Chapter 14 – Electrical Equipment Safety Program

Approved by M.A. Scott
Revised 6/18

14.1 Policy
14.2 Scope
14.3 Applicability
14.4 Exceptions
14.5 Roles and Responsibilities
14.6 Definitions
14.7 Required Work Processes

Work Process A. General Requirements
Work Process B. Procurement
Work Process C. Equipment Surveys
Work Process D. Risk Ranking
Work Process E. Conditional Acceptance Criteria
Work Process F. Inspecting and Approving Electrical Equipment
Work Process G. Repair, Salvage, and Out-of-Service Equipment
Work Process H. Training Requirements for EESP Surveyors and Inspectors

14.8 Source Requirements
14.9 Reference Documents
14.10 Appendices

Appendix A. NRTL Marks
Appendix B. EESP Inspection Labels
Appendix C. Contact Information
Appendix D. List of Reputable Manufacturers

Note:
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14.1 Policy

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) Electrical Equipment Safety Program (EESP) is designed to ensure safe operation and installation of electrical utilization equipment. Only electrical utilization equipment that has been approved by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) may be used at Berkeley Lab.

Electrical utilization equipment that has been accepted, certified, labeled, or listed by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) is considered to be acceptable to the AHJ, and is approved for use provided the equipment is installed and used within the manufacturer’s listing intent.

Electrical utilization equipment that has NOT been accepted, certified, labeled, or listed by an NRTL is not acceptable to the AHJ unless it has satisfactorily passed a documented safety inspection.

In order to meet these requirements Berkeley Lab has established the Electrical Equipment Safety Program.

14.2 Scope

Electrical utilization equipment that has been listed by a Nationally Recognized Testing laboratory (NRTL), is being used in accordance with its manufacturing and listing intent, undamaged, and unmodified, is automatically approved by the AHJ and may be used without any further approval process.

Electrical utilization equipment that has been previously found acceptable does not require re-inspection when repaired by qualified individuals using like-for-like repair parts. Equipment that is being modified from its original design must be re-evaluated and found acceptable by the AHJ before being used.

14.3 Applicability

The Electrical Equipment Safety Program (EESP) applies to any individual who uses electrical equipment, including all Berkeley Lab employees, subcontractors, and facility users. All Unlisted or modified NRTL-Listed electrical equipment requires inspection and approval prior to use.

14.4 Exceptions

The following types of electrical equipment do not require inspection and approval prior to use:

Unmodified NRTL-Listed Equipment. Equipment that is listed by an NRTL and has not been modified.
Unused Equipment. Equipment that is not being used, e.g., in storage, staged for salvage or excess, etc. Equipment that is not being used must be labeled with the EQUIPMENT OUT OF SERVICE label (see Appendix B) so it is clear it is not in use.
Equipment Granted Conditional Acceptance under Work Process E. Prototype or proof-of-concept equipment (e.g., test chassis, bench top experiment) in the process of being built to test the validity of a design and that is under the exclusive control of the designer if used for less than three months. Equipment being developed that exceeds a three-month period may be acceptable but requires Conditional Acceptance per Work Process E.
Equipment Considered Nonhazardous. Equipment in any of the following categories is considered nonhazardous:

Type	Range Considered Non-Hazardous
60 Hz AC	< 50 V
60 Hz AC	>50 V and <5 mA

Note: Equipment that is connected to AC only via a step-down transformer/AC adapter with voltage output less than 50 volts is exempt, but the transformer/AC adapter must be NRTL Listed.

14.5 Roles and Responsibilities

Role	Responsibilities
Division Deputy, Electronics, Software and Instrumentation Engineering	Collaborates with the Electrical AHJ for Unlisted Equipment on standardizing acceptance criteria for equipment Ensures that R&D equipment fabricated and repaired by Engineering meets all relevant standards Ensures that engineering designs incorporate all required safety features
Electrical Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for Unlisted Equipment	Delegated the Electrical AHJ for Unlisted Equipment from the EHS Division Director. As Technical AHJ, is delegated the general authority to develop and implement the technical and programmatic elements of the Unlisted Equipment Electrical AHJ Program, including: Selecting and applying the appropriate mandatory electrical codes and standards identified in 10 CFR 851 related to new Unlisted Equipment, or modifications to existing Listed or Unlisted Equipment; Issue final technical interpretations (determinations) based on those evaluations; Approve alternatives that provide equivalent levels of protection (equivalencies); Establish, through the development and administration of the LBNL Electrical Equipment Safety Program (EESP – this program) the necessary policies, processes and procedures which provide effective assurance of these functions. Is delegated limited authority to compel compliance to the above, specifically in cases where an imminent or expected/predictable/anticipated hazard represents unacceptable risk. Notifies DOE Berkeley Site Office (BSO), the Deputy Laboratory Director for Operations, the EHS Division Director and the Laboratory Electrical Safety Officer in writing of all approved equivalencies within 30 calendar days of such determination. Collaborates with the Electrical AHJ for Safe Work Practices and the Electrical AHJ for Safe Installations to ensure that no gaps exist between the programs, and that overlaps and linkages are properly addressed.
EHS Division Electrical Safety Program Manager	Is the Electrical AHJ for Safe Work Practices Is the Electrical AHJ for Unlisted Equipment Provides subject matter expert (SME) assistance where necessary to determine safety considerations Promotes the EESP throughout the Laboratory Performs technical assurance reviews as necessary
EESP Program Manager	Implements and manages the Electrical Equipment Safety Program: Establishes inspection criteria in accordance with appropriate electrical safety standards Establishes and maintains the EESP database Establishes training and qualification program for EESP Inspectors and Surveyors Provides quality assurance to the inspection process Manages the full-time EESP Inspectors Oversees the EESP inspection process. Uses the EESP database to track equipment surveys and arrange inspections accordingly Coordinates the inspection of newly purchased equipment in a timely manner Coordinates the inspection of legacy equipment Maintains a list of reputable manufacturers Accepts for use, with respect to electrical safety, Unlisted electrical utilization equipment that passes inspection requirements
Berkeley Lab Electrical Safety Sub-Committee (ESSC)	Advises on electrical safety matters and promotes electrical safety at Berkeley Lab. The ESSC is a resource to aid in the development of inspection criteria, training, and program administration. If there is a disagreement that cannot be resolved by the Engineering Division AHJ and the EHS Electrical Safety Program Manager, the ESSC will assist the Deputy Lab Director for Operations in evaluating an appeal in accordance with work process B in Chapter 8 Electrical Safety Program.
Divisions	Assign persons to be surveyors for the division Procure equipment that is Listed, as first consideration Notify the EESP of any new unlisted equipment being purchased. Arrange for repairs and corrections to equipment in accordance with the inspection findings Remove from service equipment that has been labeled AHJ FAIL. Obtain EESP inspections for procured unlisted equipment.
Equipment Surveyors	Complete EHS0260, Basic Electrical Hazards and Mitigations training Complete EHS0381, Equipment Surveyor training Complete EHS0384, Equipment Surveyor annual refresher course. Conduct surveys to identify and document Unlisted equipment within their organization Apply AHJ barcode labels to the Unlisted equipment and enter the equipment information into the EESP database
Equipment Supervisors (Also known as Responsible Persons or Equipment Owners)	Cooperate with the EESP throughout the survey and inspection process Ensure that all of their legacy electrical equipment has been identified and surveyed Specify for purchase only Listed equipment, if possible Promptly notify the EESP of any Unlisted equipment that has been ordered Arrange survey and inspection of procured Unlisted equipment before placing into service Ensure that equipment is repaired and re-inspected as necessary Comply with any conditions placed on equipment by an inspector Arrange EESP inspection of any new Lab-built apparatus before placing into service Do not use Unlisted new equipment until it has been inspected and approved Do not use Unlisted legacy equipment unless it has been inspected and approved Remove from service any equipment found to be unsafe for use by an EESP equipment inspector
Equipment Inspectors	Qualified Electrical Workers who are designated by the EESP Program manager to perform EESP inspections Complete EHS0383 inspector training Perform electrical equipment safety inspections in accordance with this document
Procurement	Ensures that all written purchase orders and contracts include language requiring NRTL-Listed equipment

14.6 Definitions

Term	Definition
approved	Acceptable to the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).
acceptable	Electrical utilization equipment is “acceptable” to the Berkeley Lab AHJ and approved: If it is accepted, certified, listed, labeled, or otherwise determined to be safe by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) If it is not determined to be safe by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), it is acceptable if it is inspected or tested by another federal agency, or by a state, municipal, or other local authority responsible for enforcing occupational safety provisions of the National Electrical Code and found in compliance with the provisions of the National Electrical Code. Custom-made equipment or related installations that are designed, fabricated for, and intended for use by a particular customer is acceptable if it is determined to be safe for its intended use by its manufacturer on the basis of test data that the employer keeps and makes available for inspection to the Berkeley Lab AHJ and the AHJ’s authorized representatives.
accepted	Electrical utilization equipment is “accepted” if it has been inspected and found by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) to conform to specified plans or to procedures of applicable codes.
Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)	An organization, office, or individual responsible for enforcing the requirements of a code or standard, or for approving equipment, materials, an installation, or a procedure. At Berkeley Lab, the Electrical AHJ is formally delegated from BSO and is comprised of the Technical AHJs and the senior management officials in the delegation chain. The delegations for the Electrical AHJ function are described in the ES&H Manual Electrical Safety program.
Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), Technical	A properly qualified individual, formally delegated with the authority to select appropriate codes and standards, make technical determinations, and approve equivalencies. Technical AHJs include the Electrical AHJ for Safe Work Practices, the Electrical AHJ for Unlisted Equipment, and the Electrical AHJ for Safe Installations.
certified	Electrical utilization equipment is “certified” if it bears a label, tag, or other record of certification that the equipment: Has been tested and found by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) to meet nationally recognized standards or to be safe for use in a specified manner Is of a kind whose production is periodically inspected by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) and is accepted by the laboratory as safe for its intended use
CE	Conformité Européene: This is a manufacturer’s self-declaration of conformity to European design standards. It is not equivalent to an NRTL listing because: There is no third-party verification of conformity through inspection or testing. The standards are not recognized for applicability in the United States.
determination	A final AHJ decision as to whether a part of the code applies or is satisfied in a particular situation. The Technical Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) shall be permitted to select and apply the appropriate codes and standards to new facilities or modifications to facilities and/or processes; and to make day-to-day determinations on how to best satisfy the codes, standards, and specifications.
Electrical Equipment Safety Program (EESP)	An inspection program designed to meet the OSHA requirement for AHJ acceptance of Unlisted electrical utilization equipment
equivalency	An alternate method for a mandatory requirement that offers the same or greater protection from a hazard. The Technical AHJ is delegated the special authority to approve alternate methods when it is assured that equivalent objectives can be achieved by establishing and maintaining effective safety equal to, or exceeding, established codes, regulations, and standards.
field evaluation	An electrical equipment safety inspection on Unlisted equipment performed on site by a Third-Party Field Evaluating Body (FEB)
Field Evaluating Body (FEB)	An organization that performs electrical equipment safety inspections and that is recognized by the AHJ. It is recognized by the AHJ if it meets the requirements of NFPA 790 and NFPA 791.
inspection	An equipment electrical safety inspection performed on Unlisted equipment by an authorized EESP Inspector
interpretation	A decision as to whether a part of the code applies or is satisfied in a particular situation. Any person with suitable knowledge (through training or experience) in the codes can make an interpretation. However, only the Technical Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) shall be permitted to make a final interpretation, which is called a determination.
legacy equipment	Electrical utilization equipment surveyed before October 1, 2013
labeled	Electrical utilization equipment is “labeled” if there is attached to it a label, symbol, or other identifying mark of a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL)that (1) makes periodic inspections of the production of such equipment and (2) whose labeling indicates compliance with nationally recognized standards or tests to determine safe use in a specified manner.
Listed (NRTL Listed)	Electrical utilization equipment is “Listed” if it is of a kind mentioned in a list that is published by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) that (1) makes periodic inspection of the production of such equipment and (2) states that such equipment meets nationally recognized standards or has been tested and found safe for use in a specified manner.
Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL)	An organization that is recognized by OSHA and that tests for safety, or lists, labels, or accepts equipment based on established national standards. The NRTL is an independent third party and is not the manufacturer of the product or a government agency. A partial list of NRTL labels is provided in Appendix A. The full list of NRTL labels can be found online at: http://osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/nrtlmrk.html
reputable manufacturer	Manufacturers listed in Appendix D are considered reputable and provide adequate technical support and technical documentation, and follow standard accepted safe designs even though they do not always obtain NRTL listing for their products.
survey	The process of identifying and indexing Unlisted electrical utilization equipment that will later be inspected by a designated EESP Equipment Inspector.
surveyor	Personnel identified by their division to conduct the NRTL survey for their organization are referred to as Electrical Equipment Surveyors. Before conducting the survey, Electrical Equipment Surveyors must complete training course EHS0381.
Unlisted	Electrical utilization equipment is “Unlisted” if it is not listed.
utilization equipment	Equipment that utilizes electric energy for electronic, electromechanical, chemical, heating, lighting, or similar purposes

14.7 Required Work Processes

Work Process A. General Requirements
Work Process B. Procurement
Work Process C. Equipment Surveys
Work Process D. Risk Ranking
Work Process E. Conditional Acceptance Criteria
Work Process F. Inspecting and Approving Electrical Equipment
Work Process G. Repair, Salvage, and Out-of-Service Equipment
Work Process H. Training Requirements for EESP Surveyors and Inspectors

Work Process A. General Requirements

Figure 1. Electrical Equipment Safety Program Flowchart

This Electrical Equipment Safety Program provides standard criteria for evaluation, labeling, and documentation of unlisted electrical equipment. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires explicit approval of all electrical equipment in the workplace to ensure that it is free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees.
To improve and maintain electrical safety at Berkeley Lab, the only electrical equipment to be used must have been approved as safe for its intended use. Unlisted electrical equipment shall be examined for safety before use as required by Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1910, Occupational Safety and Health Standards, Section 303(a).
NRTL-Listed equipment must be purchased and used if available. For new or replacement equipment, an NRTL-Listed product must be purchased instead of an Unlisted product if both exist. All NRTL-Listed equipment must be used for its intended purpose in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Otherwise, the equipment must be treated as Unlisted and must require inspection and approval by the AHJ before use.

Work Process B. Procurement

The Procurement Department is responsible for ensuring that all written purchase orders and contracts include language requiring NRTL-Listed equipment as a first consideration. All subcontracts and purchase orders that involve the delivery of any electrical products must contain language such as the following:
1. Electrical Device Listing: All delivered electrical equipment, components, and conductors must be accepted, or certified, or listed, or labeled, or otherwise determined to be safe by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in accordance with Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1910 (OSHA 29 CFR 1910). The supplier must notify the University Procurement Representative or the University Technical Representative, if designated, in writing of any delivered items that do not meet these requirements. If the supplier does not provide this notification, the University reserves the right to refuse delivery or return the item.
If a subcontractor or vendor notifies the buyer that the desired product is not NRTL Listed, the following options must be considered, in order of preference:
1. The buyer must notify the requestor. The requestor must specify an alternate product that is NRTL Listed, if possible. If an NRTL-Listed substitute is available and is acceptable to the requestor, it must be selected instead of any unlisted product.
2. If no NRTL-Listed substitute is available, the buyer must notify the EESP Program Manager to evaluate options and possibly arrange for an EESP inspection. The cost of the EESP inspection is covered by the division. Additionally, manufacturers of custom equipment must be notified in writing of the applicable design standards to follow for electrical safety.
3. If the EESP Program Manager determines that the product complexity is such that Berkeley Lab equipment inspectors do not have the requisite training or skills to perform the inspection, a Third-Party Field Evaluation is required. The requestor is responsible for arranging the Third-Party Field Evaluation. The cost of the Third-Party Field Evaluation is covered by the division.
4. Whether the EESP inspection or Third-Party Field Evaluation is performed, the requestor is responsible for determining any impact this may have on warranties or returns.

Work Process C. Equipment Surveys

The EESP Survey is the identification and documentation of unlabeled electrical utilization equipment into the EESP database so that an EESP inspection can be performed.
All electrical utilization equipment that is not labeled by an NRTL must be surveyed.
Electrical utilization equipment that is already labeled by an NRTL is not required to be surveyed.
Electrical utilization equipment that is already field evaluated and labeled by a Third-Party FEB is not required to be surveyed.
Divisions are responsible for surveying all of their own equipment. The division may designate as many equipment surveyors as is necessary. All designated surveyors are required to take a short self-study course (EHS0381). Upon completing the course, the surveyors are issued a set of survey labels and provided with password access to the EESP database. It is acceptable to designate one or more surveyors for each project in the division.
Survey Criteria for New Equipment: New equipment must be surveyed immediately upon delivery to the Equipment Supervisor. The EESP Program Manager may grant immediate Conditional Acceptance for up to 120 days in accordance with Work Process E. The EESP inspection must be completed prior to the expiration of the grace period.
Survey Criteria for Legacy Equipment: All electrical utilization equipment within the electrical requirements specified in the scope of this program, whether custom-built or commercially made, must be examined to determine if it is labeled by an NRTL. Equipment that is not labeled by an NRTL must be considered Unlisted and must be entered into the database. NRTL-Listed equipment must not be entered into the database unless it has been modified or is being used for some purpose outside of the original design intent.
1. Required survey labeling: All Unlisted equipment must be labeled with a Berkeley Lab AHJ barcode (see Appendix B), and the identifying information must be entered into the database.
2. If the equipment is in storage and not expected to be used, it is not required to be surveyed. However, it must be prominently labeled “EQUIPMENT OUT OF SERVICE – AHJ INSPECTION NEEDED BEFORE USING” (see Appendix B). See Work Process G for more information about out-of-service equipment.
3. Recommended survey labeling: NRTL-Listed equipment may be optionally labeled with a green “NRTL LISTED” sticker (see Appendix B). The purpose of this label is to indicate that the surveyor found an NRTL mark somewhere on the equipment and no further action is required. Since the manufacturer’s NRTL mark is often on a less visible part of the equipment, using this sticker prevents redundant observations, making the surveying process more efficient. This label is not mandatory, and there is no requirement to document NRTL-Listed equipment. Older versions of this sticker, including one with “NRTL APPROVED,” are acceptable.
4. It is not necessary to examine standard office equipment, supplies, and appliances, such as personal desktop/laptop computers, cell phone chargers, copiers, kitchen appliances, and desk lamps. This equipment is nearly always NRTL Listed. However, when such equipment is discovered to be Unlisted, it should either be replaced with its listed equivalent or surveyed if the determination is that no listed equivalent is commercially available.
5. Some Listed power supplies with an output <50 V do not present any hazard of shock or fire to the powered load. Examples include typical consumer cell phone and laptop computer power supplies. These are marked with one of the following:
  1. Class 2
  2. ITE or Information Technology Equipment
  3. SELV or Separated Extra Low Voltage

Work Process D. Risk Ranking

Risk ranking is used by the Berkeley Lab EESP in order to prioritize resources and address the equipment inspection requirements with due consideration for minimizing the overall risk to the Lab. While all Unlisted equipment is required to be inspected and approved before use, risk ranking helps to focus the greatest scrutiny and urgency on those items that pose a greater overall safety hazard. Risk ranking is therefore used throughout this document to adjust inspection depth, conditional usage, and inspection scheduling.
Unlisted electrical utilization equipment must be categorized according to the following risk ranking:
1. High risk: High-risk equipment is all unlisted equipment not covered under the medium- or low-risk categories below.
2. Medium risk: Medium-risk equipment is Unlisted, commercially available, 208-240 VAC, unmodified cord-and-plug products certified by the manufacturer to recognized domestic or foreign standards but without validation by a third-party NRTL evaluation (this includes CE equipment operating at 208-240 VAC)
3. Low risk: The following types of Unlisted equipment represent the lowest risk and must be scheduled at the lowest priority:
  1. CS Listed (Canadian Standards Association), commercially available, unmodified cord-and-plug products, any voltage
  2. Unlisted, commercially available, 120 VAC, unmodified cord-and-plug products certified by the manufacturer to recognized domestic or foreign standards but without validation by a third-party NRTL evaluation (this includes CE equipment operating at 120 VAC)
  3. Unlisted equipment supplied by reputable manufacturers. Manufacturers appearing on the List of Reputable Manufacturers (Appendix D) are considered reputable. If any equipment from a reputable manufacturer is rejected on inspection, the manufacturer’s reputable standing must be reexamined by the EESP Program Manager. The EESP Program Manager approves any changes (additions or deletions). These manufacturers must meet the following criteria:
    1. A representative sample from the manufacturer has been field evaluated and approved by an EESP Inspector. Inspection must be performed according to the requirements for high-risk equipment as required in this document.
    2. The manufacturer has a North American office/distributor (e.g., listed in the Thomas Register^®).
    3. The manufacturer services its products and provides technical support.
    4. The manufacturer provides adequate documentation in English (acceptable to the EESP Program Manager).
  4. Equipment nearly identical to other Berkeley Lab–approved equipment, as approved by the EESP Program Manager.

Work Process E. Conditional Acceptance Criteria

Unlisted equipment that has not passed the EESP inspection may be used under certain conditions. These conditions constitute Conditional Acceptance, and include situations where:
1. The equipment has not yet been inspected.
2. The equipment has failed inspection but is temporarily authorized for use pending repairs if the reason for the failure does not represent an immediate hazard.
3. The equipment has passed inspection but has certain limitations on its usage.
Equipment that has been Conditionally Accepted is approved for use by the owner, subject to restrictions. These restrictions must be specified at the time of Conditional Acceptance.
Equipment that has not yet been inspected:
1. All legacy equipment (surveyed before October 1, 2013) currently in use is Conditionally Accepted by the AHJ for unlimited usage pending inspection. This Conditional Acceptance is on file with the EESP Program Manager.
2. New equipment (surveyed on or after October 1, 2013), or legacy equipment not currently in use must be inspected prior to use. The EESP Program Manager may authorize Conditional Acceptance after a short visual inspection, pending a full inspection grace period not to exceed 120 days.
3. This grace period is provided to give the equipment owner the necessary flexibility to obtain the inspection while minimizing the impact on ongoing research or operations.
4. After the grace period, the Conditional Acceptance status expires and the equipment must not be used until inspected satisfactorily.
Equipment that fails inspection:
1. Equipment that fails inspection for reasons related to long-term hazards may be Conditionally Accepted pending a repair grace period not to exceed 120 days.
2. This grace period is provided to give the equipment owner the necessary flexibility to effect repairs while minimizing the impact on ongoing research or operations.
3. After the grace period, the Conditional Acceptance status expires and the equipment must not be used until repaired and re-inspected satisfactorily.
4. Equipment that fails inspection due to conditions that present immediate hazards must not be Conditionally Accepted and must not receive any grace period for continued use pending repair. The equipment must be taken out of service immediately according to Work Process G.
Equipment with restricted usage: The EESP Program Manager may decide to pass equipment but impose restrictions on the use of the equipment. This typically applies to highly-customized experimental setups that consist of groups of equipment tied together as research systems. Such non-standard wiring may not present a risk for use but should not be re-used in a different application without re-inspection.
Conditionally Accepted equipment must be labeled with a yellow CONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE label (see Appendix B), with the exception of uninspected legacy equipment.
1. Surveyors may apply a CONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE label on new, uninspected low-risk equipment with an inspection due date of 120 days. For medium- and high-risk equipment, contact the EESP Program Manager.
Unlisted equipment that has been neither approved nor Conditionally Accepted, or for which the Conditional Acceptance grace periods have expired, must be immediately placed out of service with a red EQUIPMENT OUT OF SERVICE label (see Appendix B).
The EESP Program Manager reserves the right to refuse inspection and/or conditional acceptance of common, low-value, commercially available, off-the-shelf equipment that is not NRTL Listed, where NRTL-Listed equivalents are readily available and sourced. This includes generic laboratory equipment such as variacs, power supplies, and other auxiliary equipment.

Work Process F. Inspecting and Approving Electrical Equipment

Equipment inspections must not expose anyone to electrical hazards. Electrical testing requiring live voltage measurements must follow the electrical safe-work practices in the Electrical Safety Program. All other electrical testing and the construction inspection must be performed with the equipment in an electrically safe work condition in accordance with the ES&H Manual Electrical Safety and Lockout/Tagout programs.
Inspections required in this section are minimum safety requirements that must be satisfied in order to obtain Berkeley Lab AHJ approval. The inspections described here are not as thorough as full NRTL Listing inspections, and therefore they are not equivalent.
Inspections follow the requirements of NFPA 791, Recommended Practice and Procedures for Unlabeled Electrical Equipment Evaluation. While NFPA 791 generally tells the inspector what parts of the equipment to check, specific design or performance criteria are found in a number of supporting standards. The inspector must determine, based on the type of equipment being inspected, which primary standard is most applicable to be used in conjunction with NFPA 791. These primary standards include:
1. NFPA 70, National Electrical Code
2. NFPA 79, Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery
3. UL 508, Industrial Control Equipment
4. UL 508A, Industrial Control Panels
5. UL 60950-1, Standard for Safety, Information Technology Equipment – Safety; Part 1: General Requirements
6. UL 61010-1, Standard for Safety, Electrical Equipment for Measurement, Control, and Laboratory Use; Part 1: General Requirements
All equipment that is subject to EESP inspection in accordance with the scope of this program must be inspected by one or more of the following methods. Additional criteria may be applied at the discretion of the EESP Program Manager or Inspector.
1. Low-risk equipment must receive an external inspection using the following criteria:
  1. Guarding: A visual inspection is made to verify that the equipment is intact, undamaged, does not have any hazardous exposures, is being used in accordance with its design intent, and will not be subject to any unusual environments, stresses, or damage that may compromise safety.
  2. Cord: A visual inspection is made to verify the cord’s physical integrity, proper wire size and length, connector type, and strain reliefs.
  3. Overcurrent protection: The fusing is inspected for appropriate rating and application.
  4. Ground bond testing: A ground bond tester is used to verify that the equipment can withstand a prolonged high current in the grounding path (at twice the rated load current, but no more than 10 A). Typically, a value of 100 milliohms or less is required. The resistance of the power cord is not included.
  5. Equipment leakage current testing: An inline Ground Fault Current Interrupter (GFCI) is used on cord-and-plug equipment to verify that equipment leakage current does not exceed 5 mA. If the equipment fails this test, further evaluation is required to determine the source of the leakage and to see if repair is required.
  6. Markings: All markings required by relevant standards must be in place.
  7. Usage: The equipment usage must be evaluated to ensure it conforms to the intended design.
2. Medium-risk equipment must be evaluated by the low-risk inspection criteria above. Additionally:
  1. Fusing must be evaluated to ensure that all ungrounded current carrying conductors are properly fused.
  2. The voltage rating and range of the equipment must be verified for suitable operation at the desired utility voltage.
  3. The cord cap must be evaluated for proper rating and National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) plug and receptacle configuration.
3. For high-risk equipment, a comprehensive inspection checklist must be completed based on NFPA 791, Recommended Practice and Procedures for Unlabeled Electrical Equipment Evaluation, which will examine some or all of the following elements, as appropriate. Manufacturer warranty or component sensitivity may preclude some of the inspection elements:
  1. Construction Inspection
    1. Electrical code considerations
    2. Construction of enclosures
    3. Disconnecting means
    4. Main overcurrent protective device
    5. Field terminations
    6. Components
    7. Overcurrent protection
    8. Maintenance receptacles and lighting
    9. Wiring
    10. Markings
    11. Grounding
    12. Distances between uninsulated energized parts
  2. Electrical Testing
    1. Insulation resistance test (megger or hi-pot)
    2. Ground bond test
    3. Measurement of input voltage while under maximum design load
    4. Measurement of input full load current while under maximum design load
    5. Temperature rise of heat producing devices
    6. Safety interlock functional testing
    7. Emergency stop testing
Active EESP Involvement in the Design and Fabrication Process
1. For custom designed and built equipment, it is typically more efficient and effective to include EESP involvement early in the process. In so doing, any safety issues can be resolved proactively, and final acceptance of the project will be assured.
2. At the onset of the project, an EESP representative is assigned. The EESP representative attends engineering and project reviews as well as conducts routine safety inspections during the construction phase. At the conclusion of this process the equipment or project is certified as being compliant and accepted as AHJ approved.
3. Prior to placing the equipment into service, a minor inspection must be completed by an EESP equipment inspector. Once the inspection has passed, the equipment will have a label affixed to it certifying compliance.

Third-Party Field Evaluation by a Field Evaluating Body (FEB)
1. Conditions requiring Third-Party Field Evaluation:
  1. The EESP Program Manager determines that the scope of examination of the equipment is beyond the capabilities of the qualified and authorized Berkeley Lab EESP Inspectors.
  2. Equipment owners may also elect to attain Third-Party Field Evaluation in lieu of Berkeley Lab EESP inspection.
2. The Third-Party Field Evaluation must be funded by the organization that is responsible for the equipment.
3. Equipment subjected to Third-Party Field Evaluation must be surveyed and entered into the EESP database.
4. Only Field Evaluating Bodies meeting the requirements of NFPA 790, Standard for Competency of Third-Party Field Evaluating Bodies are to be authorized by the AHJ to perform a Third-Party Field Evaluation.
5. Third-Party Field Evaluation must follow the inspection requirements of NFPA 791, Recommended Practice and Procedures for Unlabeled Electrical Equipment Evaluation.
6. Applicable documentation of Third-Party Field Evaluation must be submitted to the EESP Program Manager for review and approval and entry into the EESP database.
7. After the preliminary inspection by the FEB Field Evaluator, the AHJ must review the report and make an assessment of the deficiencies discovered. The AHJ must then decide which deficiencies represent a hazard that must be corrected and which deficiencies represent a negligible concern and will be accepted by the AHJ without correction.
Legacy Equipment
1. Legacy equipment will not always be compliant with the latest construction standards. The EESP Inspector must use discretion in allowing for minor deviations from current standards. No deviation is allowed for shock hazards or other immediate safety hazards likely to cause fire, electrical shock or arc blast.
2. If necessary, the EESP Program Manager will assist the EESP Inspector in making a determination.
Inspecting Multiple Units of the Same Model
1. Each piece of equipment must be surveyed, bar-coded, and entered into the database.
2. One (or more, at the discretion of the inspector) representative model must be inspected by an EESP Inspector.
3. If the equipment passes inspection, all of the units are considered to have passed. The inspection record for all of the identical units must reference the original inspection.
4. If the equipment fails inspection, all of the units are considered to have failed. The inspection record for all of the identical units must reference the original inspection.
Equipment from other DOE Facilities
1. Equipment that has undergone inspection at another DOE Facility is considered acceptable if the inspection record is examined and found acceptable by an EESP Inspector. Such equipment must be documented in the EESP database, along with a copy of the inspection report.
Inspection Labeling
1. Equipment that passes the EESP inspection must be labeled with a green AHJ APPROVED sticker.
2. Equipment that passes the Third-Party Field Evaluation must be labeled with the FEB’s field evaluation sticker and with a green AHJ APPROVED sticker.
3. Equipment that fails the EESP inspection must be labeled with a red AHJ FAIL sticker, unless it is Conditionally Accepted per Work Process E.
4. Labels can be found in Appendix B.

Work Process G. Repair, Salvage, and, Out-of-Service Equipment

Repair
1. Equipment that has failed the EESP inspection but is still required for use must be repaired by a qualified repair technician. Repairs can be scheduled with the Engineering Division.
2. Upon completion of the repairs, an independent EESP Inspector must perform a re-inspection. The technician that performed the repair may not perform the re-inspection even if she or he is an authorized EESP Inspector. If the repaired equipment passes the re-inspection, the equipment is approved by the AHJ for usage and receives a green AHJ APPROVED sticker (see Appendix B).
Salvage
1. The Equipment Supervisor may decide to forego the repairs and salvage the equipment instead. Because of past experience where salvaged equipment is returned to service without authorization, all of the EESP labels should remain on the equipment.
2. Equipment that is salvaged without inspection must be labeled with a red EQUIPMENT OUT OF SERVICE label (see Appendix B).
3. Equipment that is salvaged after failing inspection must be labeled with a red AHJ FAIL sticker and an EQUIPMENT OUT OF SERVICE label (see Appendix B). Additionally, the cords must be cut off and an Electrical Hazard warning sticker must be applied in a prominent manner to the equipment.
Out-of-Service Equipment
1. The Equipment Supervisor may decide to take unlisted equipment out of service indefinitely without performing surveys, inspections, or repairs and without salvaging.
2. Out-of-service unlisted equipment must be labeled with a red EQUIPMENT OUT OF SERVICE label (see Appendix B).
3. Should the Equipment Supervisor decide to begin using unlisted equipment that was previously placed out of service, he or she must perform the equipment survey and contact the EHSS Electrical Safety Program Manager to schedule the inspection. If an inspection was already performed and failed, the repairs and re-inspection must be completed satisfactorily prior to use.

Work Process H. Training Requirements for EESP Surveyors and Inspectors

EESP Surveyors
1. Candidates for EESP Surveyor are not required to have prior electrical experience.
2. Once designated by their division, candidates are required to take EHS0260, Basic Electrical Hazards and Mitigations and EHS0381, Electrical Equipment Surveyor Training.
3. Annual refresher training is provided with EHS0384, Annual Information Update for Surveyors.
EESP Inspectors
1. Candidates for EESP Inspector must be Qualified Electrical Workers according to the Electrical Safety Program and must have prior experience with electrical equipment construction and testing methods. Berkeley Lab Engineering Technologists and Electricians are considered suitably experienced to perform the duties of EESP Inspector. Other candidates may submit their experience and credentials to the EESP Program Manager for review and approval.
2. EHSS will provide training course EHS0383 to candidates who meet the necessary prerequisites.
3. Candidates who pass training course EHS0383 are authorized by the EESP Program Manager as EESP Inspectors to inspect equipment.
4. EESP Inspectors must retake EHS0383 at least every three years.

14.8 Source Requirements

Regulations:
The 10 CFR 851 DOE Worker Safety and Health Program rule includes the following relevant standards by reference and must be complied with as law:

Title 29 CFR, Part 1910, Occupational Safety and Health Standards. The relevant parts for this program are 1910.303(a) and 1910.399.
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70, National Electrical Code, (2005). The relevant articles for this program are 90.7, 110.2 and 110.3.

The following standards are also referenced in this document:

NFPA 79, Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery
NFPA 790, Standard for Competency of Third-Party Field Evaluating Bodies
NFPA 791, Recommended Practice and Procedures for Unlabeled Electrical Equipment Evaluation
UL 508, Industrial Control Equipment
UL 508A, Industrial Control Panels
UL 60950-1, Standard for Safety, Information Technology Equipment – Safety; Part 1: General Requirements
UL 61010-1, Standard for Safety, Electrical Equipment for Measurement, Control, and Laboratory Use; Part 1: General Requirements

14.9 Reference Documents

Chapter 8 Electrical Safety
Chapter 18 Lockout/Tagout Program

14.10 Appendices

Appendix A. NRTL Marks
Appendix B. EESP Inspection Labels
Appendix C. Contact Information
Appendix D. List of Reputable Manufacturers

Appendix A. NRTL Marks

NRTLs use marks to label products that have been listed. However, the presence of the mark on a product does not necessarily mean that it meets OSHA requirements since NRTLs sometimes use these same or similar marks for non-OSHA purposes. OSHA accepts only those products that contain the NRTL’s mark and that the NRTL has certified within its scope of recognition, which includes the test standards and testing sites that OSHA has recognized for the NRTL. See the OSHA web page for information on each NRTL’s scope of recognition or contact OSHA or the NRTL for additional information.

The following are examples of marks recognized by OSHA:

For a complete and updated list of NRTL marks, see:
https://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/nrtllist.html

Appendix B. EESP Inspection Labels

Appendix C. Contact Information

EESP / AHJ Contacts:

Electrical AHJ for Unlisted Equipment (EHS):
Ari Harding
Electrical Safety Program Manager
510-210-2735
Aharding@lbl.gov

Electrical Equipment Safety Program (EESP) Inspector:
Ohmar Sowle
510-486-4520
OASowle@lbl.gov

General purpose EESP contact e-mail:
EESP@lbl.gov

Berkeley Lab AHJ Approved Third-Party Field Evaluation Programs:

Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL) https://www.ul.com/code-authorities/electrical-code/field-evaluations/
MET Laboratories http://www.metlabs.com/Services/On-Site-Field-Testing-and-Evaluation.aspx
eti Conformity Services http://www.eticonformity.com/equipment-evaluation.html

Other Third-Party Field Evaluation Bodies may be approved by the EESP Program Manager.

Appendix D. List of Reputable Manufacturers

Manufacturer	Web Site
Agilent Technologies	http://www.agilent.com
Allen-Bradley Co.	http://www.ab.com
Allied Signal (now Honeywell)	http://www.honeywell.com
B&K Precision Corp.	http://www.bkprecision.com
Berthold	http://www.bertholdtech.com
Bio-Rad Laboratories	http://www.bio-rad.com
BiRa Systems Inc.	http://www.bira.com
Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing	http://www.brownandsharpe.com
Burleigh Instruments	http://www.kaker.com/mvd/data/Burleigh_Instruments.html
Canberra Industries	http://www.canberra.com
Coherent, Inc.	http://www.coherentinc.com
Cole-Parmer Instrument	http://www.coleparmer.com
Danfysik	http://www.danfysik.dk
DuKane	http://www.dukcorp.com
Eberline Instrument (now Thermofisher Scientific)	http://www.thermofisher.com/global/en/home.asp
Elgar Electronics	http://www.elgar.com
EMI-Lambda	http://us.tdk-lambda.com
Fluke	http://www.fluke.com
Gamma Vacuum	http://www.gammavacuum.com
General Electric	http://www.ge.com
Glassman High Voltage	http://www.glassmanhv.com
Granville-Phillips (now Brooks)	http://www.brooks.com/products/gauges-modules-controllers
Hewlett-Packard	http://www.hp.com
Hitachi, Ltd.	http://www.hitachi.com
Honeywell	http://www.honeywell.com
Keithley Instruments	http://www.keithley.com
Kepco Inc.	http://www.kepcopower.com
Lake Shore Cryotronics	http://www.lakeshore.com
LeCroy Corp.	http://www.lecroy.com
Maxwell	http://www.maxwell.com
MKS Instruments	http://www.mksinst.com
Motorola	http://www.motorola.com
National Instruments	http://www.ni.com
NESLAB Instruments (Now Thermofisher Scientific)	http://www.thermofisher.com/global/en/home.asp
ORTEC	http://www.ortec-online.com
Perkin-Elmer	http://www.perkinelmer.com
Physical Electronics	http://www.phi.com
Princeton Applied Research	http://www.princetonappliedresearch.com
Sencore	http://www.sencore.com
Shimadzu Scientific	http://www.ssi.shimadzu.com
Simpson Electric	http://www.simpsonelectric.com
Sorensen Div., Elgar (now Ametek)	http://www.elgar.com
Square D (now Schneider Electric)	http://www.schneider-electric.com/
Stanford Research	http://www.thinksrs.com
Superior Electric	http://www.superiorelectric.com
Systron Donner	http://www.systron.com
TDK-Lambda	http://us.tdk-lambda.com/lp/
Tektronix, Inc.	http://www.tek.com
Triplett	http://www.triplett.com
Valhalla Scientific	http://www.valhallascientific.com
Varian	http://www.varian.com
Watlow	http://www.watlow.com
WaveTek (now Aeroflex)	http://www.willtek.com/english

_____________________

Berkeley Lab AHJ bar-code label: Indicates that Unlisted equipment has been surveyed
Green NRTL LISTED label (optional): For equipment that is NRTL Listed, unmodified, and used as intended by the manufacturer. This label communicates that the NRTL mark appears somewhere on the equipment so that others will not need to look for it.
Green AHJ APPROVED label: Unlisted equipment that has passed inspection and has no restrictions on usage
Yellow AHJ CONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE label: Equipment that has not passed the equipment inspection but that may be used under certain conditions. Includes situations where: (a) the equipment has not yet been inspected, (b) the equipment has failed inspection but is temporarily authorized for use pending repairs if the reason for the failure does not represent an immediate hazard, and (c) the equipment has passed inspection but has certain limitations on its usage.
Red AHJ FAIL label: Equipment has been inspected but has failed inspection
Red EQUIPMENT OUT OF SERVICE label: Equipment that is not being used, is not intended to be used in the foreseeable future, and is not connected to an electrical source is not required to be surveyed or inspected. This sticker informs the user that an inspection is required before the equipment can be used.
Example Third-Party Field Evaluation sticker: This may vary depending on the Field Evaluating Body (FEB) performing the inspection.

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