The Challenge
A large manufacturing facility with 850 employees had experienced several electrical incidents, including a near-miss arc flash event. OSHA inspection revealed gaps in their electrical safety program, including inadequate hazard assessments, insufficient training, and lack of documented safe work procedures. The facility faced potential citations and needed to develop a comprehensive electrical safety program compliant with OSHA 1910 Subpart S and NFPA 70E standards while maintaining production schedules.
Our Solution
We developed and implemented a complete electrical safety program aligned with NFPA 70E requirements. Our approach combined technical assessments, procedure development, comprehensive training, and program auditing to create a sustainable safety culture.
Key Components
Implementation Phases
Phase 1: Program Development (Months 1-3)
Creation of comprehensive program documentation and technical assessments.
- •Electrical Safety Program manual aligned with NFPA 70E
- •Arc flash hazard analysis covering 127 equipment locations
- •Short circuit and coordination study
- •Equipment labeling with hazard information
- •PPE hazard assessment and selection matrix
- •Documented safe work procedures for common tasks
- •Lockout/tagout procedures for electrical equipment
- •Energized electrical work permit form and approval process
Phase 2: Training Development and Delivery (Months 4-8)
Comprehensive training program for all employees working with or near electrical hazards.
- •Qualified electrical worker training (40 hours)
- •Electrical safety awareness training for all employees (4 hours)
- •Lockout/tagout training with hands-on exercises
- •Arc flash hazard recognition training
- •PPE selection and use training
- •Job briefing facilitation training for supervisors
- •Training records and competency assessments
- •Annual refresher training program
Phase 3: Implementation Support (Months 9-10)
Hands-on support during initial program rollout.
- •Job shadowing and procedure validation
- •Energized work permit review and approval
- •Job hazard analysis facilitation
- •Procedure refinement based on field experience
- •Additional coaching for qualified workers
- •Management dashboards for program metrics
Phase 4: Audit and Continuous Improvement (Months 11-12)
Program effectiveness evaluation and improvement recommendations.
- •Comprehensive electrical safety program audit
- •Mock OSHA inspection and gap analysis
- •Leading and lagging indicator tracking
- •Near-miss and incident investigation procedures
- •Program revision recommendations
- •Sustainability plan for ongoing compliance
- •Annual program review checklist
Results & Impact
No electrical incidents or injuries in first year following program implementation.
Follow-up OSHA inspection found zero violations related to electrical safety.
All employees received appropriate electrical safety training for their job functions.
Electricians and maintenance staff qualified per NFPA 70E requirements.
Client Testimonial
"ClarkTE helped us transform our approach to electrical safety. Their program isn't just about compliance—it's created a culture where everyone understands electrical hazards and knows how to work safely. The training was practical and engaging, and we finally have confidence that we're protecting our people."
Technical Details
Program Elements Implemented
- ▸Electrical Safety Program per NFPA 70E Article 110
- ▸Risk assessment procedures using hierarchy of controls
- ▸Safe work practices including approach boundaries
- ▸PPE selection based on incident energy analysis
- ▸Lockout/tagout procedures per OSHA 1910.147
- ▸Energized electrical work permit system
- ▸Job briefing requirements and documentation
- ▸Emergency response procedures for electrical incidents
Training Curriculum
- ▸Qualified worker training: 40 hours classroom + hands-on
- ▸Electrical safety awareness: 4 hours for all employees
- ▸Lockout/tagout: 8 hours with practical exercises
- ▸Arc flash awareness: 2 hours
- ▸PPE selection and use: 4 hours
- ▸Annual refresher training: 8 hours for qualified workers
- ▸New hire orientation: Electrical safety component
Documentation Created
- ▸Electrical Safety Program manual (124 pages)
- ▸Safe work procedures: 15 common electrical tasks
- ▸Lockout/tagout procedures: 89 equipment-specific
- ▸Training materials: Presentations, videos, handouts
- ▸Forms: Energized work permits, job briefings, audits
- ▸Equipment labels: 127 locations
- ▸Annual program audit checklist
Lessons Learned
- Engaging production supervisors early built buy-in for safety program requirements
- Hands-on training exercises were much more effective than classroom-only approaches
- Starting with pilot implementation in one department helped refine procedures
- Visible management commitment was essential for cultural change
- Making forms simple and user-friendly increased compliance
- Tracking leading indicators (permits, job briefings) provided early warning of gaps
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