Marking de-energized equipment

[glennb]

This question was brought up at a local Health and Safety meeting. "We identify all energized equipment by utilizing barrier tape. Why not mark the de-energized equipment somehow so an employee won't make the mistake of opening the wrong panel?"
Don't beat me up for this one, I'm just looking to see if anyone has ever heard of doing this or has a thought on it. You would think if the energized equipment is correctly identified there wouldn't be a problem. Can we get complacent to the warning tape? Would it be a good idea to mark the de-energized equipment in Green?

[glen1971]

I think you'd get too "tape distracted". Not to mention it would get more in the road than it would be a benefit. What would happen after the first time the tape was left up, and the breaker/fuse turned back ON? Someone could assume that it was still OFF..
The easiest way I found is to assume it is live until proved de-energized. And unless I personally check it, I don't "take someone's word for it".

Just my two cents...

[Zog]

I think you'd get too "tape distracted". Not to mention it would get more in the road than it would be a benefit. What would happen after the first time the tape was left up, and the breaker/fuse turned back ON? Someone could assume that it was still OFF..
The easiest way I found is to assume it is live until proved de-energized. And unless I personally check it, I don't "take someone's word for it".

Just my two cents...

Exactly! Always assume it is energized until you prove otherwise.

[A King]

Sounds like a lot of red tape. :)