How NFPA 70B Addresses the Reliability Requirements of NFPA 70E

NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace[1], clearly addresses electrical safety workplace practices for both electrical and non-electrical workers during installation, maintenance and operation of electrical equipment. Part of the requirements involve assuring that the various electrical components and the related equipment function as expected. Electrical system protective devices must operate properly for the incident energy analyses to be accurate. Any delay in or lack of operation of a protective device can result in the nullification of a designed electrical safety feature, one especially implemented to mitigate shock, arc flash or arc blast hazards. The unexpected failure of any of the protective devices can result in a catastrophic event that affects lives and plant productivity and can result in regulatory agency actions. NFPA 70B, Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance[2], offers proven solutions and recommended maintenance practices for achieving compliance with the stringent safety requirements of NFPA 70E, as well as providing solid guidelines to improved plant reliability and productivity. The guideline addresses how these recommendations should be implemented and how the costs can easily be justified through the overall effectiveness of a modern electrical safety program.