70e field training

What type of field training is required for a employee to become a " qualified employee "? Our field training consisted of learning how to use a voltage tester by a non electrician. I was told that that is what we are " qualifid " to do. The company labeled all who took the course Q E . Some have never used a tester before. What should field training have in it ?

That sounds a little well, how should I put this,, A little difficult to understand.

This is precisely why OSHA came about because of employers as yours.

You’re not the only one. I hear this all the time. Protect yourself and become knowledgeable on your own. I recommend you research all you can about electrical standards and safety by doing research on your own. You can read 70e and OSHA regs online without purchasing anything. This forum and other materials by Shawmut, Bussman, Easypower, Littlefuse and many other sites will help you come to your own conclusions. Then confront your management with your knowledge.

By the way whenever possible test only the load side voltages. That way you have a protective device ahead of your point of contact. Whenever possible always turn off a device and check continuity of a fuse. Always use the right category of meter to troubleshoot voltages. Go to FLUKE.com to learn more about how this can be a hazard to avoid.

Electrical Safety Program

Wow! Sounds like your company is taking a lot of risk against OSHA and specifically your Supervisor.

Roles & responsibilities should be identified in a managemenet system for electrical safety, an Electrical Safety Program (ESP).

After the roles are defined, your ESP would include a Training & Competency section that could point to a Training & Competency Matrix that outlines what qualifications are required by role. Then your Supervisor is legally responsible to validate that you are competent for the work task that you have been asked to perform.

If you are not comfortable doing the work task, you have the legal right to refuse to do the work and ultimately could report it to OSHA or Provincial/Territorial OH&S in Canada.

Terry Becker, P.Eng.
ESPS Electrical Safety Program Solutions INC.
terry.becker@espsi.ca

Qualified Employee

I am the Maintenance Manager over several large industrial plants including generation and switchyards. Where I've led our organization is to define a Qualified Employee to be someone that has successfully completed a State Certified Industrial Electrial Apprenticeship program or an equivalent amount of formal training and OJT.

If you have no electrical background and then have 70E training only and the call yoursef a Qualified Electrical Worker is asking for trouble.

We went this strict because we had some trades (mostly mechanics) that over the years were allowed to do minor electrical with the electricians but as far as we were concerned they did not meet minimums of a qualified Electrical worker.

With that said we also employees that are qualified up to certain ppe requirements only, such as our Electronic and Communications Techs

Completing an electrical aprentiship does not necessarliy meet the requirements of a qualified person in the eys of OSHA or 70E.

at least you were told how to voltage test, I remember the first day of my electrical field work, I did not know what voltage testing was, or how to use the specific instrument for that task, or any PPE, and was told to go figure it out. Whats to do, those who raise too many questions might lose their jobs, especially the new employees, so they tend to avoid criticizing managers. Todays workplace is governed by money and as long as the managers see no financial incentive, they will not allow safety measures to take place, the only solution to this problem is increased OHSA fines and enforcement, which we have very little in Canada

Have you ever questioned how our State government is sovereign and our Federal goverment is sovereign. OSHA never uses the word 'electrician'. The reason is that many States do not require an electrician to perform electric work for their employer. Manufacturing in many States will permit mechanics to change out a motor. He does the LOTO, disconnect the leads in the conduit box, removes the motor, installs the new motor, aligns the shaft, re-termiantes the motor, and corrects for rotation.

Can he do this safely - absolutely. Does he require training to do it safely - absolutely.

My point is to be careful in your thinking that only electricians are able to do electrical work. What constitutes sufficient training is the point open to discussion.

Anyone can replace parts safely when they remove the power from the circuit but to really know what you are suppose to do comes with the training. Replacing a piece of electrical equipment from one size [ motor] to another i don't think you learn in a class room.
We have machanics who have been deemed a QW, they relace a larger motor with a smaller one as instructed by company. Heaters for the larger motor are still in the starter they have no idea about sizing up the ol's. And they are qualified by company. just one example.

More importantly keep in mind:
OSHA requires that all live parts to which an employee may be exposed shall be de-energized before the employee works on or near them, unless the employer can demonstrate that de-energizing introduces additional or increased hazards or is infeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations. That said trouble shooting (voltage readings) is one of the exceptions under “the employer can demonstrate that de-energizing is infeasible” and should only be done in a case where taking a voltage reading is the only way to determine a failure/fault or broken part.