January 2005
Consensus Standards Used to Support OSHA Citations

Many OSHA regulations are written in general terms leaving the details up to the employer on how to comply. The employer is expected to use consensus standards to help in the selection of the best method to achieve compliance with some OSHA regulations. One such consensus standard would be the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E.

NFPA 70E is not a federal regulation; it is a "how-to-comply" consensus standard that will ensure compliance with some elements of the OSHA electrical regulations. This consensus standard provides specific information on how to comply with several of OSHA's electrical performance regulations including electrical hazard assessments and how to select the appropriate PPE for electrical hazards. These sections of the OSHA standard are written in general terms with no detail on how to assess electrical hazards or how to select the proper PPE. This is where NFPA 70E would come into play.

In the event of an injury or death because of an electrical accident, if OSHA determines that compliance with 70E would have prevented or lessened the injury, OSHA may cite the employer under the General Duty Clause for not using 70E to protect the employees.

Some OSHA state plans are more restrictive than federal OSHA and may have adopted or incorporated 70E. This must be addressed on a state-by-state basis and should be evaluated by each employer location.

Important:

This information is offered by the Gases and Welding Distributors Association and your local distributor as general guidance only and may not explain all relevant safety precautions or hazards.

Copyright © 2003 Prest-O-Sales & Service, Inc.
Web Design by DPC Tech Computer Services, Inc.