Qualified person?

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Re: Qualified person?

Originally posted by jimwalker:
If they did then EC would provide for there men.
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Jim, we don't live in China. Most employers in the United States are obligated by law to provide a safe work environment for their employees.

We have to be proactive about safety. If we stay complacent and keep the status quo, then this trade will not advance itself.
 
Re: Qualified person?

I've been watching this, raising an eyebrow here and there.

I worked for an EC, for a short time, (more than one reason for that) who not only put me on a job replacing hot 277v. ballasts all day long but also complained that it took me too long when I had them going in as fast as 7? minutes.

Whether anybody likes it or not, it is sometimes the world that all of us live in today. Call the cops, call OSHA. I don't like it, but I don't like a lot of things anymore.

On the other hand, there's the "you have to wear safty goggles to sweep the floor" crowd.

I can't change ballasts fast enough with 277 hot, and I need to wear safty gogs to sweep the floor.

I think sanity is what's missing.
 
Re: Qualified person?

Wayne, OSHA can visit most any job site with out a warrant.

They do have procedures after they arrive on the site that must be followed.

For those who might lock off an area of a job site, a search warrant can be obtained if OSHA inspectors want to go into the area.

In NC, if our state OSHA is denied access to a site, say in a Indian Reservation, Federal OSHA will likely show up to inspect the job site.


Roger
 
Re: Qualified person?

I have a scar on my left wrist from a 30 volt transformer. I was standing on an 8 foot aluminum ladder connecting the low voltage wires to a transformer that controlled a buzzer for the back door when some one decided to push the button. The voltage was enough to make me jerk away and down come me, tools, ladder and all. During my wingless flight I was grabbing for anything I could and the hood on the light fixture I grabbed said turn me loose so I did.
Moral of the story is sometimes it is not the current that does the damage.
 
Re: Qualified person?

JW, if it was one of the buzzers with vibrating contacts, you could get some inductive kick, or for that matter, breaking the loop on an AC buzzer or chime set would do the same.
 
Re: Qualified person?

I think this has turned into a debate about working on live? hot? circuits vs. dead ones, but the FPN is referring to 70E which is electrical safety in the work place. I have not had entire training yet that is next on my list, but from the over view we got you are able to work on some circuits live. You just have to wear the proper PPE which is spelled out in 70E. Also this PPE must be worn just to open panel and check if circuit is dead. As some as first door, access panel, cover or anything removed PPE must be worn. Even if circuit should be dead. Now in situations where it must be done live you can still do this. Just were the proper PPE.

I do know where a lot of you are coming from. I too work in an industrial environment where faster is better no matter how. Just like some times lock out tag out is not used because it is quicker, and if I do lock out tag out and next guy doesn?t, and is faster at it he will get the job next time. Also though if correct person walks by while I am doing it with out proper lock out tag out I get a write up. So how much time does it take if you carry minimum PPE with you and put it on before doing work? Is it worth it? I think so, and I was one who always abused safety rules to gain speed, but now I have found happy medium. I want to go home at night.

Also do not forget PPE is not just for electrical shock, but also arc flash. So even if on fiberglass ladder and all insulated equipment you could still accidentally cause an arc flash and be severely injured or killed.
 
Jeff said:
IT AIN'T THE VOLTAGE THAT KILLS YOU. Current is what makes us taste dirt.
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Have you some new invention? Anytime I have checked for current without voltage, I have failed to find any current. If I understand things correctly, that is a true statement, but a little misleading; because without the voltage you will not have the current.

And a very small amount of current can and will stop your heart in some cases. Just as a large amount of current can literally cook your internal organs.

IMHO it is best to kill the power before doing any work. In our facility we have tried to teach no work on live circuits with out a special permit issued to person for that particular job. And we have certain people that there is no way they are getting such a permit.
 
You just have to wear the proper PPE which is spelled out in 70E.
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For the most part live work is prohibited by OSHA, even with PPE. The most notable exception is for troubleshooting.
I too work in an industrial environment where faster is better no matter how. Just like some times lock out tag out is not used because it is quicker, ...
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I work in an industrial enviroment too, but if a plant worker is caught without the proper lockout, he is give days off. If a contractor is caught, he is banned from the site as is his employeer.
Don
 
Saftey Should Come First ...

Saftey Should Come First ...

I am also working at present in an Industrial setting, Maintenance and Construction, on the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline. The owners, Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, "DEMANDS" ... Saftey First ... their "Slogan" is "Nobody Gets Hurt" ... All of the Contractors on the job sites must adhere to their standards, which include training and proper saftey procedures ... my contractor just spent $500 + dollars on me for "FR" coveralls, shirts and jacket; must also mention the 2 days of saftey training for "Site-Specific" reasons. We at times must also work things "Hot" for Troubleshooting or because of other reasons, but we are required to wear/use all necessary PPE ... yes to hook up a breaker in a 120/208 panel, I wear my FR clothes, use Insulated tools and wear a Face-Shield ... Saftey "ALWAYS" takes precident over Time ... if a Contractor here doesn't comply ... they don't work here ... just one more little example for you guys ... last week I had to change some flourescent tubes or ballast if necessary over a stairwell ... it took 4 hours to construct a scaffold over the stairs (area Blocked off also), took 5 minutes to change the tubes, 2 hours to dismantle scaffold, total hours; 2 men 6 hours (scaffold) 1 man 5 hours (me, waiting for scaffold; change tubes) ... saftey is sometimes expensive but worth every saved life or injury ... good luck boys ...... Nobody Gets Hurt ...... m
 
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mario said:
All of the Contractors on the job sites must adhere to their standards........
last week I had to change some flourescent tubes or ballast if necessary over a stairwell ... it took 4 hours to construct a scaffold over the stairs (area Blocked off also), took 5 minutes to change the tubes, 2 hours to dismantle scaffold, total hours; 2 men 6 hours (scaffold) 1 man 5 hours (me, waiting for scaffold; change tubes)
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Sounds exactly like working on a DuPont site.


We were once thrown off a DuPont site because one of our guys went into the back of the bucket truck to unlatch the boom.

The safety director said he needed a safety harness to be there.
Says we, 'now what is he supposed to tie off to????'
S.D.- "Not my problem to figure out"
Unbelieveable and unrealistic.
 
No PPE training

No PPE training

I've been reading through some older postings and this one has left me with a question. I know SOME of the basics of 70E but am no where near "knowledgable" on the subject. My employer seems to concider it a pain in the rear and offers no training on the subject. :mad: Any suggestions on where to get some "training material" other than the code itself?
As to the working it hot, the guy who trained me when i first started doing electrical work always said " If there's not life support on it, it can be shut down"

JHarvey
 
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