What Does an Electrical Safety Audit Entail

Electrical hazards are an omnipresent threat in many industries, capable of causing property damage, operational shutdowns, worker injuries, and even fatalities. They are a leading cause of fire in industrial facilities. The importance of minimizing these risks cannot be overstated.

What is an electrical safety audit?

An electrical safety audit is a thorough examination of the electrical equipment, components, and connections inside a facility. Electrical safety audits are meant to protect against short circuits, arc flashes, electrocutions, and fires. Electricity audit reports help risk managers, facilities managers, and other company leaders implement robust electrical maintenance programs, ensuring compliance with standards like NFPA 70, provide better training, and foster an electrical safety culture.

What do they check on a safety audit?

During an electrical safety audit, risk engineers assess the presence of a wide variety of electrical hazards. The audit includes:

Infrared Thermographic Surveys: Utilizing non-destructive examination techniques to identify issues in electrical and mechanical systems not visible to the naked eye.

Arc Flash Analysis: Calculating the incident energy potential of arc flashes to determine necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for employee safety, and proper equipment labelling.

Electrical Safety Training: Programs based on NFPA 70E and other standards to enhance worker awareness and prevent accidents.

Short-Circuit Studies: Determining the thermal energy and magnetic forces released into an electrical system which can cause insulation and conductor melting — as well as explosions and major equipment burndowns.

Coordination Studies: Understand how electricity is flowing to allow facility leaders to plan for trips at the proper times and isolate problems without losing power to the entire plant or critical equipment.

How do you conduct an electrical audit?

Conducting an electrical audit involves a combination of desktop surveys and in-person site inspections. Risk engineers review documentation, such as one-line diagrams, to understand the electrical distribution system. On site, they inspect equipment for hazards using techniques like infrared thermography – which identifies overheating and potential fire risks without disrupting operations. These inspections lead to comprehensive reports detailing hazard severity, impact, and recommendations for improvement. Risk managers use electricity audit reports to make necessary improvements, develop training, and make informed capital allocation decisions.

How often should an electrical safety audit be performed?

To ensure the ongoing safety and compliance of electrical systems, it is recommended that electricity audits be conducted annually. Following the 2023 NFPA 70B update, inspections of all electrical equipment must occur at least every 12 months, with more frequent inspections required for certain conditions. This proactive approach to maintenance emphasizes the importance of regularly identifying and mitigating electrical hazards and capturing them in electricity audit reports.

What does an electrical inspection entail?

An electrical inspection, as part of the electricity audit, involves a detailed examination of the electrical system. It can include short-circuit studies to verify the interrupting capacity of protective devices, coordination studies to ensure proper device settings and fault isolation, and Arc Flash Assessments to evaluate the risk of explosive energy releases. These analyses aim to prevent injuries, property damage, and downtime by ensuring the electrical system is designed to manage hazards effectively.

Want to dive deeper into electrical safety audits? Read our free eBook How to Protect Against Electrical Fire Losses to learn the four most effective ways to protect against electrical fire risks.