Electrical safety training class

[hawkeye23]

My company had some electrical safety training class they called 70e training. They had a trainer come in for the day and show slides, speak about electrical safety, at the end of the day they had field training where we went out into a mcc area and use a multi meter to test for power at the breaker and fuses. Now we are all qualified to do what ??? We are operators, maintenance workers , electricians. We have maintenance people operating switchgear with hrc4 ppe needed to operate the gear. One has a level 2 ppe the other uses his work clothes. There seems to be something wrong here ? How would one get to be qualified to operate switchgear?

 

[zog]

My company had some electrical safety training class they called 70e training. They had a trainer come in for the day and show slides, speak about electrical safety, at the end of the day they had field training where we went out into a mcc area and use a multi meter to test for power at the breaker and fuses. Now we are all qualified to do what ??? We are operators, maintenance workers , electricians. We have maintenance people operating switchgear with hrc4 ppe needed to operate the gear. One has a level 2 ppe the other uses his work clothes. There seems to be something wrong here ? How would one get to be qualified to operate switchgear?

Seriously, if you attended the class and don't know the answer to that question your training was a joke.

 

[Ponchik]

Seriously, if you attended the class and don't know the answer to that question your training was a joke.

Not to bash the OP, but maybe he was not asking questions in the class. The class/instructor is not always the issue.

 

[zog]

Not to bash the OP, but maybe he was not asking questions in the class. The class/instructor is not always the issue.

Well you can't meet all the requirements for a qualified person in one day. There are a lot of crappy classes out there, yahoos trying to cash in on the whole 70E thing.

 

[eHunter]

Safety training should be continual and evolving.
Everything necessary to learn and assimilate for electrical safety cannot be grasped in one or two quick group classes.
Electrical safety, 70e and safety in general is a culture that take time to "soak" in with discussion and feedback.

 

[hawkeye23]

I believe thats what i was trying to get out in theopen that these classes are bad to say the least. Just trying to show how it is in some companies. How some people never used tools before become a qualified worker in one day and can be put in place to work on gens and switchgear. Your respones will be big influnce to the company. Electricians do not have say anything now. We have to go to these classes . We thank you guys.

 

[zog]

I believe thats what i was trying to get out in theopen that these classes are bad to say the least. Just trying to show how it is in some companies. How some people never used tools before become a qualified worker in one day and can be put in place to work on gens and switchgear. Your respones will be big influnce to the company. Electricians do not have say anything now. We have to go to these classes . We thank you guys.

Some things shouldn't go to the low bidder.

Being "Qualified" per 70E and being an electrician have no relation at all. Qualified means you have the training and experience to evaluate the hazards your duties expose you to and understand the proper procedures and PPE necessary to do that task safely.

For a machine operator this training can be pretty basic with a little hands on training but that just makes him qualified to do that one specific task. That does not mean he is qualified to do any other electrical related work. His training could be done in a day.

A maintenance electrician in an industrial plant is a whole different story. They need to be able to evaluate shock and arc flash risks, establish safe working conditions, use all sorts of different safety gear, understand things like clearing times, AIC ratings, etc... The qualified worker training I used to do for industrial facilities was usually a 40-80 hour class including the specific hands on labs, mock ups, and most important how to apply the 70E in their everyday jobs.

 

[iceworm]

Some things shouldn't go to the low bidder.

Being "Qualified" per 70E and being an electrician have no relation at all. Qualified means you have the training and experience to evaluate the hazards your duties expose you to and understand the proper procedures and PPE necessary to do that task safely.

For a machine operator this training can be pretty basic with a little hands on training but that just makes him qualified to do that one specific task. That does not mean he is qualified to do any other electrical related work. His training could be done in a day.

A maintenance electrician in an industrial plant is a whole different story. They need to be able to evaluate shock and arc flash risks, establish safe working conditions, use all sorts of different safety gear, understand things like clearing times, AIC ratings, etc... The qualified worker training I used to do for industrial facilities was usually a 40-80 hour class including the specific hands on labs, mock ups, and most important how to apply the 70E in their everyday jobs.

Zog -
I don't mean to frighten you or cause others undue alarm.

I agree with you.

 

[iceworm]

We have maintenance people operating switchgear with hrc4 ppe needed to operate the gear. One has a level 2 ppe the other uses his work clothes. ...

Wow, you got me curious. What switchgear requires hrc4 for normal operation? Don't think I have ever seen any.

... How would one get to be qualified to operate switchgear?

Well, quoting zog, "Qualified means you have the training and experience to evaluate the hazards your duties expose you to and understand the proper procedures and PPE necessary to do that task safely." That should have been right in your 70E class.

Still quoting zog, "Being "Qualified" per 70E and being an electrician have no relation at all." Pulling a breaker handle or operating an OPEN knob is not rocket science. Qualified to operate switchgear has nothing to do with being a journeyman electrician.

ice

 

[hawkeye23]

WORM, Our switchgear has arc flash labels with a level 4 for ppe . This switchgear has not had any maintenance in awhile. We also have some mcc with the same level 4 for ppe. I thought operating electrical equipment without being a qualified worker without ppe on was wrong. If I misspoke SHOT ME !

 

[iceworm]

... Our switchgear has arc flash labels with a level 4 for ppe . ...

A lot times arcflash labels will have different ratings for different jobs. For example, it might be:
hc 2 for operating doors open
hc 3 for operating doors open,
hc 4 for live work such as voltage testing (say dead bus verification)

Since yours has just on rating, then that is what it is

...I thought operating electrical equipment without being a qualified worker without ppe on was wrong. ....

True. Remember zog's comment on what constitutes "qualified". Operator's job usually consists of operating with doors closed. (paraphrased) Have to understand (and recognize) the hazards. Have to have the correct ppe.

... If I misspoke SHOT ME !

You didn't mis-speak. Anyway, I've been out of that business for over 40 years. :happyno:

ice

 

[zog]

A lot times arcflash labels will have different ratings for different jobs. For example, it might be:
hc 2 for operating doors open
hc 3 for operating doors open,
hc 4 for live work such as voltage testing (say dead bus verification)

Since yours has just on rating, then that is what it is

That is only if you are using the table method, once you have conducted an arc flash analysis and calculated the Ei you cannot use different categories for different tasks.