General Requirements and Guidelines
Manufacturer and Industry Standards
“Electrical equipment shall be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and applicable codes and standards.”
(NFPA 70B, 4.1.1)
NFPA 70B stresses the need to follow manufacturer recommendations and applicable codes and standards. Should manufacturer instructions not be accessible, industry consensus norms should direct maintenance activities (NFPA 70B, 4.1.3), which we will go into below.
These criteria guarantee that maintenance activities follow accepted best standards, reducing equipment failures and improving safety.
Understanding the Electrical Maintenance Program (EMP)
70B EMP Documentation and Implementation
- An EMP must be documented and implemented by the equipment owner.
- It should address safety, operational risks, and ensure compliance with industry regulations (NFPA 70B, 4.2.1).
Inspections
- Regular inspections based on supplied maintenance intervals (NFPA 70B 9.2.2) verify compliance with codes and standards (NFPA 70B, 4.2.2.1).
- Inspections should inform maintenance tasks based on equipment condition (NFPA 70B, 4.2.2.2).
Condition of Maintenance
The EMP must consider:
- The current condition (1,2,3) of devices
- Potential risks to workers and general operations (NFPA 70B, 4.2.3)
This method supports risk reduction and proactive maintenance planning.
Electrical Preventive Maintenance Programs Checklist
Principles of an Effective EMP
An efficient NFPA 70B EMP should be based on the following items.
- Integration with an electrical safety program
- Specify an EMP Coordinator
- Define all accountable staff members
- Electrical system surveys and analysis to create maintenance priorities
- Recordable maintenance practices
- Planned tests and scheduled inspections
- Good policies for record keeping
- Application of corrective actions grounded on statistical analysis
- Designing maintainable electrical systems
- Periodic program assessments and changes that support ongoing development (NFPA 70B, 4.2.4.2)
Many of the bullet points above beg the question, how can I do these things without some sort of digital platform. For example
- Planned tests and scheduled inspections
- Good policies for record keeping
Gimba satisfies both of these requirements in various straightforward ways to learn more, check out our NFPA 70B Software.
Controls, Audits & Incident Investigations
Controls and Audits
- EMP must set quantifiable/measurable controls
- A formal audit of the Electrical Maintaince Plan is required at least once every 5 years (NFPA 70B, 4.2.5 & 4.2.7).
Incident Investigations
The EMP should provide mechanisms to examine and improve maintenance practices based on:
- Incidents of electrical safety
- Machine breakdowns
- False Alarms
- Operation of protective equipment (NFPA 70B, 4.2.6)
Personnel and Training
Electrical Preventive Maintenance Coordinator and Qualified Personnel
According to (NFPA 70B, 4.3.1, 4.3.2), the EMP has to name an EMP Coordinator and make sure every maintenance worker is qualified for their jobs.
Training Requirements
Those in charge of electrical maintenance need appropriate experience and knowledge of covering:
- Testing strategies for specific devices
- Using test instruments
- Use of personal protection equipment (PPE)
- Knowledge of electrical hazards (NFPA 70B, 4.3.3)
Further Requirements
- Annual reviews of the performance of personnel
- Retraining if there is non-compliance, new tech, or job changes (NFPA 70B, 4.3.3.3)
- Note: training records must be kept for the entire duration of employment (NFPA 70B, 4.3.3.4)
Survey and Analysis for Electrical Maintenance
An EMP must include the following to comply:
- Specify the scope of maintenance
- Evaluate operational and environmental conditions
- Determine the correct maintenance frequency
(NFPA 70B, 4.4)
Planned Inspections
A structured electrical maintenance plan should consider:
- Hazards to safety
- Service guidelines from manufacturers
- Load circumstances and equipment operational environment
- Failure history and downtime expenses
- Maintenance plans founded on equipment condition (NFPA 70B, 4.5)
Documentation and Test Reports
An effective program must include documentation and testing as the following references state. Reporting is easily done with a click of a button using the Gimba NFPA 70B Compliance platform.
Equipment Additions, Repairs, and Cleaning
Refitted or Rebuilt Machinery
When equipment is repaired or rebuilt:
- Safety certificates must be maintained
- The work should be done by certified persons (NFPA 70B, 4.7.1, 4.7.2)
- Refurbished equipment must be clearly identified as such (NFPA 70B, 4.7.3)
Maintaining Electrical Equipment – Cleaning Procedures
One of the key components of the NFPA 70B Electrical Maintenance Program is cleaning. Those in charge of cleaning need to be educated on:
- Correct cleaning tools and materials
- Preventing damage to tools
- Personal safety hazards
- Specific cleaning protocols (NFPA 70B, 4.8.1.2)
The Gimba system includes all the actual details and steps from the NFPA 70B documentation if requested, even down to how to clean a circuit breaker. Watch the following video to see Gimba in action handling NFPA 70B compliance.
