Electrical Safety: Why Inspections Matter

Jim Pauley is vice president, industry and government relations, for the Schneider Electric North American Operating Division. He is an electrical engineer and a registered professional engineer.

Businesses are under more pressure than ever to improve bottom-line performance. But it’s a misconception to think that removing the cost of electrical compliance will create “real” savings. The short-term cost benefits will be quickly outweighed when the lack of compliance creates a tragedy.
To protect the health and safety of workers along with the public at large, there are three interconnected and crucial components to an effective electrical safety system:
A solid installation code
Product standards that coordinate with the installation code, along with certification to those standards
A strong inspection and enforcement system
When any of the three components are undermined, the system can fail and expose workers and the public to electrical shock and fire hazards.
Recent events in North Carolina have shed light on misconceptions about electrical safety. A series of misinterpretations of the National Electric Code, as well as some misguided efforts by members of the state Legislature and economic development departments, have created concerns about worker safety.
The issue began in 2004, when a local manufacturer installed a number of electrically operated machines that were then inspected by the local jurisdiction. The county electrical inspection department found that the equipment had no listings or approvals and subsequently ordered the owner to have the machinery evaluated to ensure that it met applicable electrical safety standards.
The owner appealed the decision to the North Carolina Building Code Council, asking the council to accept the CE Marking of the equipment as being equivalent to a proper evaluation. However, industry experts quickly pointed out that CE Marking is not equivalent to a listing or labeling requirement in the United States; it only has meaning within the European Union, and there it only conveys that the manufacturer of the product states that it meets the appropriate European Directive. It also raises a red flag about the misunderstanding of how electrical safety is achieved.
Ultimately, the council decided that the machinery was not equipment and as such was not under the jurisdiction of the NEC and the inspection department. However, the Wake County Superior Court subsequently found that decision to be in error. The decision sparked a series of events over the next two years, including the Building Code Council’s attempt to redefine equipment in the North Carolina codes and numerous bills introduced into the state legislative process in an attempt to exempt any machinery from inspection.
Enforcement and Economic Development
The biggest concern with the events in North Carolina and similar situations is the recurring battle cry that “having to get equipment or machinery inspected keeps business from moving into our state.” However, economic development and good compliance with safety-related regulatory requirements can go hand in hand. Businesses are far better off in the long run having equipment that does comply with appropriate safety standards. The alternative is to have to deal with unsafe equipment and worker injuries, which have a higher bottom-line cost. It also is likely that the local citizens would expect that any business moving into an area be expected to provide a safe working environment for the employees.
Some argue that enforcing electrical safety requirements causes a business to locate elsewhere, but this is a short-sighted view that is not supported with facts. In fact, providing a safe workplace (including electrical safety) actually results in lower overall costs to the owner, such as fewer accidents and less time away from the job.
Economic development and a good electrical safety system can coexist and complement each other. Knowledgeable inspection authorities can be an asset to local businesses and can add value to the overall regulatory picture.