Industrial facilities across America will now have to take previous recommendations and treat them as requirements under new guidelines set forth by national agencies. The National Fire Protection Association has implemented new standards to protect workers and maintain equipment known as the Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance. These new standards will be enforceable by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Last updated in 2019, the 2023 update saw numerous changes. Jeff Tyler, CBT’s Vice President of Services and Solutions, says, “What was once recommended is now mandatory. This is the new standard for conducting electrical equipment maintenance and safety practices and there are numerous updates manufacturers should be aware of.”
Maintenance Intervals Highlighted
“Depending on your working conditions and equipment type, regular upkeep may have to be scheduled annually, every three or five years. The NFPA 70B offers thorough, comprehensive maintenance guidelines for various electrical equipment,” Ron Sherrick, Vice Presidential of Electrical Supply at CBT, explains. “It’s not an uncommon practice to have facilities conduct preventive maintenance but these new standards now officially codify the optimal intervals.”
While preventive maintenance is sometimes completed on an “as-needed basis,” officials say this should not be the case.
Equipment Conditions Clearly Defined
“There are several components businesses need to be aware of, such as the equipment’s physical condition, criticality, and operating environment,” Tyler says. “These will dictate how often you should be performing preventive maintenance.”
“Ignoring proper preventive maintenance intervals will lead your hardware to break down more often and could lead to replacing it altogether,” Sherrick notes. “The updated guidelines give manufacturers and other heavy industry facilities clear definitions of factors that affect their supplies.”
Electrical Maintenance Programs Are Mandatory
“Electrical Maintenance Programs (EMPs) are used to address maintenance tasks, test methods, test equipment, the appropriate responsible personnel, and other procedures,” Sherrick says. “These programs, common in many facilities, are now officially classified by an official name and the contents.”
“EMPs must be updated every five years, and there needs to be a coordinator assigned to the program. Other related tasks, such as training, must be documented as well,” Tyler notes
Complying with New Standards and Reasoning
“Of course, there are numerous updates and recommendations as well, but our dedicated team of Specialists can walk and guide our business partners through the often confusing new standards,” Sherrick says. “Modernization fixes many persistent electrical issues. For example, a newer switchgear in a pristine environment will require less frequent lubrication than an older one in a dirtier environment.”
Sherrick says while failure to comply with these changes can result in a hefty fine from OSHA, there is still a justified reason for the difference.
“The driving force behind transitioning from mere recommendations to mandatory standards is to protect lives,” Sherrick states.
Between 2011 and 2015, municipal fire departments in the U.S. responded to an estimated average of 37,910 fires at industrial or manufacturing properties each year, with annual losses from these fires estimated at 16 civilian deaths, 273 civilian injuries, and $1.2 billion in direct property damage, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Do you need to comply with the new electrical equipment maintenance guidelines? Begin the process.
