The following question came up by a supervisor and I was not 100% postive on the answer. Are only qualified workers according to NFPA 70E allowed to open and flip breakers in a 110 volt breaker panel? We have many of our lights connected to these breaker panels.

Thanks

Hopefully you aren't using the breakers as a light switch??

Most of the operators where I work reset a tripped breaker once, and turn them off and on as required. If you have to remove the panel cover, that is where an electrician is needed..

Yes, NFPA70E 110.6(A) effectively says only qualified employees may interact with equipment 'that is not reduced to a safe level by the applicable electrical installation requirements'.

But, it is totally possible, under NFPA70E, to qualify a worker on just 120V breakers and nothing else.

It is a mistake to believe that a person must be trained in all responsibilities of 'an electrical worker', in order to become qualified.

So unqualified people can not plug in the 110V coffee pot in the morning? For an instant the prongs are energized as they go into the receptacle.

As long as the covers are on, there are no exposed live parts. So 70E does not apply. The industry norm is to permit janitors/operators to turn on and off lighting from circuit breaker panels.

No, that is not what is being said.

You may "qualify" any person to plug-in a coffe pot, simply by teaching them to do it properly. For example: Inspect plug and cord before use, insert plug completely, remove by pulling on plug instead of cord, failure to follow these rules may result in an electrical shock.

Every 120 volt household appliance sold should have class 00 rated gloves included in the box. Maybe 120 volt, single phase and below needs to be eliminated from NFPA entirely. How many of us put on PPE to reset a 15A or 20A breaker in our home panels?

Maybe 120 volt, single phase and below needs to be elminated from NFPA entirely. How many of us put on PPE to reset a 15A or 20A breaker in our home panels?

LMAO.. Is that where it will lead to? I'll grab my 35 cal suit to change light bulbs.. lol..

Yeah, this along with tamper proof 120v receptacles and 120v AFCI's.... makes me wonder why the millions of homes in America haven't burned down yet that were built with normal receptacles and no AFCI's. The marketing ploy with a well known device manufacture is making claims thousands of homes a year are destroyed due to fires caused by arcing cords and receptacles. When I pressed the sales rep for specifics, i.e. studies, reports, even a news paper clipping, etc., to backup his claim he quoted some non existent NFPA study he promised to email me. Still waiting.... ummm think he forget me?

No doubt.. It would be nice to see their stats and see if anything has changed.. Maybe the fact that most new homes today go up so fast and have so many corners cut, it is not funny.. I am guessin that might lead to a spike in their study...