2024 NFPA 70E Revision: Testing Absence of Voltage at Each Point of Work

[@truthseeker1328]

Hi Jim, Very good information video. While I fully agree that the new verbiage to test for absence of "at each point of work" is a long overdue clarification that will help reduce confusion, minimize accidents and is a step in the right direction, there still needs to be additional instructions to re-perform absence of voltage testing when working in large electrical equipment such as switchgears or MCCs. The panelboard you showed is a fairly simple electrical design with only one or more sources entering the line side of the main breaker. As long as all the sources are correctly LOTO, then testing the line side of the main breaker will be adequate for everything downstream "at each point of work". However, with very large distribution equipment such as switchgears or MCCs, there can be multiple different feeders entering different cubicles and parts of the same equipment. In some industries, not all the feeders can be isolated and must remain energized for critical loads. In such cases, the absence of voltage test, needs to be reperformed as the worker moves from cubicle to cubicle and part to part. There has been numerous accidents and operational experience where workers entered a cubicle that was thought to be de-energized (ESWC) but contained energized parts, resulting in fatalities and serious injuries, because they assumed their initial absence of voltage test was adequate. If the workers had reperformed the absence of voltage test "test before touch" then the hazardous condition identified and the accident averted. Thanks and keep up the great job.