What is everyone's opining about wearing PPE to visually verify that all blades of a disconnecting device have fully opened or to do voltage testing to verify all phases are deenergized?

NFPA, Article 120.1 Process of Achieving an Electrically Safe Work Condition describes the procedure to establish and electrically safe work condition. When a worker interrupts the load current by opening a disconnecting device and opens the enclosure they could be exposed to energized parts. Should someone wear PPE while visually inspecting the device and while performing voltage testing?

I have a client who insists several 480V disconnects throughout his system do not need specific arc flash labels. He states, "devices do not need specific arc flash labels for the testing of voltage to determine if a device is de-energized."

I do not agree. Any thoughts?

You are correct, your client is not. Until you have established an Electrically Safe Work Condition the equipment should be treated as energized, which means wearing the correct PPE.

Refer your client to the 70E tables that have the PPE requirements for checking for voltage and application of safety grounds after voltage test, in fact the PPE requirements in the tables is higher for these tasks than other tasks on the same equipment when energized.