Common Electrical Hazards

in the Workplace Including

Arc Flash
Qualified Persons

• Qualified person: One who has received training in

and has demonstrated skills and knowledge in the
construction and operation of electric equipment and
installations and the hazards involved.

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Qualified Person Training
1910.332(b)(3)(i) – (iii)

Qualified persons shall, at a minimum, be trained in the

following areas:
• The skills to distinguish exposed live parts from other
parts of electric equipment.
• The skills to determine the nominal voltage of
exposed live parts, and
• The clearance distances specified in 1910.333(c) and
the corresponding voltages to which the qualified
person will be exposed.

3
Hierarchy of Control
1910 Subpart I Appendix B

Engineering Solutions:
• Guards
• Barriers
• Design Features

Administrative Solutions:
• Employee Training
• Standard Operating Procedures
• Hot Work Permit

Personal Protective Equipment:

• FR Clothing
• Hard Hat
• Safety Glasses

Remember – PPE is a last line of defense!

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PPE Requirements
1910.335(a)(1)(i)

Employers

• Must determine what is needed (JHA)

• Must train employees on proper use

• Must enforce use of PPE

• May be required to pay for the PPE

Employees must use the PPE!

5
Alerting Techniques
1910.335(b)(1)-(3)

Other examples to protect employees from electrical

hazards:
• Safety signs and tags
• Barricades
• Attendants

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Common Hazards

Common hazards when working with energized

electrical equipment include:
• Electric Shock / Burns
• Blast
• Arc Flash

Fast Fact: It doesn’t take much for human skin to burn. An

exposure of 203 F for just one-tenth of a second (6 cycles)
is enough to cause a third degree burn!

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Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter

• This device protects you from dangerous shock

• If a ground fault is detected, the GFCI can shut

off electricity flow in as little as 1/40 of a second,
protecting you from a dangerous shock

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Ground Fault Receptacles
1910.304(b)(3)(i) & (b)(3)(ii)(A)

GFCI are required:

• In bathrooms
• On rooftops
• Temp wiring for maintenance, remodeling or repair
• Extension cords if used for temp. electric power
• Receptacles used for equipment in damp or wet
locations

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Equipment Grounding
1910.304(g)(6)(vi)(C)(1) – (6)

Equipment Shall be Grounded

• Refrigerators, freezers, and air cond.

• Clothes washer, dryer, dishwasher, sump pumps

• Motor tools

• Hedge clippers, lawn mowers, snow blowers, wet scrubbers

• Appliances in wet locations

• Portable X-ray

• Portable hand lamps

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Appliance Requirements
1910.305(j)(3)(ii) – (iii)

Appliances
• Shall have a disconnecting means

• Shall have nameplate with rating in volts and

amps or in volts and watts

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Flexible Cords - Permitted Use
1910.305(g)(1)(ii)(A)-(L)

• Pendants;
• Wiring of fixtures;
• Connection of portable lamps or appliances;
• Portable and mobile signs;
• Elevator cables;
• Wiring of cranes and hoists;
• Appliances to permit removal for maintenance and repair

Pendant, or Portable lamps, Stationary equipment to

Fixture Wiring tools or appliances facilitate interchange
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Flexible Cords
1910.304(b)(3)(ii)(C)(3)

Extension cords must be visually inspected before each

use on any shift. Examine the cord for
• Missing grounding pin
• Damaged outer jacket (tear in insulation)
• Possible internal damage (pinched cord)

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Splices
1910.305(g)(2)(ii)

Flexible cords may be used only in continuous lengths

without splice or tap.

Note: Black electrical tape does not provide suitable insulation and is not acceptable

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Grounding Pin
1910.304(b)(3)(ii)(C)(4)(i) – (iii)

All equipment grounding conductors shall be tested for continuity:

• Before first use

• Before return to service (repairs)
• Before use after an incident that may have caused damaged
• Intervals not to exceed three (3) months

Ensure that grounding pin on extension cords is in place and

operable
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Flexible Cords
1910.305(g)(2)(i)

• Durably marked as to type, side, and number of

conductors
• Strain relief must be provided

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Prohibited Uses of Flexible Cords
1910.305(g)(1)(iv)(A)-(F)

• As a substitute for the fixed wiring of a structure

• Routed through holes in walls, ceilings, or floors
• Routed through doorways, windows, or similar openings
• Attached to building surfaces
• Concealed behind building walls, ceilings, or floors
• Installed in raceways, except as otherwise permitted in this subpart

Substitute for Run through walls, Concealed behind or

fixed wiring ceilings, floors, doors, attached to building
or windows surfaces

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Cabinets, Boxes and Fittings
1910.305(b)(2)(i)

In completed installations, each outlet box shall have a

cover, faceplate, or fixture canopy.

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Labeling of Breakers
1910.303(f)(2) –(3)

Overcurrent devices or disconnecting devices:

• shall be legibly marked to indicate its purpose

• shall be of sufficient durability to withstand the

environment involved.

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Cabinets, Boxes and Fittings
1910.305(b)(1)(i

• Conductors entering must be protected

• Openings must be effectively closed
• Cable is fastened within 12” from box or raceway

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Arc Flash Event

Arc Flash - A dangerous release of energy created by

an electrical fault.

• Thermal energy

• Acoustical energy

• Pressure wave

• Debris

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Arc Flash Intensity

Variables that effect the size and energy of an electric

arc flash include:
• Amperage
• Voltage
• Arc Gap
• Closure time
• Distance away from arc
• 3 phase v single phase
• Confined space

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Arc Energy Basics

• Exposure energy expressed in cal/cm2

• ½ to 1 cal/cm2 = hottest part of lighter in 1 sec
• 1-2 cals exposure will cause second degree burn on
human skin
• Typical non-FR workwear can ignite @4-5 cals
• Arcs typically release 5-30 cals - energies of 30-60
cals are common

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Arc Flash Events

• Can reach 35,000 F

• Fatal burns >10 feet
• Majority of hospital
admissions are arc flash
burns, not shock
• 30,000 arcs and 7000 burn
injuries per year
• Over 2000 people admitted to
burn centers yearly with
severe arc flash burns

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What Is Important

Three factors are critical when discussing burns:

• Extent (% of body burned – related to survivability)

• Severity (linked to quality of life)

• Location (linked to quality of life)

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What Is a Burn?
A chemical process which
progressively injures skin;
severity relates to depth

 1st : redness, pain – not

permanent

 2nd: blistering – skin will

regenerate

 3rd: total skin depth

destroyed. Will not
regenerate – requires
grafting

 4th : Underlying muscle

damaged
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De-energized Equipment

The most effective and fool-proof way to eliminate the risk

of electrical shock or arc flash is to simply de-energize the
equipment. . .

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Lockout / Tag-out

A lock and a tag shall be placed on each disconnect,

used to de-energize circuits and equipment, on which
work is to be performed.

Note: Electrical equipment that has been de-energized but

has not been LOTO shall be treated as energized.
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Flash Protection Labeling

Arc Flash Hazard labeling must be posted which

identifies:

• Approach boundaries

• PPE required

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Common Electrical Hazards
in the Workplace Including
Arc Flash