Electrical Safety Programs

Transcription

1 2017 NFPA Conference & Expo Electrical Safety Programs Ensuring Effective Development and Implementation Presented by: Barry Boggs Toyota Mark Hilbert MR H Electrical Inspections & Training Employer Responsibility Under the OSHA law employers have a responsibility to provide a safe workplace Examine workplace conditions to make sure they conform to applicable OSHA standards Use color codes, posters, labels or signs to warn employees of potential hazards Establish or update operating procedures and communicate them so that employees follow safety and health requirements 1

2 From the OSHA Website Most successful Injury and Illness Prevention Programs are based on a common set of key elements including: Management leadership Worker participation Hazard identification, prevention and control Education and training Program evaluation and improvement. Electrical Safety Programs Just like automobiles they come in may different shapes, sizes and models Designed to address specific conditions, needs and tasks Large industrial facilities Commercial facilities Electrical contractors 2

3 Who are the Stakeholders? Everyone has a stake in the safety culture May come at different points in the process All are affected in the case of an injury Includes the lives of spouses and other family members Contractors and contract employees are exposed to the same hazards Building an Effective Electrical Safety Culture A group of people functioning as a team is more effective than the same people functioning individually Focused team efforts can have a significant influence on how workers feel about the electrical safety program Employers should charter an electrical safety committee (ESC) Reports to senior management Directly or through a safety manager 3

4 Electrical Safety Committee Composed of: Employees from all levels of the company Management representatives Shifting the Bias For many years most electricians and electrical technicians were expected to work on energized equipment One of the first objectives of the ESC should be to shift the bias Viewing the risk of an electrical injury as unacceptable Welcome worker input Manager, supervisor and safety professionals buy-in and support is key 4

5 NFPA 70E Electrical Safety Program. (A) General. The employer shall implement and document an overall electrical safety program that directs activity appropriate to the risk associated with electrical hazards. The electrical safety program shall be implemented as part of the employer s overall occupational health and safety management system, when one exists. NFPA 70E Electrical Safety Program. (B) Maintenance (C) Awareness and Self-Discipline (D) Electrical Safety Program Principles (E) Electrical Safety Program Controls (F) Electrical Safety Program Procedures (G) Risk Assessment Procedure 5

6 Electrical Safety Program Elements Safe Work Practices Once hazards are identified Procedures and plans can be developed and implemented Build on the safety culture by integrating safe work practices into daily work routines Support the program with a budget 6

7 Written Electrical Safety Program The most effective way to convey the policies, procedures and work ethics of a company A living document that evolves and is enhanced over time Having input from all affected parties is key to ensuring safety Designate a person(s) in charge How do you begin? Establish a documented company standard or policy regarding Electrical Safety that is: Comprehensive Reviewed and endorsed by the management/leadership and key stakeholders Addressing all the key elements of your Electrical Safety program Aligned with the basic requirements found in OSHA and 70E 7

8 Initial Release, conversion of former procedure 8

9 Four Key Electrical Safety Program Elements (1) Analyze Determine what electrical hazards you have and the severity they present to your workers (2) Communicate Identify and label these hazards (3) Educate Train your workers on how to work safety around these hazards (4) Provide Make sure your workers have the correct PPE and Tools to perform the jobs safety But wait there is more! (5) Commitment For a effective, successful and sustainable program you must have management buy-in and most importantly a Management Champion 9

10 Conduct an Analysis of the Hazards Collect the information needed to perform engineering studies (analysis)? Determine if this work should be contracted to others who are qualified and experienced False starts and redo s will lead to discouragement and disengagement, do pilot trails to limit this risk Create one-line drawings of your electrical system (know what you have) Have a sustainability plan to keep this data base and drawings up to date How will you assure changes and additions are recorded and analyzed Safe Work Practices Dependent on the hazard and the worker s exposure The exposures are based on the work tasks Historically unsafe acts account for two-thirds of electrical accidents Therefore safe work practices should be the heart of the electrical safety program Identify the hazard Use procedures and plans 10

11 Site Assessment Checklists - Task Assessment Site Assessment Checklists - Written Procedures 11

12 Site Assessment Checklists - Training Site Assessment Checklists - Lockout and Test Instruments 12

13 Site Assessment Checklists - ESP Develop an Electrical Hazard Communication Method (labeling) Determine the format for your electrical hazard warning labels (Arc Flash & Shock Hazard) Have labels printed (aligned to the ANSI Z535 series of stds). Attach the label in an easy to see location at all your electrical hazards Make label suitable for the environment (outdoors, corrosive, etc.) Review your labels on a regular basis to make sure they are correct and power conditions haven t changed 13

14 Worker Education Including Recognition of Shock and Arc Flash Hazards Test Instruments (Meters) Practical selection and use. Not just theoretical, but must include familiarity & operation with the same instruments they will be using Garments/PPE Make sure they understand the reason specific garments/ppe are needed for different types and magnitude of hazards Hands-On demonstration Correct operation of disconnects, lock-out use & confirmation, Voltage testing, etc. Training It must be on their level & effectively delivered. Are your students: Skilled electricians/technicians? Multi-Skill maintenance individuals Jack of all trades and Master of none! Your training must be dialed into your audience Pace the training to get and keep their attention Should it be delivered all at once or over several sessions? Assure the training is on their level, not over their head Use examples of work task/hazards they can relate to Consider using hands-on exercises/simulators as part of the training 14

15 Training Instructors Using internal or external resources? Are they available when needed? Are they truly knowledgeable and qualified? Poor instruction does no one any good Can cause more problems than no training They must know and fully understand your company s Electrical Safety Policy (OSHA & 70E) Are they effective as an instructor Can they keep the students attention, stay focused on the subject and cover the material in the time allowed Remember A good technical person may not be a good instructor Being a good instructor is a knack that not everyone has 15

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18 Risk Assessment Procedure The electrical safety program must include a risk assessment procedure that address the employees exposure to the hazard The procedure must identify the process used by the employee before work starts Identify the hazards Assess the risk Implement risk control according to a hierarchy of methods 18

19 Assure that your workers have what they need Will you provide the garments and PPE they need? If not, how are you going to confirm they are selecting the correct PPE? How will you assure these items are maintained correctly (cleaned, stored, repaired)? Will you establish a minimum level of protective garments or PPE that is to be worn daily? Will you provide the necessary and properly rated insulated hand tools & test instruments or at least specify what the worker must provide? You must establish the minimum category rating for test instruments used on your site 19

20 Management Engagement If you are to have an effective and sustainable Electrical Safety Program, it s imperative your management is on board and committed to its continued success. Engage them in all aspect of your program. It s helpful to develop a special Treetop training program for them that s on their level. Keep them up to date on changes that need to be made in the program (e.g. revisions to 70E). What do you do if you have an incident Learn from it! Communicate with your workers What happened Why did it happen How to prevent a reoccurrence Revisit your company standard/policy and training program Determine if you need to make changes to avoid reoccurrences 20

21 Stay up to date with changes Attend seminars & conferences such as IEEE s annual Electrical Safety Workshop Benchmark with other companies similar to yours Share methods and ideas that work well or not so well Search the web There are many very informative web sites on Electrical Safety Never quit learning Electrical safety is constantly evolving with new insights and improved tools, garments, PPE, etc. Keep your program updated (policy, training, etc.) Audit your program Establish a method & frequency for auditing your program Assures ongoing compliance with your company standard/policy. Engage your company s management and front line supervisors in the periodic audits Must include work practices, garment/ppe selection & usage, tools and test instrument upkeep, etc. Communicate the audit results This helps in reveling gaps and shortcomings in your program Gives credit to those leading the pack 21

22 Don t forget the non-electrical workers Often labeled as un-qualified Let s be PC, they are non-electrical personnel Make sure they receive electrical safety awareness training that s geared to them While they don t do electrical work, they may be exposed to electrical hazards They need to be able to recognize these hazards and take appropriate action, even if its just reporting of their observation They need to know when to avoid situations that put them at risk, such as when work is being performed around exposed and energized equipment. Make sure they are comfortable reporting issues they see or perceive as potential hazard NFPA Conference & Expo CEUs: To receive CEUs for this session, scan your badge at the back of the room before leaving Evaluation: Complete a session evaluation on the mobile app. (Search app store for NFPA 2017 C&E. ) Handouts: Handouts will be available via the mobile app and at nfpa.org/conference Recordings: Audio recordings of all sessions will be available free of charge via NFPA Xchange. 22