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Tag Archives: nfpa70e
Arc Flash: Who’s Training the Trainers?
Whether giving or getting arc flash training, have you considered whether the trainer is “qualified,” “effective,” “proficient” or “competent” for the job? Is the training content “adequate?” How can we tell? Does it matter?
Many OSHA standards require employee training, but are vague on trainer qualifications. HazCom requires only “effective” training. HAZWOPER specifies that trainers have “the training and/or academic credentials and instructional experience necessary to demonstrate competent instructional skills and a good command of the subject matter.” The Bloodborne Pathogens standard requires only that the training record include “the names and qualifications of the persons conducting the training.” No definition of credentials or “effective” training other than by performance failures, i.e., accidents. “Competent” or “proficient” are often decided by incident investigations or lawsuits. Remember, paperwork is the first place “they” look!
Posted in Health and Safety Compliance, Management Systems, Risk Management
Tagged "accident investigation", "arc flash", "Dr. Scott Harris", "electrical safety", "ieso llc", "iesollc", "kenneth Harris", "Kenneth Scott Harris", "nfpa 70e", "OHSAS 18001", "safety alert", "Scott Harris PHD", "Scott Harris", "train the trainer", arcflash, competent, credentials, hazcom, IESO, lawsuit, litigation, NFPA, nfpa70e, OSHA, proficient, qualified, training
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Arc Flash Alert for Healthcare
Hospitals are covered under the OSHA/NFPA 70E requirements. Arc flash/blast incidents can cause severe employee injury and loss of electrical power to key functions of patient care, while the cost of injury treatment may exceed $1,000,000 per case with permanent disability and probable litigation. As one Director of hospital engineering services recently told us, “There are systems in the hospital that we just can’t shut down, and must perform our inspections on live parts.”
We recently published an article on our website in which we continue to recommend the rigorous analysis prescribed by IEEE 1584, and warn against “quickie” or generic 70E arc flash solutions. An industrial facility asked IESO to evaluate arc flash results from another firm that reportedly used a customized program for arc flash analysis. The facility management was concerned about the lack of time the consultant spent on-site, the minimal review of electrical components and the generic results. Our review revealed highly inaccurate information on 90% of the labels including incident energy ratings underestimated by 200-450%, clearly endangering employee safety.
Posted in Download Center, Health and Safety Compliance, Risk Management
Tagged "arc blast", "arc flash analysis", "arc flash", "Dr. Scott Harris", "electrical safety", "healthcare accreditation", "healthcare industry", "ieee 1584", "ieso llc", "iesollc", "iso 14001", "Keith Spencer", "kenneth Harris", "Kenneth Scott Harris", "nfpa 70e", "safety alert", "Scott Harris PHD", "Scott Harris", arcflash, audit, hospital, hospitals, IESO, nfpa70e, OSHA, training
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Arc Flash Safety: History and Requirements
History and Awareness
Arc flash was first identified by Dr. Ralph Lee in his 1982 “The Other Electrical Hazard: Electric Arc Blast Burns.” Dr. Lee found that as many as 80% of electrical injuries resulted from arc flash rather than from shock, which had always been thought to be the major risk associated with live electrical work.
By 1990 the threat of arc flash was well established, and OSHA updated 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S to recognize the need for arc flash safety. NFPA 70E, the Electrical Safety Workplace Standard, was revised to include the calculations necessary to establish arc flash protection boundaries, and equipment manufacturers began to offer arc-resistant switchgear as a means to minimize arc flash hazards.
Posted in Health and Safety Compliance
Tagged "1926 subpart k", "29cfr 1910 subpart s", "arc blast", "arc flash", "Dr. Scott Harris", "electrical hazards", "electrical safety", "ieso llc", "iesollc", "kenneth Harris", "Kenneth Scott Harris", "nfpa 70", "nfpa 70e", "Scott Harris PHD", "Scott Harris", "standard 1584", "subpart s", 1584, arcflash, IESO, nec, NFPA, nfpa70, nfpa70e, OSHA, ppe
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