Intelligent Power Today Magazine

A new method to choosing personal protective equipment

BY JIM WHITE, Shermco Industries, Inc.

Table 130.7(C)(15)(a) in the 2012 edition of NFPA 70E: “Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace”, published by the National Fire Protection Association, has always been difficult for technicians and safety professionals to use in the field. Even though it has an outstanding record since being introduced in the 2000 edition of NFPA 70E, some members of the technical committee have been solidly against it.

One of those committee members stated that if the tables were eliminated, everyone would be forced to have an incident...

IEEE Method Vs. the NFPA 70E Tables: Evaluating arc flash analysis methods

BY REZA TAJALI, Schneider Electric

Recent changes in workplace safety regulations have heightened the awareness of hazards associated with electrical arcs. The hazard level must be quantified and workers properly protected before entering proximity of exposed energized conductors. National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) standard 70E: “Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace” provides the guidelines for work involving electrical hazards and the selection of arc flash protective equipment.

In order to select the protective gear properly, one must have knowledge of the potential thermal energy of the electric...