Understanding how to make measure-

ments safely is extremely important for

anyone who works with electricity. This
module contains information to help you
teach students how to work safely and
avoid common safety hazards such as
shocks, burns, and fire. It includes the
latest information about NFPA 70E, as
well as the four IEC 61010 Categories
and how to operate safely in each cat-
egory. The module also covers what to
look for in selecting safe test tools, how
to perform periodic safety inspections
on them, and how to choose the right
leads and fuses.
Materials include: a PowerPoint presen-
tation, multiple application notes case
studies, and an Understanding Safety
Categories poster.

Index
CD Index
PowerPoint ® presentation
• Electrical Measurement Safety
Poster
• Understanding Safety Categories
Application notes
• Ten dumb things smart people do
when testing electricity
• Who sets the rules for electrical
testing and safety
• Differences in voltage testers can be
shocking
• Don’t risk CAT IV areas without the
right leads
• Choosing the correct fuse for your
tester
• Verifying lockout/tagout electrical
safe status
• Safety considerations for live
measurements
• A million and one uses for voltage
detectors
• Tests and measurements for
electrical fire prevention
• ABCs of electrical measurement
safety
• Hybrid vehicle measurement safety
basics: Taking high-voltage readings
• NFPA 70E urges industry to turn it off
or put it on
• Ten ways to hurt yourself on
electrical systems
• Electrical testing safety: Preparing for
absence of voltage testing
• Electrical testing safety: Is it a
backfed or induced voltage?
• Key changes to NFPA 70E
• Think ‘Test Instruments’ when
you think of personal protective
equipment
• Does your meter measure up: Test
tool inspection checklist
• Arc flash safety and thermal imaging
• New options for arc flash PPE for
thermal imaging
Case studies
• Creating an electrical safety
program: Protecting employees from
electrical dangers on the job
• Making a model safety program even
better: How Fluor Hanford defends
against electrical accidents
• Martinelli’s pursues the sweet taste
of safety
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PowerPoint ® presentation

Electrical
measurement
safety

Avoiding hidden hazards

Understanding safety
standards

©200 , 2007 Fluke Corporat on Electrical measurement safety 1

Electrical Measurement
Safety

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Poster
This poster clearly defines safety cat-
Understanding electrical measurement egories established by IEC including
safety categories and personal
protective equipment guidelines
Measurement safety categories

The International Electrotechnical Commission ( EC)

updated information on CAT IV, as well
as the PPE categories defined by NFPA
Standard 61010 describes performance spec fications
for low voltage (< 1000 V) test equipment The higher
he category the higher the power available in that
environment and the higher he test ool’s abi ity to
withstand t ansient energy

PPE Guidelines

Hazard/Risk categories are described by the

Measu ement
category
CAT V
In brief

Three-phase at
ut l ty connect on
Examples

• Refers to the or gin of

ins al at on i e where ow-
70E. It is perfect to hang on your wall to
remind your students every day of the
National Fire Pro ection Association (NFPA) Stan- any ou door vol age connec ion is made to
dard 70E The higher the elect ical environment conducto s ut l ty power
• Elec r ci y m ters p imary
the st onger he pe sonal pro ective equipment
overcu rent prote ti n
(PPE) must be to withs and an arc flash incident equipment

need to practice safety when making

• Ou s de and s rvice ent ance
serv ce d op f om pole to
Hazard/Risk Ca egory 1 • lam -res stant FR) ong-s eeved sh rt bui ding run b tween me er and
< 240 V e ectr cal and/or acket w th sleeves ro led down and panel
envi onments ront fu ly but oned up FR c oth ng mu t • O erhead ine to de ached
110 V/120 V/208 V/220 V ul y co er a l skin and gnitab e loth ng) bui ding underground l ne to
Measurement

electrical measurements. Because of its

pane s 0 o 50 hsp mo ors • FR pants we l pump
CAT IV and d ive ) • Rubber in ulat ng g oves wi h eather CAT II Three-phase • Equipment n fixed ins al at ons
Minimum a c ra ing or FR p otec ors worn over top di tr but on such as swit hg ar and
c othing 16 74 J/cm(2) or • A c-ra ed ace sh eld and sa ety glasses inc uding sing e- polyphase mo ors
4 cal/cm 2) • Ha d hat and hear ng p otec ion phase ommerc al • Bus and feeder in indus rial

size, it cannot be printed from the disc.

• eather work boots l ght ng plants
• No jewel y keys or wat h • Feeders and sho t b anch
ci cui s dis r but on panel
• nsu ated hand too s
devices
Hazard/Risk Ca egory 2 • FR long sleeved shi t and or jacket wi h • Ligh ing ystems n arger
240 V o 600 V elec rical leeves ro led down and front ul y bui dings
envi onments bu toned up • App iance out ets w th short
Measurement Measurement 270/480/600 V e ect ical • FR wo k pants (not den ms) or cove al s connect ons o se vice entrance
CAT I CAT II pane s MCCs swi chgear • Rubber in ulat ng g oves wi h eather CAT I Sing e-phase • App iance po tab e t ols and
rans orme s bus ba s UPS p otec ors worn over top recep acle other household and s m lar

To order a copy of the printed poster

and l gh ing 100+ hsp • Heavy du y eather wo k boo s connected loads loads
motors and d ives)
• Swi ching hood or a ba aclava hood • Ou let and long b anch c rcu ts
Minimum a c ra ing or FR omb ned w th n arc rated face shie d • Ou lets at mo e han 10 mete s
c othing 33 47 J/cm(2) or • Ha d hat hea ing p otec ion and afe y 30 f et) f om CAT I I source
8 cal/cm 2) g asses • Ou lets at mo e hat 20 me ers

click on the poster image, logon to the

Measurement CAT III • No jewel y keys or wat h 60 fee ) f om CAT IV source
• nsu ated hand too s CAT I Ele tron c • Prote ted e ec ronic equipment
• Equipment connec ed o source)
Hazard/Risk Ca ego y 3 • u l flash uit ( acket overa ls and hood)
ci cui s n wh ch measur s
High vo tage env ronments • Rubber in ulat ng g oves wi h eather
are taken o imit t ansient
1600 A or h ghe ) p otec ors worn over top

Fluke Educator’s Web, then go to the

overvo tages to an approp iat ly
Substa ions u i i y • Heavy du y eather wo k boo s low evel
rans orme s big fac l ty
• No jewel y keys or wat h • Any high-vo tage ow- ne gy
se vice ent an es)
• nsu ated hand too s source der ved rom a h gh-
l ke Co po a ion Minimum a c ra ing or FR • Ha d hat hea ing p otec ion and afe y w nd ng esis ance rans ormer
O Box 090 Ev r tt WA USA 8206
© 003 2 08 F uke o po a i n
c othing 104 6 J/cm(2) or g asses such as the high-vo tage sect on

Library section and select the Posters

r n ed n U S A 25 cal/ m(2) of a cop er
0 2008 096 30 G N N R v C
W b cc ss ht p / www flu e com R f re ce N PA (N t on l F re P o ec on Ass c a io ) S and rd 70E T bl s 130 7 ( ) 9) ( ) 10) C ( 1) M asu ement a ego i s EC 10 0 pp ies o l w vo age (< 1000 V) e t equ pment
M d f c t on of h s do ume t is ot N te Ca eg ry 2 s a hi her i k th n C t go y 2 Th s po t r on y l s s PPE or 2 not or 2 See N PA
e m t d w hou wr t en p rm ss on 0E Tab e 130 7 C) 10 f r the pec fic d t nc i ns be ween Ca eg ry 2 and C te ory 2
om l ke Co po a i n

option from the navigation bar at the

Understanding Safety Categories left. Your poster will be sent to you at
no cost.

http://support.fluke.com/register/login.asp

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Application notes
Ten dumb things
smart people do when
testing electricity
Anyone who makes the r iv-
ng by wo king w th e ect ic-
ty qu ckly deve ops a hea thy
e pe t or anyth ng w th even
a remo e chance of be ng ive
Yet the p e sures of get ing
a job done on ime or ge t ng a
miss on-cr tical p ece of equ p-
ment back on line can resu t n
ca elessness and uncha a ter-
st c m stakes by even the most
seasoned e ect ic an The ist
be ow was developed as a quick
eminder of what not to do when
aking e e tr cal measuremen s
1 Replace the or ginal use
with a cheaper one If your
d gital mu t meter (DMM)
meets today s safety stan-
da ds hat use is a spec al
a ety sand fuse des gned
o pop befo e an over oad
h ts your hand When you
change your DMM fuse be
u e to replace it wi h an
au ho ized use
2 Use a b t of wi e or me al
o get around the fuse
That may seem ike a qu ck
ix if you re caught w thout
an e tra use but hat fuse
cou d be a l hat ends up
be ween you and a p ke
headed your way
3 Use he wrong test tool
or the ob t s important
o ma ch your DMM o the
work ahead Make su e your
est tool ho ds he correct
CAT ra ing or each ob you
do even f t means sw tch-
ng DMMs throughout the
day
Ten dumb things smart
people do when testing
electricity
Don’t risk CAT IV areas
without the right leads
Test leads do more than connect
a tester to a circuit hey also
pro ect you f om potential
hazards of which you may not
even be aware This ar icle wi l
explain the various charac er
istics that a fect a test lead’s newer mo e robust leads ava l
abi i y to pro ect you f om the
dangers inherent in making
an electrical measurement
The test system
You’ve p obably heard he
phrase “The system is only
as good as its weakest ink!”
This phrase is very appropriate have he minimum dis ance
when eferring o the safe use
of your test equipment A tester exist in the environment in
such as a digi al multimeter
DMM) is designed as a complete shou d also be a inger guard
sys em meaning the tes er its
eplaceable pa ts and accesso
ies have been designed o work distance between your inge s
oge her as a comple e unit
This app ies not only to a est
sys em’s functional capabi i ies insulating ratings have been
but more impor an ly to
its safety fea ures as we l
When you pick up
a tester that has
a spec fic safety
ating and take it
o a dis ribution
panel o measure a
680 V bus how well are you
pro ected for the haza ds that
exist in that envi onment? The
ester may indicate it has the
proper rating for the envi on
ment in which you are working ronment However make sure
but what about the est leads? If the test leads you w ll be using bends have reduced insulating
you are using test leads that d d wi h the tester equal or exceed capab li y at hose stress poin s
NOT come with the product you the tester’s ating
cou d eas ly be comp omising
your safety Even f he leads did planning o measure a 680 volt shou d be replaced with new
come wi h the produ t a e they
up o today’s s andards?
Don’t risk CAT IV areas
without the right leads
4 Grab the cheapest DMM
on he rack You can
upgrade ater ight? Maybe
not f you end up a v ctim
of a sa ety ac ident because
hat cheap est ool d dn t
ac ual y contain the sa e y
eatures it advert sed Look
or ndependent aboratory
est ng
5 Leave your safe y g asses
n your shirt pocket Take
hem out Put them on t s
mpor ant D t o insu ated
g oves and f ame- esis ant
c othing
6 Work on a live circuit
De-energ ze the ircu t
whenever possib e f the
s tua ion requ res you o
work on a l ve ci cuit use
p ope ly nsulated tools
wear hear ng protec ion
sa ety g asses and an a c
ated a e shie d or hood
f required and insu ated
g oves Remove wa ches
or other jewe ry stand on
an nsula ed mat and wear
lame resi tant c othing not
egu ar work c othes
7 Fail o use p oper lock-
out/ ag out procedures
8 Keep bo h hands on he
est Don t! When work ng
wi h l ve ci cuits emem-
ber the o d elec ri ian s
ri k Keep one hand n
your pocket That essens
he chance of a closed cir-
cu t a ross your chest and
hrough your heart Hang or
est he me er f poss ble
T y to avo d hold ng it w th
your hands to minimize per-
sonal exposure o the e fec s
of t an ients For hazardous
What’s he di fe ence in test
leads?
Not all test leads are c ea ed
equal It’s very common o
ac umulate est leads over the
years and mix hem up with the
able today Test leads just like
the teste s themselves have
been upgraded to meet the new
safety s andards es ab ished for
today’s elec rical environments
These standa ds require hat
the insula ion between the test
lead conductor and your fingers
to s and off the hazards hat
which you are wo king There
on the ou side of the probe
that estab ishes the proper
and he exposed me al parts of clearly marked with this safety
the probe These distances and rating If the DMM’s est leads
p edete mined for each installa rating of the ester then you
tion ca ego y and voltage ra ing1 are putting the tes er and more
1
See A Cs of E ec r cal Me su ement Sa e y impor an ly you se f at risk
for mo e in orma on n ns a la on a ego y
and vo ta e a ing
Choosing the correct test
leads
Once you dent fy he installa
tion category and he voltage
you wi l be wo king wi h it’s
a simple task of choosing the
appropria e tes er for that envi
For in tan e f you are
circuit in a dist ibution panel
look for meters that are dual
rated 1000 V CAT I I (the envi
ronment in our example) and
600 V CAT IV Make sure both
the DMM and the est leads a e
Who sets the rules
for electrical testing Differences in voltage
and safety? testers can be shocking
Application Note
Application Note App ication Note
Alphabet soup To maximi e sa ety or your- Then we ll examine the nde-
elf and your team you need a pendent safe y and tandards Walk onto any s te where f you we e to ook at a l he The h esho ds are ma ked y
The e s no ques ion hat e ec ri- ol d unders and ng of the ru es o ganiza ions n luding the electr cians a e working and vo tage es ers on he market d ffe ent between the wo cat
cal safe y is a key concern for and standards that govern safe Na ional Fi e Pro ect on Asso- you ll probab y see some and note their d ffe ences egor es of teste s and that fact
elec ri ians and engineers heir e ect ical work This ar ic e will c at on NFPA) the Americ n
employe s unions and the gov-
voltage e ters These handy you d quickly ee they divide carries impor ant imp ica ions
he p you cut hrough he alpha- Na ional Standards Ins i ute dev ces wh ch often fit in into wo general ca ego ies for safety and conven ence
ernment bet soup of afe y organ zat on ANS ) he Ins i ute of E ect ical
Every day an average of a shirt pocket are popular solenoid based testers and Let s compare vol age testers
names o see how ea h plays a and E ec ronics Engineers ( EEE)
4 700 wo kers in he U S and the nterna ional Elec ro-
because hey qu ckly g ve an electron c teste s So eno d in these wo categor es more
ole in afety
suffer di abling in u ies on the We ll check them out in wo Techn cal Comm ss on IEC) indicat on of vo tage presence based esters have a long closely so you can draw your
job Insu an e indus ry es imates g oups Fi st we l ook at he Though hey e not part of gov- That makes them very handy tradi ion hey were the first own conc usions about what to
put he di ect co t of workplace gove nment agencies that over- e nment hey too help et he for general voltage checks vo tage es ers avai able and have n your too box or what
inju ies in 2005 at more han ee wo kplace safe y such as ules of the sa ety game espec al y when working with are st ll w de y in use today to c ip to your pocket
$8 bil ion Wi h costs that high he U S Occupa ional Safe y and con rol systems Thus volt When voltage passes some
no wonder so many government Hea th Admini tra ion (OSHA) The government
agen ies and priva e groups hold age testers are popu ar with threshold the tes er w ll
p eces of he sa ety puzz e
and the Na ional Ins i ute or agencies electr cians Yet these devices indicate a voltage s present
Oc upa ional Sa ety and Hea th
F rst where did OSHA and N OSH are not a l he same The d f Be ow that threshold the tes er
NIOSH)
come rom and what do hey ferences show up n safety won t indicate a voltage at all
do? rel ab l ty and convenience
Both agen ies were crea ed
by the ederal Occupat onal
Sa ety and Health Act of 1970
OSHA s n the U S Department
of Labor and s esponsib e for
deve oping and enfor ing work-
p ace sa ety and heal h regu a-
ions n addi ion many sta es
have their own occupat onal
sa ety agencies that wo k w th
OSHA and gove n wo kplace
sa ety on the sta e evel
NIOSH s an gen y of the
U S Depa tment of Heal h and
Human Serv ces estab i hed to
he p assu e sa e and hea thful
work ng condi ions by prov ding
measurement app ica ions esearch n ormat on educa ion
addi ional measures for
and tra ning n he f eld of o cu-
educ ng the isk of hazard pa ional sa ety and h alth
and a c f ash should be
cons dered These include * ou ce i er y Mu ual Wo kp a e af ty
nd x W nt r 2008
he use of protec ive equ p-
ment n luding g oves
c othing and eyewear as
pre cribed by NFPA 70E
and NEC (Na ional E ectr -
cal Code) Ar ic e 110 16
or lash p o ect on p us
cons derat on for add t onal
ocal gove nment and coun-
ry equ rements Fi ure 1 Th s so en id t s er ex er en ed a ata Fig re 2 Cu re t m ing es s ors see C) ro ect h s el c
s rop ic ai u e af er ece v ng an impu se Even t on c e ter whi h e ul s in a pr di t ble ai u e m chan sm
w h an MOV (me al o ide ar s or (s e ) he un t wh n he t st r is e pos d o e ec r cal mpu ses
w l s i l s lf d st uc f om o erh at ng see B)
Who sets the rules for Differences in voltage
electrical testing and testers can be shocking
safety
Choosing the correct Verifying lockout/tagout
fuse for your tester
electrically safe status
Application Note For non electricians work ng in electr cal env ronments
Application Note App ication Note
A fuse is ju t a fuse R ght? We Why does a tes er need To protect aga nst th s common
now a fuse is made to open fuses? oc urrence meter manu actu ers
when a certa n evel of current s The e are a va ie y of tes ers on s ar ed put ing a fu e in ser es
xceeded Th s p otec s us f om he market rom s mp e vo tage wi h the me er s te t ead acks
lec ric shocks and ires de ecto s o high y soph st cat d or an inexpens ve and ef ec-
tar ed by overheated d gi al mu timete s DMMs) ive solu ion for a ve y s mp e
wi ing However mis ake
Te ters that m ke vo tage
ome fuses prot ct measurements have a high nput Today most manufac urers
us rom an even more mpedance that makes an ove - s i l design their este s wi h fuse Lockout/ agout procedures spec fy
er ous danger u rent condi ion unl kely As a p otec ion n he cur ent measur-
the s eps elec ric ans must fo low
This ar ic e exp ains the esult vol age measur ng inpu s ng c rcu ts As technology has
h dden dangers of mak ng vo t- moved orwa d the cience of to remove power rom an e ectr cal
a e genera ly not designed wi h
ge and cu rent measu emen s use p otec ion but wi h overvo t- use des gn has progre sed as c rcuit or panel and to lock out and
wi h a tes er hat does not age pro ect on But if that same well A though unde stood by tag he panel or circuit so that no
have the fuse prote tion that ester s des gned o al o measure peop e who bui d esters the one can re-energize t wh le work s
was de igned nto the ester – u rent us ng is requ red ull mpact of fus ng s i t e
dange s hat an cause ser ous Cur ent measur ng npu s under tood by most ester use s in progress
bu ns and poss bly even death u ual y emp oy a simple shunt When you make that s mple
hrough which the measured mis ake of put ing vol age ac oss
u rent f ows Th s hunt s res s- he cur ent jacks and b ow he
use you e at f rst han ful you
ance s on the o der of 0 01
ohms Add to that the res stance d dn t w pe out the me er But
of he te t eads approx 0 04 you may then become annoyed
ohms) and you have a short of wi h the fact that you have to
ess than 0 1 ohms Th s esi - hunt up a new use and repla e
ance s adequa e when you t before mak ng your next
p ace his short n ser es wi h cu rent measu ement E en mo e
ano her oad o measure the rus rat ng s when you ha e
do not equal or exceed he ircu t s urrent But t s an al o- mete s with other people in y ur
ge her shop and someone e se b ows a
use and pu s he meter away to An increas ng number of or conducto s These non- Th s document al o out ines spe-
d f erent sto y when you p ace
his ci cuit ac oss a vol age have the p oblem di covered by specia ty con racto s ranging con act de ectors are rela ively ci ic ircumstances when work on
an un uspect ng user from heal h inspec ors o ther- inexpensive and industr al l ve ci cui s is perm t ed and sets
ource say the p ug ou let in
Test leads you have accumu your iv ng room mographers mu t work around models such as the Fluke 1AC a e app oa h boundar es or bo h
lated from years ago may not This is an a l too common elec rical panels and exposed safety rated up to 1000 vo ts ac qua i ied and unqual f ed person-
be designed with he insulation mi take made by people measur- ci cuits For the r own safe y
nel
thickness needed for oday’s ng bo h vol age and urrent these con racto s and anyone About lockout/tagout
elect ical environmen s In A ter mak ng a current measure-
else who may be exposed to l ve Lockout/ agout elec r cal Standard lockout/tagout
addition test leads suffer f om ment w th he te t eads n he
wear and abu e that could u rent input acks the user tr es voltages should disconnect p inc p es and process
o make a vol age mea urement Unders and lockout/tagout p o- procedures a e descr bed in
easily damage he insulation cedu es
Conducted by the elect ician
For ins ance test leads hat orge t ng the leads are n he indust y standards l ke NFPA 70E 1 Open disconnect ng device s)
amps acks Th s e fec ive y p aces Know how to ver fy hat power
have been pinched in a panel Standa d for Elec ri al Sa e y for each sou ce of power
a short ac oss he vo tage ource has been removed rom the
door or kinked due to harp Years ago when ana og
in he Workp ace publ shed supply
mete s were he on y in truments
env ronment be ore beg nn ng by the Nat onal F re P otec ion 2 Visua ly ve i y that all blades
or mak ng these measu emen s
work especia ly f l ve ci cui s A sociat on NFPA) of the d sconne ting dev ces
Test leads hat are c acked his m stake pre ty well des royed
may be nearby NFPA 70E requi es those are ful y open or that ci cuit
pinched or excessively dirty Con racto s in these c rcum- work ng on exposed conductors
he meter movement (the needle breakers are n the ful y di -
wrapped a ound the top peg) not stances hou d carry a and ci cuit components ope a - connected pos t on
ones having he same ra ing as o ment on the inte nal ci cui ry non-con act vo tage detec or ing at 50 vol s or more to use 3 Use a voltage de ector or o her
the tes er to ve ify that their work lockout/tagout dev ces and pro- test ool o ver fy hat he
env ronment is safe n te ms
cedu es and be p ope ly ra ned panel/c rcu t s de-energ zed
of exposure to ive cir u ts
Choosing the correct Verifying lockout/tagout
fuse for your tester electrical safe status
back next index
Application notes cont.

Safety considerations
for live measurements
Keep your eyes on the job at hand
Measur ng l ve vo tages and
current in today s high-energy
environmen s can esult in a
severe haza d to equ pment and
users if proper p ecautions are
not appl ed G ven the risk of
trans ents surges and o d-
fash oned human error it always
pays to fo low safe work p act ces
and use e t nstruments ated
for the vo tage or cur ent you e
measur ng
Whenever po sible work on
de-ene gized ircu ts and fo low
proper ockout tag-out proce-
dures If you have o wo k on
l ve c rcui s fo low ng the teps
below wi l improve your
measurement prac ices and help
reduce any haza d
Se up
1 Assess the env ronment be ore
ak ng the measurement
2 Do not work alone n hazard-
ous areas
3 Wear the approp iate personal
pro ect ve equipment (PPE) as
dete mined by NFPA 70 E and
he local recommendat ons of
heal h and sa ety personnel
4 Make sure your te t nstrument
s ra ed for the measurement
envi onment
5 Be am liar w th and know
how to use your equ pment
pr or o any hazardous
mea urements
Practices
1 Measure at the owest energy
point
2 Keep your eyes on he area
you re prob ng and keep
both hands free as condi ions
requ re
3 For sing e phase connect
neut al i st—hot second
4 Use he three point test
method dis u sed la er n th s
appl cat on note
When w rk ng in a deep or ec ss d anel u e a est p obe e te der and p obe ig t to i umin te he rea
5 Use test probes with a m ni-
mum amount of exposed me al
such as 12 in 4 mm) metal
ip p obes
6 Keep one hand in your pocket
un ess you must use bo h
hands or a good measurement
Setup
Environmental analysis
Before you open an equipment
cabinet ook over your wo k
environment How do you p an
to u e your meter? Where wi l
you mount i ? Do you have clear
access to he equipment in
quest on? Have you been t ained
on or are you knowledgeable n
the use of your me er? A e envi-
ronmen al haza ds present such
as ree branches or water? Do
you have enough l ght and
vent lat on?
Tests and
A million and one uses measurements
for voltage detectors for electrical
Application Note
fire prevention
Application Note
Application Note
Vol age detectors are a qu ck nexpens ve way o check Vo tage detector safety
for the presence of ve vo tage on ac c rcu ts sw tches For the most part industr al and
and outlets before wo k ng on them Also known as By te ling you whe her or not a
c rcu t is l ve bef re you work commercial e ec rical systems are
vo tage wands s icks power sn f ers or pens they
c p into a shi t pocket and chi p or glow when hey on it vo tage detec ors p ovide ge ting sa er and more re able A
a cr t cal safe y func ion
detect vo tage on exposed conduc ing pa ts or h ough U S Fire Adm n strat on s epo t
insulat on However—g tt ng sa e rel able
eadings requi es purcha ing he ana yz ng data from 2001 est mates
These ypes of vo tage detectors are des gned or that 8 7 % of the nat on s 47 785
non-contact ive/not ive vol age detec ion on electr cal ight kind f vo tage detec or or
your wo k env ronment and hen non-resident al ires were caused
c rcui s found n resident al commerc al and indus rial
ol ow ng these guide ines by e ec rical d s ribution equ pment
bu ldings nc den al con act w th ive e ect ical conduc-
tors s not an issue as long as the de ector is a ed 1 Always veri y that the vo t- That s 32 % ewer than n 1998
approp iate y for he vo tage evel and the electr cal age detec or s work ng
sa e y ca egory n wh ch t wi l be used n add t on the properly before you ely on
user must exerc se sa e work practices and wear any it Use he detec or to est a St ict bui d ng codes high qual ty
approp iate PPE equi ed known l ve c rcu t bo h be ore equipment good system design
and a ter you est an unknown compe ent n tal at on and pro-
c rcuit and make su e it g ves fes ional main enance are a l
you he proper re pon e The
fac ors in dr ving he downward
same prac ice appl es o mul i-
me ers f there is any doubt in t end St ll this t ans ates to
4 157 commerc al indus rial and
your m nd about whether the
c rcuit s ru y ive r dead use ins i utional bui dings s ruck by
elec r cal i es n 2001
an add t onal method to ve i y
the test re ul s You only have Commerc al low vo tage sys-
tems conta n many ub systems
to be r ght once o make it a l
sw tchgear ransformers panels
wo thwh le
No e ome vo t ge de ec o s have a recep a les mo or con rols and
Avo d wo k ng n dark areas s lf es fu c ion b i t n ha w l ve fy l ghting to name a few Common
If you hoose to work n a da k whe her he de e to is o er t on l
to all of these components are
area tu n on the test tool s ba k- 2 Ensure hat the voltage
connect ons nsulat on and over-
l ght o br ghten the display for detector you are u ing
cur ent pro ection Fa lures of
eas er v ewing And f you re is app op iate y ra ed for
these fundamental mechanisms
wo king n a deep or recessed the measu ement envi on-
are at he root of many elec ri al
panel use a test probe ex ender ment you re work ng in and
f res and are he target of many
and probe ight to il um nate is w th n the vol age ange
the area o be probed Be sure you e est ng Indust ial
elec r cal maintenance p oce-
envi onments are gener- dures
you can lear y v ew he point
al y CAT II or CAT V Not a l NETA Ma ntenance Test ng
of measurement The probe Use herma imag rs to heck en rg zed c m onen s f r hot l ose or c r oded c nnec i ns
extender fac l tates measurement vol age de ecto s a e sa ety Speci ica ions and NFPA s andard
by keeping your hands u ther ra ed h wever and they e 70B Recommended Prac ice for
away from the inside of he not equal y sens t ve Some Elec ri al Equipment Maintenance
detec ors w ll read sma l leve s l st procedures or est ng the so a good tes ing program can
panel reduc ng potent al danger del ver a l hree In act many
A so make su e you have a of vol age hat o hers won t var ous components of an
detect at a l Don t as ume hat elec r cal d st ibut on system indust ial insu ance companies
helper knowledgeable in e ect i-
the detec or you re using now requi e evidence of a egular
cal safe y or let someone e se Thermograph c tes ing s cov-
w ll pe form he same as oth- elec ri al est ng program
know where you re working ered by ASTM E 1934 Standard
ers you ve used n he past Guide or Examining E ectr cal This ar ic e rev ews he fun-
It s never good p acti e to work damental causes of overhea ing
alone on high energy ircu ts and Mechan cal Equipment with
In rared Thermography as well as he tes s and oo s
Many of the ests a med at common y used o uncover ove -
prevent ng elec rical ires also heating p oblems
address rel abil ty and safety
The mal m ge of a l ose t rm nal c nt ct

Safety considerations A million and one uses Tests and measurements for
for live measurements for voltage detectors electrical fire prevention

Hybrid vehicle
measurement NFPA 70E urges
ABCs of industry to turn it off
multimeter safety safety basics:
Taking high voltage readings or put it on
Mu t meter safety and you
App ication Note Application Note Application Note

Voltage spikes–an
unavoidable hazard
Don’t overlook safety your
l fe may depend on it As d str bution systems and
oads become more comp ex
Where safety is a concern choosing a mu ti-
he possib li ies of transient
me er s ike choos ng a motorcyc e he met– f
overvo tages increase Mo ors
you have a ten do lar head choo e a ten
capac tors and power con-
dol ar he met f you value your head get a
ve sion equipment such as
safe helmet The ha ards of mo orcyc e r d ng var able speed drives can be
are obv ous but what s the ssue with mul i- pr me gene ators of spikes
me ers? As long as you choose a mu timeter L ghtning s rikes on outdoor
w th a h gh enough vol age ra ing aren t you
ransmi sion ines a so cause
safe? Voltage is vol age sn t t?
ex reme y hazardous h gh-
Not exact y Eng neers who analyze ester
energy transien s If you e
safe y of en discover that fa led un ts were
ak ng measu ements on elec-
subjec ed to a much higher vo tage than the
rical sys ems these trans en s
user thought he was measuring There are the are inv sib e and argely
occas onal acc den s when the meter a ed
unavoidab e hazards They
for ow vo tage 1000 V or less) was used o occur regula ly on low vo tage
measure med um vo tage such as 4160 V ust power c rcui s and can reach
as ommon the knock-out blow had noth- peak va ues n the many thou-
ing to do wi h m suse– t was a momen ary sands of vo ts n these cases
high-vo tage sp ke or transient that hit the you re dependent or p otect on
mu timeter input w thout warning
on the sa ety ma gin a ready
bui t into your meter The
vo tage rat ng alone w ll not
ell you how we l that me er
was designed to surv ve high
rans ent mpulses
Early clues about he safe y
hazard po ed by spikes came
rom app ica ions involv ng
measurements on the supply
bus of e ectr c commuter
a l oads The nominal bus
vo tage was only 600 V but
mult me e s ated at 1000 V
asted on y a ew minutes when
ak ng measu ements whi e the
rain was opera ing A c o e
mult meter nput ci cuits The
essons earned through h s
nve tiga ion ed to significant
mprovemen s n mu timeter
nput pro ection circu ts
Test tool safety standards
To p otect you against t an-
s ents safe y mu t be bu lt in o
he test equipment What per-
ormance pec ficat on should
you look or especia ly f you
know that you could be work-
ng on high-energy c rcu ts?
The ask of defin ng safe y
s anda ds for test equipment s
addressed by the nternat onal
E ectro e hn cal Commis-
s on ( EC) Th s o gan zation
deve ops in ernational safe y
s anda ds for elec r cal est
equipment
Me ers have been used
or years by echn cians and
e ectr cians yet the act s hat
meters designed o the IEC 1010
s anda d of er a significant y
h gher level of sa e y Let s see
how this is accomp ished
By Jack Rosebro for Fluke ent rely dr ven by vo tages of 12 to 4 vo ts
oday s hybr d veh c e may produce f ve For mo e than f ve years the NFPA I wou d say he arge ndustr al wi h the Na ional E ectr cal Code
Hybrid vehic e technology may be in ts
infancy but he ie d is grow ng rap dly
or mo e d f e ent circuit vol ages anging 70E S andard for E ect ical Sa e y in ba e is accep ing he fa t hat NEC) Since then 70E has been
rom 12 o 650 vol s Bo h ac and dc cu - hey can he p sa eguard their expanded and rev sed seven
Every ma or au o and ruck manufacturer the Wo kp ace has del vered a simp e
ents a e emp oyed and variable vo tages employees ( hrough 70E) said imes The la est 2009 vers on
is deve op ng hybr ds and hybr d technol- message
ohn Luke sa ety d rec or or c ar f es PPE gu del nes whi e
are common To work safely on e ec rical insta lat ons
ogy s a stepp ng-s one to advanced ESCO Group in Mar on Iowa ti l mandat ng s eps or a oiding
Hybrids are designed o min mize the turn off the power And if you can t avo d he hazards of elec r c arc f ash
e ec ric-dr ve components that w ll be But Luke who del vered ome
need to direct y measure l ve h gh vo tage working on energ zed systems put on 200 elec ri al afety t aining OSHA s uppo t for 70E is
used n both hydrogen uel ce l veh cles
c rcuits However there w ll be t mes when the appropriate personal protective lasses in 2006 added hat your c ear n a let er of nte p eta-
and pure electr c veh cles The comp exity
he experienced hybr d veh c e techn cian equipment (PPE) to protect against he ma ler cont actors a lot of them ion da ed Nov 14 2006 OSHA s
and soph sticat on of today s hyb ids are Edwin G Fou ke Jr sa d OSHA
wi l need to do ust that A though art cles hazards of shock and arc lash a e probab y not doing it A lot
well above that of a no mal car or truck of peop e haven t expe ienced ecommends hat employers con-
such as this can only supplement OEM Sounds easy But for some n the
Nowhere is this more ev dent han n an arc f ash inc dent t s not on u t consensus standards such
serv ce informat on there are some indus ry it s ust not happen ng
a comparison of hybr d and non hybr d heir radar sc een as NFPA 70E-2004 to ident fy
gene al precaut ons that a professional afety measu es hat an be used
e ec rical ci cu ts Wh le a convent onal t s an educ tion process
echnic an should ake when approach ng o comply wi h or supplement
veh c e s e ect ical sys em is a most added Jeff Morr s vice pres dent
a h gh-vo tage c rcuit or elec rical PPE manufac u er he requ remen s of OSHA s stan-
W H Sa isbury & Co Fi ty da ds or p even ing or p otec -
One of the most common mea- o s xty percent of peop e are ng aga n t a c-f ash ha ards
For the pu pose of h s a t cle
h gh vo tage s de ined as c rcu t su emen s of a hybr d veh cle s aware of t but they re not doing What is arc f ash? As
vo tage of more than 50 volts HV sy tem is the vol age read ng t But f om e ect ical cont actors des ribed in 70E When an
e ect ic current passes th ough
A though he high-vo tage (HV) hat s aken a ter disab ing he up to Fortune 100 companies
a r be ween ung ounded con-
ystems of mo t hyb ids do not sy tem to ver fy hat t has been here s awareness hat we ve
got o pro ect our peop e who duc ors or be ween ung ounded
no ma ly need to be disab ed p ope ly shut down Let s walk
when per orm ng outine ma n- hrough he gener c s eps hat a e working on potent al y ener- conduc ors and grounded con-
g zed equ pment Peop e are duc ors he temperatu es can
enance HV systems must be a e normal y requ red o es ab-
ish that a hybr d s HV sys em now say ng I can t ignore it each 35 000 F Exposure to
hut down befo e HV cables or
has been sa ely d sabled and the best th ng out there is hese ex reme temperatu es
components are d sconnected or
emoved For examp e dis on- he 70E s anda d bo h burns the sk n d rec ly
nec ing HV omponents can be Ge ting ready and causes gni ion of c oth ng
u eful when d agnosing a hybr d An OSHA endorsement which adds to the bu n in ury
D rect measu emen s of poten- The ma ori y of hosp tal adm s-
veh cle s g ound fau t Such work ia ly l ve HV h gh-cur ent NFPA 70E was f rst developed
equires the use of a mi l - ions due to elec ri al a cidents
c rcu ts requi e p ann ng and n 1979 w th en ouragement
a e rom arc- lash burns not
ohmme er or n ulat on ester ocus Al hough it is expected rom the U S Occupat onal
Poten ia ly dange ous e ect i- rom shocks Each year more
hat i t e to no vo tage wi l be Sa ety and Heal h Adm n s rat on
han 2 000 peop e a e adm t ed
al u rents can be produced or encoun ered dur ng he fo lowing OSHA) t was designed as an
arr ed by any of our dif erent o burn centers w th evere a c-
p ocedure f the sy tem has been ndust y consensus standa d for
ypes of hybr d componen s ( ) lash burns i Arc- lashes can and
p ope ly shut down and s ree of e ect ical s fety a med at he p-
he HV batte y pack (2) the do ki l at d stances of 3 m ( 0 f )
aul s alw ys assume that the ng workers meet OSHA safe y i Ann x K pa ag aph K 3 N PA 70E
capac tors ins de the vehic e s c rcuit is l ve Let others know equi ements wh le comp ying S and rd f r E ec r c l Sa e y n t e
nver er-re ti ier assembly 3) hat you w ll be work ng on HV Wor p ace 2009 Ed t on

ook revea ed that the rain he e ectr c motor or mo ors a so c rcu try Remove a l jewelry as
known as motor-genera ors well as anything meta l c hat
s opping and s art ng gene ated
and (4) the HV cab es usua ly can fa l out of any poc et Wear
10 000 V spikes These t an- o ange in color that connect
s ents had no me cy on ear y Af er ur i g he ve i le o f t e e hn c an di c nne ts he
lame-res stant c oth ng w th
hese es entia s ogether ong s eeves ol ed all he way
veh c e s au i ary 12 V ba ery o ens re hat he HV ba te y
pack s mec an ca y s l ted The b t ery f th s T yo a Pr us down
can be d s onn ct d f om n ide he ma n u e/ e ay box

ABCs of electrical mea- Hybrid vehicle measure- NFPA 70E urges industry to
surement safety ment safety basics turn it off or put it on

back next index

Application notes cont.

10 ways to hurt
yourself on Electrical testing safety Electrical testing safety
electrical systems Part 1: Preparing for absence of voltage testing Part 2: Is it a backfed or induced voltage?

Application Note Application Note Application Note

Jim White, Shermco Industries Jim White, Training Director, Shermco Industries, Inc.
Jim White, Training Director, Shermco Industries, Inc.

1. Thinking that it’s “only 120 volts” or by selecting the correct PPE and putting it on and
208 volts or 480 volts or ... taking it off. It will also save your life. One of the
“It’s only low voltage.” Okay, I’ll admit that you can
have an open casket with a low-voltage hit, but
you’ll still be dead. The only difference between
low and high voltage is how fast it can kill you.
High voltage kills instantly; low voltage may take a
little longer.
Dr. A.G. Soto, consulting physician to Ontario
Power Generation, presented a paper at the 2007
IEEE Electrical Safety Workshop discussing low-
voltage shock exposures. In that paper, he stated
that a 120 volt shock can kill up to 48 hours later.
He also stated that many emergency room physi-
cians are unfamiliar with electric shock and that
an EKG may not show a problem. The injury to the
heart muscle tends to spread over time and cannot
always be identified using EKGs.
2. Working on energized systems
or equipment when it can be
de-energized.
This is a “man-thing”. When I was working in
a power plant (back in the 70s), we never de-
energized anything, whether it could be or not. My
boss had great contempt for anyone sissy enough
to actually ask to de-energize before working.
He would tell anyone foolish enough to suggest
turning it off, “You’re an electrician, work it hot!
That’s what you’re trained to do!” His other favor-
ite saying was, “If you want to be here tomorrow,
you’ll get this done today”. Can you feel the love?
De-energizing is the only way to eliminate haz-
ards. Arc flash personal protective equipment (PPE)
just increases your chances of survival; it doesn’t
guarantee it. Be aware that until equipment and
systems are placed in an electrically safe work
condition, proper PPE and procedures must be
used to protect the worker. See Article 120 in NFPA
70E 2009.
3. Not wearing PPE.
This could go into number 2 above, but people
really don’t like wearing rubber insulating gloves
or arc flash PPE and equipment. It’s hot, uncom-
fortable, restricts movement, and slows the entire
work process down—not only by wearing it, but
most likely times people neglect to wear their PPE
is during troubleshooting. The rationale seems to
be, “I’m not really working on it; I’m just testing
it.” Yet, CDC/NIOSH studies have found that 24 %
of electrical accidents are caused by troubleshoot-
ing, voltage testing and like activities. We have a
tendency to ignore hazards associated with tasks
we consider “safe”.
Back at my old job, when I was surveying a
480 volt 250 amp molded-case circuit breaker, the
worker I was with put his bifocals up on his fore-
head so he could read the label on the breaker. He
dropped his glasses back to his nose and imme-
diately the breaker blew up! Luckily, he only had
some red dots on his face and some singed hair, as
he was backing his head out when it let go. Metal
droplets were imbedded into the lenses of his
glasses, but because of them, he wasn’t seriously
injured. We investigated why that breaker might
have failed and never found a good reason; it was
just time for it to fail. Carbon buildup from earlier
fault interruption, eroded contact material that gets
sprayed up into the arc chutes, weakened dielec-
tric due to the extreme heating of arc interruption;
all of these weaken circuit breakers and could
have caused what seemed like a perfectly good
breaker to fail suddenly. You never know.
4. Going to sleep during safety
training.
Nothing like a good nap to get you ready for a
hard day’s work! Every Monday morning, Shermco
does a one hour safety meeting for all techni-
cians. We call it the “Monday Moaner”, because
the technicians really want be at their job sites,
not getting “preached to”. We like to do what we
are comfortable with, even if there’s a better way
to do things. Add that to the fact that wearing PPE
and filling out forms are part of the required steps,
and fugettaboutit!
The other side of the coin is that a lot of safety
training is sooooooooooooooo boring! I’ve been to
some sessions that, by the end, you’re praying for
a mercy killing—either me or the instructor; I don’t
care which! Safety training has to be focused,
concise and interesting, otherwise everyone tunes
it out.
OSHA and the NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace
both direct workers to deenergize all live parts to which an employee
You’re about to test for the
absence of voltage and have
may be exposed, unless live conditions are required for troubleshooting.
gone through the Lockout/Tagout
process. You’re wearing the
proper personal protective equip-
Placing electrical equipment or systems in an Keep in mind that proximity tester readings can ment (PPE) and equipment, you
electrically-safe work condition might seem simple, be thrown off if: have the right voltage tester and
but there are several factors to consider. • the insulated test point touches grounded metal. you know how to use it. As you
• Proper planning and preparation will make any • the cable being tested is partially buried. touch the test probes onto the
type of testing simpler and safer. • the user is isolated from ground. circuit you get a voltage where
• Having to stop work to fetch other tools or tes- • it is used inside a metal enclosure.
there should be none! What’s
ters interrupts focus and can contribute to an Proximity testers also won’t detect shielded going on?
accident.
cable. To better understand why proximity testers 1. You might be on the wrong
Before you take a single measurement, first have these limitations, read the Fluke application piece of equipment. Certainly
determine: note on the subject, “Understanding capacitive not you! This is a big enough Figure 1. Low-voltage induced voltage scenario.
• Will you be troubleshooting or testing for the voltage sensors.” The key word is “proximity.” problem that the NFPA 70E
absence of voltage? Proximity varies not just by distance, but also by included a new article about it
• What tools will you use to verify the energized the strength of the voltage field. And “distance”
in the 2009 edition in Article 3. Induced or “ghost” voltages Backfed voltages
or de-energized state? has to account for everything between the tester 130.7(E), Alerting Techniques,
• What Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will and the electrical source, including the air, insula- could be present. Many people
“(4) Look-Alike Equipment. Often, backfed voltages and
be required? tion, breaker material, twist locks, and so forth. think induced voltages only
induced voltages can be very sim-
– What is the voltage of the circuit? The real issue is that proximity testers may Where work performed on happen in outdoor, high-
equipment that is deener- ilar. Induced voltages are typically
– What is the Flash Protection Boundary? indicate voltage, or they may not, depending on voltage substations. While
gized and placed in an elec- that’s the biggest danger from much lower than the circuit’s
– How much incident energy is possible at your specific circumstances. For absence of voltage test-
trically safe condition exists induced voltages, low-voltage nominal voltage, but backfeeds
working distance? ing, a different, completely reliable test method is
in a work area with other can be in the same voltage range
• Is your lockout/tagout complete? required. circuits run in cable trays can
as induced voltages. Since it is
• Is your test tool functioning properly? energized equipment that is also induce a voltage into
similar in size, shape, and not safe to ground a backfeed,
If you’re testing for the absence of voltage, that deenergized cables that are
construction one of the alter- in the same cable tray (see what can we do?
is, to verify there is no voltage present before Backfed voltages are voltages
beginning work, you might consider using a non- ing methods in 130.7(E)(1), Figure 1). Applying a static
(2) or (3) shall be employed ground to this circuit would that often originate from another
contact proximity tester (Figure 1), an electrical tes-
to prevent the employee dissipate the voltage without circuit or part of the equipment,
ter (Figure 2), or a multimeter (Figure 3).
from entering look-alike problem, since an induced but “backfeed” through indicat-
Tools to use equipment.” voltage does not have any ing lights, CPTs or even resistors
2. Is it really off? If the breaker short circuit current capability. in equipment. These voltages
A) Low-voltage proximity or non-contact are usually less than the nomi-
or fuse feeding our circuit is 4. It could be backfed. Control
voltage testers nal voltage of the circuit and
These little tools are good for a first test, but should not clearly marked, or if a power transformers (CPTs),
molded-case circuit breaker indicating lights and “foreign” can be approximately the same
always be followed up with a direct-contact meter.
has tripped, shocking things circuits (those coming from value as induced voltages. It can
At Shermco Industries, we issue each of our tech-
nicians a proximity tester like the one shown in happen! I have been bit more another panel or area) can be be difficult to tell the difference
Figure 1 to keep in their top pocket or somewhere than once from a “tripped” the culprit. Applying a static between a backfeed or induced
it can be easily seen, if it lights up in the presence molded-case circuit breaker ground to a backfed circuit voltage. If an induced voltage
of voltage. only to find out the contacts could cause arcing, which is is connected to ground, there is
did not completely open. unsafe. no generation (current) source
They wouldn’t carry current, and the voltage will dissipate. A
backfed voltage, even though it
but they sure carried voltage!
Always set a tripped breaker is lower than nominal, does have
a generation source feeding it
to the full OFF position before
working on it. and will arc when connected to
Figure 1. Use a non-contact voltage tester for your first test.
ground.

Ten ways to hurt yourself Electrical testing safety: Electrical testing safety:
on electrical systems Preparing for absence Is it a backfed or induced
of voltage testing voltage?

Key changes to Think ‘Test Instruments’ Does your 1 Look for Independent Testing and Certification –

NFPA 70E
by Jim White, Shermco Industries
The 2009 edition of NFPA 70E Standard
for Electrical Safety in the Workplace is
now taking effect. What’s the impact?
1. Overall, the wording and intent is much clearer.
Specific hazards of concern are clearly identi-
fied and key tables, such as Table 130.7(C)(10)
(PPE and Clothing Matrix), have been reformat-
ted to make them easier to use.
2. Rating requirements for electrical test tools are
more clearly spelled out. See section 110.9.
“Test instruments, equipment, and their acces-
sories shall be rated for circuits and equipment
to which they will be connected.” Test tool
rating for electrical systems 1000 V and below
is defined by the ANSI ISA 61010-1 Standard.
Visit the link below for an explanation of test
tool safety rating categories. Then, check your
test tools and make sure they’ve been indepen-
dently tested to meet the ISA ratings for your
electrical environment.
The 2009 70E edition now requires that test
tools be rated for their electrical environment.
Check your tools for ratings and use the chart
on page 3 to check your applications.
Application Note
3. New tasks involving arc-resistant switch-
gear are being added to Table 130.7(C)(9),
and a new section pertaining to arc-resistant
switchgear is also added. If the door is prop-
erly secured, no flame resistant (FR) clothing
or equipment is needed to operate or install/
remove (rack) breakers. If the door is open, it
would have the same level of risk as traditional
switchgear.
4. Infrared thermography has been added as an
inspection task for many types of equipment. A
reduced level of personal protective equipment
(PPE) could be allowed if the thermographer
does not remove panel covers, does not break
the plane of the equipment, is outside the
restricted approach boundary, and if all his/her
activities are non-intrusive. Be sure to read all
the notes that are included, both in the tables
and after, in order to apply these correctly.
when you think of personal
protective equipment (PPE)
Gloves, glasses, flame-resistant
clothing, even arc-rated face
shields—this Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) is all familiar
and important to those of us who
work with electricity. But here’s
a thought that may surprise you.
When you think about the
vital protective equipment that
helps ensure your safety, don’t
forget to include your first line
of defense: your test instruments
and test leads.
Who says so? No less an
authority than the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA).
The NFPA considers test instru-
ments and their associated
equipment to be an integral part
of the PPE electrical system pro-
fessionals must use on the job.
According to the NFPA,
“test instruments, equipment,
and their accessories shall be
designed for the circuits and
equipment they’ll be connected
to, and the environment where
they’ll be used.”1 That means
they must be IEC Category
rated for the electrical envi-
ronment. Sounds like common
sense. And like most common
sense advice, there are solid
reasons behind it.
Hazards of electrical test
measurement
Any work near live electrical
circuits poses its share of risk,
and electrical measurement jobs
are no exception. In commercial
and industrial settings today,
electricians commonly work with
high-energy circuits up to 480 V.
In Canada, circuits up to 600 V
are used. Though they are offi-
cially classed as “low voltage,”
these powerful circuits can
deliver a deadly punch.
In addition to the danger of
electrical shock, such circuits
have enough power available
to fuel an electric arc explosion,
which can generate the sear-
ing heat called arc flash and the
noise and pressure wave caused
by arc blast.
Arc flashes occur an estimated
5 to 10 times each day in the US,
costing 200 to 300 lives a year.
When arc flash occurs, personal
protective equipment is the only
thing that can defend the electri-
cian from horrific injury, pain and
even death.
The danger of voltage
transients
The presence of voltage kickback
spikes, called transients, is a
characteristic of electrical supply
systems that creates impor-
tant safety implications. When
transients occur while a person
is taking electrical measure-
ments, they can lead to an arc
explosion.
Transients are present in
almost every electrical supply
system. In industrial settings they
may be caused by the switch-
ing of inductive loads and by
lightning strikes. Though such
transients may last only millisec-
onds, they may carry thousands
of amps of energy. For anyone
taking measurements on electri-
cal equipment, the consequences
can be devastating.
When such spikes occur while
measurements are being made,
they can cause a plasma arc to
form—inside the measurement
tool, or in the air outside. The
high fault current available in
480 V and 600 V systems can
generate an extremely hazardous
arc flash.
meter
Verify your test tools have been tested and certified by two or more
independent testing laboratories, such as UL in the United States,
CSA in Canada and TÜV in Europe.
measure up? Inspect Your Tools –
Application Note 2 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 70E says test
tools must be visually inspected frequently to help detect damage
and ensure proper operation.
Are your electrical • Check for a broken case, worn test leads or a faded display.
• Inspect your test leads and probes for frayed or broken wires.
test tools providing all Be sure they have:
the safety protection - shrouded connectors.
- finger guards.
you need? - CAT ratings that equal or exceed those of the meter.
- double insulation.
- a minimum of exposed metal on the probe tips.
The only way to know • Use the meter’s own continuity testing function to check for
– for sure – is to put internal breaks. Check test lead resistance:
your tools to the test A: Insert leads in V/Ω and COM inputs.
B: Select Ω, touch probe tips. Good leads are 0.1 - 0.3 Ω.
and keep score.*
Supplementary Inspection –
3 NFPA 70E also requires use of only IEC rated test tools.
• Look for 600 volt or 1000 volt, CAT III or 600 volt, CAT IV
rating on the front of meters and testers, and a “double insulated”
symbol on the back.
• Check the manual to verify that the ohms and continuity circuits are
protected to the same level as the voltage test circuit.
• Make sure that the amperage and voltage of meter fuses meets
specifications. Fuse voltage must be as high or higher than the
meter’s voltage rating.
• Use the meter’s own test capability to ensure that the fuses are in
place and working right.
Step 1: Plug test lead in V/Ω input. Select Ω.
Step 2: Insert probe tip into mA input. Read value.
Step 3: Insert probe tip into A input. Read value.
Understanding arc flash A good fuse should show a value close to zero. Check your manual
for the specified reading.
How can such a problem develop?
A transient of sufficient magni- Using properly functioning test tools is vital to help protect yourself
Electrical Measurement
tude can cause an arc to form from possible injury or death. Tools that fail any of these inspections
Safety Program
between conductors within an should be replaced with new test tools from a leading manufacturer.
instrument, or across test leads.
Once an arc occurs, the total
available fault current can feed Meter Scorecard
the arc and cause an explosion.
Tested & certified by two or more independent labs o Pass o Fail
The result is an arc flash,
which can cause a plasma Visual inspection of tester for cracks or faded display o Pass o Fail
fireball fueled by the energy in
the electrical system. Tempera- Visual inspection of test leads for cracks, CAT rating, etc. o Pass o Fail
tures can reach about 6,000 °C
(10,000 °F). The arc can cause a Test lead continuity o Pass o Fail
sonic and pressure wave capable Rated CAT III 600 or 1000 volt or CAT IV 600 volt o Pass o Fail
of spraying a bystander with
Tester is double insulated o Pass o Fail
molten metal, knocking them to
the ground and damaging their Ohms and continuity circuit protection o Pass o Fail
hearing.
Tester has appropriate fuses and they are working o Pass o Fail
*Based on NFPA 7OE, IEC 61010 and
ANSI S82.02 standards.
©2009 Fluke Corporation. Printed in U.S.A. 5/2009 3451214A A-EN-N

Key changes to NFPA 70E Think ‘Test Instruments’ Does your meter measure
when you think of personal up: Test tool inspection
protective equipment checklist

back next index

Application notes cont.

New options for

Arc flash safety and arc flash PPE for
thermal imaging thermal imaging
Application Note Application Note
Jim White, Training Director, Shermco Industries, Inc.

By Jim White, Shermco Industries At Shermco Industries, Inc. we have several certified infrared thermographers,
all of whom hate wearing the personal protective equipment (PPE) required
Talk to any thermographer and he/she will tell you how by the NFPA 70E, “Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace.” This is
much wearing arc-rated PPE (personal protective equip- understandable. Most of the complaints are centered around the lack of visibility
ment) and equipment slows them down and makes the and restriction of movement created by the PPE.
job “impossible.” At Shermco Industries we have nine
thermographers, so we are well acquainted with the
Often we hear technicians saying things like, Typical system weights for a range of arc ratings
issue—very well acquainted.
“We aren’t doing anything that could create an
Sytem Rating 1st Generation 3rd Generation
arc flash” or “I can’t do my job wearing all of this
cal/cm2 FR Fabric Systems FR Fabric Systems
equipment”. To some degree, these are valid con-
During committee meetings for transmission through the viewing cerns. Mobility and vision are limited by arc flash 8 10 oz/yd2 6.5 oz/yd2
the 2004 edition of the NFPA window, makes using a thermal PPE, however, newer-generation PPE has made
70E, we discussed the various imaging camera difficult while 15 to 20 13 oz/yd2 8.8 oz/yd2
improvements in both areas.
aspects of performing a thermal wearing HRC3 and HRC4 PPE. 25 to 31 17 oz/yd2 9.7 oz/yd2
scan of energized equipment. At During the 2009 edition Changes to arc flash PPE 40 to 50 24 oz/yd2 12 oz/yd2
that time we concluded that the reviews, several proposals were
arc flash really doesn’t care what made by personnel and com- Figures 1 and 2 show slides from a presentation at 65 to 76 34 oz/yd2 15 oz/yd2
task you’re performing; it’s going panies that perform thermal the 2006 IEEE/IAS/Electrical Safety Workshop by
Dr. Tom Neal1. 100 41 oz/yd2 18 oz/yd2
to be as hazardous with one as it imaging and the 70E Committee
is with the other. reconsidered their approach to Figures 1 and 2 show how newer PPE systems Figure 1. Differences in the weight of arc flash protective clothing

In the 2004 edition of the 70E, the problem. Among the consid- have reduced fabric weight and improved light “Arc Flash Improvement Update and Worker Heat Stress Analysis for Arc Flash PPE”.

thermal imaging is treated as any
other task that is worked on or
near exposed, energized conduc-
tors or circuit parts. In the NFPA
70E we state that the worker
must be protected to the level
required for the hazard (see side-
bar). This could place the ther-
mographer in PPE from HRC0 to
HRC4, depending on the hazard.
Figure 1 shows HRC4 PPE
and equipment. In a paper pre-
sented to the 2008 IEEE/IAS/
Electrical Safety Workshop,
Vladimir Ostrovsky noted that
such equipment (specifically
the hood) reduces oxygen to
the wearer, increasing feelings
erations discussed were:
• Would the thermographer
remove the covers on the
energized equipment or would
someone else perform that
task?
• Would the thermographer
break the plane of the
enclosure?
• Was there any chance of
contact or components/parts
falling into the energized
equipment?
• How close would the thermog-
rapher be to the potential arc
source?
• Is the person doing the ther-
mal scan a qualified electrical
Figure 1. HRC4 arc-rated PPE, before and after an arc flash.
transmission through face shields. While PPE is
expensive, these kind of benefits make keeping
your PPE up-to-date worthwhile.
90 %
80 %
Arc flash analysis
70 %
In the NFPA 70E, Article 110.8(B)(1) states, “(b) Arc
Flash Hazard Analysis. An arc flash hazard analy- 60 %
sis shall determine the Flash Protection Boundary
and the personal protective equipment that people 50 %
within the Arc Flash Protection Boundary shall 40 %
use.” Article 130 expands on this further. Essen-
tially, the standard says that if there’s an arc flash 30 %
possibility, you need to do an arc flash analysis.
That applies to anyone working within the Flash 20 %
Protection Boundary. 10 %
Workers outside the Flash Protection Boundary
are not required to wear arc flash-level protection. 0%
Article 130 requires technicians to select PPE
8 fac ield

da cal es ld
en ce ld

ld
5 un dow

in ses
ns

od w
c ho ew
ca od ld
0 oo ew

oo w
old

of claustrophobia and difficulty worker, according to OSHA and based on the incident energy associated with the
12 l fa hie
rk fa hie

Sh afe g w hie

40 ho ne

0 ho , o

l h ne
le

65 cal , n

10 l h , n
eld s
h

d,
w gla

10 al od
in

specific task and the calories/cm2 exposure.

g
ca es
ca es

S in s

ca d,

in “catching your breath”.1 This, the NFPA 70E?

ca ood
4 fac

combined with the limited light

40 l h
s
ar

l
ad ty

ca
Cle

25
e
to
Au

Figure 2. Improvements in light transmission through arc-rated face shields

“Arc Flash Improvement Update and Worker Heat Stress Analysis for Arc Flash PPE”.

Arc flash safety and New options for arc flash

thermal imaging PPE for thermal imaging

back next index

Case studies
Creating an electrical
safety program
Protecting employees from
electrical dangers on the job
As dangerous jobs go, the
world of working with elec-
tricity might not seem the
most romantic. Unlike fire-
fighting or law enforcement,
electricians aren’t often
featured in blockbuster movies
as heroic, brave saviors of the
street. But working with elec-
tricity can be comparatively
dangerous and the injury rate
for electricians is high. People
Safety who work on or near electrical
sources have to be extremely
Program careful to avoid electrocution or
arc flash incidents.
Case An arc flash is a devastat-
Study ing outburst of energy that
can range in temperature
from 2,800 to 19,000 degrees
Celsius. It sends a concen-
trated wave of radiant energy,
hot gases and melting metal
outwards from its source. The
effects on those nearby can
Product: Fluke 179 Digital Multimeter include: death, radiation burns,
brain damage, hearing and
vision loss. It impacts every-
one in the immediate zone
Profile: Syntech Enerflex and flying shrapnel from the
blast can even harm those at a
distance.
Applications: CSA approval, arc flash In order to prevent such a
training, protocols tragedy, more and more compa-
nies are working to prevent arc
flash incidents. In Canada the
efforts are still quite new, as
the awareness of the dangers of
arc flash is not as widespread
as it is in the U.S. But one
company, Syntech Enerflex in
Alberta, is taking the initiative
to protect its employees from
arc flash now.
Electrical safety programs are a key component in
avoiding electrical accidents and protecting employees
from arc flash and other electrical dangers.
Creating an electrical
safety program
Making a model safety
program even better:
How Fluor Hanford Defends
Against Electrical Accidents
Application Note
Syntech Enerflex, one of the
largest electrical and instru-
mentation open shop contrac-
tors in western Canada, has
developed a brand new safety
program targeted at reduc-
ing the likelihood of an arc
flash incident and in doing
so, is leading the way toward
increased awareness of the
phenomenon in Canada.
The program hinges on the
adoption of a new minimum
standard for digital multimeters
(DMMs). The DMMs, purchased
by Syntech Enerflex but owned
by the individual workers, are
the Fluke 179 CAT IV 600 V/
CAT III 1000 V. Their previous
DMMs were not as high qual-
ity as the company needed,
says Syntech Enerflex health,
safety and environment (south)
coordinator Larry Johnson, so
they sought out new products
that came with comprehen-
sive educational tools. Most
importantly, says Johnson, they
wanted a tool that was proven
to be safe and effective in the
workplace.
Making a model safety
program even better:
How Fluor Hanford defends
against electrical accidents
The sprawling 586-square-mile
Hanford site is now the world’s
largest environmental cleanup
project. Fifty million gallons of
high-level radioactive waste in
177 underground storage tanks;
2,300 tons of spent nuclear fuel;
20 tons of material laced with
plutonium; and 25 million cubic
feet of solid waste. The job is
expected to last a generation
or more.
And instead of weapons and
national defense, the focus for the
3,500 employees of Fluor Han-
ford, one of the prime contractors
for the cleanup, is safety. When
an unrated multimeter caused
an injury accident at another
Department of Energy (DOE) site
late last year, Hanford Electrical
Safety Program coordinator Paul
Case took immediate action.
A robust program
A veteran of more than 30 years
in the industry, Paul Case began
his apprenticeship in 1974 with
IBEW Local 112 in Kennewick,
Wash. He worked for ten years
as a construction electrician, then
as a maintenance electrician on
the Hanford Site.
Case was part of a team that
developed the Hanford Electri-
cal Safety Program following a
series of electrical safety inci-
dents in the early 1990s. Today,
he administers the program as
Fluor’s Electrical Safety Program
Coordinator.
“We have developed a robust
electrical safety program here,
addressing both installation
safety issues and worker safety,”
Case says. Case is the interface
between the Hanford Electrical
Codes Board, which focuses on
design and installation stan-
dards (relying on the National
Electrical Code), and the Hanford
Application Note
For decades, the Department of
Energy’s Hanford Site in south-
eastern Washington produced
nuclear materials that helped
win the Cold War and conducted
research that contributed to the
nation’s commercial nuclear
power industry.
Today everything has changed.
Workplace Electrical Safety Board
(HESB), which focuses on safe
work practices. The safety board
bases its decisions on OSHA
electrical rules and National Fire
Protection Association Standard
70E (NFPA 70E) work practices.
Case is also the interface between
the multiple contractors on the
Hanford Site.
The members of both electrical
safety boards stay on the lookout
for emerging safety issues. That
means sharing information, both
about best practices and, as hap-
pened in December 2005, those
considered less than the best.
Early that month an electrician
performing a zero energy check
on a circuit at the DOE’s Fernald
Environmental Management
Project, a former nuclear fuel
production facility northwest of
Cincinnati, was burned by an arc
flash. He escaped severe injury,
but the incident focused atten-
tion on the digital multimeter that
failed and caused the accident.
Martinelli’s pursues the
sweet taste of safety
back index
Martinelli’s pursues the
sweet taste of safety
We’ve all heard how an apple a day
can keep the doctor away. Since
the Great Depression, cider maker
S. Martinelli & Co. has been urging
consumers to “Drink Your Apple a
Day®” in a refreshing glass of juice.
Testing Functions
Case Study
Tools: Fluke 787 ProcessMeter,
Fluke 568 IR Thermometer
Operator: Keith Morin, facilities
electrician at S. Martinelli & Co.
Measurements: Electrical
measurement safety, arc flash,
Lockout/Tagout/Blockout.
The health and safety of his
fellow workers is also a daily
issue for Keith Morin, the facilities
electrician at Martinelli’s 450,000
square foot production facility in
Watsonville, Calif., south of San
Francisco. Morin believes that a
solid industrial safety program
is vital to keep accidents and all
sorts of health problems at bay,
so he has worked to instill the
safety ethic among the hundreds
of employees in Martinelli’s
sprawling plant.
The juice making season
begins in August as a new apple
crop ripens, and Martinelli’s
continues to produce millions
of gallons of cider each week,
working 24/7 until early May.
Then the facility, the size of
several football fields, shuts
down as Morin, the only facilities
electrician, 22 mechanics and 50
other year-round employees dig
into their off-season maintenance
tasks.
Making apple juice in an
immaculately clean plant filled
with glistening equipment of
German stainless steel might look
completely safe, but dangers are
there. “Number one, we bottle
juice, so we’re in a wet environ-
ment,” Morin said. “Number two,
we have broken glass, because
bottles break. Those are the two
Keith Morin comparing heat signatures on MCC fuses.
Application Note
biggest concerns that we have.
And there is noise. With that
much glass in one place, it’s
pretty noisy. Wearing safety pro-
tective gear is probably the most
important thing in the world.”
A single bottling line can fill
500 to 600 bottles a minute, so
the cost of a shutdown mounts
quickly—and that creates its own
hazard. “When the plant’s down
it costs several hundred dollars
a minute,” Morin said. “There’s
a rush to get things fixed, to get
a motor swapped out or trouble-
shoot an electrical problem.
That’s why we implemented
the program, to make sure that
everybody’s working safely,
wearing their protective gear and
trying to correct the problems in
a safe manner.”
A safety program was in place,
but “over the last three years
we’ve built on that more and
more because of OSHA require-
ments,” Morin said. “The State of
California has probably the strict-
est safety program anywhere in
the U.S., and a lot of other states
have adopted what we’ve got
here in California. It’s getting
more stringent every year, and
we’re trying to stay up-to-date. It
helps the company and it helps
everybody to work safely.”