Getting certified in NFPA 70E is really important for the safety of workers, customers or visitors in the general vicinity of the work. Know the details.
In the busy industrial world, safety is the most important thing. When it comes to electrical safety, the National Fire Protection Association's 70E standard gives specific and detailed guidelines to follow.
These guidelines are for safe practices related to electrical hazards that can affect employees.
Getting the NFPA 70E certification from a reputable training provider such as Benchmark sends a clear message to the many industries that have people working on or near electrical systems. It proves that you have the knowledge and skills to work safely in environments where electrical hazards are a risk.
The NFPA 70E standard is about electrical safety rules that businesses must follow. These rules are meant to prevent or reduce electrical accidents at work, as electrical work is likely the most dangerous of all the skilled trades.
There are many ways to get hurt or killed in this industry. This includes touching live wires, getting shocked, arc flash, and being hit by what's called an "invisible hand." Even workers who aren’t performing electrical work but are just in the vicinity can get hurt or killed in accidents.
A big part of NFPA 70E training is about making sure people are safe from arc flashes. An arc flash is a dangerous situation where a lot of energy is released from an electric arc. This can cause burns so bad they're almost as fatal as a direct hit from 100,000 volts. When that much energy is released in less than a second, the danger is immeasurable. The NFPA 70E standard provides safety rules to help reduce the risk.
Another important part of NFPA 70E certification is making sure the work area is properly shut down, when needed. This means following a detailed method to turn off electrical equipment before starting any maintenance or repair work on it.
This certification teaches that de-energizing equipment is a key step in creating an electrically safe jobsite. When done properly, it greatly decreases the chances of electrical accidents or mishaps occurring.
In addition, getting NFPA 70E certified helps create a safety-first culture in companies. When electrical workers know the ins and outs of the NFPA 70E and follow its guidelines, they are much safer and less likely to have accidents that can injure themselves or their coworkers.
Even workers who don't work directly on electrical equipment will benefit from the training, because safety practices will protect them from unsafe electrical conditions set up by other workers.
Getting certified in NFPA 70E is really important for the safety of workers, customers or visitors, as well as anyone else who may be in the general vicinity of the work. This certification means that safety practice will become a vital part of how organizations function.
And as much as workers can get their own peace of mind from understanding and following the 70E, the organization itself can find even greater protection by ensuring that its workers are 70E certified.