NFPA 70E Training for General Industry

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the NFPA 70E electrical safety standard and its role in protecting workers from electrical hazards in the workplace. Learners will explore the three major types of electrical hazards, understand what an electrical safety program must contain, and learn how to establish electrically safe work conditions. The course also covers personal protective equipment selection, risk assessment procedures, and the safety boundaries required when working on or near energized electrical equipment.

• Overview of the NFPA 70E standard, including its three chapters and applicable annexes, and how it supports compliance with OSHA’s electrical safety requirements
• Definition of a “qualified person” under NFPA 70E and the responsibilities that accompany that designation, including writing job safety plans and supervising unqualified workers
• The three primary electrical hazards — electric shock, arc flash, and arc blast — including their causes, potential injuries, and contributing factors such as worn connections, insulation gaps, and dust buildup
• Requirements for developing a written electrical safety program, including policies for hazard identification, incident reporting, task-specific procedures, and program effectiveness controls
• Risk assessment procedures for electric shock and arc flash hazards, including how to determine protection boundaries and select appropriate control measures using the NFPA 70E hierarchy
• Electric shock protection boundaries — the limited approach boundary and the restricted approach boundary — and who is permitted to cross each one
• The arc flash boundary and its significance, including the 1.2 cal/cm² threshold used to determine safe distance and PPE requirements
• How to read and interpret equipment labels on switchboards, panels, and motor control centers, including arc flash boundary, minimum arc rating, and required PPE level
• Selection and use of PPE for electrical work, including arc-rated clothing, insulated gloves and sleeves, face shields, safety glasses, ear protection, and insulated footwear
• How to establish an Electrically Safe Work Condition (ESWC), including de-energizing equipment, verifying the absence of voltage, and applying lockout/tagout devices
• The Live Dead Live test procedure for verifying that test instruments are functioning correctly before and after testing for the absence of voltage
• Procedural precautions for electrical work, including maintaining situational awareness, proper lighting, securing equipment panels, keeping work areas clear, and recognizing signs of potential equipment failure

By the end of the course, you will have learned:

• The purpose and structure of the NFPA 70E electrical safety standard and which work activities it applies to
• The roles and responsibilities of qualified persons in developing and executing electrical safety plans
• How electric shock, arc flash, and arc blast events occur and the types of injuries each can cause
• The required components of a written electrical safety program, including task procedures, risk assessments, and program controls
• How to identify and apply the limited approach, restricted approach, and arc flash protection boundaries
• The steps required to establish an Electrically Safe Work Condition, including proper lockout/tagout procedures
• How to select appropriate PPE based on the specific electrical hazards and boundaries associated with a given task
• Safe work practices and procedural precautions that reduce exposure to electrical hazards during routine and specialized electrical tasks