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.