OSHA’s Standards for Electrical Systems: What You Need to Know
Do you know everything you need to know about the most frequently cited Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards? In this series, we’re exploring the most common OSHA violations, one by one. Keep reading to learn about OSHA’s scaffolding standards.
The OSHA Standard For Electrical Systems
All electrical systems have the potential to cause harm. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to keep their employees safe near all electrical hazards. Part of this requirement includes the safe examination, installation, and use of electrical equipment.
Qualified Individual:
A qualified person has been trained to avoid electrical hazards when working on or near exposed energized parts and is:
Unqualified Individuals
An unqualified person is someone who has little or no training regarding electrical hazards. Even though unqualified persons may not be exposed to energized parts, make sure they’re trained and familiar with your electrical safety practices.
Whenever work needs to be done on or around an electrical system, make sure everyone in the facility understands OSHA’s safety guidelines. They also need to know where potential danger exists and how to avoid it.
Safety signs and labels throughout the facility are a great way to bring attention to any electrical hazards. Train your staff to make sure they understand how to stay safe when working with electrical systems.
OSHA has a helpful eTool: https://www.osha.gov/etools/subpart-s. The eTool shows employers all of the Subpart S installation requirements that apply based on the time period in which an installation was built or last modified.
Items that fall under OSHA’s 1910.303 Standard include…
What You Stand to Lose When Electrical Systems Violations Happen
Direct costs:
OSHA penalties can exceed $16,550 per violation—and as much per day for every day the issue hasn’t been fixed by OSHA’s deadline. The fine for a willful or repeated violation can be 10 times as much.
Read up on all of the top violations in the OSHA Top 10 Resource Hub
Why Violations Happen
Violations can occur when wiring is not correctly labeled.
Labeling should include:
Inform others of where the electrical system being labeled is going. This helps when troubleshooting power outages, or surges, throughout the facility.
Knowing how old a general electrical system is will be helpful when planning upgrades.
Listing any warnings. For example, listing that the wiring’s not insulated against high heat can help ensure that a high heat-producing machine doesn’t get installed in the area.
Labeling whether a power source is going to a machine or area that is critical to the facility is a good practice. This will help ensure that maintenance staff take extra precautions before cutting the power.
Identifying how much electricity can travel through a particular electrical system before the fuse or other cutoff will occur is also important. This will help when adding additional machines or other things that will draw electricity.
Signs You’re at Risk
Electrical System Violation Prevention Checklist
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