©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Qualified Worker Series Part 1 1.“What do they look like?” 2.“Where can I find them?”

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Do you presently employ workers who are considered “Electrically Qualified”? If OSHA came asking, could you provide them with the justification they would accept?If OSHA came asking, could you provide them with the justification they would accept?

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 What’s a Qualified Worker Look Really Like? How am I going to know when I see one?

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Qualified Person § Effective August 2007 “One who has received training in and has demonstrated skills and knowledge in the construction and operation of electrical equipment and installations and the hazards involved.”

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Industry Consensus Definitions 2008 NEC and E Safety Training to Recognize and Avoid

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Unqualified = Not Qualified An unqualified electrician who does not know the equipment or has not received safety training on the potential hazards involved. A non-electrician, such as a general maintenance worker or painter, who is not expected to work on live electrical equipment.

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Three Interlocking NFPA Standards Must be Addressed NEC Installation B Recommended Maintenance 70 E Safe Work Practices

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part Who needs training? Typical Occupational Categories Of Employees Facing A Higher-Than-Normal Risk Of Electrical Accident Blue collar supervisor.*Blue collar supervisor.* Electrical and electronic engineers.*Electrical and electronic engineers.* Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers.*Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers.* Electrical and electronic technicians.*Electrical and electronic technicians.* Electricians.Electricians. Industrial machine operators.*Industrial machine operators.* Material handling equipment operators.*Material handling equipment operators.* Mechanics and repairers.*Mechanics and repairers.* Painters.*Painters.* Riggers and roustabouts.*Riggers and roustabouts.* Stationary engineers.*Stationary engineers.* Welders.Welders. *Workers in these groups do not need to be trained if their work or the work of those they supervise does not bring them or the employees they supervise close enough to exposed parts of electric circuits operating at 50V or more to ground for a hazard to exist.

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Exposure Drives the Need for Qualified Worker Training, NOT a Worker’s Job Description. [29 CFR (c)]

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Training Logistics Training must be formal and targeted to the hazard. –3 rd party vendors can be a good resource Subject Matter Experts Can assist in establishing proficiency guidelines Proficiency must be documented –Written (understanding) –Hands on (skills obtained)

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Competency vs Qualified Aren’t competent electricians (i.e. licensed or experienced) considered “qualified”? Not necessarily. Qualification is equipment or installation unique.

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 OSHA and NFPA 70E are Clear on this Issue. Workers should never be subjected to any task or assignment to which they are not familiar or prepared.Workers should never be subjected to any task or assignment to which they are not familiar or prepared.

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Qualified Workers Know: Know what “Live parts” look like. Know what “Live parts” look like. Know the level of hazard exhibited by those live parts. Know the level of hazard exhibited by those live parts. Know the approach boundaries around those exposed electrical hazards Know the approach boundaries around those exposed electrical hazards Know how to select appropriate PPE for that hazard exposure. Know how to select appropriate PPE for that hazard exposure. [29 CFR (b)(3)]

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Additional Requirements Some regulations and standards impose additional requirements. For example, MSHA—the U.S. Mines Safety Health Administration--requires a person to pass an MSHA-approved electrical exam and receive electrical safety retraining annually thereafter.

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Competency does play a part. Electrically Qualified has two categories: 1)Qualified Electrical person 2)Qualified Electrical worker

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Qualified Electrical Person Qualified for: –Specific Task Turn on/off equipment Reset overloads when not exposed to live parts Additional training if exposed to live parts –Work near but not on electrical energized equipment

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Example of a Qualified Person Turn lights on and off using a circuit breaker in a panel.Turn lights on and off using a circuit breaker in a panel. –Minimal training to accomplish task –Know limits of what they are trained to do –CANNOT reset a tripped circuit breaker –Must be aware of LOTO and other critical circuits in that panel

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Qualified Electrical Worker Qualified for: –Specific Equipment and Systems Uses Competency to Troubleshoot and Repair Can work circuits energized under an “Electrical Energized Work Permit” –To Qualify others As designated by his employer

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Example of a Qualified Worker Troubleshoot and repair reason lighting breaker in the panel is tripped.Troubleshoot and repair reason lighting breaker in the panel is tripped. Test and troubleshoot control cabinet for production line after receiving hazard training on that piece of equipmentTest and troubleshoot control cabinet for production line after receiving hazard training on that piece of equipment Cannot do same task on similar control circuits until being trained on any hazard unique to that system.Cannot do same task on similar control circuits until being trained on any hazard unique to that system.

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Positive Proof Required Document, Document, Document … Will need re-training if qualified worker has not done that task in last 12 months

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Employers Establish Work Place Safety Protection is Provided by: 1)Policies 2)Procedures 3)PPE

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Boundary exposure Does this worker know how close he can get to an electrical hazard carrying that ladder?

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Job Plan and Job Briefing Are there established written procedures for planning and briefing those working on electrical hazards?

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Additional hazards in the area Training may involve more than just the electrical issues. Confined Space

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Higher Risk Hazards A worker may be qualified on one system and not qualified to work on another.

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 FR Fall Protection Is there FR Fall Protection available if needed?

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 PPE Use and Inspection Do your electrical workers know how to properly inspect their PPE on a daily basis?

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 PM or Common Tasks Is PPE use spelled out in your Electrical PM program and documents?

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Are Boundaries Clearly Marked and Monitored?

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 FAQ’s

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 1. Does OSHA Apply to State and Municipal Governments OSHA was established due to the inconsistencies in enforcement OSHA allows each state to establish their own safety oversight as long as it is as effective as the Federal standards

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Cont. Many municipal and state agencies are now required to report to Bureau of Labor Statistics their injury data. It seems prudent that since Safe Work Practice compliance is both good for the company and its workers that following the OSHA guidelines is good business. Some state legislatures are being lobbied to bring state and municipal agencies under OSHA oversight.

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 2. What are the benefits of having Qualified Workers?  Increased worker productivity  Decreased worker injury rates  Training documentation:  can reduce or eliminate many potential OSHA fines after a reportable incident takes place.  can limit exposure to potential law suits resulting from an electrical incident  Control or decrease Worker’s Comp Rates

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 3. What does a Qualified Electrical Worker Look Like? Electrical skills training ( license, resume’, etc. ) Experience in safely performing similar tasks Training on electrical equipment and installations Knowledge in your company’s electrical safety policies and procedures Training on the applicable regulations and standards Training on donning, doffing and inspecting PPE Training on Voltage Detecting Devices

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 4. Who can Qualify my Workers? Someone who is qualified. Ultimately, it is the employer's responsibility to ensure that workers who work with or near electrical hazards are qualified to perform the work safely and effectively.

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 4. Cont. Qualifying person should:  Communicate well  Be up to date on standards and regulations  Be current in industry best practices  Be proficient in the skills aspect of the equipment or installation  Have extensive experience to help relate real world examples to the person being qualified.

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 4. Cont. In house personnel may not be the best choice: –Their absence for training duties could reduce overall plant performance –May not posses the training assessment skills needed to be effective –Am I making a “good faith” effort or taking a short cut? OSHA my ask. –Do they possess current knowledge in standards and regulations

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 5. Where do I find them? With thoughtful planning and documentation they may be closer than you think. You may have them employed right now. Or maybe not.

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 This can all be pretty overwhelming Is there anyplace I can get help in determining my workers are trained and qualified? Is there anyplace that can cost effectively help me qualify my workers?

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 NTT can help by providing: Tools for assessing your existing personnel Training on standards compliance Hands on “Dress Rehearsal” training for targeted equipment and tasks. NTT College of Skilled Trades

©2010. All Rights Reserved. Qualified Worker Series Part 1 Call or NTT Today!