Resistance welders. Boxes shall be designed so that no live parts are exposed to accidental contact. Electrical Safety Orders. On switchboard and control panels exceeding 48 inches (1.22 m) in width, there shall be one entrance at each end of such board where practicable. Services, feeders, and branch circuits. On elevators without generator field control, the disconnecting means shall be located within sight of the motor controller. Ladder clearance Please accept our apology for the delay in responding. 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. When it is necessary to perform work on energized equipment, OSHA 1910.333 (a) (2) requires safety-related work practices to be used and NFPA 70E Article 110.8 (B) (1) requires an Electrical Hazard Analysis before work is performed on live equipment operating at 50 volts and higher. Because this cabinet you saw is located near an exit door, let's first look at OSHA's general requirements for exit routes, emergency action plans and fire prevention plans [20 CFR 1910.37-39]. Where installed outdoors, the box shall be of weatherproof construction and mounted so that the bottom of the enclosure is not less than 152 mm (6 in.) Identification of disconnecting means and circuits. Other questions you can expect from an OSHA inspector include: This means once you understand the NEC panel clearance requirements, you will also know those that OSHA puts forth. By elevation of 2.44 m (8.0 ft) or more above the floor or other working surface. Your safety manager or other designated individual should have a list of where all the electrical panels in the facility are located. NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, Section 110.3 requires that all equipment be placed into an electrically safe work condition (ESWC) unless there is proper justification for the equipment to be energized. The work space shall be clear and extend from the grade, floor, or platform to the height required by paragraph (g)(1)(vi) of this section. Directorate of Compliance Programs, Occupational Safety & Health Administration, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Outreach Training Program (10- and 30-hour Cards), OSHA Training Institute Education Centers, Severe Storm and Flood Recovery Assistance. Circuit impedance and other characteristics. Footnote(2) NOTE: For SI units: one foot=0.3048 m. Elevation of unguarded live parts. Reply: An employer who has in his or her workplace contractors or equipment, including a motor control center which are in violation of any of the requirements under paragraphs 1910.303 through 1910.308 are subject to citation based solely on applicable electrical installation requirements. Some facilities will simply place the tape in a square around the panel to show the necessary distance that needs to be kept clear. A warning sign worded as required in paragraph (c)(8) of this section shall be mounted on or next to the disconnecting means where interconnections between controllers are necessary for the operation of the system on multicar installations that remain energized from a source other than the one disconnected. If more than one dc cell line process power supply serves the same cell line, a disconnecting means shall be provided on the cell line circuit side of each power supply to disconnect it from the cell line circuit. At first glance many people would read the NEC electrical panel clearance requirements and assume that it simply means that you cannot put any additional equipment within the set amount of space. It is just as important to create your own set of policies and procedures to ensure that you are always in compliance with the various regulations. Connection of conductors to terminal parts shall ensure a good connection without damaging the conductors and shall be made by means of pressure connectors (including set-screw type), solder lugs, or splices to flexible leads. Unless identified for use in the operating environment, no conductors or equipment shall be located in damp or wet locations; where exposed to gases, fumes, vapors, liquids, or other agents that have a deteriorating effect on the conductors or equipment; or where exposed to excessive temperatures. No fixed work platform has been provided for servicing the unit. Concrete, brick, and tile walls are considered as grounded surfaces. OSHA's electrical standards are designed to protect employees exposed to dangers such as electric shock, electrocution, fires, and explosions. However, No. A shunt trip device that opens the fused disconnect or circuit breaker when a switch located in the ride operator's console is closed is a permissible method of opening the circuit. Fixed electric equipment may be bonded to the energized conductive surfaces of the cell line, its attachments, or auxiliaries. One of the main things that the NEC 110.26 specifies is that all electrical panels must have enough room around them that someone working on the equipment will have the room to safely access everything they need. If deenergizing the control circuit(s) is infeasible, paragraph 1910.333(c)(2) would apply to work on or near the 110 volt control circuit(s). Clearance distance helps prevent dielectric breakdown between electrodes caused by the ionization of air. 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). This letter constitutes OSHA's interpretation of the requirements discussed. 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. It shall also be protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter installed in the branch circuit supplying the fixture. Type. Driving machines or motion and operation controllers not within sight of the disconnecting means shall be provided with a manually operated switch installed in the control circuit adjacent to the equipment in order to prevent starting. Motor controllers. Electrical panels need to be installed 4 off the ground with the center grip handle of the highest circuit breaker is no more than 6'7 high to be NEC compliant. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the Office of General Industry Enforcement at (202) 693-1850. 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. Subchapter 5. All panel controls shall be of dead-front construction. Power supply circuits and receptacles for portable electric equipment. 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. It designs clearance requirements that make sure employees have enough space around workplace equipment and in work and walking spaces. According to the National Electric Code, any electrical panel with 0 to 150 volts should have 36 inches of clearance around it for both the person working on it and their tools. The relevant section of the national electric code here is NEC 110.26. 2. 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? Electric equipment shall be firmly secured to the surface on which it is mounted. This is necessary because it is not practical to run dozens, or even hundreds, of different electrical lines directly into the main circuit. Hundreds of motors would be shutoff. The width of Panel or 0.762 Meter which is Greater. 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. Electric equipment that depends on the natural circulation of air and convection principles for cooling of exposed surfaces shall be installed so that room airflow over such surfaces is not prevented by walls or by adjacent installed equipment. Sufficient access and working space shall be provided and maintained about all electric equipment to permit ready and safe operation and maintenance of such equipment. other equipment foreign to the electrical installation shall be located in . Conductors and equipment used on circuits exceeding 600 volts, nominal, shall comply with all applicable provisions of paragraphs (a) through (g) of this section and with the following provisions which supplement or modify those requirements. Each disconnecting means required by this subpart for motors and appliances shall be legibly marked to indicate its purpose, unless located and arranged so the purpose is evident. Taking the time to make sure that nothing is in these areas will help to avoid any type of penalties that may be issued if you are inspected by OSHA or other agencies. Each service, feeder, and branch circuit, at its disconnecting means or overcurrent device, shall be legibly marked to indicate its purpose, unless located and arranged so the purpose is evident. Hoses shall be of a nonconductive material. Thank you for your recent letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In outdoor pool areas, lighting fixtures, lighting outlets, and ceiling-suspended (paddle) fans may not be installed over the pool or over the area extending 1.52 m (5 ft) horizontally from the inside walls of a pool unless no part of the lighting fixture of a ceiling-suspended (paddle) fan is less than 3.66 m (12 ft) above the maximum water level. This means that you cannot leave an area around the electrical panel that is clear, but have access to the area blocked off by stacks of boxes or other items. When installing or updating an electrical panel, it is important to make sure that there is plenty of room around the panel for the electrician to safely work. Mechanical strength and durability, including, for parts designed to enclose and protect other equipment, the adequacy of the protection thus provided; Heating effects under all conditions of use; Classification by type, size, voltage, current capacity, and specific use; and. 0.9 Meter. The initial electrical inspection for a . Interlock switches shall be connected in such a manner as to remove all power from the applicator when any one of the access doors or panels is open. Permanent ladders or stairways shall be provided to give safe access to the working space around electric equipment installed on platforms, balconies, mezzanine floors, or in attic or roof rooms or spaces. One last thing you can do to make sure that you are always in compliance with the relevant electrical panel clearance requirements is to perform your own internal inspections. This letter constitutes OSHA's interpretation of the requirements discussed. Lightning protection. Auxiliary electric equipment, such as motors, transducers, sensors, control devices, and alarms, mounted on an electrolytic cell or other energized surface shall be connected to the premises wiring systems by any of the following means: Multiconductor hard usage or extra hard usage flexible cord; Wire or cable in suitable nonmetallic raceways or cable trays; or. Note that our enforcement guidance may be affected by changes to OSHA rules. Cord- and plug-connected equipment. If equipment is exposed to physical damage from vehicular traffic, guards shall be provided to prevent such damage. Auxiliary nonelectrical connections such as air hoses, water hoses, and the like, to an electrolytic cell, its attachments, or auxiliary equipment may not have continuous conductive reinforcing wire, armor, braids, or the like. No architectural appurtenance or other equipment may be located in the working space required by paragraph (g)(1)(i) of this section. This set of code identifies how much clearance is needed around any type of electrical panel based on a number of different factors. The Electrical Safety Authority ( ESA) was established in 1999 . Examination, installation, and use of equipment -. 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. Installations accessible to unqualified persons. Where paralleled sets of current-carrying single-pole separable connectors are provided as input devices, they shall be prominently labeled with a warning indicating the presence of internal parallel connections. Distances shall be measured from the live parts, if they are exposed, or from the enclosure front or opening, if they are enclosed. These markings can include floor marking tape, floor signs, and labels. (10 cm) for every 10 kV over that voltage. Exception. However, switches or other equipment operating at 600 volts, nominal, or less, and serving only equipment within the high-voltage vault, room, or enclosure may be installed in the high-voltage enclosure, room, or vault if accessible to qualified persons only. Headroom. 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. 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