Electrical Safety Update—OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269 and NFPA 70E-2015 Revisions

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) revised 29 CFR 1910.269 Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution for general industry, along with 1926 Subpart V for construction, regulations on April 11, 2014. These revisions include new requirements for transferring electrical safety information between the host employer and contract employer, and new requirements for analyzing the arc flash hazard and providing the appropriate arc-rated clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) to employees. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace was also revised in 2014 for the 2015 edition that includes several significant revisions that now focus on electrical hazard risk assessments, which have an impact on the electrical hazards analysis, required in previous editions, and the PPE requirements for electrical workers, operators, and nonelectrical or unqualified personnel. The NFPA 70E-2015 revisions place stronger emphasis on the maintenance of electrical equipment as it applies to safety.