Painters, Recepticle Faceplates

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wtucker

Senior Member
Location
Connecticut
Painters will remove the faceplates from recepticle faceplates before painting.

Taking off the faceplates exposes live conductors.

Should they be required to de-energize, and lock out and tag out the circuits involved based upon NFPA 70E?

Forget about 70E, the painter and GC should worry about OSHA: 29 CFR 1926.405(j)(1)(i) and .416(a)(1)

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=24915

It would help to cover the screw heads with electrical tape.
 

Mike Furlan

Member
Location
Lemont Il
Your not working with live parts unless you cross the prohibited approach and are not working near live parts unless you cross the restricted approach boundary. For a 120 volt receptacle both of these boundaries are listed as "avoid contact" (do not touch) in Table 130.2(C). The removal of the device covers is not working on or near live parts, the only issue would be arc flash protection, however the protection category would most likely be "0" requiring only long pants and long sleeve shirt of non-melting fabric.

Thanks, this makes sense.

But it does bring up the question of why require faceplates at all?
 

wtucker

Senior Member
Location
Connecticut
why require faceplates at all?

Because OSHA may fine the employer of exposed employees up to $7,000.

The definition from the standards:

"Exposed. (As applied to live parts.) Capable of being inadvertently touched or approached nearer than a safe distance by a person. It is applied to parts not suitably guarded, isolated, or insulated."
 

Mike Furlan

Member
Location
Lemont Il
Because OSHA may fine the employer of exposed employees up to $7,000.

The definition from the standards:

"Exposed. (As applied to live parts.) Capable of being inadvertently touched or approached nearer than a safe distance by a person. It is applied to parts not suitably guarded, isolated, or insulated."

Now we are going in circles:

If "Your not working with live parts unless you cross the prohibited approach"

is correct.

Then I ask why faceplates at all?

I think the the solutions are, lock out and tag out the circuits involved, or ensure that all the painters are also "qualified electrical workers" as defined by the organization in charge of safety at that workplace.

If people are "qualified" then they can be expected to understand the concept of "Your not working with live parts unless you cross the prohibited approach."
 

220/221

Senior Member
Location
AZ
I think we should learn how to spell "receptacle".

I usually say recep.

I HATE trying to spell receptacle. Hey! I DID it!

I used to use the term outlet because I knew how to spell it. Then I started posting here :roll:

What was the question again?

Oh yeah. I don't care what the painters do. I don't think we can regulate what everybody does in every situation. Let Darwin take over and thin the herd.
 
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