IMC-2020 Presentation 37:13 Minutes
by Tommy Northcott, Jacobs
Since 1973, the NFPA 70B Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance has provided guidance on how to properly maintain electrical equipment. Unfortunately, this has been an under-appreciated and under-utilized guide within industry. In recent years, as evident in the NFPA 70E (Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace), the NFPA has recognized that proper maintenance is directly related to personnel safety. With that in mind, the NFPA tasked the 70B committee to change the “Recommended Practice” into a Standard like the NFPA 70E, which will then allow OSHA to enforce electrical equipment maintenance practices. This presentation will explain how maintenance of electrical equipment directly impacts the safety of electrical workers as well as giving an inside look at some of the changes to be expected in the coming Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance.