Implementing the NFPA 70E guidelines to your company can be intimidating, even for seasoned safety professionals. However, this is an essential element to consider to prevent your workers from arc flashes, shock, and other dangerous hazards.
Before implementing this training, you must perform a hazard risk and arc flash assessment to determine the weak points and act accordingly. Install arc flash and hazard warning levels to protect your workers from thermal energy exposure. Develop safety plans by training your workforce to recognize dangers and how to handle them.
Here is a step-by-step guide to NFPA 70E training implementation:
Detailed Guide to NFPA 70E Training Implementation
Perform a Shock Hazard Risk Assessment
All long journeys start with a single step. In compliance with NFPA 70E training, professionals must perform a shock hazard risk assessment according to 130.4 of the guidelines.
Assessment starts by breaking down your employees’ activities and identifying the electrical dangers they are exposed to. Some hazardous activities include opening panel doors, removing covers, performing maintenance, and troubleshooting.
When team members open panel doors, they expose circuit parts and energized conductors with more than 50 volts. Such people are prone to shock hazards; you should provide them with protective gear.
Perform an Arc Flash Hazard Risk Assessment
The next step of the NFPA 70E training is determining which electrical task exposes your workers to arc flash hazard risk. A certain energy level should be detected for an arc flash to occur.
A single-phase circuit operating at a 240-volt level may not be a concern, but a three-phase circuit operating at a 480-volt level or more may produce an arc flash. You will require a qualified electrical engineer to perform a formal energy analysis to determine risky areas.
Install Hazard Warning Labels
An arc flash is developed by incident energy and is measured in calories per square centimeter. Workers exposed to low levels of this thermal energy can suffer life-long injuries if not well protected.
The best way to deal with incident energy is by placing arc flash warning labels showing energy levels and other vital safety information. Qualified employees can use this information to choose the appropriate personal protective gear and create a boundary to protect other workers.
Provide the NFPA 70E Training
Managers are required to provide formal and documented NFPA 70E training to their qualified employees to promote workplace safety. This regulation requires electrical workers to be trained to identify hazards they will likely encounter daily.
Once an employee identifies an arc flash, they will know how to reduce the risks associated. They can develop a safety plan according to the risk control hierarchy. A well-designed training program following the NFPA 70E is integral to any company dealing with electrical circuits.
Conclusion
It’s evident that workers are frequently exposed to different electrical hazards, but with suitable preventive measures, injuries can be significantly reduced. Your employees must receive the NFPA 70E training as it enables them to identify risks much faster and apply proper solutions.