Arc Flash & Electrical Safety News

Friday, October 29, 2010

Electrical Safety in Construction

Electrical Safety in Construction:
How to Avoid Injuries and OSHA Fines

An article in the November issue of Construction Business Owner provides an overview of arc flash safety in the construction industry. The article discusses how to avoid employee injury and OSHA fines and the employer responsibilities. On a construction site the prime contractor (host contractor) is responsible for their subcontractors. They must ensure the subcontractors are aware of safety standards, have provide training for their employees, and are enforcing electrical safety practices.

The article points out that "employers must provide the following to comply with NFPA 70E and OSHA workplace electrical safety standards:"

A written electrical safety program
An arc flash hazard analysis
Training for workers (Specific training on the hazards is required in order for electrical workers to be considered "qualified" by OSHA.)
Personal protective equipment (PPE clothing) for workers rated specifically to protect workers from arc flash and shock hazards
Tools for safe work-insulated, voltage-rated hand tools and instruments for electrical measurements
Arc flash warning labels on equipment that include either the calculated hazard/risk category or the incident energy in calories per square centimeter for each piece of electrical equipment in the electrical system

Read this arc flash safety article

Related past posts:
How Many Arc Flash Fatalities Are There?

Labels: Arc Flash Labeling, Construction, Electrical Safety