In order for the 480 volt circuit(s) to be considered deenergized, the lockout and tagging requirements of paragraph 1910.333(b)(2) must be met. Would deenergizing the 110 volt control circuit as described in the scenario above be considered infeasible as delineated in the aforementioned standard? Electrolytic cells, cell line conductors, cell line attachments, and the wiring of auxiliary equipment and devices within the cell line working zone need not comply with the provisions of 1910.303 or 1910.304(b) and (c). 2023 Electrical Safety Expert | All Rights Reserved, NEC + OSHA Electrical Panel Clearance Requirements, Understanding NEC Panel Clearance Requirements, OSHA Electrical Panel Clearance Requirements. All fluidizing lines-would have to be purged in order to prevent plugging of the line. Receptacles and their mating plugs for ungrounded equipment may not have provision for a grounding conductor and shall be of a configuration that prevents their use for equipment required to be grounded. Electric equipment shall be free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees. Front working space. Clear spaces. A lighting fixture facing upward shall have the lens adequately guarded to prevent contact by any person. However, working space is not required in back of equipment such as deadfront switchboards or control assemblies where there are no renewable or adjustable parts (such as fuses or switches) on the back and where all connections are accessible from locations other than the back. If the disconnect for a piece of HVAC equipment doesn't have any fuses, then can you make the argument the switch will not require maintenance so that 3' clearance isn't required? It designs clearance requirements that make sure employees have enough space around workplace equipment and in work and walking spaces. 5. Your question has been restated below for clarity. Electrical panels are an essential component in any facility. When the system is put back into production there is a chance of many more hazards developing that would have to be addressed. The disconnecting means shall be an enclosed externally operable fused motor circuit switch or circuit breaker capable of being locked in the open position. for information on the final rule. They also Secondly, installation can be tricky if one switches from an electric unit to a hybrid gas water heater or vice versa because of the required retrofitting. For equipment rated 1200 amperes or more and over 1.83 m (6.0 ft) wide, containing overcurrent devices, switching devices, or control devices, there shall be one entrance not less than 610 mm (24 in.) Footnote(2) NOTE: For SI units: one foot=0.3048 m. Elevation of unguarded live parts. Outdoor electrical installations having exposed live parts shall be accessible to qualified persons only. The workspace shall be adequate to permit at least a 90-degree opening of doors or hinged panels. 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. Other factors that contribute to the practical safeguarding of persons using or likely to come in contact with the equipment. 3. Each sign and outline lighting system, or feeder circuit or branch circuit supplying a sign or outline lighting system, shall be controlled by an externally operable switch or circuit breaker that will open all ungrounded conductors. They regulate companies to maintain safe and healthy working conditions and to provide suitable training and assistance to their employees before doing their jobs. Listed or labeled equipment shall be installed and used in accordance with any instructions included in the listing or labeling. All of these options will use effective visual communication standards to make sure that nothing is placed in the area directly around your electrical panels. . The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR) is a continuously updated online version of the CFR. Except as elsewhere required or permitted by this standard, live parts of electric equipment operating at 50 volts or more shall be guarded against accidental contact by use of approved cabinets or other forms of approved enclosures or by any of the following means: Except as elsewhere required or permitted in this subpart, the minimum clear working space in the direction of access to live parts of electric equipment may not be less than specified in Table S-2. A disconnecting means shall be provided between the runway contact conductors and the power supply. This means you cannot place machinery or other equipment in the space around an electrical panel without making sure that it meets the NEC working clearance requirements. Doors or detachable panels shall be employed for internal access. Means shall be provided at the operating station to open the power circuit to all motors of the crane or monorail hoist where the disconnecting means is not readily accessible from the crane or monorail hoist operating station. Examples of solutions include the use of insulation, guarding, grounding, electrical protective devices, and safe work practices. Arcing parts. Working space. Note to paragraph (g)(1)(vii)(A) of this section:A dropped, suspended, or similar ceiling that does not add strength to the building structure is not considered a structural ceiling. Even in countries that do not have strict regulations when it comes to electrical panel clearance will often voluntarily choose to follow the recommendations found in NFPA 70e. This NEC working clearance will provide not only the person working on the equipment with room, but also their tools. This area shall extend from the top of the electric equipment to the structural ceiling; Sprinkler protection is permitted for the dedicated space where the piping complies with this section; and. The manually operated switch shall be installed adjacent to this equipment. A limit switch or other device shall be provided to prevent the load block from passing the safe upper limit of travel of any hoisting mechanism. Switchboards, panelboards, and distribution boards installed for the control of light and power circuits, and motor control centers shall be located in dedicated spaces and protected from damage. Fortunately, the OSHA electrical panel clearance requirements are taken directly from the NEC. A readily accessible disconnecting means shall be provided by which each heating equipment can be isolated from its supply circuit. On single-car and multicar installations, equipment receiving electrical power from more than one source shall be provided with a disconnecting means for each source of electrical power. Of course, this means having a lot of different wires and other electrical equipment located in one area. The supply circuit disconnecting means is permitted as a heating equipment disconnecting means where the circuit supplies only one piece of equipment. Where accessible to unqualified persons, the enclosure for the switch or circuit breaker shall be of the lockable type. The marking shall be of sufficient durability to withstand the environment involved. If sprinklers are installed in hoistways, machine rooms, or machinery spaces, the disconnecting means may automatically open the power supply to the affected elevators prior to the application of water. On elevators with generator field control, the disconnecting means shall be located within sight of the motor controller for the driving motor of the motor-generator set. 0.9 Meter (3 Ft) The width of the workingspace in front of the Panel. Another nice thing about having these standardized requirements is that they apply across national boarders. No provision may be made to open or close this disconnecting means from any other part of the premises. The use of single-pole separable connectors shall comply with at least one of the following conditions: Connection and disconnection of connectors are only possible where the supply connectors are interlocked to the source and it is not possible to connect or disconnect connectors when the supply is energized; or. This paragraph applies to X-ray equipment. Auxiliary nonelectrical connections. Application for variances under Paragraph 1910.11 must include a statement showing how the conditions, practices, means, methods, operations, or processes used or proposed to be used would provide employment and places of employment to employees which are as safe and healthful as those required under the standard from which a variance is sought. Of course, it is also important to try to determine who placed the item there so that they can be provided with the relevant training to ensure it does not happen again. wide and 1.98 m (6.5 ft) high shall be provided to give access to the working space about electric equipment. Sincerely, Equipment intended to interrupt current at other than fault levels shall have an interrupting rating at nominal circuit voltage sufficient for the current that must be interrupted. Group 1. Except as required or permitted elsewhere in this subpart, live parts of electric equipment operating at 50 volts or more shall be guarded against accidental contact by cabinets or other forms of enclosures, or by any of the following means: By location in a room, vault, or similar enclosure that is accessible only to qualified persons. At least one entrance not less than 24 inches (610 mm) wide and 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) high shall be provided to give access to the working space about electric equipment. Requirements for working clearances and spaces around electrical equipment, e.g., ladder cable trays. A single means to control both the electronic equipment and HVAC system is permitted. Distances shall be measured from the live parts, if they are exposed, or from the enclosure front or opening, if they are enclosed. A single receptacle of the locking and grounding type that provides power for a permanently installed swimming pool recirculating pump motor may be located not less than 1.52 m (5 ft) from the inside walls of a pool. The disconnecting means shall open all ungrounded conductors simultaneously and shall be: Disconnecting means for cranes and monorail hoists. The tape can be placed down in the proper spots to make sure you get immediate results. Disconnecting means required by this subpart shall be capable of being locked in the open position. All temporary lamps for general illumination shall be protected from accidental breakage by a suitable fixture or lampholder with a guard. Dedicated space: The space equal to the width and depth of electrical equipment in addition to the space extending from the floor to 6 feet . Conductors shall be spliced or joined with splicing devices identified for the use or by brazing, welding, or soldering with a fusible metal or alloy. It also helps by segmenting the power off in a way that prevents a full power outage when there is an issue in one area. Arcing parts. Where the driving machine or the motor-generator set is located in a remote machinery space, a single means for disconnecting all ungrounded main power supply conductors shall be provided and be capable of being locked in the open position. Elevators, dumbwaiters, escalators, moving walks, wheelchair lifts, and stairway chair lifts shall have a single means for disconnecting all ungrounded main power supply conductors for each unit. Hoses shall be of a nonconductive material. Although there were no documented injuries to warrant this change, it's obvious that this requirement should enhance safety. 3Working space is not required in back of equipment such as dead-front switchboards or control assemblies that has no renewable or adjustable parts (such as fuses or switches) on the back and where all connections are accessible from locations other than the back. 1910.305 (g): Wiring requirements for flexible cords and cables. Distances shall be measured from the live parts if they are exposed, or from the enclosure front or opening if the live parts are enclosed. This letter constitutes OSHA's interpretation of the requirements discussed. Directorate of Enforcement Programs Mr. William Overby 8. All splices and joints and the free ends of conductors shall be covered with an insulation equivalent to that of the conductors or with an insulating device designed for the purpose. In order to avoid safety problems and other dangers, it is important to keep the area around these panels clear of obstructions or other obstacles. Parts of electric equipment that in ordinary operation produce arcs, sparks, flames, or molten metal shall be enclosed or separated and isolated from all combustible material. Dear Mr. Schuldt: Open disconnecting devices before tagging. Interrupting rating. February 7, 1996 The OSHA training requirements for electrical safety. A clearance of at least 3 feet is required for equipment using 120 to 250 volts. Where energized parts are exposed, the minimum clear workspace shall not be less than 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) high (measured vertically from the floor or platform), or less than 3 feet (914 mm) wide (measured parallel to the equipment). Hoppers and transitions could plug up with product. Application. This paragraph applies to induction and dielectric heating equipment and accessories for industrial and scientific applications, but not for medical or dental applications or for appliances. Please refer to paragraph 1910.305(j)(4) which, with exceptions, requires an individual disconnecting means for each motor and its associated controller. A good start is to make sure that you have a written policy that everyone in the facility is aware of that makes it clear that inventory and other items may not be placed around any electrical panel. Flexible cords used with the following equipment may not exceed 0.9 m (3 ft) in length and shall have a copper equipment grounding conductor with a grounding-type attachment plug: Fountains. Engineers, electricians, and other professionals work with electricity directly, including working on overhead lines, cable harnesses, and circuit assemblies. Rather than move the motor control center at a cost of two million dollars, can a "safe job procedure" which is audited periodically be considered an acceptable alternative or is a variance required? The control for these disconnecting means shall be grouped and identified and shall be readily accessible at the principal exit doors. Flexible cords and cables shall be listed for extra-hard usage. This means if you have an inspection, you can count on the fact that the OSHA electrical panel clearance will be measured by the OSHA inspector to make sure that you are in compliance. The disconnecting means shall be capable of being locked in the open position. Lighting fixtures and lighting outlets installed in the area extending between 1.52 m (5 ft) and 3.05 m (10 ft) horizontally from the inside walls of a pool shall be protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter unless installed 1.52 m (5 ft) above the maximum water level and rigidly attached to the structure adjacent to or enclosing the pool. General. Occupational Safety & Health Administration. To keep apprised of such developments, you can consult OSHA's website at http://www.osha.gov. Also, from time to time we update our guidance in response to new information. Warning labels or signs that read DANGER - HIGH VOLTAGE - KEEP OUT shall be attached to the equipment and shall be plainly visible where persons might contact energized parts when doors are opened or closed or when panels are removed from compartments containing over 250 volts ac or dc. See if you can "orient" the disconnect so as to have requisite clearance in front. Where circuit breakers or fuses are applied in compliance with the series combination ratings marked on the equipment by the manufacturer, the equipment enclosures shall be legibly marked in the field to indicate that the equipment has been applied with a series combination rating. The electric panel door must be able to open to a 90-degree angle. Signs or outline lighting systems operated by electronic or electromechanical controllers located external to the sign or outline lighting system may have a disconnecting means located within sight of the controller or in the same enclosure with the controller. Question 1: Paragraph 1910.333(a)(1) requires that live parts to which an employee may be exposed must be deenergized before the employee works on or near them, unless the employee can demonstrate that deenergizing introduces additional or increased hazards or is infeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations. 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osha electrical disconnect clearance requirements