There is nothing more important to an electrical safety program than having a staff of technicians who have been properly trained and who are qualified to do their jobs efficiently and safely.   Okay, here are a few questions to think about; how do I know that all of my technicians are qualified?   Has a job/task and hazards analysis been conducted?   Do my technicians know what the hazards of electricity are and how to protect themselves?   Have I conducted a needs assessment?   Do I even have a current job description for each of the crafts?   So many questions, do you have any answers?   You might be asking at this point, where do I start?

Before any significant training can take place, an assessment must be conducted to determine what is needed.   The needs assessment involves relevant company personnel who are aware of the job requirements and all applicable codes, standards, and regulations.   Information that is collected will provide insights into any past or present performance problems that must be addressed in the training program.   This process can also be used to determine whether or not training is the solution to any problems that may exist.   There may be other factors that might affect performance that must also be recognized and considered.   These other factors could include the quality of procedures, human factors, management style, and work environment.   Any one or all of these factors may affect job performance and safety.

Training and Qualification Analysis

The results of the needs assessment should provide a good starting point for the job/task and hazards analysis and ultimately the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of the training program that will be needed in order to qualify your technicians.   Another benefit to all this is that you will have a well defined job description for your technicians.   This can also be extremely beneficial when it comes time to hire additional technicians because you have also developed a job description for posting an ad for employment.

You might also be asking the question; why do I need to do all of this?   My technicians know what they are doing because they have many years of field experience.   The answer to this is found in NFPA 70E-2004, Article 205, “General Maintenance Requirements”, Section 205.1, “Qualified Persons” which states: “Employees who perform maintenance on electrical equipment and installations shall be qualified persons as required in Chapter 1 and shall be trained in, and familiar with, the specific maintenance procedures and tests required.”   Chapter 1, Article 100 defines a qualified person as: “One who has skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training on the hazards involved.”   When evaluating the qualification level of employees, remember there is a difference between ten years of experience and one year of experience repeated ten times.   What classroom and on-the-job training have they received?   Was the effectiveness of the training measured to ensure comprehension?   Were they required to demonstrate proficiency in the work practices involved?

The quality and extent of the training program is extremely important.   Studies in retention indicate that the average person will retain:

• 10% of what they read (books and other written course materials)
• 20% of what they hear (lecture)
• 30% of what they see (illustrations – “a picture is worth a thousand words”)
• 50% of what they see and hear (demonstrations and/or video)
• 70% of what they say (discussion – two-way communication)
• 90% of what they do and say (hands-on training – demonstrate proficiency)

The more extensive the training program the better qualified the employee.   As can be seen by the percentages above, the most effective training programs include a combination of lecture and hands-on instruction.   As an example; an employee attends a class on circuit breaker maintenance and testing using the following agenda: (1) the instructor explains, in lecture and discussion, all of the maintenance and testing techniques; (2) the instructor then demonstrates those techniques on a circuit breaker; and (3) the employee performs hands-on maintenance and testing of the circuit breaker using the techniques that were presented, discussed, and demonstrated.   In this example, employees, on average, would retain at least 90% of what they were taught.   This method of training has proven to be the most effective means for qualifying employees.

This all takes us back to the job/task and hazards analysis.   The only way to really know whether or not an employee has been properly trained and qualified is to perform a job/task analysis as well as a job hazards analysis. To do this, carefully study and record each step of a job, identify the tasks and elements that make up the job, identify existing or potential job hazards, and determine the best way to perform the job along with reducing or eliminating the hazards.

The job hazards analysis can accomplish a great deal toward reducing accidents and injuries in the workplace, but it is only effective if it is reviewed and updated periodically.   Even if no changes have been made in a job, hazards that were missed in an earlier analysis may be identified while performing the individual tasks.

Any time a job/task or hazards analysis is revised, training in the new job methods or protective measures must be provided to all employees affected by the changes.   A job/task and hazards analysis can also be used to train new employees on job steps and hazards.

The Hazards of Electricity

We must also understand what the hazards of electricity are.   All of the studies reviewed have revealed three major hazards of electricity, which are: 1) electrical shock, 2) electrical arc-flash and 3) electrical arc-blast.   Each of these hazards will be addressed as to the physiological effect on the human body.

Electrical shock

It takes a very low value of current, flowing through the human body, to cause death or serious physical harm.   Many studies have been performed in this area with different values of current that causes each effect.   The following chart shows average values of current and the effects as taken from the published studies:

Current	Effect
1 mA	Barely perceptible
1-3 mA	Perception threshold (most cases)
3-9 mA	Painful sensations
9-25 mA	Muscular contractions (can’t let go)
25-60 mA	Respiratory paralysis (may be fatal)
60 mA or more	Ventricular fibrillation (probably fatal)
4 A or more	Heart paralysis (fatal)
5 A or more	Tissue burning (fatal if vital organ)

Physiological Effects of AC Current on the Body  

Electrical arc-flash

There are two different issues with this hazard, the arc temperature and the incident energy.   The main concern with the arc temperature is the flash flame and ignition of clothing.   At approximately 203 0F (96 0C) for one-tenth of a second (6 cycles), the skin is rendered incurable or in other words a third-degree burn.   With only 1.2 cal/cm 2 of incident energy, we have the onset of a second-degree burn.   It does not take a very high temperature or very much energy to cause extreme pain and discomfort or even death to the worker.  

Electrical arc-blast

The pressures developed by an electrical arc can be extremely high.   One study noted that copper, when vaporized, expands at a factor of 67,000 times, which one expert estimated was the same expansion as that produced by dynamite.   Doors or covers must be securely latched before operating a switch or circuit breaker.   Technicians or operators must place their body in the safest position possible before operating the equipment.  

Regulatory Requirements

Although proper training and qualification of employees is the right thing to do, many have stated that training is just too expensive or that their employees know what they are doing and therefore don’t need training. These same employers have also stated that they will do it only if they have to.   OSHA has provided strict guidelines for safety training that go hand-in-hand with the qualification of an employee.   The following quotes are provided in order to inform the reader that training is not an option. It is an OSHA mandate for all employees who are required to work on or near exposed energized circuits and parts of electrical equipment, operating at 50 volts to ground or more.   The following quotes are provided to assist in gaining a better understanding of these mandates:

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269(a)(2) ”Training.   ( i) Employees shall be trained in and familiar with the safety-related work practices, safety procedures, and other safety requirements in this section that pertain to their respective job assignments.   Employees shall also be trained in and familiar with any other safety practices, including applicable emergency procedures (such as pole top and manhole rescue), that are not specifically addressed by this section but that are related to their work and are necessary for their safety.

(ii) Qualified employees shall also be trained and competent in:

(A) The skills and techniques necessary to distinguish exposed live parts from other parts of electric equipment,

(B) The skills and techniques necessary to determine the nominal voltage of exposed live parts,

(C) The minimum approach distances specified in this section corresponding to the voltages to which the qualified employee will be exposed, and

(D) The proper use of the special precautionary techniques, personal protective equipment, insulating and shielding materials, and insulated tools for working on or near exposed energized parts of electric equipment.

NOTE:   For the purposes of this section, a person must have this training in order to be considered a qualified person.

(iii) The employer shall determine, through regular supervision and through inspections conducted on at least an annual basis that each employee is complying with the safety-related work practices required by this section.

(iv) An employee shall receive additional training (or retraining) under any of the following conditions:

(A) If the supervision and annual inspections required by paragraph (a)(2)(iii) of this section indicate that the employee is not complying with the safety-related work practices required by this section, or

(B) If new technology, new types of equipment, or changes in procedures necessitate the use of safety-related work practices that are different from those which the employee would normally use, or

(C) If he or she must employ safety-related work practices that are not normally used during his or her regular job duties.

NOTE:   OSHA would consider tasks that are performed less often than once per year to necessitate retraining before the performance of the work practices involved.

(v) The training required by paragraph (a)(2) of this section shall be of the classroom or on-the-job type.

(vi) The training shall establish employee proficiency in the work practices required by this section and shall introduce the procedures necessary for compliance with this section.

(vii) The employer shall certify that each employee has received the training required by paragraph (a)(2) of this section.   This certification shall be made when the employee demonstrates proficiency in the work practices involved and shall be maintained for the duration of the employee's employment.

NOTE:   Employment records that indicate that an employee has received the required training are an acceptable means of meeting this requirement.”

Note the statement in paragraph (vii) that requires the employee to demonstrate proficiency in the work practices involved.   The only way the employee can demonstrate proficiency is to actually do the work after receiving, or as part of, the training.   Hands-on training would be required in order to accomplish this OSHA requirement.

Hands-On Training

The OSHA Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices regulation, 29 CFR 1910.331-.335, provides essentially the same basic requirements as 1910.269 for training qualified persons.   This requirement is also repeated in NFPA 70E-2004.

As can be seen by the above statements, proper training is a vital part of the worker’s safety and proficiency, as well as being a mandated OSHA requirement.

Conclusion

Electrical power systems today are often very complex.   Protective devices, controls, instrumentation, and interlock systems demand that technicians be trained and qualified at a high technical skill level.   Safety and operating procedures utilized in working on these systems are equally as complex, requiring technicians to be expertly trained in all safety practices and procedures.

OSHA Regulations require employers to document that employees have demonstrated proficiency in electrical tasks.   Employers must “certify” that their employees are qualified and that this certification is maintained for the duration of the employee’s employment.

Dennis K. Neitzel, CPE, Director of AVO Training Institute, Inc., Dallas, Texas, has over 36 years experience in Electrical Utility and Industrial facilities and systems . He is an active member of IEEE, ASSE, NFPA, AFE, and IAEI.   He is a Certified Plant Engineer (CPE) and a Certified Electrical Inspector-General. Mr. Neitzel earned his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering Management and his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering Applied Sciences. He is also a Principal Committee Member for the NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace; serves as the Working Group Chairman for revising IEEE Std. 902 (The Yellow Book), IEEE Guide for Maintenance, Operation, and Safety of Industrial and Commercial Power Systems; is co-author of the Electrical Safety Handbook, 2 nd Edition, McGraw-Hill Publisher; and serves as the ASSE Engineering Practice Specialty’s ByDesign Newsletter Editor .   Mr. Neitzel received the Engineering Practice Specialty “Safety Professional of the Year” award for 2003-2004 from the American Society of Safety Engineers. Please contact him at dennis.neitzel@avotraining.com or call toll free at 1-877-594-3156, ext. 7315.