Working on Live Electrical

Runner · 2003-11-05T14:22:16+00:00

Our Health & Safety department has gone on an electrical kick for thefirst time since I've been working here. This could be good as Imight finally get the equipment I want. It could be bad in thateverybody may be disallowed from using meters to check voltages.What is the take from OSHA and NFPA 70E for "working" on liveelectrical from 120 VAC up to 480 VAC? When I say "working", I meansimply opening up a power or control panel and either testing thevoltage with a meter or clipping on the analyzer probes. Our Health &Saftey guys just sent over some photographs of some guy wearing glovesand protectors while checking the voltage on what appeared to be a 480VAC panel. Is this really required when the probes themselves arealready 1000 V insulated?I am trying to round up a copy of NFPA 70E so I can discuss suchthings with those guys. Any head start you might give me would beappreciated, though.

Nov 05, 2003 21 Replies

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daestrom 22 years ago

Horne

I've got a name for guys (gals) that try to cut too many corners on my watch. "UNEMPLOYED" Yes, I want production, I want jobs to get done in a timely manner. But they all know I want them all to go home at night with the same number of fingers/toes/eyes they came in with.

Besides, workmen's comp and lawyers can be such a pain!

daestrom

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daestrom 22 years ago

Sorry, I missed that the first time through. You're right of course, a capacitor bank can cause a bit of 'spot welding' if you try to hard-ground it without bleeding first.

My crew aren't qualified welders ;-)

daestrom

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