horizontally shall be provided. 2023 Electrical Safety Expert | All Rights Reserved, NEC + OSHA Electrical Panel Clearance Requirements, Understanding NEC Panel Clearance Requirements, OSHA Electrical Panel Clearance Requirements. This NEC working clearance will provide not only the person working on the equipment with room, but also their tools. This means you cannot place machinery or other equipment in the space around an electrical panel without making sure that it meets the NEC working clearance requirements. 3. 508 Carpenter Road This means if you have an inspection, you can count on the fact that the OSHA electrical panel clearance will be measured by the OSHA inspector to make sure that you are in compliance. Except for underground box covers that weigh over 45.4 kg (100 lb), doors and covers of enclosures used solely as pull boxes, splice boxes, or junction boxes shall be locked, bolted, or screwed on. Outdoor electric equipment shall be installed in suitable enclosures and shall be protected from accidental contact by unauthorized personnel, or by vehicular traffic, or by accidental spillage or leakage from piping systems. Interlock switches shall be used on all hinged access doors, sliding panels, or other such means of access to the applicator, unless the applicator is an induction heating coil at dc ground potential or operating at less than 150 volts ac. Electrical panels need to be installed 4 off the ground with the center grip handle of the highest circuit breaker is no more than 6'7 high to be NEC compliant. This Live Performance Safety Guideline highlights sections of the OESC that apply to the temporary and innovative nature of the live performance industry. Cooling. Electric equipment may not be used unless the following markings have been placed on the equipment: The manufacturer's name, trademark, or other descriptive marking by which the organization responsible for the product may be identified; and. Access and entrance to working space. Flexible cords and cables run on the ground, where accessible to the public, shall be covered with approved nonconductive mats. To keep apprised of such developments, you can consult OSHA's website at https://www.osha.gov. Working space about electric equipment. Identified Replacement Component Required.. The disconnecting means shall be a listed device. The disconnecting means shall be constructed, enclosed, or located so as to avoid contact by employees with its live parts. Except as elsewhere required or permitted by this standard, live parts of electric equipment operating at 50 volts or more shall be guarded against accidental contact by use of approved cabinets or other forms of approved enclosures or by any of the following means: Except as elsewhere required or permitted in this subpart, the minimum clear working space in the direction of access to live parts of electric equipment may not be less than specified in Table S-2. Hoses shall be of a nonconductive material. Motor controllers may be located outside the spaces otherwise required by paragraph (c) of this section, provided they are in enclosures with doors or removable panels capable of being locked closed and the disconnecting means is located adjacent to or is an integral part of the motor controller. Conductors and equipment used on circuits exceeding 600 volts, nominal, shall comply with all applicable provisions of paragraphs (a) through (g) of this section and with the following provisions which supplement or modify those requirements. Metal frames and metal parts of rides, concessions, trailers, trucks, or other equipment that contain or support electrical equipment. Ventilating or similar openings in metal-enclosed equipment shall be designed so that foreign objects inserted through these openings will be deflected from energized parts. This is necessary because it is not practical to run dozens, or even hundreds, of different electrical lines directly into the main circuit. beyond the front of the electric equipment. The safety-related work practices under paragraphs 1910.331 through 1910.335 are predicated on compliance with the aforementioned electrical installation requirements. Measuring off the required distance around the electrical panels and putting down floor markings will make it extremely easy to see exactly where things can and cannot be placed. Question 2: A motor control center does not meet Table S-1 work clearances required under paragraph 1910.303(g)(1) when working on live parts operating at 600 volts or less. Clearance To ensure that an electrical panel can be accessed at all times - during inspection, maintenance or emergency - OSHA has determined that the working space in front of the equipment must be at least 30-inches wide (or the width of the equipment). When looking into electrical panel clearance safety, you need to start by looking at the requirements put in place by the national electric code, or NEC. This paragraph applies to equipment operating at 600 volts, nominal, or less. Disconnecting means required by this subpart shall be capable of being locked in the open position. Question: What would OSHA consider to be a safe distance for setting extra stock or empty containers from any electrical equipment such as ladder cable trays? Even if they know how much room in inches is required, they may not be able to properly estimate how much room they are leaving when placing items in the area. Note that our enforcement guidance may be affected by changes to OSHA rules. It is not an official legal edition of the CFR. In existing buildings where electrical equipment is being replaced, minimum 3' working clearance shall be permitted for nominal voltage to ground less than 151V or 3'-6" for nominal voltage to ground greater than 150V between dead-front switchboards, switchgear, This letter constitutes OSHA's interpretation of the requirements discussed. 2.0 Meter. The marking shall be of sufficient durability to withstand the environment involved. Note to paragraph (b)(8)(i) of this section:Wooden plugs driven into holes in masonry, concrete, plaster, or similar materials are not considered secure means of fastening electric equipment. Grounding should be the last of these steps. OSHA's electrical standards are designed to protect employees exposed to dangers such as electric shock, electrocution, fires, and explosions. Requirements for working clearances and spaces around electrical equipment, e.g., ladder cable trays. Safety of equipment shall be determined on the basis of the following considerations: Suitability for installation and use in conformity with the provisions of this subpart. If the voltage is higher than 50kV, the clearance shall be increased 4 in. 8. Electrical equipment shall not be used unless the manufacturer's name, trademark, or other descriptive marking by which the organization responsible for the product may be identified is placed on the equipment and unless other markings are provided giving voltage, current, wattage, or other ratings as necessary. For serious, other-than-serious, and posting requirement violations, OSHA issues a fine amount of $14,502 per violation. Disconnecting means. General. Therapeutic pools in health care facilities are exempt from these provisions. Electrical installations having exposed live parts shall be accessible to qualified persons only and shall comply with the applicable provisions of paragraph (j)(3) of this section. Control panels not located in the same space as the drive machine shall be located in cabinets with doors or panels capable of being locked closed. For installations built on or after August 13, 2007, 1.98 m (6.5 ft), except that where the electrical equipment exceeds 1.98 m (6.5 ft) in height, the minimum headroom may not be less than the height of the equipment. It also helps by segmenting the power off in a way that prevents a full power outage when there is an issue in one area. Many workers are unaware of the potential electrical hazards present in their work environment, which makes them more vulnerable to the danger of electrocution. Any openings in such partitions or screens shall be so sized and located that persons are not likely to come into accidental contact with the live parts or to bring conducting objects into contact with them; By placement on a suitable balcony, gallery, or platform so elevated and otherwise located as to prevent access by unqualified persons; or. This letter constitutes OSHA's interpretation of the requirements discussed. Signs and outline lighting systems located within fountains shall have the disconnect located at least 1.52 m (5.0 ft) from the inside walls of the fountain. Power supply circuits and receptacles for portable electric equipment. For equipment rated 1200 amperes or more and over 1.83 m (6.0 ft) wide, containing overcurrent devices, switching devices, or control devices, there shall be one entrance not less than 610 mm (24 in.) Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Outreach Training Program (10- and 30-hour Cards), OSHA Training Institute Education Centers, Severe Storm and Flood Recovery Assistance. Conductors shall be spliced or joined with splicing devices identified for the use or by brazing, welding, or soldering with a fusible metal or alloy. Each service, feeder, and branch circuit, at its disconnecting means or overcurrent device, shall be legibly marked to indicate its purpose, unless located and arranged so the purpose is evident. Since the top of the panelboard is more than 6 1 / 2 feet above the floor, the minimum working space height required for this panelboard is the height of the panelboard. Soldered splices shall first be so spliced or joined as to be mechanically and electrically secure without solder and then soldered. The marking required by paragraph (f)(5)(i) of this section shall be readily visible and shall state Caution - Series Combination System Rated __ Amperes. Entrances to rooms and other guarded locations containing exposed live parts shall be marked with conspicuous warning signs forbidding unqualified persons to enter. Obstructed access to panelboards can prevent personnel from shutting down the source of power in the event of an accident. This letter constitutes OSHA's interpretation of the requirements discussed. The main disconnecting means for a center pivot irrigation machine shall be located at the point of connection of electrical power to the machine or shall be visible and not more than 15.2 m (50 ft) from the machine. Illumination shall be provided for all working spaces about service equipment, switchboards, panelboards, and motor control centers installed indoors. Unguarded live parts above working space shall be maintained at elevations not less than specified in Table S-3. All electrical conductors and equipment shall be approved. Richard E. Fairfax, Director This page provides information that may aid in controlling electrical hazards in the workplace. Except as required or permitted elsewhere in this subpart, the dimension of the working space in the direction of access to live parts operating at 600 volts or less and likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while alive shall not be less than indicated in Table K-1. In order for the 480 volt circuit(s) to be considered deenergized, the lockout and tagging requirements of paragraph 1910.333(b)(2) must be met. Entrances to rooms and other guarded locations containing exposed live parts shall be marked with conspicuous warning signs forbidding unqualified persons to enter. When used outdoors, flexible cords and cables shall also be listed for wet locations and shall be sunlight resistant. Receptacles and their mating plugs for ungrounded equipment may not have provision for a grounding conductor and shall be of a configuration that prevents their use for equipment required to be grounded. The points of control shall be so located that persons are not likely to come in contact with any live part or moving part of the equipment while turning on the lights. Radiographic and fluoroscopic-type equipment shall be effectively enclosed or shall have interlocks that deenergize the equipment automatically to prevent ready access to live current-carrying parts. A clearance of at least 3 feet is required for equipment using 120 to 250 volts. If sprinklers are installed in hoistways, machine rooms, or machinery spaces, the disconnecting means may automatically open the power supply to the affected elevators prior to the application of water. Standard Number: 1910.179 OSHA requirements are set by statute, standards and regulations. Having an electrical panel clearance policy in place is very important not only for practical reasons, but also in order to comply with various regulations. No underwater lighting fixtures may be installed for operation at over 150 volts between conductors. Such disconnecting means shall consist of a motor-circuit switch, circuit breaker, or molded case switch. [This document was amended on October 24, 2012 to strike information that no longer reflects current OSHA policy.] Sufficient access and working space shall be provided and maintained about all electric equipment to permit ready and safe operation and maintenance of such equipment. Where paralleled sets of current-carrying single-pole separable connectors are provided as input devices, they shall be prominently labeled with a warning indicating the presence of internal parallel connections. Our interpretations letters explain the requirements, and how they apply to particular circumstances, but they can not create additional employer obligations. According to the National Electric Code, any electrical panel with 0 to 150 volts should have 36 inches of clearance around it for both the person working on it and their tools. This means that you cannot leave an area around the electrical panel that is clear, but have access to the area blocked off by stacks of boxes or other items. 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