Who Can Reset Circuit Breakers?
May is National Electrical Safety Month, so each Wednesday this month, we're going to bring you some tips and info related to electrical safety in (and out) of the workplace! ⚡
Today, we're going to discuss resetting circuit breakers after they've tripped. Although this may seem like a simple task that most of us have done at some point in our life, there are some regulations pertaining to this.
Who can reset circuit breakers after they've tripped?
Well, it depends on why it tripped in the first place. This is stated in OSHA's 1910.334(b)(2), as well as in a standard interpretation from OSHA (link below).
• If it is KNOWN and VERIFIED that the circuit breaker tripped due to an overload condition, then an UNQUALIFIED person (e.g., your average worker) can reset the circuit breaker once (and ONLY once) as long as it would not expose the employee to electrical parts that are energized above 50 volts.
• If the circuit breaker trips again after resetting it OR for any fault condition causing the circuit breaker to trip (or if you're simply not sure what caused the circuit breaker to trip), then the circuit and/or equipment must be examined and repaired by a QUALIFIED person before it can be re-energized. Repetitvely resetting circuit breakers is strictly prohibited.
OSHA Standard Interpretation:
https://shorturl.at/CDMU9
Comments (24)
Ok you are of course legally correct! But even then I think you need to be trained! I was at a WI Safety Conference several years ago and went to class on Electrical Safety. His name escapes me but the instructor was excellent and I know travels the country (I think his name was Bob and he was retired US Army).
Anyways he told us even if you reset a breaker at home you should always:
#1 Open the box.
#2 Use your NON-dominant arm and hand! Put you dominate arm down and keep it down by your body! Never use your dominate arm and hand to reset a breaker!
#3 Stand off to the side of the box of your dominate arm and stand as far as you can away from the box! Keep your body from standing directly in front of the box!
#4 Try the breaker ONE TIME!!!!! If it it kicks right back out DO NOT KEEP TRYING IT! Something is wrong!
#5 If it kicks right back out CLOSE the box. Lockout it out if possible and get qualified electricians!
If you keep trying the breaker and force it your are asking for big trouble! Each time you are doing it you risk an Arc Flash! If you stand directly in front of an exploding electrical box you are not likely to survive. If you are off to the side you have a chance, but will lose the arm that reset the breaker. If you have to lose and arm, you want it to be the non-dominate one!
I will never forget that talk! Scared the heck out of me! Many about my friend Bobby (an electrician) who was in an arc flash event!
Followup question...what makes someone a "qualified person"?
These are all correct. I spent 20 years teaching NFPA 70E and OSHA electrical safety across the nation, and my name is Bob.
Is flipping a breaker considered life electrical parts ?
Case: I have a bucket label class 2 arc flash required 120v incoming power.
Do you need your PPE to flip the breaker ?
Do you need the PPE to flip a knife switch labeled the same way ?
I have operators that flip knife switched as part of loto. They don’t have training other than awareness. Is that live ? Do they need PPE or can only maintenance throw those?