Electrical Safety Clarification

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sosbxo

Member
Location
ontario
Occupation
safety advisor
Hi,
I have a project where the contractor is asserting the conductors must be pulled through two existing installation where they may be exposure to energized parts; is this permitted in the electrical safety code? 208 V.

Thanks!
 

Krusscher

Senior Member
Location
Washington State
Occupation
Electrician
I am assuming you mean they are pulling through live panelboards? If they can't be shut off then they should suit up to the appropriate level but obviously the safest would be to eliminate the hazard and shut off the panels for the pull.
 

sosbxo

Member
Location
ontario
Occupation
safety advisor
I am assuming you mean they are pulling through live panelboards? If they can't be shut off then they should suit up to the appropriate level but obviously the safest would be to eliminate the hazard and shut off the panels for the pull.
Thank you. Yeah the engineering consultant is suggesting the conductors be pulled through existing conduits running through a duct bank. The contractor is saying this is against code due to the close proximity of energized conductors in the duct bank beneath the main switchgear. i was thinking with ppe, fiberglass fish tapes and written work plan it should work but checking there isnt anything in code here i'm missing.
 

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
I don't know how Canada OSHA works but before agreeing to even "Hot Work" protocol you should research it. In most cases a scheduled shut down can be done even in Hospital Critical Care areas, it may be inconvenient but catastrophic injuries or loss of life would be more inconvenient
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
It is never a good practice to try to pull though any raceway with energized conductors. In addition at the equipment ends, the workers would likely be exposed to energized parts. It is unlikely this would be "justified" energized work under the rules in OSHA and NFPA 70E, but not sure about Canada.
I would NEVER try to make a contractor do any work that they see as a safety issue.

If I was the contractor and the owner/engineer tried to force my people to do work that I see as a safety issue, you would have to find another contractor to do the work.
 
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