According to the definition in Article 100, an Electrically Safe Work Condition occurs when an electrical conductor or circuit part has been disconnected from energized parts (de-energized), locked/tagged in accordance with established standards, tested to verify the absence of voltage, and, if necessary, temporarily grounded for personnel protection. Basically, the equipment has been completely de-energized and is in a safe condition to begin the work.

Sometimes circumstances may warrant the need to perform work on energized equipment. NFPA 70E Section 130.2(A) recognizes the following two situations for performing energized work:

• Where the employer can demonstrate that de-energizing the equipment introduces additional hazards or increased risk.

• Where the employer can demonstrate that the task to be performed is infeasible in a de-energized state due to equipment design or operational limitations.

Below is a sample of NFPA 70E. For the complete section, see the actual NFPA 70E text at NFPA.ORG. Once there, click on the free access link to NFPA 70E.

130.2 Electrically Safe Work Conditions. Energized electrical conductors and circuit parts operating at voltages equal to or greater than 50 volts shall be put into an electrically safe work condition before an employee performs work if any of the following conditions exist:

(1) The employee is within the limited approach boundary.

(2) The employee interacts with equipment where conductors or circuit parts are not exposed but an increased likelihood of injury from an exposure to an arc flash hazard exists.

(A) Energized Work.

(1) Additional Hazards or Increased Risk. Energized work shall be permitted where the employer can demonstrate that de-energizing introduces additional hazards or increased risk.

Informational Note: Examples of additional hazards or increased risk include, but are not limited to, interruption of life-support equipment, deactivation of emergency alarm systems, and shutdown of hazardous location ventilation equipment.

(2) Infeasibility. Energized work shall be permitted where the employer can demonstrate that the task to be performed is infeasible in a de-energized state due to equipment design or operational limitations.

Informational Note: Examples of work that might be performed within the limited approach boundary of exposed energized electrical conductors or circuit parts because of infeasibility due to equipment design or operational limitations include performing diagnostics and testing (for example, start-up or troubleshooting) of electric circuits that can only be performed with the circuit energized and work on circuits that form an integral part of a continuous process that would otherwise need to be completely shut down in order to permit work on one circuit or piece of equipment.