Toolbox Talk - Five Steps to a Safer Electrical Room

1. Do some spring cleaning!

• Sweep the floor.
• Remove trash.
• Remove unused equipment.
• Remove non-electrical system equipment.
• Replace light fixture bulbs.
• Seal the room from dust.
  
  

2. Conduct annual and preventive maintenance!

• Tighten connections.
• Cycle the breakers.
• Verify all fuses are a matching set.
• Review settings in equipment to match the last coordination/arc flash study performed.
• Ask your local electrical supply house to generate a list of spare parts.
• Install spare parts shelving.
• Pressurize the room.
  
  

3. Keep safe and secure!

• Install proper safety signage.
• Ensure PPE and lockout/tagout equipment is readily available.
• Ensure all guards and covers are installed.
• Plug unused holes in equipment.
• Properly secure all enclosures and raceways.
• Install panic hardware on doors and have them swing out of the room.
• Install insulating mats for working clearance issues.
  
  

4. Ensure proper documentation!

• Redline drawings to match equipment.
• Post base documentation and charts in paper, poster, or electronic format.
• Create a directory for each motor and its location in the room to facilitate lockout/tagout.
  
  

5. Label all equipment to match documentation!

• Switchboards
• MCCs
• Panelboards

Adapted from EC&M’s online magazine. Submitted by Doug Post on April 12, 2017