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Equipment Identification and Hazard Labeling: The First Steps in a Safe Work Environment

By Jason Moore, CESCP, QSSP, Technical Manager, Electrical Safety

Proper labeling of equipment and identification of hazards is integral to work­place safety. International standards and regulations define requirements for infor­mation which must be properly marked on de­vices and assemblies. Between NFPA 70 The National Electrical Code and NFPA 70E Stan­dard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, an abundance of requirements are identified for the marking of information pertaining to elec­trical equipment and their associated hazards and environments.

Originally published in the Electrical Safety Magazine Fall 2023 Issue, this article by Jason Moore explores the importance of equipment identification and hazard labeling in creating a safer work environment.

EQUIPMENT LABELING

Whether by means of vinyl labels, engraved tags, or an alternative, all electrical equipment must be appropriately identified. This device identification is the foundation for many work­place programs. Correct equipment identifica­tion allows for proper association with Lock­Out-Tag-Out (LOTO) / Control of Hazardous Energy (CoHE) programs, arc flash and elec­trical shock risk assessments, maintenance activities, and asset management systems.

Adherence to industry standards such as ANSI Z535.4 is necessary when creating labels for new equipment. The ANSI Z535.4 Prod­uct Safety Signs and Labels standard details guidelines for designing equipment and haz­ard identification labels. Defined in this stan­dard are the proper signal words and safety alert symbols as well as the appropriate font and text sizes based on the distance at which a label is intended to be read.

Thoughtful consideration should be given when developing labeling programs. Nomen­clature standards should be easily interpreted and convey critical information. In facilities with multiple buildings, stories, or rooms, clear landmark references are extremely helpful. Alpha-numeric labeling often proves useful for facilities with exposed structural columns. Uti­lizing a grid-like system, alpha characters can be designated from one end of the facility to another. A numerical value can then be given to columns from one end of the facility to the other in a manner that is right-angled from the alpha character application, (i.e., columns may be identified as A 14, G42, S9, etc.).

Additional beneficial information includes equipment type, building number, and sequential character. Acronyms for equipment types should be defined, and it is recommended to be compliant with ANSI/ ASME Y14 Abbreviations and Acronyms for Use on Drawings and Related Documents. The use of these key identifiers can result in equipment names which concisely provide personnel with the most information. Example equipment names include:

  • DS-816-S42-1 Disconnect switch located within building 816, near column S42.
  • CP-05-C12-3 Control panel located within building 5 and is one of at least three of its type near column C12.

Where:

  • CP = Control Panel
  • DS = Disconnect Switch
  • PNL = Panelboard
  • SWBD = Switchboard
  • SWGR = Switchgear
  • XFMR = Transformer

Other methods can be utilized such as the color coding of labels. Adherence to the ANSI Z535.4 standard is again strongly rec­ommended. Equipment ID labels are com­monly produced with black text on a white background. It is also a requirement to mark the source of electrical power or “Fed From” information for most equipment. A label defin­ing the upstream device supplying power could be made with white text on a blue background. This “Fed From” label is ideally placed beneath the equipment ID tag near the top center of the equipment’s main door. The ANSI standard further defines the use

of yellow labels for cautionary information, orange for warnings, and red for dangers. This color-coded approach provides personnel with the ability to quickly identify the informa­tion they seek in a manner which is standard­ized throughout industry. For example, should an emergency condition arise maintenance personnel can rapidly seek out the blue with white text label to determine the upstream source of power allowing for quick isolation of electrical energy.

While the designation of column identifiers is often done with painting the alpha-numeric reference, other methods such as vinyl labels are an option. The method employed must be sufficient for the environment ensuring the expected conditions do not deteriorate or otherwise negatively impact the posted information.

HAZARD IDENTIFICATION

Hazards such as electrical, mechanical, fluid, thermal, gravitational, and environmental

— such as confined spaces — are to be clearly identified. Only qualified persons approved to enter these areas shall ingress. Extreme care must be taken when marking these hazards and should only be done by a competent and qualified person who is well versed in the ap­plicable practice.

It is not advised to overwhelm personnel with excessive information on safety labels but rather to concisely define critical informa­tion meeting the minimum directives from applicable standards (NFPA ?OE, CSA Z462). This information should be accurate and gen­eralizations such as “ball-parking” required personal protective equipment (PPE) done only with great care. Directing personnel to don electrical hazard PPE such as an arc flash suit rated for an incident energy well beyond that of the exposure can inadvertently create unnecessary hazards and place personnel in greater risk. While PPE manufactures have come a long way with their fabrics and manu­facturing processes, the use of an arc-rated suit when garments more in line with “daily wear” are more practical can prove cumber­some, uncomfortable, and again introduce additional hazards unnecessarily.

While it is a good practice to install equip­ment identification and source of power labels near the top and centered on the as­sembly’s main door, it is advised that electrical hazard labels be placed nearest the point of interaction. Should the equipment include an external operator for the main discon- nect switch, then applying the hazard label on the door nearest this point is most practi­cal. Where no main disconnect exists on the exterior of an equipment, applying the hazard label on the main door nearest the handle is preferred. In both instances, the identified positions maximize the chances personnel will readily see said label when interacting with the equipment.

A thorough nomenclature standard ensures key information is consistently labeled on wires, cables, devices, and equipment. Component names, source of power, operating voltage, and more can be noted in a very clean manner. Image courtesy of Thompson Solutions Group.

THE FIRST STEP IN A SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT

While assessments of workplace hazards are vital, a clear standard articulating the naming conventions and labeling methods for a facility is arguably the first step in proving a safe work environment. Consideration should be given to implementing a nomenclature standard for a facility and documents such as an Electrical Safety Program, Electrical Maintenance Program, LOTO program, etc. reference this standard. Consistency will be promoted across all workplace programs and allow work to be done most efficiently.

Jason Moore, CESCP, QSSP, is the Technical Manager, Electrical Safety for Thompson Solutions Group Moore focuses on mitigation of electrical hazards-arc flash, electrical shock; device coordination; and short-circuit; and develops Electrical Safety Programs and Electrical Maintenance Programs to promote a safer work environment for customers across North America.