct inspections that include determining an employer’s compliance with electrical standards.

III. Definitions.

A. Electrical Hazard. A dangerous condition such that contact or equipment failure can result in electric shock, flash burn, thermal burn, or blast.

B. Flash Hazard Analysis. A study investigating a worker’s potential exposure to arc flash energy, conducted for the purpose of injury prevention and the determination of safe work practices and the appropriate levels of PPE.

C. Flash Protection Boundary. An approach limit at a distance from exposed live parts within which an OSHA employee could receive a second-degree burn if an electrical arc flash were to occur.

D. PPE. Personal Protective Equipment.

E. Qualified OSHA Employee. An employee training on and knowledgeable of the electrical equipment to be evaluated, safe methods of using test equipment, and in the recognition of electrical hazards that might be present with respect to that equipment and the voltages involved. These are the only employees allowed to enter a flash protection boundary after approved by an Area Director/Unit Manager.

IV. Responsibilities.

A. The responsible OSHA Manager(s) has the primary responsibility for implementation of the Electrical Safety Program.

1. Provide appropriate PPE and make it available to employees; 2. Provide appropriate and approved electrical testing equipment; 3. Ensure that PPE and electrical testing equipment are properly

4. Ensure employees are trained on electrical hazards, the proper inspection methodology when inspecting electrical issues, the safe use of field testing equipment and the use, care and cleaning of PPE;

5. Maintain records of training and electrical field testing equipment and PPE supplied;

6. Ensure the Electrical Safety Program is followed;

7. Ensure defective or damaged equipment is immediately removed from service;

8. Ensure that appropriate assistance is provided to employees where questions or concerns arise regarding inspection situations where the OSHA employee has a question about their qualifications or proper equipment for the inspection.

B. Employees are responsible for following the requirements of this chapter. 1. Attend electrical safe work practices training;

2. Know how to determine the nature and extent of the potential electrical hazard;

3. Be familiar with appropriate PPE and safe approach distances; 4. Be familiar with the use and hazards of appropriate electrical test

equipment. Unless authorized by the responsible OSHA

Manager(s) employees will only use the following electrical test equipment:

a. Santronics AC Sensor b. Sure test circuit analyzer c. Tic tracer

d. 120 Volt outlet circuit tester

5. Report to the responsible OSHA Manager(s) any inspection situation where the employee has a question about their qualifications or proper equipment for the inspection.

V. Procedures.

1. Safety-related work practices will be used to safeguard OSHA employees from injury while conducting inspections on or near exposed electrical conductors or circuit parts that are or can become energized. The specific safety-related work practices shall be consistent with the nature and extent of associated electrical hazards.

2. The nature and extent of the electrical hazard shall be determined, including any flash hazard, prior to proceeding with any inspection of the hazard.

3. Only qualified, properly equipped OSHA employees with

responsible OSHA Manager(s)’ approval will be permitted within the flash protection boundary of energized electrical equipment.

B. Unqualified OSHA employees will not be permitted to enter the flash protection boundary unless the electrical conductors and equipment involved are in an electrically safe work condition (de-energized and locked out in accordance with Chapter 13, of the SHMS).

C. Specific Procedures.

1. Where exposed energized parts exist, violations will be

documented from a safe distance (4 feet or as determined by flash hazard analysis) through the use of photos, videotape, and

interviews.

2. If there is a need to get within the flash protection boundary to test electrical equipment, the OSHA employee will first request that the testing be conducted by one of the employer’s qualified and

properly equipped employees. The OSHA employee will verify that the equipment used by the employer is working properly before and after the test.

3. If the employer does not have a qualified employee or refuses to perform the test, a qualified OSHA employee may conduct the test provided that all OSHA and NFPA 70E safety related-work

practices are followed, and upon notification of and approval by the responsible OSHA Manager(s) An unqualified OSHA employee will contact his responsible OSHA Manager(s) to request a qualified OSHA employee to perform any testing that must be performed within the flash protection boundary.

VI. Training.

A. Each qualified OSHA employee will receive the necessary training on and will be knowledgeable of: the electrical equipment to be evaluated; safe methods of using test equipment, and in the recognition of electrical hazards that might be present with respect to that equipment and the voltages involved and be trained to identify and understand the

relationship between electrical hazards and possible injury. Such OSHA employees will be familiar with the proper use of special precautionary techniques, personal protective equipment, insulating and shielding materials, and test equipment for the equipment or specific work methods.

B. All OSHA employees will be trained in and be familiar with any of the electrical safety-related practices that are necessary for their protection.

C. After training, each responsible OSHA Manager(s) will ensure that each OSHA employee has an understanding of the training received.

D. Every OSHA employee will receive training annually on this chapter and when there is reason to believe that electrical safety-related work practices were not followed.

VII. Recordkeeping.

A. Written records will include the source of the training, the OSHA

employees trained, a description of training provided, and the dates when training occurred.

B. All training records will be maintained in the responsible OSHA Office.

VIII. Revision History.

The table below lists all changes made to this chapter since the implementation of the program:

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