Regulations

Because of the nature of arc flash events, regulations for both electrical safety and fire safety apply. Since the 1970's, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has incorporated standards from the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) codes to frame electrical safety regulations. While all of these codes are not strictly OSHA regulations, following NFPA codes ensures OSHA compliance, and some regulations apply language from NFPA codes directly. The following list gives a brief summary of the applicable regulations and their concerned areas:

• OSHA 29 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1910 Subpart S - vital electrical safety requirements, including design standards, work practices, and maintenance requirements
• NFPA 70E-2021 Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace - general workplace safety requirements concerning electrical equipment
• NFPA 70-2020 National Electrical Code - comprehensive set of electricity-related regulations, including wiring, power systems, safety standards, and general-use equipment
• IEEE Standard 1584b-2018 - guidance for performing arc flash hazard calculations

NFPA 70E Highlights:

• Only qualified persons may work on electrical conductors or circuit parts that have not been put into an electrically safe work condition.
• An electrically safe work condition (ESWC) is a temporary elimination of the electrical hazard. ESWC is not a procedure-it is a state in which all hazardous electrical conductors or circuit parts to which a worker might be exposed are maintained in a de-energized state.
• A working knowledge of arc flash risk assessment is required to protect personnel from arc flash injury. Elimination of the hazard is the first priority of safety training.
• Qualified workers must be provided with and must use the appropriate protective equipment. The equipment must be specific to the work performed and the part of the body at risk for injury.
• Electrical equipment that is likely to require maintenance or inspection while energized must be marked to warn of arc flash hazards.

To learn more about Arc Flash Safety visit our OSHA Construction Arc Flash Safety Online Training web page.