Many of you probably know this but I a recent article in NETAWorld, Ron Widup and Jim White point out that utility workers are not covered by NFPA 70 E.

Why are utilities excluded from NFPA 70E?

Terry O

I don't know why they are exempt but it explains something I witnessed recently.

While we were doing IR on 480V and below equipment and using 40 Cal protection on the Category 4 stuff, there was a guy from the utility working in the high voltage incoming area in shorts and a t-shirt. He was vacuuming a small control panel at the time I saw him and I don't know if it was live or not. It is the utilities property, so they make the rules there but it was pushing 100 degrees and those suits are pretty hot. Shorts and a t-shirt are pretty appealing until you compare them to getting burned.

So who are supposed to be covered by NFPA 70E?

I don't know who is supposed to be covered either. Working in many different plants it becomes obvious that NFPA70E is not widely understood or adhered to.

Anything new in this area??

Danny - I had never realized this, so I looked it up...

Per NFPA 70, Article 90.2 Scope(A) Covered (4) Installations used by the electric utility, such as office buildings, warehouses, garages, machine shops, and recreational buildings, that are not an integral part of a generating plant, substation, or control center.

and

NFPA 70, Article 90.2 Scope(B) Not Covered (5) Installations under the exclusive control of an electric utility where such installations a. Consist of service drops or service laterals, and associated metering, or b. Are located in legally established easements or rights-of-way designated by or recognized by public service commissions, utility commissions, or other regulatory agencies having jurisdiction for such installations, or c. Are on property owned or leased by the electric utility for the purpose of communications, metering, generation, control, transformation, transmission, or distribution of electric energy.

FPN to (4) and (5): Examples of utilities may include those entities that are typically designated or recognized by governmental law or regulation by public service/utility commissions and that install, operate, and maintain electric supply (such as generation, transmission, or distribution systems) or communication systems (such as telephone, CATV, Internet, satellite, or data services). Utilities may be subject to compliance with codes and standards covering their regulated activities as adopted under governmental law or regulation. Additional information can be found through consultation with the appropriate governmental bodies, such as state regulatory commissions, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Federal Communications Commission.


and

NFPA 70, Article 90.2 Scope(B) Special Permission - The authority having jurisdiction for enforcing this Code may grant exception for the installation of conductors and equipment that are not under the exclusive control of the electric utilities and are used to connect the electric utility supply system to the service entrance conductors of the premises served, provided such installations are outside a building or terminate immediately inside a building wall.