Administration (OSHA). OSHA creates doctrines and regulations that require
employers to provide a safe place of employment while reducing hazards. The
purpose of the NEC is the practical safeguarding of persons and property from
hazards arising from the use of electricity.
The NEC establishes the installation safety requirements for PV systems and
other electrical equipment. Most local jurisdictions throughout the United States
adopt the NEC as law. The NEC articles cover electrical systems safety and code
compliance. Article 690 deals specifically with PV electrical energy systems. Many
other sections of the code address PV-related issues.
The broad scope of OSHA regulations includes potential hazards likely to be
found in PV installations. Specifically, 29 CFR Part 1926 Safety and Health Regu-
lations for Construction applies to general construction practice, including sev-
eral subparts applicable to the installation of PV systems:
Electrical safety
Fall protection
Stairways and ladders
Hand and power tools
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Working space for electrical systems
Photovoltaic modules
Battery safety
Electrical Safety
About five workers are electrocuted every week in the US. Even at the height of
employment in 2008, 360 US workers were electrocuted—nearly one per day.
Electrical accidents are caused by a combination of three factors: hazardous
equipment and/or installation, environmentally unsafe workplaces of employ-
ment, and dangerous work procedures. A growing number of drug abuse-related
electrocution deaths also are taking place in workers under 25 years of age.
CODE
P
hotovoltaic modules are energized while exposed to light. Installation, replacement, or
servicing of array components while modules are irradiated can expose people to electric
shock. (NEC 2011)
Reprinted with permission from NFPA 70
®
, National Electrical Code
®
, Copyright© 2010, National Fire
Protection Association, Quincy, MA.
CHAPTER 2 Essential Safety Practices for Designing and Installing PV Systems 25
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