There should be no less than three feet of clearance around all electrical panels. This is fine because they only need to be readily accessible. Improper storage of items in an electrical room leads to serious injury from Arc Flash Incident “We need the space.” “Where else can we put this junk?” “It’s just an empty room anyway.” It’s not uncommon for electricians to hear those excuses when confronted with a cluttered workspace around an electrical panel. (a) The converting apparatus (including the dc line) and high-frequency electric circuits (excluding the output circuits and remote-control circuits) shall be completely contained within enclosures of noncombustible material. Is there a specific NFPA, OSHA or even NEC regulation that covers access to control cabinets, even when the item being stored in front is readily moved? electric equipment and wiring used in connection with cranes, monorail hoists, hoists, and all runways. Later we were told that we could not do this and to take all the hasps off. nents, and they are required to be accessible at all times. if you are in a commercial location. OSHA – Construction - 1926.403(j)(2)(ii) Installations accessible to unqualified persons. Where the circuit is in such a position that in case of failure of supports or insulation, contact with another circuit may result. Switch-- The majority of your electrical safety considerations begin at the breaker panel. At work there are atleast 100 breaker panels. On or attached to the surface or behind panels designed to allow access. Although there are exceptions, the design safety requirements cover all electrical equipment used in buildings, on structures, on your premises, or on other premises (if the equipment is your responsibility). 654.025(2). I'd imagine always having it hidden behind a door is a no no, even if the door is allowed to be there Switchboards are generally accessible from the rear as well as from the front and are not intended to be installed in cabinets. (2)(i) Live parts of electric equipment operating at 50 volts or more guarded against accidental contact by approved cabinets 1910.303(g) Guarding of live parts 44. Refer to OSHA standards for complete and specific standards that may apply to your work situation. Questions OSHA Regulation Yes No N/A Electrical Safety: General Requirements Completed By: ... cartridge fuses that are accessible to other than qualified persons and (b) all fuses and thermal cutouts on circuits over 150 volts to the ground? Osha safety regulations for maintenance workers. (See Panelboard.) Adding a phrase about tools made it clear that, if a tool, such as a screwdriver, is used to remove a panel (or door), then electrical equipment behind that panel is not readily accessible. A national set of standards ensures that trained personnel are able ...more. I'm a former OSHA inspector here to help you identify and correct workplace safety hazards. Panels should not be used for storage shelves or hangers. Good question, though aside from possible fire hazards a panel needs to be readily accessible if an electrical emergency occurs and power needs to be cut somewhere. Panels are also required to have a “dead front,” per 29 CFR 1910.305(d). Electrical installations that are open to unqualified persons shall be made with metal-enclosed equipment or shall be enclosed in a vault or in an area, access to which is controlled by a lock. [See “Accessible (as applied to wiring methods).”] Exposed (for the purposes of Article 41). Preferred/detailed arc-flash label example. INDUCTION AND DIELECTRIC HEATING EQUIPMENT. This subpart addresses electrical safety requirements that are necessary for the practical safeguarding of employees in their workplaces and is divided into four major divisions as follows: 1910.301(a) Design Safety Standards for Electrical Systems . When designing and installing electrical equipment, you must provide for adequate illumination and easy access in and out of the workspace. NEC allow it and says a locked panel is considered accessible to authorized / trained associates. A large single panel, frame, or assembly of panels on which are mounted, on the face or back, or both, switches, overcurrent and other protective devices, buses, and (usually) instruments. They should be readily accessible and clearly marked to indicate what equipment or power source they control. Accessible, Readily (Readily Accessible). Electrical installations in a vault, room, closet or in an area surrounded by a wall, screen, or fence, access to which is controlled by lock and key or other equivalent means, are considered to be accessible to qualified persons only. When designing a workspace, you must maintain unobstructed pathways to and from electrical equipment per the NEC. Battery charging should be done in a place designated for that purpose only. OSHA regulations seem to blur the NEC requirements to mean that the cabinet has to be "easily accessible." Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) Department of Consumer and Business Services. (See “Switchboard.”) OSHA General Industry Inspection Checklist Conduct a thorough safety inspection using this checklist. Even more importantly, if there is a sparking electric wire, a smoking outlet or an electrical fire, one want’s to be able to immediately shut off the power. To edit this checklist, download it or make a copy. OSHA is concerned about locking electrical items so no power can be applied. Salem, Oregon 97301-3882 . Does this mean that temporary storage, such as that on a cart, is acceptable? Osha standards for pedestrian walkway width. Breaker panels should have the faceplates securely installed and no wiring should be exposed to employees operating breakers or switches. Each breaker in a panel represents a circuit supplying electricity to a designated area of your building. Readily accessible does not contain that statement, so locked doors are OK. Service equipment is required to be "readily accessible" so it may be located in a locked room. Methods of documentation of arc flash data and overcurrent protection device (OCPD) settings affect the speed at which facility operators can respond to fault conditions. Yes, we are indeed in the middle of the next revision to the NEC and panel members cannot escape the proposals around readily accessible. The working width around the panel must be at least 30 inches. High-Voltage Electrical Safety Orders Article 42. A requirement of being readily accessible can present some challenging situations. Guarding and Grounding. Osha says only trained personnel should have access, which in a commercial situation requires a locked panel. Capable of being reached quickly for operation, renewal, or inspections without requiring those to whom ready access is requisite to actions such as to use tools, to climb over or remove obstacles, or to resort to portable ladders, and so forth The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard, 29 CFR 1910.178(g), lays out the safety requirements for forklift battery charging areas. Externally Operable. Electrical panels and switches should not be blocked and must be readily accessible. feed into your electrical breaker panel(s). 1910.306(b)(1) -- Disconnecting Means. 30 inches wide – 36 inches deep . 10/24/2005 - 1910.399 - The definition of "Readily accessible" does not necessarily preclude the locking of electrical panels, provided those needing ready access are provided a key or lock combination. Each breaker in a panel represents a circuit supplying electricity to a designated area of your building. There was a little confusion as to whether a key was considered a tool. We have to lock out each circuit in the panel when we work on them instead of locking some … A readily accessible disconnecting means: (i)-- shall be provided between the runway contact conductors and the power supply. The power lines feed into your electrical breaker panel(s). Electrical. Panelboard: A single panel or group of panel units designed for assembly in the form of a single panel; including buses, automatic overcurrent devices, and with or without switches for the control of light, heat, or power circuits; designed to be placed in a cabinet or cutout box placed in or against a wall or partition and accessible only from the front. Electrical Safety Procedure: Lock Out Equipment Before Entering. Outdoor electric equipment shall be installed in suitable enclosures and shall be protected from accidental contact by unauthorized personnel, or by vehicular traffic, or by accidental spillage or leakage from piping systems. No architectural appurtenance or other equipment may be located in the working space required by subsection (b) of this section. Seems that it is not legal to lock a breaker in the ON position. This letter constitutes OSHA’s interpretation only of the requirements discussed and may not be applicable to any question not delineated within your original correspondence. AO 2-2007 The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services adopted these rules pursuant to ORS . Chances are if you have electrical equipment, at least some of OSHA’s electrical requirements are going to apply to you. Operating procedures for electrical gear should be readily understood by facility staff, and methods to implement labeling should be considered by the engineers during design. Return to index New query §2987.1. 1910.303(g)(1)(vi) Headroom The minimum headroom of working spaces about service equipment, switchboards, panel- boards, or motor control centers shall be 6 feet 3 inches 6'3" 43. Doors should be kept closed and latched except when actively working switches and breakers. Thank you for your inquiry dated May 24, 2005, regarding clarification of the definition for “Readily accessible” as contained in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) electrical standards. I am sure you have seen panel covers that have locks built into them. 1. (ii)-- … Minimum arc-flash label example. per OSHA you must have trained electrical associates and training.. Electric panels should have quick and easy access to them should there be a need to reset a breaker or add other breakers. “The panel itself doesn’t consume power. Electrical safety program chapter 2: Does locking the electrical panels operating at 600 volts or less (to control access by unauthorized employees) violate osha electrical requirements for not being readily accessible in the event of an emergency? 6 08/10/2005 - 1910.399 - Approval requirements for replacement, modification, repair, or rehabilitation of electrical utilization equipment. The majority of your electrical safety considerations begin at the breaker panel. “In theory, simply installing a new electrical panel wouldn’t result in any energy savings because an electrical panel doesn’t normally impose a load on the electrical system,” says John. Here are some basic safety considerations for all panels: * The breaker panel must be readily and easily accessible at all times. We put hasps on them to lock them. Know where electric panels and emergency disconnect switches are located, and never allow these panels and switches to be blocked. This label must be readily accessible to employees who may work on the energized equipment. These standards set the minimum safety standards for panel boxes. Here are some basic safety considerations for all panels: * The breaker panel should be readily and easily accessible at all times. The definition of readily accessible in the National Electrical Code.