What Does NFPA 70E Say?
I have found out that most people who ask about complying with 70E have not thoroughly read it! The scope of 70E in 90.2(B)(5) specifically exempts utilities from compliance with the provisions of the standard. In most cases we are relying on someone else as a “resource” to tell us what 70E says. Recently, I sat in on an arc protection “training” session at a large industrial line contractor. The facilitator was from a reputable organization and delivered an informative pitch. After the show, I spoke at length with the facilitator. He had been trained by his employer and in fact had never read the NFPA 70E standard. First Rule: Read the Standard Once you read it you will learn two things. One is that the arc protection section is only part of the standard. Second, the standard was written to apply to electricians, not utility linemen. The requirements of the standard are in most cases impossible to employ in the overhead workplace, though there is some applicability in underground and
