Definitions: “electrical hazard” means a danger of electric shock, arc flash burn, thermal burn, or blast injury resulting from contact with electrical equipment or failure of that equipment.

An electrical hazard is present when there are circumstances or situations where contact or equipment failure could occur.

Definitions: “electrical hazard” means a danger of electric shock, arc flash burn, thermal burn, or blast injury resulting from contact with electrical equipment or failure of that equipment.

Circumstances where physical contact with electrical equipment could occur are any circumstances where electrical conductors and circuit parts are exposed, such as:

• During the performance of work tasks that involve human interaction with exposed conductors or circuit parts, such as testing or troubleshooting, and/or
• When equipment doors or covers are open or not secured, and energized parts are exposed.

Definitions: “electrical hazard” means a danger of electric shock, arc flash burn, thermal burn, or blast injury resulting from contact with electrical equipment or failure of that equipment.

Situations or events that could cause electrical equipment to fail are when equipment is not in a normal equipment condition.

CSA Z462-21 clause 4.1.7.8.4 describes normal equipment condition as when each of the following conditions are satisfied:

1. The equipment is installed correctly
2. The equipment is maintained correctly
3. The equipment is used in accordance with instructions included in the applicable Canadian Electrical Code, Part II standard, and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions
4. All equipment doors are closed and secured
5. All equipment covers are in place and secured; and,
6. There is no evidence of impending failure.

Equipment failure is unlikely to occur if the electrical equipment is in a normal equipment condition.

Situations when equipment is not in a normal equipment condition include, but are not limited to:

• Overheating caused by loose connections or overcurrent
• When equipment is not regularly maintained per manufacturer’s recommendations or relevant standards (such as CSA Z463, NFPA 70B, NETA MTS, and IEEE 3007.2 see Z462-21 clause 5.1)
• When conductive contaminations accumulate on electrical insulation or insulators
• When equipment is not installed correctly or used per manufacturer’s specifications and Canadian Electrical Code Part I and Part II
• When the electrical equipment displays any of the following indicators of potential failure:
• Discoloration
• Swelling
• Arcing marks
• Corona discharge
• Water stains

287.4(1) An employer and a qualified person shall each ensure that all testing and troubleshooting of electrical equipment is conducted in an electrically safe work condition.

An electrically safe work condition is defined as:

 “Electrically safe work condition” means, with respect to electrical equipment that operates at 30 VAC volts or 60 VDC or more, a state in which an electrical conductor or a circuit part has been disconnected from energized parts of the electrical equipment, locked out, tested to ensure the absence of voltage and, if necessary, grounded.

Even though the definition of an electrically safe work condition refers to electrical equipment that operates at 30 VAC or 60 VAC or more (see description above), the legislation which contains the phrase “electrically safe work condition” 287.4(1) states explicitly “a qualified person”’.

287.4(1) An employer and a qualified person shall each ensure that all testing and troubleshooting of electrical equipment is conducted in an electrically safe work condition.

Other than regular operation of electrical equipment in a normal equipment condition, a person needs to be qualified per the definition of a qualified person (See question below or 287(1) of General Regulation 91-191).

287.4(1) An employer and a qualified person shall each ensure that all testing and troubleshooting of electrical equipment is conducted in an electrically safe work condition.

Section 286 states: a “qualified person” means

(a) when applied to work on electrical equipment, a person who meets the requirements of section 11 or 24 of New Brunswick Regulation 84-165 under The Electrical Installation and Inspection Act;

(e) when applied to work referred to in paragraph (a), a person who is 

(i) knowledgeable about the provisions of this Act and the regulations that apply to the assigned work; and, 

(ii) knowledgeable about the actual and potential dangers to health and safety associated with the assigned work. 

Section 286 states: a “qualified person” means

(a) when applied to work on electrical equipment, a person who meets the requirements of section 11 or 24 of New Brunswick Regulation 84-165 under The Electrical Installation and Inspection Act;

(e) when applied to work referred to in paragraph (a), a person who is 

(i) knowledgeable about the provisions of this Act and the regulations that apply to the assigned work; and, 

(ii) knowledgeable about the actual and potential dangers to health and safety associated with the assigned work. 

Knowledgeable about the actual and potential dangers to health and safety associated with the assigned work means the qualified person can identify hazards involved with the task, conduct a risk assessment, and apply risk control measures from the hierarchy of risk control.

CSA Z462-21 also defines a qualified person as:

“One who has demonstrated skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training to identify the hazards and reduce the associated risk.”

287.1(1) An employer shall ensure that the entrance to a room containing an electrical hazard is marked with conspicuous warning signs, symbols or tags stating that entry by unauthorized persons is prohibited.

A room is considered a part of a building with its walls, floor, and ceiling and is usually used for a particular purpose where electrical hazards are present. An electrical hazard would not be present if the electrical equipment is in a normal equipment condition. Refer to the first page of this document for more information.

Note: This regulation supplements the warning notice requirements for high-voltage installations per the Canadian Electrical Code clause 36-006.

287.1(1) An employer shall ensure that the entrance to a room containing an electrical hazard is marked with conspicuous warning signs, symbols or tags stating that entry by unauthorized persons is prohibited

Yes, the room does need a sign, but only if an electrical hazard is present.

287.1(1) An employer shall ensure that the entrance to a room containing an electrical hazard is marked with conspicuous warning signs, symbols or tags stating that entry by unauthorized persons is prohibited

A lighting panel in a corridor or passageway does not need a sign because an electrical hazard should not be present.

287.1(2) An employer shall ensure that no person enters, or is permitted to enter, a room or other enclosure with electrical hazards unless the person is:

(a) a qualified person; or,

(b) an employee who enters the room or enclosure to complete a duty not involving an electrical hazard, and the employee is instructed and trained in the electrical hazards.

Typically, an electrical hazard should not be present. However, if this is unavoidable, the employee entering the room or enclosure to complete a duty not involving an electrical hazard, to meet the requirements, the level of instruction or training that is needed for the unqualified person should include:

• Normal operation of electrical equipment
• How to identify normal equipment condition and
• How to identify electrical hazards.

287.1(2) An employer shall ensure that no person enters, or is permitted to enter, a room or other enclosure with electrical hazards unless the person is:

(a) a qualified person; or,

(b) an employee who enters the room or enclosure to complete a duty not involving an electrical hazard, and the employee is instructed and trained in the electrical hazards.

Other enclosure refers to a fence, walls, or housing surrounding electrical equipment to prevent persons from accidentally contacting energized electrical conductors or circuit parts.

287.1(2) An employer shall ensure that no person enters, or is permitted to enter, a room or other enclosure with electrical hazards unless the person is:

(a) a qualified person; or,

(b) an employee who enters the room or enclosure to complete a duty not involving an electrical hazard, and the employee is instructed and trained in the electrical hazards.

Any duty that does not involve an electrical hazard, such as:

• Normal operation of a disconnecting means of electrical equipment operating under 750 volts that is in a normal equipment condition to lock out a machine or for controlling a process such as shutting off a machine
• Performing non-electrical tasks on equipment supplied by the electrical installation, such as the ventilation system
• Reading metering equipment with equipment in a normal equipment condition.

287.3(4) An employer shall ensure that before a qualified person works on electrical equipment

(a) an electrically safe work condition is established, and

(b) each qualified person who will be working on the electrical equipment

• verifies that an electrically safe work condition is established,

Yes, the best practice is that all qualified persons would typically observe one qualified person test for the absence of voltage.

287.3(4) An employer shall ensure that before a qualified person works on electrical equipment

(a) an electrically safe work condition is established, and

(b) each qualified person who will be working on the electrical equipment

• verifies that an electrically safe work condition is established,

Yes, a qualified person who did not witness the test to verify the absence of voltage would need to verify that the equipment is in an electrically safe work condition. They would need to do this by testing circuitry and visually verifying that all blades of the disconnecting devices are fully open or that draw-out-type circuit breakers are withdrawn to the entirely disconnected position. They would also apply the lockout devices according to a documented and established procedure.

Code of practice

287.41(1) A code of practice for work on or near energized exposed parts of electrical equipment shall be in writing and shall contain the following information:

(a) clearly established responsibilities and accountabilities for each person who may be exposed to electrical hazards;

(b) a description of the circuit and electrical equipment to be worked on, their location, the work to be performed, and the electrical hazards and other associated risks;

(c) a justification for why the work needs to be performed in an energized condition;

(d) the safe work procedures to be followed;

(e) the voltage to which persons will be exposed;

(f) a description of the personal protective equipment and other protective equipment to be used and

(g) a description of the means employed to restrict the access of unqualified persons to the work area.

Yes, a code of practice could be developed for a specific scope of work for a repeated task or a particular scope of work, provided the document contains all the information required by 287.41(1).

287.3(3) An employer shall establish a written lock-out procedure for electrical equipment and ensure that a qualified person who may be required to lock out the electrical equipment is adequately instructed and trained to lock out the electrical equipment.

Code of practice

287.41(1) A code of practice for work on or near energized exposed parts of electrical equipment shall be in writing and shall contain the following information:

(a) clearly established responsibilities and accountabilities for each person who may be exposed to electrical hazards;

(b) a description of the circuit and electrical equipment to be worked on, their location, the work to be performed, and the electrical hazards and other associated risks;

(c) a justification for why the work needs to be performed in an energized condition;

d) the safe work procedures to be followed;

(e) the voltage to which persons will be exposed;

(f) a description of the personal protective equipment and other protective equipment to be used and

(g) a description of the means employed to restrict the access of unqualified persons to the work area.

Yes, a code of practice is needed within the lockout procedure. The validation for the absence of voltage occurs before the equipment is in an electrically safe work condition. Therefore, a code of practice must be included in a written lockout procedure and provide details on how the validation of the absence of voltage will be performed safely.  

Code of practice

287.41(1) A code of practice for work on or near energized exposed parts of electrical equipment shall be in writing and shall contain the following information:

(a) clearly established responsibilities and accountabilities for each person who may be exposed to electrical hazards;

(b) a description of the circuit and electrical equipment to be worked on, their location, the work to be performed, and the electrical hazards and other associated risks;

(c) a justification for why the work needs to be performed in an energized condition;

d) the safe work procedures to be followed;

(e) the voltage to which persons will be exposed;

(f) a description of the personal protective equipment and other protective equipment to be used and

(g) a description of the means employed to restrict the access of unqualified persons to the work area.

Justification examples for working on or near energized exposed parts of electrical equipment include specific tasks, such as:

• Troubleshooting control circuits
• Testing and
• Diagnostics,

These tasks are not feasible when electrical equipment has been completely disconnected. In these circumstances, a code of practice will need to be developed and must provide details on how the work will be performed safely.

See Canadian Electrical Code CSA C22.1:21, Appendix B Subrule 2-304