NFPA 70E 2018

TOP CODE CHANGES

Minnesota Safety &

Health Conference

MAY, 2018

DEFINITIONS

Electrical Safety Program: (N) A documented

system consisting of electrical safety principles,

policies, procedures, and processes that direct

activities appropriate for the risk associated with

electrical hazards.

Boundary, Arc Flash: When an arc flash

hazard exists, an approach limit from an arc

source at which incident energy equals 1.2

cal/cm2 (second degree burn - removed)

DEFINITIONS

Fault Current: (N) The amount of current

delivered at a point on the system during a

short-circuit condition.

Fault Current, Available: (N) The largest

amount of current capable of being

delivered at a point on the system during a

short circuit

DEFINITIONS Maintenance, Condition of: (N) The state of the

electrical equipment considering the

manufacturer’s instructions, manufacturer’s

recommendations, and applicable industry codes,

standards, and recommended practices.

Working Distances: (N) The distance between a

person’s face and chest area and a prospective

arc source.

INCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS

Incident Investigations, Article 110.1(J), (N)

states:” The electrical safety program shall

include elements to investigate electrical

incidents.” Electrical incidents comprise events

or occurrences that result in, or could have

resulted in, a fatality or injury.

Incident Investigations – cont’d

Informational Note: To decrease complacency and improve electrical workplace safety, the technical committee selected the term “incident” instead of “accident.” By requiring an “incident” investigation, not only do electrical events that result in injury require an investigation, but so do close calls or near misses that “could have resulted in injury.”

Job Safety Planning and Briefing (N) 110(I)

110.1(I) Before starting each job that involves exposure to

electrical hazards, the employee in charge shall

complete a job safety plan and conduct a job briefing

with the employees involved

JOB PLANNING AND BRIEFING

ARTICLE 110.1(I)

110.1(I)(1) (N) The job safety plan shall be in

accordance with the following:

Be completed by a Qualified person

Be documented

cont’d

Include the following information:

A description of the job and individual tasks

Identification of the electrical hazards associated with each task

A shock hazard assessment for tasks involving a shock hazard

An arc flash risk assessment for tasks involving an arc flash hazard

Work procedures involved, special precautions, and energy sources

110.1(I)(2)(N) The job briefing shall cover the job safety plan and the information on the energized electrical work permit, if a permit is required

110.1(I)(3) (N) Change in scope. Additional job safety planning and job briefings shall be held if changes occur during the course of the work that might affect the safety of employees

LOCKOUT/TAGOUT AUDIT

110.1(K)(3)(N) Lockout/Tagout Program and Procedure Audit:

The lock program shall be audited by a qualified person not to exceed 1 year. The audit shall cover at least one lockout/tagout in progress. The audit shall be designed to identify and correct deficiencies in the following:

1. The lockout/tagout program and procedures

2. The lock/tagout training

3. Worker execution of the lockout/tagout procedures

RISK ASSESSMENT

Risk Assessment:

The new risk assessment procedure requires you to

address human error and its consequence on

employees, procedures, the workplace and

equipment. Annex Q has been developed was

added to assist in adding this procedure to your Safety

program. Additionally, The Hierarchy of Risk Control

Methods is now in the standards mandatory text.

110.1(H)(2)(N) Human Error:

The risk assessment procedure shall address the

potential of human error and its negative

consequences on people, processes, the work

environment, and equipment.

110.1(H)(3) (N) Hierarchy of Risk Control: The risk assessment procedure shall require that preventive and protective risk

control methods be implemented in accordance with the following:

a Elimination

b Substitution

c Engineering controls

d Awareness

e Administrative controls

f PPE

RESPONDSIBILITES

Article 105.3 Responsibility has been added to for better definition of Employer and Employee responsibilities. 105.3(A)(N) Employer Responsibility: The Employer shall

have the following responsibilities:

1. Establish, document, and implement the safety-related work practices and procedures required by this standard

2. Provide employees with training in the employer’s safety-related work practices and procedures.

105.3(B)(N)Employee Responsibility:

The employee shall comply with the safety-related

work practices and procedures provided by the

employer

Tip: If you do not have your NFPA

70E 2018 Edition yet, you can view

articles and code at NFPA.org for

free

TWO TABLES THAT HAVE BEEN

CHANGED

Table 130.5(C): Estimate of the Likelihood of

Occurrence of an Arc Flash Incident for ac and dc

Systems

This table was 130.7(C)(15)(a) and has been revised and

moved. It can be used for both ac and dc for doing your arc

flash risk assessment. It also applies to incident energy analysis

method and PPE method

Table 130.5(G) has been moved from the

annex material (formerly H.3.(b)) to mandatory text. It

has been revised to provide guidance on how to

select gear when using the incident energy analysis

method

First Aid, Emergency Response, and

Resuscitation (Modified) 110.2(C)(2)(d) Training shall occur

at a frequency that satisfies the requirements of the certifying

body.