PPE to unlock a panel and open the door

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stopgap123

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Hello

We have inspections in or building ( Healthcare setting ) sometimes the inspector wants a panel open to inspect a ledger. Is there any need for ppe just to open a panel door? Management wants gloves and arc coat.... is there any thing in nec .
 
Since this isn't a DIY question we'll allow it. If the panel cover is still installed and there is no access to live parts the PPE would not be required.
 
The NEC is an installation code.
NFPA 70E is the commonly used operation/maintenance code.
It is up to each company to implement, and interpret/assess the risk of, their electrical safe work practices.

While it is possible for a company to require the PPE you mention, I have never come across one. Problems like this often occur when people do not keep up with the latest editons of codes, but instead rely on something they heard in a 'familiarization' seminar 10 years ago.
 
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I retired from a large hospital that had strict rules. Safety department was always walking around. We never had to wear additional PPE to open covers on any of the 120/208 or 480 volt panels. We had to wear long sleeve shirts & pants that usually had a 8 or 9 CAL rating along with electrical rated work boots everyday. Every year when we spent several days performing IR scans on open panels we had to wear a face shield and rubber gloves.Took me 40 years to learn an important safety procedure. Before operating any circuit breaker or safety switch you should take in a deep breath and hold it. In the unfortunate event of a Arc blast by holding your breath you would not inhale super heated air.As an apprentice we were taught to stand to one side of breaker or safety switch and use your left hand if right handed. ( told us if you burnt your left hand at least you still will be able to wipe something ). While an apprentice while turning on an old rusted 200 amp safety switch closed it on a motor that was grounded and blew the cover off. Found out that one of the two rusted hinges were broken and other hinge was close to breaking. Was glad I was not standing in front if it.
 
stopgap123 said:
Hello

We have inspections in or building ( Healthcare setting ) sometimes the inspector wants a panel open to inspect a ledger. Is there any need for ppe just to open a panel door? Management wants gloves and arc coat.... is there any thing in nec .
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It is up to the employer to determine what safety precautions are required.
 
You need to follow NFPA 70E which says that you must meet the requirements of Table 130.5(C) - Estimate of the Likelihood of Occurrence of an Arc Flash Incident. Opening a cover to expose energized conductors is an operation where there is a likelihood of occurrence of an arc flash event, so PPE is required commensurate with the Incident Energy (IE) at the panel. You determine the IE from either an arc flash label or by using the PPE Categories method in 70E. The Categories method only applies to a fraction of the panels because of the fault current and protective device time requirements.

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Per NFPA 70E (which is used by OSHA but not a legally binding standard), opening a door or removing a panel to expose LIVE parts absolutely does require an arc-flash and shock hazard analysis and appropriate PPE. There are quite a few incidents that were initiated by opening a door. From a practical viewpoint, 480 V panels (and higher) are MUCH more hazardous than 240 V and below.
 
D. Castor said:
Per NFPA 70E (which is used by OSHA but not a legally binding standard), opening a door or removing a panel to expose LIVE parts absolutely does require an arc-flash and shock hazard analysis and appropriate PPE. There are quite a few incidents that were initiated by opening a door. From a practical viewpoint, 480 V panels (and higher) are MUCH more hazardous than 240 V and below.
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I took the OP as to requiring PPE just to open the panel door to see the breakers, no live parts would be exposed.
 
As Jim reiterated there are no live parts involved in the OP's question. He's simply opening the panel door to view the circuit breakers. The cover is still attached.
 
I didn't read your question - so I likely responded inappropriately. I wrote as-if you were accessing energized parts. Per that same table, you're only accessing dead-front devices, so you're good to do that without any PPE. However, according to the table, the system must be in Normal mode of operation, which means, among other things, up-to-date with maintenance on the electrical system. Has that electrical system had preventive maintenance performed in the past 1-3 years? Based on what I see, it's not likely.
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infinity said:
As Jim reiterated there are no live parts involved in the OP's question. He's simply opening the panel door to view the circuit breakers. The cover is still attached.
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Nfpa70e is not something that is adopted by law. It is adopted more or less voluntarily as a consensus standard that is considered adequate for the purpose. But it is still up to the employer to determine what requirements there are. Nfpa79e just gives you some cover as to minimum requirements.
 
jim dungar said:
The NEC is an installation code.
NFPA 70E is the commonly used operation/maintenance code.
It is up to each company to implement, and interpret/assess the risk of, their electrical safe work practices.

While it is possible for a company to require the PPE you mention, I have never come across one. Problems like this often occur when people do not keep up with the latest editons of codes, but instead rely on something they heard in a 'familiarization' seminar 10 years ago.
Click to expand...
More specifically, NFPA 70E is a standard without enforcement. BUT, OSHA is (was?) the enforcer of workplace safety standards, and in that role, has rules REQUIRING that all employers have a program outlining "safe electrical work practices" in their facility. That program must apply to their employees and any contractors who do work on their facilities. So if that facility has a requirement that you suit up in PPE to the appropriate incident energy in a piece of equipment, you cannot refuse to comply. Now what IS the incident energy and required PPE for a breaker panel? That is for THEM to determine and label. Unfortunately if they failed to label it, then you must assume the worst.
The other side of that coin however is that OSHA is not the "police" in this case, they are the detectives, judge, jury and executioner. So if there is no incident, violations can occur that remain that way for years. But if there IS an incident, then OSHA will swoop in and if they FIND violations, they can possibly cripple a company's operations, prosecute and even jail managers and supervisors, causing mass layoffs of innocent employees. OSHA does not REQUIRE that an employer follow NFPA 70E, they just suggest it, but if you come up with your own plan, it had better look a lot like it.
 
OSHA has established in their Standard Interpretation part of their website (link below) that an unqualified employee could reset a breaker or replace a fuse if doing so would not expose the employee to electrical parts that are energized above 50 volts. That would require opening of panel doors at a minimum. If they allow unqualified workers, who don't know about PPE, then your inspector should be ok.

https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2001-11-19-0
 
I should have qualified my answer - or read the question more carefully. If this is a typical panelboard and no live parts are exposed when opening the door, then no PPE is required per NFPA 70E, as long as the equipment is in good working condition. If live parts could be exposed, then PPE is probably required. Apologies for any confusion.
 
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