company policy

[puckman]

A company has a electrical work policy of 2* for inside and contractor workers. All work is done using the task tables in the 70e book. A problem comes and leads into the switchgear, a company ee decides he needs to open the back of the energized switchgear for a looksee, company guys won't open back panel, the contractor does and takes a peek inside and says thats as far as he can go and gets out.

Company says the EE knows what he is doing , I agree except for the safety part. We have to work for this ee.
Are or were we wrong for disagreeing with this ee ? This was all energized work listed as troubleshooting.

Looking for opinuins with this particular job. Thanks

 

[sameguy]

Are you to take readings? What work was to be done or is this a site seeing tour?

 

[cornbread]

Is your EE qualified per NFPA 70E? Does he have the skill & knowledge, has the EE recieved safety training to recognize and avoid the hazards? If the answer is no, the EE has no business getting into the equipment.

 

[charlie b]

More importantly, is the available fault current at that switchgear lower than the value stated at the bottom of the 70E table, and is the trip setting of the breaker faster than the value stated at the bottom of the table? If either answer is no, then the table does not apply, and you can't use it to determine PPE. And if the EE was not already aware of this concern, then he is not qualified to do even so much as a visual inspection of the internals of an energized switchgear.