Qualified vs. Unqualified Electrical Workers
OSHA and NFPA 70E divide workers into two groups for electrical work. Which group you’re in decides what you’re allowed to do and how close you can get to energized parts.
- Construction
- General Industry
Qualified person
Someone trained to recognize and avoid the electrical hazards of specific equipment and tasks, including how to tell exposed live parts from other parts, determine voltages, and keep proper approach distances. Being qualified is task-specific: an electrician may be qualified for building wiring but not for utility lines.
What a qualified person’s training covers
- How to tell exposed live parts from other parts of the equipment
- How to determine the voltage of exposed live parts
- Minimum approach distances and the boundaries for each voltage
- Selecting and using PPE, insulated tools and test equipment
- Lockout/tagout and how to verify absence of voltage
- Hazards of the specific equipment, including arc flash
A license or job title doesn’t make someone qualified by itself. The employer decides who is qualified for each task, based on training and demonstrated skill, and should keep a record of it.
Unqualified person
Everyone else, including most construction and maintenance workers, operators, laborers and other trades. Unqualified workers still need training on electrical safety practices for their job: recognizing hazards, keeping their distance and knowing who to call.
Approach boundaries
NFPA 70E draws imaginary boundaries around exposed energized parts:
| Boundary | What it means | Who may cross |
|---|---|---|
| Limited approach | Shock hazard begins | Qualified persons; unqualified persons only if escorted and continuously supervised by a qualified person |
| Restricted approach | Close enough that an accidental movement could cause contact | Qualified persons only, with shock PPE, insulated tools and a plan |
| Arc flash boundary | Distance where an arc flash could cause a second-degree burn | Anyone inside must wear arc-rated PPE |
The distances depend on the voltage and the equipment. They’re usually shown on the equipment’s arc flash label. See Arc Flash & NFPA 70E.
What unqualified workers must not do
- Work on or near exposed energized parts, or open energized panels and enclosures
- Cross the limited approach boundary around exposed live parts unless escorted and supervised by a qualified person
- Get closer than 10 feet to overhead lines up to 50 kV (farther for higher voltages). See Power Lines.
- Repeatedly reset breakers or replace fuses that keep tripping. Find out why first.
What everyone can do
- Use GFCIs and inspect cords and tools. See GFCI.
- Report damaged wiring, open panels and exposed conductors.
- Apply their own lock during a lockout performed under the employer’s procedure. See Lockout/Tagout.
- Operate switches, breakers and disconnects in the normal way, with the doors and covers closed, if they’ve been trained to do so.
- Plug in and unplug cord-and-plug equipment that’s in good condition.
- Stop work if they’re asked to do something electrical they aren’t trained for.
Examples
| Task | Who may do it |
|---|---|
| Resetting a breaker once with the panel door closed | Trained unqualified worker (if allowed by site rules) |
| Removing a panel cover or dead front | Qualified person with PPE |
| Testing for absence of voltage | Qualified person with PPE |
| Replacing a damaged plug on an extension cord | Qualified person (or replace the cord) |
| Working within 10 feet of an overhead power line | Qualified line workers only |
| Digging near a marked electric line | Trained crew following 811 and tolerance zone rules |
Remember: Being an apprentice doesn’t make you qualified for energized work. Apprentices may work on energized equipment only under the direct supervision of a qualified person, on tasks they’ve been trained for.
Standards & references
- 29 CFR 1910.332: Training (qualified and unqualified persons)
- 29 CFR 1910.333: Selection and use of work practices
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