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BobLfoot

Shock Hazard Prevention

36 posts in this topic

Are you sure about that. NFPA70 is incorportated by 1910.6 and NFPA70E is specified in the NFPA70 to be followed. I also know of companies receiving fines and the violation referenced is from the NFPA70E. If they did not have the authority to enforce it then how would the specify the articles of the NFPA70E. Electrically right now their most favorite thing to pick on people about is the arc flash protection of the NFPA70E.

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You could very well be correct TW. I have not looked closely at this in a about 18 months. For example, when I reviewed OSHA’s General Industry Regulations (29 CFR Part 1910), Subparts R and S concerning electrical Safety Related Work Practices, it did not appear that arc flash protection is required for employees. I am not a lawyer and will not pretend to know all of the rules, but NFPA 70E specifically is (was?) not included in the list in 1910.6’s “Incorporation by reference”. The National Electric Code NFPA 70 is included by reference and in rule 110.16 which requires electrical equipment to have a flash protection warning label, the fine print note refers to NFPA 70E. This may have changed recently, I don't know. However, implementing the provisions of NFPA 70E reduces the risk and/or extent of worker injury and should always be followed in my opinion. Since I'm relatively ignorant of this issue at this point in time, I'm open to clarification. $

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Just a couple of quick links. I don't have an electronic copy of the OSHA manual and don't have time to read it right now. THIS looks like the references in subpart S. THIS is 1910.6. I recently did a lot of research on Arc Flash protection and found many companies referencing the articles of OSHA that made it the law. I will see if I can find them again. This is a very recent change. I've got the year written down somewhere but 2002 or 2004 keeps popping into my head but can't remember right now. And I'm not a lawyer either so I can't swear to any of this. Just going off of other companies experiences with OSHA and trying to keep us up to code. Edited by TWControls

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Ok it looks as if NFPA70 and NFPA70E are legally in OSHAs jurisdiction. You may look at THIS, it gives an ok explaination NFPA70 and NFPA70E are the law by references to them in the OSHA handbook and generalizations on OSHAs electrical standards from what I can tell. Pretty much since they reference the NFPA and OSHAs codes are so broad, you are suppose to use and OSHA inspectors do use the NPFA books for the details

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Well unfortunately I now have positive proof that NFPA 70 and NFPA 70E are under OSHA's jurisdiction. I get to escort them around the plant during a 3 day visit here

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I trust they were there for a routine training and inspection, not some more nefarious purpose TW.

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No, as always, thankfully there were no injuries or wrong doing to warrant this inspection. We were just picked in the lottery. And for those of you who are paranoid like me, OSHA can't come into a plant under false pretenses. Whether it be a disgruntled employee, an injury, or just a routine inspection, they have to tell you the specific reason for the inspection

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It wasn't exactly the way I was looking to clarify this

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But then again most of the good stuff we learn in life doesn't come like we expect.

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Ok I am going to try to find the actual statues for reference reading to post but I will give the OSHA guys explanation of why the NFPA 70, NFPA 70E, and "Cousin Bills Electrical Rules" apply At the top you have Federal OSHA. They only go to federal facilities and those who work for federal facilities Then you have the State OSHA department. This is the one that visits most of us. They enforce the federal guidelines and the state guidelines. NFPA is only a set of standards, not a set of laws. But OSHA references it somewhere in 1910.6 which make it enforced by OSHA. Now comes the trick. Let's say that Billy Bob, the local electrician wrote "Cousin Bill's Electrical Rules" and they are accepted in the local town. There is a general clause, which I will get the reference for, that allows OSHA to site "Cousin Bill's Electrical Rules" when issuing citations. Until recently NFPA 70E fell into this category. It was reference no where in any of OSHA's codes but was enforceable by OSHA because it was an accepted standard that addresses electrical safety work practices. It did not matter whether the NFPA 70E was referenced by the NFPA 70 or not.

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