Informative Annex J provides a flow chart for the energized electrical work permit. This chart contains five yes/no steps (triangles), five instruction sets (rectangles), and a long arrow containing three steps to follow. Satisfying those three steps moves you to the culmination, which is the “Proceed to work safely” final instruction box.
The first yes/no step is whether the voltage is greater than or equal to 50V. If yes, you move on to the next yes/no step. Every time there’s a yes, you continue through yes/no steps to get to the fourth triangle. Every time there’s a no (including at the fourth triangle), you drop down to an instruction set. From any of the first four instruction sets, a no takes you directly to the arrow with the three steps to follow.
Let’s talk about what happens at the fourth triangle. It’s one of a set of four yes/no triangles are in a straight series across the top row of the flow chart. But it’s different from the preceding three in that a yes takes you to an instruction box instead of another yes/no triangle.
The triangle asks if the equipment will be put into an electrically safe condition. If yes, you go to an instruction box that tells you to follow lockout/tagout (this also notes that a permit to work is required). Then you drop down to the fifth question triangle, which asks you if the equipment is now in an electrically safe condition. If you answer no here or if you answered no to the fourth yes/no triangle, you are taken to the fourth instruction box.
The fourth instruction box tells you:
- Follow Section 130.7 for PPE requirements.
- A permit to work is required (as applicable to the location).
- An energized electrical work permit is required.
Once you have satisfied whatever instruction set you ended up with, then you perform the sequence of steps in the long arrow box at the bottom. These are:
- Test before touch.
- Identify the hazards.
- Follow all safe work practices that apply.
The simplicity and the almost linear progression make this process easy to follow. If your electrical work permit process has many loops or requires complex decision-making versus answering yes/no questions, you would do well to revamp it per Informative Annex J.
