Hot Work & PPE

[John120/240]

After much heated discussion & 105 post (Bobhook149 live service change) in
Continuing Education: When landing one new circuit in a panel, do you kill the main & don proper PPE? Does everybody kill the power to change a switch or recptacle? Be Truthful!!

 

[jxofaltrds]

After much heated discussion & 105 post (Bobhook149 live service change) in
Continuing Education: When landing one new circuit in a panel, do you kill the main & don proper PPE? Does everybody kill the power to change a switch or recptacle? Be Truthful!!

That would depend on the condition of the panel.

Short answer yes I would land a new circuit in a 'live' panel.

And I may sound like a sissy but I have removed power to add a circuit. Something just did not 'feel' right.

Outlets NO. I always remove power. No reason not to.

 

[cschmid]

It real does depend on the location and environment but my normal is on a de-energized circuit. I do not promote working live and when done so use PPE.

 

[mxslick]

Landing new circuits: Depends on condition of panel. Like jxofaltrds said, if it doesn't feel right, it gets shut down. Kinda like "Spidey-sense."

Changing a switch: Have done it live, don't like to. 99% of the time do it dead.

Changing a recept.: Always dead. Never know if you're gonna interrupt a downstream load or the neutral of a dreaded MWBC. :grin:

 

[fondini]

I make everyone shut her down,I do em hot ,lazy or stupid or both, idunno

 

[dsandberg]

Ppe

Ppe

The question is not "can you work on an energized panel" but rather "what work can safely be done"? In that regard, NFPA 70E mandates the use of PPE in accordance with the class of hazard faced. In comercial applications, an arc flash analysis has to be done. Similar to a breaker coordination study, it identifies the available incident energy at any accessable spot in the system. Lables are posted on each piece of equipment, gear or panel. The label tells you the class of hazard and class of PPE required. From a practical standpoint, there is very little one can do when fully geared up. We employ PPE mainly to operate gear, inspect with open covers or take readings, beyond that it is best to secure the source and apply LOTO. Trying to perform work while geared up my in fact create a hazard due to decreased manual dexterity and peripheral vision. Always let common sense be you guide. We never want to have to call a wife with bad news.

 

[boyle78]

No light switch or recept is so important NOT to shut the feed down. If the breaker has to be bolted on, I shut the panel down. If the breaker is a spare and all that needs to be done is to land the wires, I will get the PPE (unless it doesn't feel right). I realize that PPE is to shut down or to inspect live panels, but getting the job done always seems to sneak up on common sense.