Occupational Safety

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Wind Energy workers are exposed to hazards that can result in fatalities and serious injuries. Many incidents involving falls, severe burns from electrical shocks and arc flashes/fires, and crushing injuries have been reported to OSHA. One example:

In 2004,OSHA issued citations and proposed penalties to Pieper Electric, Inc., of Milwaukee, Wis., for failing to protect workers from electrical hazards. The penalty and OSHA citations are based on an inspection initiated in September 2003 following an incident at a Racine, Wis., wastewater treatment facility where Pieper Electric was contracted to furnish and install various electrical equipment.

Scenario: I am an electrician with thirty years of experience.  Currently, I'm employed as an electrician by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, at Orlando International Airport, FL.  For the past ten years I have been wearing lightweight, light colored, loose fitting clothing while working in the heat and humidity.

Question (1): Scenario: Employees will be using an insulated device to verify that an electrical circuit that has been "turned off, locked, and tagged" is de-energized. Are these employees required to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) under OSHA's construction standard 1926.416(a)(1) and/or NFPA 70E?

OSHA requires employers to protect employees from electrical hazards, including arc flash. Yet OSHA does not specifically explain how to comply with these regulations. NFPA 70E is the bridge between OSHA regulations and compliance.

OSHA Standards 29-CFR, Part 1910. Occupational Safety and Health Standards. 1910 sub part S (electrical) Standard number 1910.333 specifically addresses Standards for Work Practices and references NFPA 70E.

The American Industrial Hygiene Association® (AIHA), the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) and AIHA Registry Programs, LLC, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will lead the way toward joint development of a registry for qualified indoor air quality (IAQ) practitioners.

Bill Borwegan, Director of Safety and Health for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) for the last 30 years, has announced his retirement.

Four different arc flash type events need to be assessed when designing safety programs: Open Air Arc Flashes; Ejected Arc Flashes; Equipment Focused Arc; Flashes (Arc-in-a-box); Tracking Arc Flashes. Many methods exist to protect personnel from arc flash hazards.

An arc flash is distinctly different from the arc blast. It is part of an arc fault, a type of electrical explosion that results from a low-impedance connection to ground or another voltage phase in an electrical system.