Breaker panel code and/or law

Hello garciayvegas,

Unobstructed access must be maintained at all times to all switchboards, circuit breakers, cut-outs, and other means for switching off power to machinery or circuits in an emergency.

Because an emergency may occur at any unknown time, access must always be allowed.

It is not allowable to lock them, or have them in a room which is locked, thus preventing access during any emergency.

Cleaning materials, brooms, buckets, office supplies or whatever else, must be kept clear of all switchboards, circuit breakers, cut-outs, and other means for switching off power to machinery or circuits in an emergency.

Those are basic rules of safety, required by OSH or your local equivalent safety Authority.

Hope that answers your question.....

I believe you must have 36 inches of clearance around 480v motor control panels and if steel guards are in front of these panels they must be covered with a non conductive material. We normally lock our panels with keyed alike padlocks and all maintenance employees have keys. Security also has access to these panels but enter them only in emergencies. A main disconnect will shut down all PLC's and SMC's as well as all corresponding controls from the outside of these panels for emergencies also. Main disconnects are also located at each motor for certain lock-outs and emergency shut down. These are also locked.

According to OSHA, unauthorized or untrained employees should not be able to gain access to high voltage panels.

It would be best to check your OSHA manuals to see under what conditions access must be granted to all. Access and clearance can be viewed as two seperate entities. If you feel your facility is up to code or may need some assistance or clarification, OSHA can set up a inspection and make recommendations. Unless there is something seriously wrong at the inspection they will not cite you for any violations. They are actually very helpful when they feel you are concerned and wish to make your workplace safe. They wil return to see if these corrections have been made and may cite you if they are not. It can be a double edged sword, so take heed.

If an employee calls to report an unsafe condition, they will not be so forgiving or helpfull. They are there for the employees safety, not the employer. They can cite you on any violations they see on the way to the location of the complaint. Your Safety specialist, if you have one, should be aware of your rights when dealing with the agency. I suggest someone should be trained in this area if there is none at present. If violations are not corrected, or are repeats, willfull violations can cost a pretty penny. You can negotiate fines, but that must be done after they are corrected. These are some of the rights you should be knowledgable in.

They don't take ignorance of the situation or violation as an excuse.

OSHA manuals are an exellent source for rules and rgulations but can be confusing.

Good Luck in your endeavors!

What they said, however, there are cases where the panel or cct breakers may be locked for safety reasons, such as someone working on the wiring and the panel or breaker is off.

Hi, if your American, go to the National Electrical Code (NEC 2005) Article 408, Switchboards and Paperboards.

Good luck,

James

Thanx for the info. Thought I had it right. Now I need to figure how to let my boss know he can not be locking access to or locking breaker panels. We have a lockout/tagout program to lock breakers when working on equipment and our power carts are locked out until they are in use. I wish OSHA would pay an informal visit. But since we are near a college they get the nod for coming over and doing inspections.

Check NEC 2005 110.26(A)(1), 110.32, 110.34 (A) for access answers. We have access issues also due to not enough room for all the test equipment required by contractors. We all just try to work together to accommodate each other, sometimes there is just no more room. Locking out panels, not sure as a law (OSHA, Company, Area) but where I work we lock electrical panels to prevent folks that are not authorized access due to resetting breakers, inadvertently shutting someone else down, portable heaters, coffee pots and small fridgs. which overload the circuits. We find these issues when re-setting circuits. There should not be an emergency happen that you would need access unless you are working on the system hot. The breaker should trip due to an overload, ground fault etc. Not sure as to what OSHA say's about locking panels. Hope this helps.

Basically, you can lock them 'Off` but not 'On`.

Denying an opportunity to shut them down raises safety issues.

.

I was wondering as I had been told I could only lock the breaker but not the panel box as there may be an emergency requiring someone to flip a breaker. And in an industrial setting some boxes have 100 amp plus in with 20s and 30s so I would not like to count on a 100 amp breaker tripping before someone gets injured or worse. I thank everyone for their help. I have tried webbing an answer but must not have been looking in the right place.

i was working for British American Tobacco till from 1981to1993 as per their safety standards electrical panels including Breakers are to be locked and we were providing the locking arrangements Can any body shed light if its as per OSHA or any other safety standards.

crm

I work in California. Here we have many buildings and different sites. At some buildings they require all the panel doors for electrical panels to be locked and there are stickers on the doors stating they are to remain locked at all times with a point of contact number to call (Security reasons) and at other sites they are not locked or a concern. I spoke with our safety folks and there is not an OSHA rule stating that you cannot lock an electrical panel door. . In many cases will will find the main door to a electrical room will be locked, this is due to keep folks out. The scare of an emergency happening should not be a concern unless two people are working in an area on a energized panel.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the standard code that an "Outside" main breaker be placed unlocked so that firemen can quickly and easily find it and shut off all power in the event of fire (rather than fumbling thru a smoke filled building trying to find a shutoff box).

Thus in the inside breaker box is not much of a concern to firemen since the outside one is first in line.

Triplebatterylife--

The electrical code is self-described as a minimum standard. Outside disconnecting means are only required if the indoor service disconnecting means is more than 10' (3m) from where the conductors enter the building. Encasement with a suitable thickness of concrete can qualify the conductors as being "outside", even though they are physically inside the building's exterior walls!

All circuit breakers are to be "trip-free", and must be able to be operated manually. Locking them in the "ON" position will not keep them from tripping OFF, only keep them from being turned off in error. You can even buy special locking devices which will lock the handle "ON". Consider that certain processes, equipment, or uses require continuity of power.

I know of nowhere in the National Electric Code, where locking an enclosure or room or breaker is prohibited. However, there are many places in which leaving one unlocked or accessible to "unqualified people" is prohibited. The operating principle here appears to be that safety from ignorant or malicious contact (or access) is more important than quick ease of access to authorized people. There are many citations where working space, height of the disconnect handles, etc. are specified; the terms "accessible", "accessible, readily", etc. are defined and used.

--JMM