Electrical contractors are no stranger to the life cycle of electrical equipment. We are often involved in the process from the very beginning in the design phase, and are almost always there at the end when the equipment has failed and must be replaced. But there is a big ocean of time in the middle that many contractors overlook, unless their bread and butter is in maintaining installed electrical systems. However, that approach was thrown a curveball with the release of an industry consensus standard at the beginning of 2023.

Of course, the effect wasn’t immediate, and the industry is going to experience a learning curve and adjustment period before NFPA 70B, Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance, becomes a household name like the NEC or NFPA 70E. Like NFPA 70E, it is going to take some time for the new standard to be fully accepted and widely used. 

One reason is that OSHA doesn’t have much in the way of requirements yet that say an employer must maintain their electrical equipment for safety purposes. Sure, requirements such as 1910.303(b)(2) mandate listed and labeled equipment to be installed and used in accordance with manufacturer recommendations, but that only pertains to listed equipment and whether the manufacturer has recommended maintenance. There is also the general duty clause, which states it is the employer’s duty to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards. And since it is widely recognized that lack of maintenance is often a contributing factor to arc flash issues, a lack of maintenance can be viewed as noncompliance with the general duty requirement for employers. 

So, what does this all mean for electrical contractors? To put it simply, right now we are in the calm before the storm, and it is a perfect time for electrical contractors to prepare for an onslaught of requests for maintenance work, if they haven’t started already. 

Currently, we are waiting for the “floodgate” moment to happen, but the warning signs are all there. First, we have a workforce bubble that is far overdue to burst, as contractors and customers feel the pinch from a generation of skilled workers retiring without the numbers to replace them. Second, the workforce entering the industry simply doesn’t have the experience under their belt yet to be ready to go. We are also waiting for that watershed moment where it becomes obvious to employers that routine electrical system maintenance requires more than just putting out fires. This might happen when an insurance company makes it a requirement for coverage or when OSHA cites an employer for a lack of maintenance being a direct factor in an injury.

It might not be today, tomorrow or even next year, but the moment is coming: like a light switch being turned on, the demand for maintenance will skyrocket, and electrical contractors need to be ready. So, where do we start? 

Qualified maintenance personnel

First, we need to get the workforce ready to answer the call. NFPA 70B requires that those performing the required maintenance be qualified. While the definition in NFPA 70B for a qualified person is extracted from NFPA 70E, there is a slight difference in how we apply the definition here. Mainly, in addition to demonstrating skills and knowledge of the electrical equipment and having safety training, personnel performing maintenance must be trained in the specific task they are performing. 

Therefore, if infrared scans, circuit breaker testing and insulation resistance testing are just a few of the items a contractor might offer, the personnel must be trained to do them. Many of these tasks carry certifications that help in the vetting process. A level 2 thermography certification lends a tech credibility over someone without a certification. Having a prepared workforce allows the contractor to expand its offerings when the call comes in. 

Asset management systems

Contractors should also be prepared to help clients set up an asset management system. One of the first tasks is to make a list of all of the facility’s assets. Sure, single-line drawings are great, but a lot of work is still necessary to produce a list of all assets. Providing this service allows the contractor to continue to assist the electrical equipment owner with the installation after the project is completed. 

Several software options allow a contractor to establish the asset list and begin the electrical maintenance program for the client. Some can even lead to an additional revenue stream by licensing access to the information stored on the platform. 

However, the main benefit from setting up an asset management system for the client is that it establishes an ongoing relationship with service work that improves the safety of the contractor’s employees. Imagine going on a service call to troubleshoot and having access to solid maintenance records and equipment history. 

Essentially, it is the first step in eliminating the guesswork that has plagued the electrical service industry for years. Technicians will be able to access information such as trends in test results, previous failures, infrared scans and more before a single cover is removed. This might not pinpoint the exact problem they are on-site to fix, but it can go a long way in providing the necessary information on which cover they might want to open first.

Be your clients’ SME

Maintenance requirements in NFPA 70B also allow the EC to establish itself as the client’s go-to electrical subject matter expert (SME). It is much easier to retain an existing customer than to find a new one. There is no shortage of facilities in need of an expert that can point them in the right direction. This continues to be amplified by the shifting knowledge dynamics of the workforce. 

There is currently a significant need for someone to manage the maintenance programs. Many facilities are now finding out for the first time that the large gray boxes in the electrical room need TLC, but likely don’t have the in-house knowledge to determine what needs to be done and how often to do it. This is a golden opportunity for the electrical contractor to serve as a sort of maintenance manager for clients that need it, even if that contractor doesn’t perform maintenance testing themselves. 

Establishing partnerships with maintenance contracting firms allows electrical contractors to connect their clients with vital providers when they need them. This is a valuable service to a company that doesn’t understand the ins and outs of the electrical maintenance world.

Reducing risk to employees

Another key factor to consider: ensuring clients are maintaining their equipment leads to a lower-risk environment for your employees. As an electrician, it was great to walk into an existing facility and see arc flash labels with incident energy levels and arc flash boundaries already calculated. This clearly helps with performing the necessary risk assessments required by NFPA 70E. 

But do you trust these labels? How can you be sure the incident energy on the label is accurate? Of course, this is why NFPA 70E requires them to be reviewed at intervals not exceeding five years, but the incident energy value is based on the clearing time of the protective device upstream of the fault. How can we be sure that number still applies? You guessed it—maintenance!

Recently, I asked an engineer colleague of mine to perform a series of incident energy calculations for a local motor disconnect fed from an MCC, which was supplied by an 800A circuit breaker in the service equipment. The initial incident energy was under 1 cal/cm² if everything worked as advertised. However, if the circuit breaker feeding the disconnect didn’t open before the main in the MCC, the energy increased to nearly three times the original and would require arc-rated PPE. 

But the terrifying example was what would happen if the 800A circuit breaker back at the service was what cleared the arcing fault. In this scenario, the incident energy increased to around 50 cal/cm² and would pose a serious risk of injury to an employee who was under the impression that there was nothing to worry about. 

Have you made room in your annual budget to pay for workplace injuries that result from the client’s lack of maintenance? This is likely an expense that nobody plans for, but this example is real-world information, and just about everyone I know in the electrical industry has a story of a short-­circuit in a cord tripping the main circuit breaker to the building.

NFPA 70B exists to “establish a condition of maintenance of electrical equipment and systems for safety and reliability.” This is the glue that is going to hold our industry together. The days of reactionary maintenance are going the way of the incandescent light bulb. No longer should we be waiting for the equipment to fail and replacing it when it does. 

NFPA 70B requires that we take a more proactive approach to this, and NFPA 70E depends on it. Without proper maintenance, even the best laid electrical safety programs don’t stand a chance. The electrical contractor stands at the edge of a great, looming opportunity to serve clients as they embark on this journey. 

If we remember why it feels so cool to turn on the switch and see the light come on, we might remember that there is more to this trade than just slapping wire in the wall and collecting the check. It is about making the world work. 

Now we get to be on the front lines of keeping the world moving and safe—and we can improve our bottom line in the process. There is a great opportunity for us to adapt in an ever-evolving industry, but will we be ready when the flood gates open? Now is the time to make that decision.

Until next time, stay safe and remember to always test before you touch!

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