Yesterday, we reviewed some interesting questions and answers about electrical safety. Today, we continue with more electrical Q&As, plus we’ll take a peek at a powerful training product that can help keep your employees safe around electricity.
Q. Where would I find the requirement to provide a covering for fluorescent lightbulbs?
A. 1910.305(a)(2)(iii)(F): Lamps for general illumination shall be protected from accidental contact or breakage. Protection shall be provided by elevation of at least 7 feet from normal working surface or by a suitable fixture or lampholder with a guard.
Q. Can extension cords be plugged into power strips and still be OSHA compliant? Can you plug one power strip into another power strip in place of an extension cord?
A. You cannot plug one power strip into another power strip or extension cord. See the following excerpt from this OSHA letter of interpretation:
OSHA’s standard at 29 CFR §1910.303(b)(2), Installation and Use, requires that "Listed or labeled equipment shall be installed and used in accordance with any instructions included in the listing or labeling." Manufacturers and nationally recognized testing laboratories determine the proper uses for power strips. For example, the UL Directory contains instructions that require UL-listed RPTs to be directly connected to a permanently installed branch circuit receptacle; they are not to be series-connected to other RPTs or connected to extension cords. UL also specifies that RPTs are not intended for use at construction sites and similar locations.
Power strips are designed for use with a number of low-powered loads, such as computers, peripherals, or audio/video components. Power loads are addressed by 29 CFR §1910.304(b)(2), Outlet devices: "Outlet devices shall have an ampere rating not less than the load to be served." Power strips are not designed for high power loads such as space heaters, refrigerators, and microwave ovens, which can easily exceed the recommended ampere ratings on many power strips. They must also meet the requirements of §1910.305(g)(1), Use of flexible cords and cables. For example, the flexible power cord is not to be routed through walls, windows, ceilings, floors, or similar openings.
Need to train on electrical safety? Get both CBT interactive and PowerPoint® programs in BLR’s Total Training Resource: Electrical Safety. Try it at no cost. Click for details.
Q. Where can I find the rule on how far a water source must be away from an electrical panel and an electrical panel on machine equipment?
A. See 1910.303(g) for space about electrical equipment. OSHA does not specify the distance of electrical panels from water sources.
1910.305(e)(2): Switches, circuit breakers, and switchboards. Switches, circuit breakers, and switchboards installed in wet locations shall be enclosed in weatherproof enclosures.
1910.305(j)(1)(iv): Fixtures installed in wet or damp locations shall be identified for the purpose and shall be so constructed or installed that water cannot enter or accumulate in wireways, lampholders, or other electrical parts.
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A Program to Answer Workers’ Questions
At this point, we’d like to put a "plug" in (pun intended) for a program that can answer a multitude of critical electrical safety questions for your employees. That program is the extraordinary Total Training Resource: Electrical Safety from your most trusted source for safety training, BLR.
We’ve seen many training programs on this topic, but never one as comprehensive or user-friendly.
The heart of the program is a 56-slide computer-based training module that’s both completely self-directed and interactive. Trainees drag and drop; move answers around physically on the screen; identify workers doing dumb, dangerous moves; and take tests that don’t let them complete the module until they’ve learned it. When they do, they can print out their own certificate of achievement. And they can do it all whether or not you are present.
In addition, the term "total" in the name reflects a vault full of supplementary material, starting with a complete and customizable PowerPoint program for group or supervised learning. Both the CBT and PowerPoint are then enhanced by exercises, handouts, trainer’s notes, sign-in sheets, and more, plus the complete 29 CFR 1910 and 1926 regs on electrical safety, in readable type, and a plain-English analysis of exactly how to comply.
We strongly recommend this program, but you can judge it for yourself by trying it with your own workers for a month. Click here and we’ll arrange it. You just might be "shocked" (in a good way) by how much they learn.
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You can’t fix hazards you don’t know about. As we discussed in yesterday’s Advisor, regular work area inspections are a highly effective way to identify and correct hazards.