Electrical Safety in

General Industry
§1910 Subpart S

Awareness Training for QEW and Unqualified Workers

Environmental Health and Safety

Training Objectives
• Understand qualified vs. unqualified electrical workers
• Be familiar with general requirements of the Standard
• Identify common electrical hazards
• Understand definition of Electrically Safe Work Conditions
• Recognize electrical equipment defects/hazards
• Understand basic wiring design and protection
• Identify wiring methods, components, and equipment for
general use

Environmental Health and Safety

Regulations
• 1910 Subpart S - Electrical
• 1910 Subpart R
• .264 Laundry Machinery and Operations
• .268 Telecommunications
• 1910.137 - Electrical Protective Equipment
• NFPA 70, 70E, 70B
• NC State Building Code – Fire Code, Section 605

• NCCU Electrical Safety Plan

Environmental Health and Safety
Qualified Electrical Worker (QEW)
• Person authorized to install, fabricate, repair, test, calibrate, or
modify electrical or electronics wiring, devices, systems, or
equipment at NCCU
• NFPA 70E
• …”one who has demonstrated skill and knowledge related to the
construction and operation of electrical equipment and installations and
has received safety training to identify and avoid the hazards involved”
• must be trained in methods of safe release and special precautionary
techniques
• Must be able to demonstrate the ability to use a test instrument to verify
the absence of voltage
Environmental Health and Safety
Unqualified Workers
• Worker who may near electrical equipment but is not authorized
to perform any work for which a QEW is required
• Unqualified persons shall receive general electrical safety
training but are NOT authorized to conduct any electrical repairs
• Report all electrical hazards to their supervisor
• Do not operate equipment if there is an electrical hazard
• Remember that even low-voltage electricity can be dangerous
• Do not use cords or plugs that are missing the ‘ground’ prong
• Do not overload electrical receptacles
• Do NOT enter electrical distribution rooms

Environmental Health and Safety

Causes of Electrical Accidents
• Most are caused by one or a combination of these 3 factors
• Unsafe equipment and installation
• Inadequate maintenance can cause equipment or installations to become unsafe
• Unsafe work environment
• Unsafe work practices

Environmental Health and Safety

Unsafe Equipment and Installation
• Faulty insulation
• Improper grounding
• Loose connections
• Defective parts
• Ground faults
• Unguarded live parts
• Underrated equipment

Environmental Health and Safety

Unsafe Work Environment
• Flammable vapors, liquids, or gases
• Corrosive atmospheres
• Wet and damp locations

Environmental Health and Safety

Unsafe Work Practices
• Failure to de-energize electric equipment when it is being repaired or
inspected
• Use of tools or equipment too close to energized parts
• Overloading circuits

Environmental Health and Safety

Electrical Safety Model
• To make sure you're safe before, during and after
electrical work is performed, follow the three-step
process of the Electrical Safety Model:
• Recognize hazards: To avoid injury or death, you must first
understand and recognize hazards.
• Evaluate risk: You need to evaluate the situation you are in
and assess your risks.
• Control hazards: You need to control hazards by creating a
safe work environment, by using safe work practices, and by
reporting hazards to a supervisor or trainer.

Environmental Health and Safety

Recognize Hazards
The most frequent causes of electrical injury/death are:
• Contact with power lines
• Lack of ground-fault protection
• Path to ground missing or discontinuous
• Equipment not used in manner prescribed
• Improper use of extension and flexible cords
• Careful planning of safety procedures reduces the risk of injury
• Decisions to use LOTO on circuits and equipment made during
this phase

Environmental Health and Safety

Electrical Hazards
• Explosion
• Electricity provides a source of ignition for
an explosive mixture in the atmosphere
• Fire
• Caused by overloading circuits or
excessive current flowing through faulty
wiring
• Arc flash
• Electric current leaves its intended path
and travels through the air from one
conductor to another, or to ground; often
violent in nature
Environmental Health and Safety
Evaluate Risk
• Not all risk is equal
• Analyze probability of an injury
occurring and the severity of the injury
if it occurs
• Identify hazards that could lead to
injury or death
• Use current parameters
• A reasonable place to work on a Taken from OSHATRAIN

bright, sunny day might be very

hazardous in the rain

Environmental Health and Safety

Types of Electrical Accidents
• Shock
• Burns
• Fire
• Explosions
• Arc flash
• Falls resulting from electrical injury or incident

Environmental Health and Safety

Electrical Injury
Table 1. Reaction of the human body to electrical current flows from one of their hands to a
foot for 1 second

Effect of AC current (95% of Young Adults Average weight 115-150 lbs )

Perception Threshold - tingling sensation 0.7-1 mA

1.2-1.8
Slight Shock (not painful) - no loss of muscle control
mA
Shock (painful) - no loss of muscle control 6-9 mA

Shock (severe) - muscle control loss, breathing difficulty, onset of let go threshold 15-23 mA

Possible ventricular fibrillation - 3 send shock 0.1 A

Possible ventricular fibrillation - 1 send shock 0.2 A

Heart muscle activity ceases 0.5 A

Tissue and organ burn 1.5 A

Environmental Health and Safety

Electrocution
• Electric shock/electrocution occurs when
current flows through the body

Environmental Health and Safety

Burns
• Thermal contact
• Skin contact with hot surface of overheated electric conductors,
conduits or other energized equipment
• Electrical
• Electric current flows through tissues
• Skin deep or affect deeper layers of muscle and bone
• Arc
• Result from high temperatures produced by electric arcs or by
explosions close to body
• All three types may be produced at the same time

Environmental Health and Safety

Control Hazards
• Hazards may be controlled or minimized by creating a safe
work environment, using safe work practices, and being
properly trained
• Limit Exposure - Reduce the amount of time spent around high
energy equipment.
• Maintain Distance - Always stay as far away as possible from high-
energy equipment unless there is a specific need.
• Increase Mass - Try to keep some type of sturdy material between you
and a potential blast.
• Wear Proper PPE – PPE can offer some protection to eyes, face,
hands and minimize burns resulting from blasts.

Environmental Health and Safety

Protections Against Electrical Hazards
• Insulation – conductor material to stop or reduce the flow of electrical
current to prevent shock, fires, and short circuits
• Guarding - Enclose electric equipment to ensure that workers do not
come in contact with any exposed electrical parts. Also signage to
forbid entry to unauthorized personnel.
• Grounding - intentionally creating a low-resistance path that
connects to the earth to prevent the buildup of voltages, including a
static charge. May be done for tools, equipment or specific part of
electrical system. May be permanent part of electrical circuit.
• Electrical Protective Devices – Devices that stop the flow of electric
current if short circuit occurs including fuses, breakers, and GFCIs

Environmental Health and Safety

Electrically Safe Work Conditions
• When the conductor or circuit part to be worked on has been
disconnected from energized parts, locked/tagged out, tested to
ensure the absence of voltage, and grounded if necessary
• All four mechanisms must be used together
• When work can not be done under electrically safe work
conditions it is known as Energized Work and is poses a greater
risk

Environmental Health and Safety

 Energized Work Decision Tree
Start

Type of work
Equipment to be
Exposed Alteration or
put in electrically
Follow
What is live removing/
safe work Lockout/Tagout
voltage? replacing
parts? condition?
Yes components? Yes Yes
≥ 50V

≤ 50V No No

Decision to de-energize
No
• Energized
Apply good
should consider capacity of Electrical Work
maintenance practices
the source and any Permit required
and protect electrical
overcurrent protection • PPE required
systems & parts from
between source & worker
mechanical damage

Test before touch Identify Hazards Follow all safe work practices that apply Work
Safely
 Factors determine severity
Arc Flash • Proximity of worker
Electric current leaves its intended path and • Temperature
travels through the air from one conductor to • Time for circuit to break
another, or to ground; often violent in nature

Risks
• Burns
Causes • Fire
• Dust • Flying objects (often molten metal)
• Dropping tools • Blast pressure (upwards of 2,000 lbs/sq ft)
• Accidental touching • Sound blast (as loud as a gun)
• Condensation • Heat (upwards of 35,000 ºF)
• Material failure
• Corrosion
• Faulty Installation
Environmental Health and Safety
NFPA Arc Flash Boundaries
Table 2. Arc Flash Boundary Descriptions
Boundary Meaning
Arc Flash • Outer boundary of the flash protection zone
• Workers crossing it must wear flash protective equipment

Limited Approach • Only QEW allowed to cross without QEW escort

• Workers must wear flash protective equipment
Restricted Approach • Only QEW may cross this boundary at any time
• Must have approved Energized Electrical Work Permit
• Must use PPE appropriate for working near energized parts
• No body part may cross the prohibited line
Prohibited Approach (area nearest • Crossing this line is the same as having contacting live part
exposed conductor or circuit) • Only QEW may cross this line
• Must have specific training to work on energized parts
• Must have Energized Electrical Work Permit approved
• Must wear PPE appropriate for working on live parts

• Designed to protect employees when working

on or near energized equipment
• No common distance measurement –
distance based on equipment Environmental Health and Safety
Arc Flash Analysis
• Process of studying a facility’s electrical equipment to determine the
incident energy levels at any given part of the electrical system.
• Determines whether workers who come into contact with certain parts of an
electrical system will be safe during an arc flash event
• Identifies and documents
• The flash protection boundary
• Proper personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Appropriate safety related work practices
• Acceptable methods defined by NFPA 70E
• Incident Energy Analysis Method - most often done by an electrical
professional; can be calculated using an online flash calculator
• Arc Flash PPE Category Method – Uses NFPA tables to determine required
PPE if all required information is available and an Incident Energy Analysis
has not been completed

Environmental Health and Safety

Arc Flash Warning
• Required information required includes the following based on
method used

Incident Energy Method Arc Flash PPE Method

Environmental Health and Safety
 Energized Electrical Work Permit
• Energized work shall be permitted if de-energizing introduces additional
hazards or increased risk
• Energized Electrical Work Permit required
• When work is performed within the restricted approach boundary
• When the employee interacts with the equipment when conductors or circuit parts are
not exposed but an increased likelihood of injury from an exposure to an arc flash
hazard exists
• QEW may perform work on energized equipment without a permit using
safe work practices and PPE under the following conditions
• Testing, troubleshooting, or voltage measuring
• Thermography, ultrasound, or visual inspections if the restricted approach boundary is
not crossed
• Access to and egress from an area with energized electrical equipment if no electrical
work is performed and the restricted approach boundary is not crossed
• General housekeeping and miscellaneous non-electrical tasks if the restricted
approach boundary is not crossed

Environmental Health and Safety

Electrical Safety Controls and
Requirements

Environmental Health and Safety

General
• Electrical equipment must be free from recognized
hazards
• Cables exposed to sharp edges
• Splices
• Bare conductors
• Insulation not intact
• Unused openings must be effectively closed to
afford protection substantially equivalent to the wall
of the equipment

Environmental Health and Safety

Labeling Requirements
• A label is required for any piece of electrical
equipment that may need examination, adjustment,
service or maintenance while energized
• Must have the manufacturer's name, trademark, or other
descriptive marking
• Must provide voltage, current, wattage, or other ratings as
necessary

Environmental Health and Safety

National Recognized Testing Laboratories -NRTL
• Certifies that certain products meet
the requirements of both the
construction and general industry
OSHA electrical standards
• After certifying a product, the NRTL
authorizes the manufacturer to
apply a registered certification
mark to the product
• A listing of NCDOI/OSFM
approved testing laboratories can
be found at
https://www.ncosfm.gov/codes/stat
e-electrical-division/qualified-
testing-laboratories
Environmental Health and Safety
Electrical Wiring

• Larger gauge number indicates smaller size wire

• Use adequately sized wire for job

Environmental Health and Safety

Splices

• Splicing devices must be used – not tape

• Splices must be joined mechanically and YES NO
electrically secure before soldering

Environmental Health and Safety

Grounding
• Conductive connection to the earth
which acts as a protective measure
• Protects against
• Shock
• Fire
• Equipment damage
• Path to ground from circuits must be
• Permanent,
• Continuous, and
• Effective
Environmental Health and Safety
Two Types of Grounding Conductors
• Electrical Circuit or System Grounding
• Energized circuit
• Connected to earth through system ground
• Protects circuit from lightning or other high voltage
contact
• Stabilizes voltage in system so expected voltage
levels are not exceeded under normal conditions
• Equipment grounding conductor
• Safeguard against insulation failure or faults in other
circuit conductors
• Not energized under normal conditions
• Directs current back to source so fuses or circuit
breakers can operate
• Metal frames and enclosures of equipment are
grounded
• Hand held tools
Environmental Health and Safety
Identification of Grounding Conductors
• Grounding conductors must be
identifiable and distinguishable from
other
• Circuit/System – white or gray
• Equipment – Green, green/yellow
striped or bare

Environmental Health and Safety

Wiring Design and Protection
No grounded conductor may be
attached to any terminal or lead so
as to reverse designated polarity

Environmental Health and Safety

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)
• Detects difference in current between black and white
circuit wires caused by current leakage which is known
as a ground fault
• GFCI can shut off electricity flow in 1/40 of a second
• All 125-volt receptacles installed in bathrooms or on
rooftops shall have GFCI protection
• For temporary wiring installations all 125-volt, single
phase, 15 - 20 ampere, shall be GFCI protected during
maintenance, remodeling or construction activities Portable GFCI

• Cord sets and devices incorporating the required GFCI

that are connected to the receptacle closest to the
source of power are acceptable forms of protection

Environmental Health and Safety

Environmental Concerns
Unless identified for use in the operating
environment, no conductors or equipment
shall be
• Located in damp or wet locations
• Exposed to agents that have a deteriorating
effect on the conductors or equipment
• Exposed to excessive temperatures

Environmental Health and Safety

Arcing parts
Parts of electric equipment that produce arcs,
sparks, flames, or molten metal shall be
enclosed or separated and isolated from all
combustible material

Environmental Health and Safety

Disconnecting Means (DM) and Circuits
• A DM is a switch used to disconnect the
conductors of a circuit from the source
• Must be located in readily acceptable location
• Each service, feeder, and branch circuit, at its
disconnecting means or over-current device, Motor 3
must be legibly marked to indicate its purpose
• Markings required shall be durable and
withstand the environment
DM for Motor #3

Circuit breaker listing

Environmental Health and Safety
Example - Proper Labeling of System

Environmental Health and Safety

Capable of Accepting a Lock
Disconnecting means shall be capable of
being locked in the open position

Environmental Health and Safety

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)
• Specific procedures to safeguard employees from the
unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment
and from the release of hazardous energy during service or
maintenance
• Workers must complete the LOTO Awareness Level Training
• Authorized persons for LOTO must complete an initial in-depth training
to become authorized

Environmental Health and Safety

Space Around Electrical Equipment
Condition A — Exposed live parts on one side and
no live or grounded parts on the other side of the
working space.

Condition B — Exposed live parts on one side and

grounded parts on the other side.

Condition C — Exposed live parts on both sides of

the workspace with the operator between.

Minimum headroom around

equipment is 6’ 3”

Environmental Health and Safety

Space Around Electrical Equipment
NCDOL Photo Library
• Width of working space in front of the
electric equipment shall be the width of
the equipment or 762 mm (30 inches)
whichever is greater
NO! • Workspace shall be clear and extend from
the grade, floor, or platform to the height
required
• Never use this area for storage
• If located in general open area must be
properly guarded

Environmental Health and Safety

Guarding Live Parts
• Live parts of electric equipment operating
at 50 volts or more must be guarded
• Must enclose or guard electrical equipment
exposed to physical damage
• Approved cabinet/enclosure
• Location in a room or vault accessible only to
qualified persons
• Permanent, substantial partition or screen
accessible only to qualified persons
• Elevation of 8 feet or more above floor or
working surface
• Mark all entrances to guarded locations
with conspicuous warning signs

Environmental Health and Safety

Wiring in Ducts
• No wiring systems of any type may be installed in ducts used to
transport dust, loose stock, or flammable vapors

Environmental Health and Safety

Receptacles and Cord Connectors

Receptacles installed on 15- and 20- ampere

branch circuits shall be of the grounding type

Pre-1959
Post-1959

Environmental Health and Safety

Receptacles and Cord Connectors

20A receptacles are the most common – they

can be differentiated from 15A by the “T” shaped
slot. Always verify at the breaker, however!

Environmental Health and Safety

Outlet Devices – Safety Factor of 20%
Maximum Cord- and Plug- Connected Load to Receptacle

Circuit rating Receptacle rating Maximum load

(amperes) (amperes) (amperes)

15 or 20 15 12
20 20 16
30 30 24

A receptacle shall not be overloaded

Environmental Health and Safety

Determining amperage for a device
• To determine the amperage of a device when not indicated on
the label, use Watt’s Law (I (Amps) = P (Watts) / V (Volts)

Environmental Health and Safety

Conductors Entering Cabinets, Boxes or Fittings
• Conductors entering boxes, cabinets, or
fittings shall be protected from abrasion
• Must be run through a clamp or rubber
grommet which effectively closes the
opening through which the conductor
passes
What is wrong here?
• All pull boxes, junction boxes and
fittings must be covered and identified
for the purpose
• Any metal covers must be grounded
• Each outlet box must have a cover,
faceplate or fixture canopy

• NOTE – per NC Fire Code all electrical

junction boxes must be covered and
open splices are prohibited
Environmental Health and Safety
Circuit Breakers
• Must clearly indicate whether they are
in the open (off) or closed (on) position
• Two single-pole breakers should only
be combined by an approved means
when permissible – whenever possible,
double-pole breakers should be used
instead

Environmental Health and Safety

Clues that Hazards Exist
• Tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses
• Warm tools, wires, cords or connections
• GFCI shuts off a circuit
• Worn or frayed insulation around wire or
connection

Environmental Health and Safety

Flexible Cords
Never use if recognized wiring method can be used
• Yes • No
• Pendant or fixture wiring • As a substitute for fixed wiring
• Run through walls, ceilings, floors,
• Portable lamps, tools or appliances doors or windows
• Stationary equipment to facilitate • Concealed behind or attached to
interchange building surfaces

Environmental Health and Safety

Extension Cords
• Use NRTL approved cords
• Check for wear and tear before use
• Do not modify in any way
• Use 3-wire extension cords
• Remove cord from receptacles by
pulling on the plug – not the cord
• NEVER run through walls, ceilings
or floors

Environmental Health and Safety

Hand Held Tools
• Portable electrical equipment often used in highly conductive work
locations (wet or damp areas)
• Ensure that equipment is properly rated
• Potential danger because they make continuous good contact with
hand
• Flexible cords are more prone to damage than fixed wiring
• Always protect against cutting or damaged insulation or connections
• To properly protect against injury tools must
• Have 3-wire cord with ground and be plugged into grounded receptacle; or
• Be double insulated; or
• Be powered by a low-voltage isolation transformer

Environmental Health and Safety

 Item to Evaluate Yes No Fall Hazards
Is there a proper scaffold or work platform?

Is the scaffold or work platform of a non-conductive material?

If electrical work requires
Does the work platform have proper guard railing (top edge height
between 39 and 45 inches)?
working at height (roof or
Does scaffold or work platform have screens or mesh to protect tools
ceiling work, tree trimming)
from falling into or near the electrical system? use the Fall Hazard
If a ladder is used, is it of non-conductive material? Checklist to evaluate
Does scaffold have toe boards to prevent tools and other loose
equipment from falling?
potential hazards that could
On a suspension or scissor scaffold, are electrical wires properly
cause a fall in the event of
insulated and free of damage? an electrical incident
Is there adequate clearance between the scaffold or ladder and power lines?

Is the scaffold free of dust and debris?

Are fall arrest systems used?

Is the scaffold or ladder free of moisture, snow and ice?

Environmental Health and Safety
Power Lines
• Overhead and buried power lines carry
dangerously high voltage
• Overhead are generally not insulated
• Always look for overhead power lines and buried
power line indicators
• Stay at least 10 feet away from overhead power
lines and assume they are energized
• Use non-conductive wood or fiberglass ladders
when working near power lines

Environmental Health and Safety

Generators
• DO NOT operate a generator indoors. Generators should be
placed outdoors in a location where the exhaust gases cannot
enter building
• Be sure main circuit breaker is OFF and locked out prior to
starting any generator
• Turn off generators and let them cool prior to refueling

Environmental Health and Safety

Services Over 600 volts
• Must be guarded to make them accessible only to qualified persons
• Install proper signage where others might come in contact with live parts
• Overcurrent devices must be available to each employee
• May not be located where they will be exposed to physical damage or near easily ignitable material
• Fuses and circuit breakers located or shielded so that employees are not injured by operation

Environmental Health and Safety

Electrical Safety Rule Re-cap
• Design and plan for safe work - identify hazards and anticipate problems
• Resist hurry-up pressure
• Always consider electrical equipment energized until positively shown otherwise
• Safest way to inspect, test, or making repairs is on de-energized equipment
• Know and apply LOTO when equipment is de-energized
• Positively ensure the correct circuit is identified before LOTO
• Use suitably rated electrical tools and devices only as intended
• Remove jewelry before performing energized electrical work
• Know how to isolate energy to equipment in an emergency
• Maintain covers, barriers, and shielding of all electrical equipment
• Never penetrate wiring conduit or enclosed wire ways
• Use proper PPE for job

Environmental Health and Safety

 Questions
Department of Environmental Health and Safety
(919) 530-7125
[email protected]

nccu.edu/ehs

Environmental Health and Safety