NFPA 70E Safety-Related Work Practices & PPE
What Every Electrical Worker Needs to Know

In NFPA 70E, safety-related work practices discussed in this article are  primarily in Chapter 1 (Articles 100–130), which covers everything from establishing an electrically safe work condition to selecting the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for arc flash hazards. This cluster of articles is the operational backbone of the standard, providing the rules workers follow every time they interact with electrical equipment. 

Below, we break down the key concepts, the hazard definitions, the hierarchy of risk controls, and the PPE category tables that shape day-to-day compliance. If you’ve ever faced a training quiz question about what’s “not considered an electrical hazard” or wondered about the first-priority rule for electrical hazards, you’ll find those answers here. (New to the standard entirely? Start with our complete guide: What Is the NFPA 70E?)

Where in NFPA 70E Would You Find Information on Safety-Related Work Practices?

Chapter 1 of NFPA 70E is titled “Safety-Related Work Practices.” It spans several articles that build on each other:

• Article 100: Definitions. This section defines the vocabulary used throughout the standard, including terms like arc flash hazard, qualified person, electrically safe work condition, and incident energy.
• Article 105: Application of Safety-Related Work Practices. Here you’ll find the scope of when safety-related work practices apply, along with a critical statement: hazard elimination shall be the first priority when implementing safety-related work practices.
• Article 110: General Requirements. This article lays out the electrical safety program requirements, training expectations, and the hierarchy of risk control methods that employers must follow.
• Article 120: Establishing an Electrically Safe Work Condition. Article 120 details the lockout/tagout process and the step-by-step procedure for de-energizing equipment, which is the preferred method of hazard elimination.
• Article 130: Work Involving Electrical Hazards. This article covers shock and arc flash risk assessments, approach boundaries, energized work permits, and PPE selection, including the well-known PPE category tables.

For someone studying for a certification exam or preparing a job safety plan, Chapter 1 is the primary reference. Supporting guidance appears in Chapters 2 (maintenance requirements) and 3 (special equipment), but the safe-work practices that affect daily decisions live in Articles 105 through 130.

What Electrical Hazards Does NFPA 70E Recognize?

NFPA 70E focuses on protecting workers from two primary electrical hazards:

Shock hazard – the risk of injury from electrical current passing through the body due to contact with, or approach to, exposed energized conductors or circuit parts.

Arc flash hazard – the risk of injury from thermal energy released during an electric arc event. Arc flash has been formally recognized as an electrical hazard since the 1995 edition of the standard.

These two hazards drive all of the risk assessment, PPE selection, and boundary calculations in the standard.

What Is “Not Considered an Electrical Hazard”?

This is a common quiz question in NFPA 70E training. The standard defines electrical hazards specifically as shock and arc flash. While arc blast (the pressure wave from an arc event) is a real physical danger, NFPA 70E does not classify it as a separately defined electrical hazard in its Article 100 definitions. The arc flash hazard definition addresses only the thermal aspects of an arcing fault.

Additionally, equipment energized at less than 50 volts is generally not considered to present a shock hazard under the standard, though arc flash can still be a factor if sufficient fault current is available – this phenomenon is presently being researched.

Understanding these distinctions matters for risk assessments, PPE selection, and exam preparation.

The Hierarchy of Risk Controls: First-Priority Rule for Electrical Hazards

When a person is exposed to electrical hazard(s), the first requirement is to eliminate the hazard. If the person proceeds with work, under strict and limited cases permitted by NFPA 70E, risk control in order of the hierarchy of risk control methods, found in Article 110.1(H)(3) is mandated. Since the 2018 edition, this hierarchy has been part of the standard’s mandatory text rather than an informational note.

The hierarchy establishes six levels of control, ranked from most effective to least effective:

Elimination is the first priority. NFPA 70E Section 105.4 states explicitly that hazard elimination shall be the first priority in implementing safety-related work practices. In practice, this means establishing an electrically safe work condition (ESWC) through proper de-energization and lockout/tagout procedures.

PPE is at the bottom of the hierarchy because it protects the worker rather than removing the hazard. It is the last line of defense in the event that the higher-level controls fail are not feasible.

This does not mean PPE is unimportant. Workers must still wear appropriate PPE during the process of establishing an electrically safe work condition, since that process itself involves working near energized parts.

Appropriate PPE for Arc Flash: How NFPA 70E Categorizes Protection

NFPA 70E provides two methods for determining appropriate PPE for arc flash protection, found in Article 130.5(F):

• Method 1 – Incident Energy Analysis. A qualified engineer calculates the thermal energy (in cal/cm²) a worker could be exposed to at a specific working distance. PPE must meet or exceed the calculated incident energy value. This method is the most precise.
• Method 2 – Arc Flash PPE Category Method. Tables 130.7(C)(15)(a) and (b) provide predetermined PPE categories based on equipment type, voltage, available fault current, and clearing time. Workers then reference Table 130.7(C)(15)(c) to identify the required clothing and equipment for that category.

Either method is acceptable under the standard, but only one method may be used per piece of equipment. You cannot mix methods on the same equipment.

The Four Arc Flash PPE Categories

Table 130.7(C)(15)(c) defines four PPE categories, each with a minimum arc rating and specific clothing/equipment requirements:

Key notes from the table: Face shields must provide wrap-around protection covering the forehead, ears, and neck, or an arc flash suit hood must be worn instead. Leather protector gloves are worn over rubber insulating gloves when rubber gloves are used for both shock and arc flash protection.

Many companies standardize on Category 2 (8 cal/cm²) PPE for daily wear because it covers both Category 1 and Category 2 tasks, and advances in fabric technology have made 8 cal/cm² clothing comfortable enough for routine use.

If the PPE category exceeds 40 cal/cm², NFPA 70E does not provide a direct PPE solution. At that level, the incident energy analysis method is suggested or preferably  de-energization or engineering controls to reduce the hazard before work proceeds. As a reminder, creating an ESWC (when the energy exceeds 40cal/cm2) is still considered energized work and will require the appropriate PPE. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an electrically safe work condition?

An electrically safe work condition (ESWC) is a state in which an electrical conductor or circuit part has been disconnected from energized sources, locked and tagged out, tested to verify absence of voltage, and grounded if necessary. Equipment is not considered to be in an electrically safe work condition until all requirements of Article 120 have been met.

Is NFPA 70E required by law?

NFPA 70E is not directly incorporated into federal law by reference. However, OSHA inspectors routinely reference it as a recognized industry practice when evaluating workplace electrical safety. Failure to follow NFPA 70E can result in OSHA citations under the General Duty Clause or specific electrical safety standards in 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S.

This position is supported by official OSHA standard interpretations. A 2006 OSHA interpretation letter confirms that NFPA 70E is recognized as an industry consensus standard that informs how OSHA evaluates electrical safety compliance. Similarly, a 2003 OSHA interpretation letter establishes that adherence to NFPA 70E is relevant to determining whether an employer has met its obligations under applicable OSHA electrical standards.

How often must workers be retrained?

NFPA 70E requires that employees receive retraining in safety-related work practices at intervals not exceeding three years. Additional retraining is required when job responsibilities change, new equipment is introduced, or audits reveal noncompliance.

Do PPE categories correspond directly to voltage?

No. PPE categories are based on estimated incident energy, not voltage alone. A low-voltage task on a high-fault-current system can require a higher PPE category than a high-voltage task with limited fault current and fast clearing times.

When is an energized work permit required?

An energized electrical work permit is required when a qualified person must perform work on exposed, energized conductors or circuit parts that cannot be placed in an electrically safe work condition. The permit must document the justification for energized work, the results of the shock and arc flash risk assessments, the required PPE, and approval from a responsible manager or safety officer.

Conclusion

Safety-related work practices under NFPA 70E begin with one principle: eliminate the hazard first. When that isn’t possible, the standard provides a structured path through substitution, engineering controls, administrative measures, and finally PPE selection.

Knowing where to find this information in the standard (primarily Articles 105 through 130) is essential for anyone who works on or near electrical equipment. If you want to understand how the standard fits into the broader regulatory landscape, our guide to NFPA 70E covers the standard’s history, structure, and relationship with OSHA.

If you’re ready to get your team trained, explore e-Hazard’s electrical safety training schedule or contact us to discuss on-site classes tailored to your facility.