Electrical Safety

CSA Z462 & NB Regulations

WorkSafeNBs 2014 Health and Safety Conference
Daniel Roberts
Senior Manager, Electrical Safety Consulting at Schneider Electric
Vice-chair CSA Z462

daniel.roberts@schneider-electric.com

Electrical Safety
The two things you need to know for
electrical safety:

E=IxR
Common sense

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Electric Shock is

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Shock Injuries

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Arc Flash is

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Arc Flash Injuries

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What is CSA Z462?

Arc Flash Standard

Live Work Standard

Dont Work Live Standard

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Impact of Z462
One of CSAs best selling Standards
Acceptance by Industry
AB OHS Code 2009 guideline: for some employers, Z462 is becoming
the standard of choice, an industry best practice
Referenced directly and indirectly by Regulators
BC WorkSafeBC OHS guideline: In meeting the requirements [to
provide appropriate personal and other protective equipment for electrical
hazards], employers may find CSA Standard Z462 to be valuable in
assisting them in the creation of appropriate written safe work procedures,
determining the hazards, and the necessary protection.
NL Section 484. (2) Where it is not practicable to completely disconnect
low voltage electrical equipment, work shall be performed in accordance
with a standard acceptable to the minister

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What Does CSA Z462 Emphasize?

Create an electrical safety program that is part of employers OHSMS
Audit the electrical safety program & field work
Risk assessment & hierarchy of risk controls
Use of qualified workers
Electrical safety training and retraining
De-energizing
How to identify when work must be performed energized
The process to follow when work will be performed energized

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CSA Z462 Overview

Clause 3 Definitions
Clause 4 Safety-Related Work Practices
4.1 General Requirements for Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices
4.2 Establishing an Electrically Safe Work Condition
4.3 Working Involving Electrical Hazards

Clause 5 Safety-Related Maintenance Requirements

Clause 6 Safety Requirements for Special Equipment
Electrolytic Cells; Batteries and Battery Rooms
Use of Lasers; Power Electronic Equipment

Annexes A to U

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Comparison NB Regulations & Z462

Electrical Safety Program
NB OHS Act Section 9(1) (a)
[Every employer shall] take
every reasonable precaution to
ensure the health and safety of
his employees

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CSA Z462 Clause 4.1.5 Electrical

safety program
Employers shall implement and
document an electrical safety
program that directs activity
appropriate to the risk associated
with electrical hazards
CSA Z462 Clause 4.1.5.9.1 Electrical
safety program audit
The electrical safety program shall be
audited at intervals not to exceed 3
years

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Evolution of Electrical Safety Program

Requirements in CSA Z462
2008 Edition

2012 Edition

Pending: 2015 Edition

4.1.7 Electrical Safety

Program.
4.1.7.1 General. The
employer shall implement
and document an overall
electrical safety program
that directs activity
appropriate for the
voltage, energy level, and
circuit conditions.
See CSA Z1000

4.1.7 Electrical Safety

Program.
4.7.1.1 General. The
employer shall implement
and document an overall
electrical safety program
that directs activity
appropriate for the
electrical hazards, voltage,
energy level, and circuit
conditions.
See CSA Z1000

4.1.5 Electrical Safety Program

4.1.5.1 General. The employer
shall implement and document an
overall electrical safety program
that directs activity appropriate to
the risk associated with
electrical hazards.
The electrical safety program
shall be implemented as part of
the employers overall
occupational health and safety
management system, when one
exists.
See CSA Z1000

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Comparison NB Regulations & Z462

Risk Assessment
NB OHS Act Section 9(2) (b)
[Every employer shall]
acquaint an employee with any
hazard in connection with the
use, handling, storage, disposal
and transport of any tool,
equipment, machine, device or
biological, chemical or physical
agent;

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CSA Z462 Clause 4.1.5.7 Risk

assessment procedure
The electrical safety program
shall include a risk assessment
procedure that addresses worker
exposure to electrical hazards.
The procedure shall be used by
the worker to:
(a) identify hazards;
(b) assess risks; and
(c) implement risk control
according to a hierarchy of
methods (See CSA Z1002)

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Hierarchy of Risk Control Methods

Most effective risk control methods
Elimination
Substitution
Engineering controls
Least effective risk control methods
Systems that increase awareness
Administrative controls
Personal protective equipment

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Evolution of Risk Assessment

Requirements in CSA Z462
2008 Edition

2012 Edition

Pending: 2015 Edition

4.1.7.6 Hazard/Risk
Evaluation Procedure
An electrical safety program
shall identify a hazard/risk
evaluation procedure to be
used before work is started
within the Limited
Approach Boundary of
energized electrical
conductors and circuit parts
operating at 50 volts or more
or where an electrical hazard
exists.
The procedure shall identify
the hazard/risk process that
shall be used by employees to
evaluate tasks before work is
started.

4.1.7.6 Hazard Identification and

Risk Assessment Procedure.
An electrical safety program shall
include a hazard identification
and a risk assessment procedure
to be used before work is started
within the limited approach
boundary or within the arc flash
boundary of energized electrical
conductors and circuit parts
operating at 50 volts or more or
where an electrical hazard exists.
The procedure shall identify the
process to be used by the
employee before work is started to
identify hazards and assess
risks, including potential risk
mitigation strategies

4.1.5.7 Risk Assessment

Procedure. An electrical safety
program shall include a risk
assessment procedure that
addresses employee exposure to
electrical hazards.
The procedure shall identify the
process to be used by the employee
before work is started to perform the
following:
(1) Identify hazards;
(2) Assess risks; and
(3) Implement risk control
according to a hierarchy of
methods (see CSA Z1002)

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Comparison NB Regulations & Z462

Field Audits
NB OHS Act Section 9(2) (c)
[Every employer shall] provide
such information, instruction,
training and supervision as are
necessary to ensure an
employees health and safety;

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CSA Z462 Clause 4.1.5.9.2 Field

work
Field work shall be audited to
verify that the requirements
contained in the procedures of the
electrical safety program are
being followed.
Audits shall be performed at
intervals not to exceed one year.

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Comparison NB Regulations & Z462

Job Safety Planning
NB OHS Act Section 9(2) (c)
[Every employer shall] provide
such information, instruction,
training and supervision as are
necessary to ensure an
employees health and safety;

CSA Z462 Clause 4.1.5.8 Job

briefing
Before starting each job, the
worker in charge shall conduct
a job briefing with the workers
involved [to discuss]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

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hazards associated with the job;

work procedures involved;
special precautions;
energy source controls;
PPE requirements; and
the information on the energized
electrical work permit, if a permit
is required;
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Comparison NB Regulations & Z462

Electrical Safety Training
NB OHS Act Section 9(2) (c)
[Every employer shall] provide
such information, instruction,
training and supervision as are
necessary to ensure an
employees health and safety;

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CSA Z462 Clause 4.1.6.1 Safety

training
Workers exposed to an electrical
hazardshall be trained
a) in the safety-related work
practices and procedural
requirements necessary to
provide protection from the
electrical hazards associated
with their job or task
assignments; and
b) to identify and understand the
relationship between electrical
hazards and possible injury.

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Comparison NB Regulations & Z462

Electrical Safety Training
NB OHS Act Section 9(2) (c)
[Every employer shall] provide
such information, instruction,
training and supervision as are
necessary to ensure an
employees health and safety;

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CSA Z462 Clause 4.1.6.1

Qualified persons
(iv) Qualified persons shall be
trained in the decision-making
process necessary to:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Perform the job safety planning;

Identify electrical hazards;
Assess the associated risk; and
Select the appropriate risk
control methods from the
hierarchy of controls including
selecting PPE

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Comparison NB Regulations & Z462

Qualified person
NB Electrical Installation and
CSA Z462 Clause 3
Inspection Act
Qualified person (worker) one
qualified person means a person who has demonstrated skills and
familiar with the construction
knowledge related to the
and operation of the apparatus
construction and operation of
and the hazards involved;
electrical equipment and
installations and has received
safety training to identify and
avoid the hazards involved.

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Comparison NB Regulations & Z462

Maintenance
NB OHS Act Section 9(2) (a)
[Every employer shall] ensure that
the necessary systems of work, tools,
equipment, machines, devices and
materials are maintained in good
condition and are of minimum risk to
health and safety when used as
directed
NB OHS Regulation 287.2
An employer shall ensure that
electrical equipment and insulating
material for electrical equipment is
suitable for its use and that it is
installed, maintained, modified and
operated in accordance with the
manufacturers specifications.
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CSA Z462 Clause 5.2.3 Equipment

maintenance
Electrical equipment shall be
maintained in accordance with the
manufacturers instructions or industry
consensus standards to reduce the
risk associated with failure
The equipment owner or the owners
designated representative shall be
responsible for maintenance of the
electrical equipment and
documentation
Maintenance, tests, and inspections
shall be documented
See CSA Z463
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Comparison NB Regulations & Z462

Requirement to De-energize
NB OHS Regulation 287.3(1)
An employer shall ensure that the
power supply to electrical
equipment is de-energized,
locked out of service and tagged
before any work is done on the
equipment and while the work is
done on the equipment

CSA Z462 Clause 4.3.2.1 General

Energized electrical conductors
and circuit parts shall be put into
an electrically safe work
condition before a worker
works within the limited approach
boundary of those conductors or
parts.

CE Code Part I Rule 2-304

No repairs or alterations shall
be carried out on any live
equipment...

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Comparison NB Regulations & Z462

Exceptions to De-energizing
NB OHS Regulation 287.4(1)
Where it is not practicable to deenergize electrical equipment
before working on or near
energized exposed parts of the
equipment

CE Code Part I Rule 2-304

... except where complete
disconnection of the equipment is
not feasible
CE Code Part I Appendix B
Not feasible = troubleshooting
of control circuits, testing and
diagnostics
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CSA Z462 Clause 4.3.2.2 Energized

work
4.3.2.2.1 Additional hazards or
increased risk
Energized work may be performed
when the employer can demonstrate
that de-energizing introduces
additional hazards or increased risk.
4.3.2.2.2 Infeasibility
Energized work may be performed
when the employer can demonstrate
that the task to be performed is
infeasible in a de-energized state...

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Comparison NB Regulations & Z462

Shock Hazards
NB OHS Regulation 287.1(2)
An employer shall ensure that no
person other than a qualified
person enters or is permitted to
enter a room or other enclosure
containing exposed parts of
energized electrical equipment
with potential of greater than 30
volts

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CSA Z462 Clause 4.1.8.1.1

Testing
Only qualified persons shall
perform tasks such as testing,
troubleshooting, voltage
measuring, etc., within the limited
approach boundary or arc flash
boundary of energized electrical
conductors or circuit parts
operating at 50 V or more

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Comparison NB Regulations & Z462

Shock Hazards
NB OHS Regulation 287.4(1)
CSA Z462 Clause 4.3.3 Working
while exposed to electrical
Where it is not practicable to dehazards
energize an employee shall use
rubber gloves, mats, shields and
Safety-related work practices for
other protective equipment to
electrical hazards shall be
ensure protection from
determined by a shock risk
electrical shocks and burns
assessment
while performing the work

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Shock Risk Assessment

CSA Z462 Clause 4.3.4.1 Shock
risk assessment
a) Voltage to which personnel will
be exposed;
b) Boundary requirements; and
c) PPE necessary to minimize the
possibility of electric shock

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Comparison NB Regulations & Z462

Approach Boundaries
NB OHS Regulation 289(1)
An employer shall ensure that an employee who is not a qualified
person does not carry out any work, and no such employee shall carry
out any work, that is liable to bring any person or object closer to an
energized electrical utility line or utility line equipment than the
distances specified in the following table
Phase to Phase
Voltage
Up to 750 V

NB Regulation CSA Z462 Limited

For Utility Lines Approach Boundary

CSA Z462 Restricted

Approach Boundary

900 mm

3.0 m

0.3 m

750 V - 100,000 V

3.6 m

3.3 m

1.0 m

100,001 V - 250,000 V
250,001 V - 345,000 V

5.2 m
6.1 m

4.0 m
4.7 m

1.7 m
2.8 m

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Comparison NB Regulations & Z462

Arc Flash Hazards
NB OHS Regulation
CSA Z462 Clause 4.3.3 Working
while exposed to electrical
287.4(1) Where it is not
hazards
practicable to de-energize an
employee shall use rubber gloves, Safety-related work practices for
mats, shields and other
electrical hazards shall be
protective equipment to ensure
determined by an arc flash risk
protection from electrical
assessment
shocks and burns while
performing the work

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Arc Flash Risk Assessment

CSA Z462 Clause 4.3.5 Arc flash risk
assessment

The arc flash boundary

PPE that personnel within the
arc flash boundary shall use

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Arc Flash Risk Assessment

Arc Flash Boundary
CSA Z462 Clause 3 Arc flash
boundary
an approach limit at a distance from
a prospective arc source within which
a person could receive a seconddegree burn if an electrical arc flash
were to occur
CSA Z462 Clause 4.3.5.3 Arc flash
boundary
The arc flash boundary shall be the
distance at which the incident energy
equals 1.2 cal/cm2

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1.2 cal/cm2

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Arc Flash Risk Assessment

Incident Energy

Surface
Thermal
Energy
cal/cm2
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Distance

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Incident energy parameters

Ohms Law
I=V/Z
Incident
Energy

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It
D(x)

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Arc Flash Risk Assessment

Arc Flash PPE
CSA Z462 Clause 4.3.7.3.6 Body
protection
Workers shall wear arc-rated
clothing wherever exposure to an
electric arc flash above 1.2
cal/cm2 is possible
CSA Z462 Clause 3 Arc rating
The value [in cal/cm2] attributed
to materials that describes their
performance on exposure to an
electrical arc discharge
CSA Z462 Table H.2 Arc Flash
PPE List
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2012 Hazard/Risk Category Method

2015 Arc Flash PPE Category Method
Hazard/Risk Category Method
Requirement for, type and
protective value of PPE
determined by:
Estimated exposure levels
Likelihood of an arc flash incident
occurring based on task

Arc Flash PPE Category Method

Requirement for arc flash PPE
determined by likelihood of an arc
flash incident occurring
Task-related factors
Equipment state of maintenance
factors

Hazard/Risk Category 0 specified Type and protective value of PPE

when arc flash incident unlikely or
determined by
impossible
Estimated exposure levels
Hazard/Risk Category 0 deleted

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Conclusion
CSA Z462-2015 Workplace Electrical Safety
Is a best practice
Aligns well with NB Regulations
Harmonizes with other CSA Standards
CSA Z1000 OHSMS
CSA Z1002 OHS Risk Management

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daniel.roberts@schneider-electric.com

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