Wearing the right PPE is critical but other provisions to prevent arc flashes and lower incident energies in incidents are part of CSA Z462 and NFPA 70E.  These provisions prevent many of the incidents in the workplace. Click here to read the story of the arc flash fine in Canada at OH&S Insider.

In This Issue Arc Test Dates NFPA 70E Proposed Changes Online South African Standards Committee Visits Kinectrics with ArcWear Certified Utility Safety Professional (CUSP) Gains Traction OSHA Requirements for Computer-Based Training NFPA 70E-2012 May Require 3 Year Minimum Refresher OSHA Fines this Month NEW Electrical Safety Articles & Video Click the image below to visit [...]

Schneider Electric (a top NFPA 70E compliance company) cited for electrical hazards after an employee electrocution.  It is tough to change the electrical culture.  Companies with leading edge technologies and safety programs have a tough time getting the word down to the lower level workers.  Electricity can kill you. I’m sure Square-D made changes to prevent this [...]

HVAC system kills one, injures one. One worker dead another with 3rd Degree burns on hands. LO/TO not followed?  HVAC workers among the most likely to die of electrocution.  Click here to read the story.

Story updated a few minutes ago.  Two workers hurt in an arc flash. One with possible inhalation.  Arc rated clothing dramatically reduce these injuries.  Cotton clothing, if it ignites usually kills the worker.  These type of incidents are covered by OSHA 1910.269.  NSTAR is a leading company in arc flash safety.  The NESC and OSHA [...]

OSHA actually addressed logos for flame resistant clothing related to arc flash in an interpretation letter.  This is interesting. They didn’t give specific guidance but indicated the employer is responsible. For arc flash issues some use a non-melting thread like Nomex, Kermel or Conex.  Other options are coming online all the time.  I’d bet a [...]

“CHANNELVIEW, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Sneed Shipbuilding Inc. for alleged serious, repeat and other-than-serious violations for exposing employees to electrical and other safety hazards at the company’s facility on Market Street in Channelview. Proposed penalties total $59,300.

“Welders were using damaged welding leads, and the company failed to repair damaged electrical junction boxes,” said David Doucet, director of OSHA’s Houston North Area Office. “Electrical hazards like these can cause electrocution.”

OSHA’s Houston North Area Office began its investigation on April 27, finding structural deficiencies on one of the crawler cranes Sneed Shipbuilding maintained and operated, as well as electrical hazards throughout the shipyard. OSHA has issued 19 serious citations, including failing to provide employees with fall protection, guards on grinders, covers over open manholes in decks, and fire extinguishers in areas where flammable paint and solvents are used. A serious violation is one that could cause death or serious physical harm to employees when the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.

A repeat violation has been issued for failing to provide employees operating crawler cranes with load rating charts. A repeat violation is issued when an employer previously was cited for the same or a similar violation of any standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last three years.”

Now five sites total have been cited for electrical hazards.  We have seen a real uptick in OSHA citations of companies for electrical hazards but this USPS thing has really gotten interesting.  They must have all been doing the same things.  I had a ton of USPS workers in classes over the past four or [...]

Another site of the USPS has been cited for electrical hazards.  Most companies don’t know that if OSHA cites ONE location and this isn’t fixed as ALL locations of the company that the next fine can be considered “willful”.  Intracompany communication of OSHA violations is critical to improving the safety culture and policies and procedures. [...]

This news item in that on Friday 6-11-10 an NStar employee was hurt in an arc flash in a manhole in Boston, MA.  Manhole incidents can be very high arc flash energies since most of these systems have higher fault currents and the circuits are often slow acting on protection if protected at all. NStar [...]