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Z462-12
Product Details
The 2nd edition of Z462 provides:
- Advice on integrating electrical safety programs into OHS management systems
- Best safety practices for work on and around electrical equipment
- Guidance on due diligence in prevention of electrical injuries
- Methods for identifying electrical hazards and assessing risk
- Targets for electrical hazard awareness and training for workers
- Improved direction on hazard identification and risk assessment
- New safety procedures and assessment tables for work around DC systems
- New tables for the selection of personal protective equipment
- Added guidance on safe procedures and training
- New Annexes on safety around high-voltage systems and electrostatic discharges
- Expanded Annexes and reference materials on Safety Management Systems, Hazard Identification, and Risk Assessment
- Robust design and binding for use in the field and for on-the-job training and reference (hardcopy version)
- Part 1 - What is the Z462?
- Part 2 - What factors drove the need to update Z462?
- Part 3 - What are the key changes in the 2012 edition?
- ...more to come
What's New in Z462?
This edition will both technically update the Standard and adds a considerable amount of resource material - especially for organizations seeking to make electrical safety an integral part of their safety management system. Following are a few of the key changes to this high-value, nationally-recognized safety standard.
Hazard and Risk - Two Distinct, but Related Terms
CSA Z462-08 used the terms hazard and risk interchangeably, sometimes combining them into a single term; hazard/risk. In addition, the term hazard was incorrectly treated as a quantity. CSA Z462-12 uses these terms in a manner more in line with their use in other CSA and international safety standards. Why is this distinction important? Modern safety management systems recognize that hazards should be identified and eliminated (if possible). At the same time, they lay out various processes for reducing risk to a point at which it is effectively controlled. By applying this elimination and control strategy to electrical safety, the 2012 edition of Z462 goes beyond the traditional safety measures of simply outfitting everyone inside the hazard zone (limit of approach) with personal protective equipment. It sets as a high priority the need to consider eliminating or controlling hazardous energy, followed by strategies to eliminate or reduce worker exposure to those hazards, followed in turn by designing procedures that lessen the likelihood of creating conditions that would lead to electrical incidents and harm to the individual.
Arc Rated Protective Equipment New to this edition of Z462 is the term arc rated as applied to protective equipment. This term is being introduced to protective equipment in order to distinguish the arc flash protection offered from the flame resistance or flash-fire resistance (FR rating) of equipment or clothing. Note: the arc rating assigned to protective equipment should not be confused with the arc flash incident energy calculated or estimated for electrical equipment (circuits). The former refers to the amount of protection offered while the latter refers to the nature of the hazard.
Worker Training While Z462-08 specified that workers should receive periodic training to maintain an appropriate level of awareness, it was left to the employer to determine what was appropriate and the frequency of retraining. The 2012 edition Z462 specifies the target level of awareness and a retraining cycle of no less than three years (more often if circumstances warrant).
DC Safety-related Work Practices The 2nd edition of Z462 has considerably more information on safety-related practices relating to work on and around DC systems. A new Shock Protection Boundary Table for DC systems and an arc flash energy calculation method for DC systems have been added. Extensive revisions have been made to deal with safety-related practices for batteries, battery rooms and battery enclosures. Both high value for anyone working on or around DC equipment.
Arc Flash Boundary The arc flash protection boundary has been renamed the arc flash boundary. Along with this subtle change in terminology, Z462-12 clarifies the function of the boundary as defining a hazard zone (a conceptual boundary) around potentially hazardous electrical equipment. This is important to the understanding of how safety procedures should apply both inside and outside this area. The new edition of the Standard now stipulates that the boundary must either be calculated or obtained from the applicable Hazard/Risk Category Table.
PPE Tables for Use with Incident Energy Calculations A new table has been added to assist employers in selecting arc flash personal protective equipment (PPE) when they perform an arc flash hazard analysis and post the arc flash energy levels on their equipment. Most employers currently attempt to use the Hazard/Risk Category PPE Table (No. 5) to identify arc flash PPE requirements. However, this approach can lead to problems as this table was not designed for that purpose. The new table will also assist the electrical industry to begin to identify arc flash PPE by its energy rating and move away from the practice of identifying it by a category number.
New Annex Material Two new informative Annexes have been added:- Annex R, Substation Systems and Equipment, provides recommendations for the safe execution of work on or around high-voltage substations. Many large industrial facilities and non-utility generators own, maintain, and operate high-voltage substations that are the facility connection point to the local electrical grid.
- Annex S, Prevention of Shock Injuries from Electrostatic Discharges, describes workplace scenarios, such as high-speed network operations, in which potential for shock injury from electrostatic discharge exists. This Annex identifies methods to prevent, control, and protect personnel from injury.
This is the second edition of CSA Z462, Workplace electrical safety. It supersedes the first edition published in 2008.
Scope
1.1 General
This Standard specifies requirements for workplace electrical safety necessary for the practical safeguarding of workers during activities such as the installation, inspection, operation, maintenance, and demolition of electric conductors and electric equipment, as well as work in proximity of energized electrical equipment.
1.2 Application
While it can be applied by organizations of any type or size, this Standard does not cover the following:
installations in ships, watercraft other than floating buildings, railway rolling stock, aircraft, and automotive vehicles other than mobile homes and recreational vehicles;
installations of railways for the generation, transformation, transmission, or distribution of power used exclusively for operation of rolling stock or installations used exclusively for signalling and communications;
installations of communications equipment under the exclusive control of communications utilities located outdoors or in building spaces used exclusively for such installations; and
installations under the exclusive control of an electric utility when such installations
consist of service drops or service laterals, and associated metering;
are located in legally established easements or rights-of-way designated or recognized by public service commissions, utility commissions, or other regulatory agencies having jurisdiction for such installations; or
are on property owned or leased by the electric utility for communications or for metering, generation, control, transformation, transmission, or distribution of electric energy.
1.3 Suitability
It is the responsibility of the users of this Standard to judge its suitability for their particular purpose (see Note 2 to the Preface).
1.4 Use with related standards and regulations
This Standard is intended for use with Parts I, II, and III of the Canadian Electrical Code and other related Canadian workplace electrical safety standards (e.g., CSA M421 and CAN/CSA-Z460), and should be used with such standards. In addition, users of this Standard should always refer to provincial, territorial, and federal safety regulations that have jurisdiction over their work facility, contract job site, or profession.
1.5 Organization of this Standard
The requirements of this Standard are divided into three main clauses, as shown in Figure 1. Annexes A to T do not specify requirements and are included for information only.
1.6 Measurements
The values given in SI units are the units of record for the purposes of this Standard. The values given in parentheses are for information and comparison only.
1.7 Terminology
In CSA standards, shall is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the standard; should is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and may is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the standard.
Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material.
Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements.
Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (nonmandatory) to define their application.
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