What would be the correct and logical order of compliance with NFPA 70 E in a small to medium size industrial facility?
I am not a fan of 70E, but if they are going to do it, I would prefer that it is done correctly. I don't want to have to walk around wearing flame retardant clothing, while everyone still does everything hot, and there have not been any analyses done of the capacities of the circuits involved, and no one understanding that it means no hot work ( unless to de energize introduces additional hazards )... not no hot work unless it is convenient.
A few years ago someone put stickers on every piece of electrical apparatus in the place warning of death and destruction if NFPA 70E were not followed and PPE not used. but no one ever got any training or PPE.
Now, recently there was a suit of FR work clothes displayed in the maint shop with an attatched note inviting comments about the clothing "to be worn when doing electrical work".
Similarly, there has been introduced in years past a "hot work" permit regarding cutting and welding that contains a checklist of things for the "worker" ( not the supervisor ) to check off, that everyone knows is impossible. eg.remove all flammable material within 35 feet ( that's a 70 foot circle in an industrial facility ), wet everything down etc. ....sounds good to someone who never did anything. If anything ever happened, the worker could never have complied with the things he signed off on the permit.
In other words it looks to me like there is yet another dog and pony show in the works with this NFPA 70E.
If there was true compliance intended, in what order would what be done?
I am not a fan of 70E, but if they are going to do it, I would prefer that it is done correctly. I don't want to have to walk around wearing flame retardant clothing, while everyone still does everything hot, and there have not been any analyses done of the capacities of the circuits involved, and no one understanding that it means no hot work ( unless to de energize introduces additional hazards )... not no hot work unless it is convenient.
A few years ago someone put stickers on every piece of electrical apparatus in the place warning of death and destruction if NFPA 70E were not followed and PPE not used. but no one ever got any training or PPE.
Now, recently there was a suit of FR work clothes displayed in the maint shop with an attatched note inviting comments about the clothing "to be worn when doing electrical work".
Similarly, there has been introduced in years past a "hot work" permit regarding cutting and welding that contains a checklist of things for the "worker" ( not the supervisor ) to check off, that everyone knows is impossible. eg.remove all flammable material within 35 feet ( that's a 70 foot circle in an industrial facility ), wet everything down etc. ....sounds good to someone who never did anything. If anything ever happened, the worker could never have complied with the things he signed off on the permit.
In other words it looks to me like there is yet another dog and pony show in the works with this NFPA 70E.
If there was true compliance intended, in what order would what be done?
Last edited: