NFPA 70E says, “The electrical safety program shall identify the principles upon which it is based” [110.5(E)]. Someone could read this and then make a list of unhelpful verbiage to satisfy the requirement. For example:
- To foster safety for all workers.
- To reduce lost-time injuries
- To provide a basis upon which employees can understand the safety program
The first two don’t add anything that is not obvious from the existence of a safety program, and the third is just circular reasoning. The members of the panel responsible for drafting this requirement have seen their share of unintelligible corporate mission statements and other documents that have many words yet say nothing. That’s why they added the Informational Note that refers you to Annex E. The note itself is quite clear: “For examples of typical electrical program safety principles, see Informative Annex E.”
Annex E lists 10 examples; nearly all are some form of specific action. Take the first one on the list: “Inspecting and evaluating the electrical equipment.” If someone understands that principle is one that underlies the electrical safety program, the relevant parts of that program take on more value and purpose than they otherwise would.
Inspecting and evaluating the electrical equipment is one way to determine if it’s in an electrically safe condition [110.2]. That could segue into the sixth principle listed as an example, which is to identify the electrical hazards and reduce the risk.
The eighth example, “Using the right tools for the job,” is a major principle that should be felt in your procedures and ongoing training, in addition to the electrical safety program. This would include such things as using a digital multimeter (DMM) rated for the energy level, using insulated hand tools as opposed to uninsulated ones, and using a tool suitable to the voltage or current environment (e.g., don’t use a DMM inline to measure current on a 200A circuit).
But why only 10 examples? Surely, the more principles behind an electrical safety program, the better it is? Right?
Think of what happens when you put eight people on a four-person job; it nearly always takes longer to do, usually much longer.
The point of this isn’t to engage in some intellectual exercise in which you list every good-sounding principle you can think of. The point is to decide which principles most matter, and communicate them in a clear way. An electrical safety program doesn’t work better because its documents have a lot of words and can impress some people. It works better because it’s understandable and people can remember the principles behind it.
About the Author
Mark Lamendola
Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.
Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.
Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.