Assignment of the 1st Electrical Safety Group to non-electrical personnel

Appointment of responsible persons

The most important link in the chain of measures to ensure the correct operation of electrical installations is the appointment of responsible persons. Clause 1.2.3 of the Rules clearly prescribes the appointment of a person responsible for electrical equipment and his deputy for the direct performance of duties.

If the installed power of the electrical installation does not exceed 10 kW, a deputy responsible may not be appointed. If the owner of an electrical installation is not engaged in production activities, and the electrical equipment includes only an input distribution device, lighting installations and portable electrical equipment with a voltage not exceeding 380 V, then the person responsible for the electrical equipment may not be appointed at all, and the responsibility can be assumed by the head of the organization by written agreement with Rostechnadzor. In the latter case, no training or knowledge testing is required. (The application form is set out in Appendix No. 1 to PTEEP).

Very often the line between production and non-production activities is blurred, and not every manager will want to voluntarily take on additional responsibility, and also report this to the Rostechnadzor body. Therefore, in this article we will consider the usual practice in production with the appointment of a person responsible for electrical equipment and those of his actions that are prescribed by these PTEEP.

Where do they rent for groups?

The exam for admission groups 2-5 takes place in the Rostechnadzor division that conducts training and certification of employees.

Training is carried out in the direction of the enterprise, in which it is necessary to indicate:

employee position;
his length of service in this position;
required level of clearance.

Some organizations have their own permanent commission. She accepts exams and submits a draft order for the assignment (or upgrade) of qualifications to management for consideration. The commission must include:

Chairman with electrical safety approval 5 (at voltages above (up to) 1000 V) and 4 (at voltages less than 1000 V). This is the person responsible for the electrical part;
vice-chairman;
secretary;
at least 3 commission members.

After completing the training program and successfully passing the exam, employees are assigned categories of electrical engineering personnel (from 2 to 5). The corresponding mark is made in the certificate, the form of which is presented in Appendix No. 3 to the rules on labor protection during the operation of electrical installations, approved by Order of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation dated July 24, 2013 No. 328n. The certificate is valid until the position changes.

Electrical staff

Everything is relatively simple with him. If an employee has the position of electrician, electrician, etc., if he is an engineer and technical worker and is appointed responsible for electrical equipment or is a deputy responsible, then, accordingly, he performs his production function - operation of an electrical installation, and therefore must have an appropriate group for electrical safety. For the person in charge and his deputy, when working in electrical installations up to 1000 V, this is group IV, above 1000 V - V. Maintenance and operating personnel must have groups from II to IV, depending on the nature of the work performed.

As a rule, electrical personnel undergo initial training at a training center according to a 72-hour program, after which they pass an exam and receive Group II in electrical safety. After two months, he can be certified to III, and then after another three months to IV electrical safety group. In any case, repeated knowledge testing is established once a year. That is, once a year, an employee must, by passing an exam, confirm his knowledge in the field of electrical safety to the extent that his existing group corresponds. The examination commission constantly operates in the branches of Rostechnadzor and in accredited training centers, or can be created at the enterprise [Clause 1.4.30 of the Rules].

Purpose and order of assignment

All employees of the enterprise must undergo certification of knowledge of electrical safety standards within the framework of their professional activities. A specialist cannot begin work duties without being assigned the appropriate qualification group. How a permit is assigned is indicated in PTEEP or other technical literature, which contains excerpts from regulatory documents.

Example of a publication with excerpts from PTEEP

We will briefly introduce you to the procedure for assigning each qualification group.

1 group

The group in question should be assigned to employees whose activities are not related to the use of electrical equipment. In essence, assignment is a preliminary (primary) briefing, at the end of which an oral interview is conducted, which is recorded in the briefing log. Workers are taught the basics of TB, the dangers of electrical voltage and how to provide first aid in cases of electric shock.

List of rules for providing first aid in case of electric shock

According to safety standards, instruction with subsequent assignment of the 1st qualification group can be carried out by an employee appointed by order of the head of the enterprise. A mandatory requirement for an instructor is clearance group 3 and above.

After a group is assigned to non-electrical personnel, they are still required to undergo regular and extraordinary briefings, which is recorded in the log.

Video: electrical safety briefing (assignment to group 1)

2 groups

Assignment of qualification group 2 is carried out to employees of electrical and electrical engineering personnel. According to the Rules, an employee applying for certification must complete 72-hour theoretical knowledge training courses. This requirement does not apply to those who have received an electrical engineering education, since the vocational training program includes obtaining the necessary knowledge, including electrical safety.

To assign an access group to electrical engineering personnel, the latter must have 1-2 months of production experience. For employees included in this category, group 2 is the maximum.

As for employees belonging to the electrical category, for them the group in question is minimal. Without receiving it, they cannot start work. For example, persons undergoing industrial training or practice are in the first group, and, according to the current Rules, are not allowed to operate any electrical installations, even under supervision.

After employees are assigned the 2nd electrical safety permit, they can begin maintenance of de-energized equipment and electrical facilities of the enterprise, but only under the supervision of employees with a qualification permit of at least 3.

Certification for the assignment of a permit is carried out by a special qualification commission of a production organization or a local branch of Rostechnadzor. The commission checks the theoretical knowledge of the principle of electrical equipment on which the employee will work, as well as the skills of providing first-aid care.

Obtaining this qualification permit is not necessary for non-electrical personnel, but in some cases, by decision of management, even loaders may be required to receive group 2.

Please note that the Rules do not allow employees to be assigned a group higher than 2 if they have not reached the age of majority (18 years old).

Recertification, in order to test knowledge of safety standards, is carried out every year.

3 groups

Only a commission appointed by the management of the enterprise or the regional branch of Rostechnadzor can assign the 3rd qualification group, as well as the 2nd. This permit is issued to electrical technical personnel, which gives workers the right to independently service electrical equipment with voltages up to 1.0 kV.

To obtain the 3rd permit, a certain amount of work experience in the 2nd electrical safety group is required. The duration of training is set depending on the qualification level. For example, assignment to an engineer is usually made after a month of work, while college graduates receive the 3rd group no earlier than six months later.

The commission checks knowledge of electrical engineering, the design of electrical equipment, and the features of its maintenance, the ability to free a victim from the effects of electric current and provide first aid.

Certification for obtaining a security group

4 groups

The main difference from the previous permit is that it allows maintenance of installations above 1.0 kV, that is, it is allowed to work with any high voltage. In addition, persons with appropriate qualifications can train personnel, conduct instructions, and also carry out knowledge testing after special industrial training. Engineering and technical workers with this category of admission can be appointed responsible for the technical condition of the electrical equipment of the enterprise.

Qualification group 4 is assigned only to those persons who have worked for at least a quarter with a 3rd electrical safety approval. Quite serious requirements are placed on applicants to take the exam. The examinee must have information on the entire basic electrical engineering course and the main provisions of the PUE. Know the general and job instructions for safety, maintenance of entrusted electrical equipment, as well as know its electrical circuits and understand the principle of operation.

5 groups

This level of highest clearance implies maximum responsibility. Therefore, applicants are subject to all the above special requirements, plus knowledge of the design of equipment used in the entrusted electrical facilities. The certified person must understand the principle of operation of any electrical installation on his site, and, if necessary, be able to determine the cause of the malfunction and find the optimal way to solve the problem.

To obtain a 5th qualification permit, you must have the required qualifications and a certain amount of work experience with the 4th security group (from 3 months to two years, depending on the internal regulations).

Non-electrical personnel

According to clause 1.4.4. PTEEP, non-electrical personnel includes personnel performing work that may pose a risk of electric shock. In the age of the spread of electricity into all spheres of human life, it is difficult to imagine a situation in which a person can be completely protected from electric shock. If an accident occurs, it will be extremely difficult to prove that the victim was not trained because the electrical supervisor did not see the risk of electric shock in the work assigned to the employee. Moreover, nothing complicated is required to carry out certification for electrical safety group I, which is assigned to non-electrical personnel. In accordance with clause 1.4.4 of the PTEEP, it is necessary to appoint a responsible person from among the electrical personnel with group no lower than III, develop a Training Program and keep a log of assignment of group I for electrical safety. Then, once a year, all employees who, by decision of the Organization, are classified as non-electrical personnel must listen to the instruction of the person in charge, take part in an oral survey and sign in the log that the instruction was completed.

How to register for training

To confirm the fact that the training took place and the employees successfully mastered the given material, confirmation is required, namely:

For this purpose, a special Journal is opened, the columns of which indicate: serial number; full surname and initials; date of study; signature of the instructor; signature of the person being instructed.
The log is initially filled out by the person who conducted the training, and then submitted for signature to the employees who received the knowledge.

The requirements for the Journal itself are standard, namely: the document must be laced, numbered and registered in the facility’s records management. After employees have signed, the Journal must be saved until the next certification.

Electrotechnological personnel

The situation is completely different with the Electrotechnological personnel. According to the definition, Electrical Technological Personnel means personnel of production workshops and areas that are not part of the energy service of the organization, operating electrical technological installations and having electrical safety group II and higher (in their rights and responsibilities they are equal to electrical personnel and are technically subordinate to the energy service of the enterprise) ; personnel whose main component in the technological process they control is electrical energy (for example, electric welding, electric arc furnaces, electrolysis, etc.), who use hand-held electric machines, portable power tools, lamps, etc. in their work. I deliberately use the second part of the definition highlighted because it is with this that significant leapfrog and confusion in categorization are associated. Who is classified as non-electrical and electrical technical personnel? This question will first have to be answered by the one who will compile the “List of Positions...”. The gradation is fully entrusted to the employer and the person authorized by him. There are also errors that the inspector can point out... The main thing is to understand that, first of all, electrical engineering personnel include persons who cannot perform their job duties without the use of any electrical equipment. Thus, if the employee’s position sounds like an electric welder, ultrasound doctor, x-ray technician, etc., then it should be understood that such a person cannot perform his job duties without the use of appropriate electrical equipment, which means he must be classified as electrical engineering personnel , train at least group II in electrical safety (for example, a group of at least III is provided for a welder) and ensure recertification once a year. But, for example, positions such as general practitioner, hairdresser, accountant, etc., may involve the use of some kind of electrical equipment, but from time to time. That is, in the course of their main activity, an employee may not use it at all: a hairdresser can cut hair using only scissors, an accountant and a therapist can do without the use of computers or any other electrical equipment, so they can be classified as non-electrical personnel and limited only by holding an annual lecture.

It is important to remember that, in accordance with clause 1.4.3 of PTEEP, “managers who are directly subordinate to electrical engineering personnel must have an electrical safety group no lower than that of subordinate personnel. They must provide technical guidance to these personnel and supervise their work.”

I would like to note several features when finding the line that turns non-electrotechnical personnel into electrotechnical personnel. For example, in my practice, there have been cases when supervisory authorities issued orders to conduct training and certify Group II electrical safety for workers in such professions as computer operators and programmers. It would seem, what type of activity can now do without the use of personal computers? Nevertheless, the order was given in accordance with the above definition. That is, these workers in their production activities cannot do without the use of electrical equipment, which is a computer.

Which employees fall into this category?

Federal legislation divides all working organizations into two large groups - electrical and non-electrical personnel.

Electrical technical personnel are required to have knowledge in the field of labor protection and production safety when working with hazardous and elevated sources of electricity.

Non-electrical personnel are not required to do so.

However, in their daily activities, such workers, as part of their work responsibilities, are faced with high voltage devices and must know the rules for handling them.

In fact, non-electrical personnel are citizens who, in the course of their work activities, do not directly encounter sources of increased danger, but can carry out their duties with other electrical devices (office equipment, computers).

Such workers are also subject to standards and regulations regarding the level of knowledge in the field of electrical safety and the implementation of preventive measures - safety briefings.

In addition, by decision of the enterprise administration, such employees may be assigned electrical safety category 1 or 2.

Let's sum it up

To summarize what has been said, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that there is probably no perfectly clear algorithm for assigning workers to one or another category of personnel. Modern production dictates its conditions regarding the manufacturability and complexity of production processes, the equipment used, etc., therefore it is completely acceptable to assume that someone may have a position that, neither in its name nor in the nature of the work performed, does not imply the use of electrical equipment. I’ll try to give an example: a sales manager for some complex electrical equipment. It would seem that he sells some equipment that he does not use himself. And yet, he is obliged to periodically demonstrate the product to the customer. Should this person be trained in electrical safety codes? I don't know. You decide.

How is it different from electrical engineering?

The difference between electrical and non-electrical personnel lies in direct contact while working with complex technical units that are under the influence of electric current, require special handling skills, and can also cause irreparable harm to health.

Non-electrical personnel, if they interact with equipment, do so only as operators; they do not carry out preventive maintenance and repairs, and do not directly interact with dangerous currents.

Employees of the electrical engineering group must undergo several types of briefings, receive the appropriate document before work - a work permit, and also undergo specialized training in training centers or educational institutions.

Also different is the use of personal protective equipment and other protective factors during work involving the risk of injury or other harm.

Another difference is the very nature of the equipment: if for non-electrical workers it most often acts as office or household equipment, then for electrical personnel it is most often complex industrial equipment, electrical networks and other complex units, the work with which requires special skills and abilities.

Do I need to obtain an electrical safety permit?

When carrying out routine activities with non-hazardous equipment, there is no requirement to obtain an electrical safety clearance for non-electrical personnel.

There is no such requirement in federal legislation, since there is no obligation or special knowledge when performing work functions with office equipment that does not have high voltage.

In addition, there is no obligation to carry out preventive measures in the field of electrical safety, which, accordingly, also does not require obtaining special documents for work.

However, if an employee is assigned to operate dangerous devices that are under the influence of electric current and may pose a danger to life, in addition to undergoing training procedures, such an employee must also receive the appropriate permit, however, he will be transferred to another group of personnel.

Who else can be assigned an electrical safety group?

Electrical safety group IV can be assigned to an occupational safety specialist. Moreover, without prior training for groups II and III. Assigned electrical rights (PTEEP clause 1.4.30) allow an occupational safety specialist to inspect electrical installations without the right to work in them. Accordingly, an occupational safety specialist cannot in any way be responsible for electrical equipment, and since he does not belong to electrical personnel, he does not have the right to instruct non-electrical personnel (clause 1.4.4). The recertification period is set once every 3 years.

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The entry was published on September 17, 2015 by Dmitry Yuryevich Minakov in the Electrical Safety section.

Third group of admission

A specialist assigned to group 3 receives permission to work independently or the opportunity to work in a team that works with electrical installations over 1000 Volts. In this case, the corresponding explanation is indicated in his certificate.

III
Personnel requirements	Conditions of assignment
special knowledge in general electrical engineering; knowledge of the electrical installation and its maintenance procedures; knowledge of general safety regulations, including rules for permission to work, rules for the use and testing of protective equipment and special requirements relating to the work performed; ability to ensure safe work and supervise those working in electrical installations; knowledge of the rules for freeing a victim from the effects of electric current, providing first aid and the ability to practically provide it to the victim.	employees without secondary education must have at least 3 months of work experience at the previous level; employees with secondary education must have at least 2 months of work experience in the previous group; persons with secondary electrical engineering and higher education must have at least 2 months of work experience at the previous level; employees with higher electrical engineering education must have at least 1 month of work experience at the previous level.

Expert advice on testing knowledge in your organization without penalties

The exam must be taken on a working day.
It is prohibited to do this on weekends or holidays, since this time belongs to the employee, not the company. Therefore, draw up a schedule of exams in advance and inform employees in advance. If you give an employee little time to prepare, in the future you will have no reason not to take an exam and suspend him from work. The training program can be 20 hours or more; preparation should also include independent study of educational materials and training.

The commission must explain all conditions before the exam. For example, during the exam it is prohibited for the chairman or deputy to be absent at the same time; if this is a production necessity, the exam must be rescheduled to another date agreed upon with the employees in writing.

If violations are allowed, the inspection body may impose a fine on the organization, and consider the training results invalid, and then all employees will have to be sent for a knowledge test to the Energonadzor commission. After such a check, not every worker will be able to return to their profession, because “houses and walls help.” “Failures” are a common occurrence in such exams, because the influence of the human factor is minimal there. The exam is taken on a computer in the form of a test, and the soulless machine cannot make concessions, unlike a person.

The Chairman must give a verbal instruction to provide valid electrical safety certificates for entry into them. It is necessary to strictly monitor the availability of the required work experience in electrical installations.

Electrical safety groups are assigned in a strict sequence that cannot be changed. Things to consider:

The organization's commission assigns an ES group after successfully passing a test task or answering exam papers.
The exam is taken individually, while the rest of the employees prepare for the answer.
During the exam, the employee is not allowed to use a mobile phone, regulatory documents, electrical diagrams or other clues. But you can give employees pens, pencils, and sheets of blank paper to prepare an answer. Many people find it more convenient to pass exams if they make a note of the answer for themselves.

An employee who successfully passes the exam receives a certificate, signs in the register and, if necessary, in the protocol, and leaves the examination room so as not to disturb others.

➔ All about the electrical safety certificate

The results of the test must be announced after the last examinee has finished giving his answer. Based on the results, prepare reporting documents.

If the employee studied at a training center, you need to take a copy of the training program there, as well as an extract from the protocol (for electric power enterprises), and also pick up the knowledge test log filled out at the training center. The employee is given the certificate in person, against signature.

Note! During the initial briefing on labor protection, it is necessary to remind all new employees that employees are required to carry a certificate of labor protection, electrical safety, and type of work while performing work duties.

Some employers, after training, keep the certificates with the chief power engineer, or with the labor protection service, citing the fact that it is inconvenient for the employee to carry such a heavy load in his pocket, and may lose or damage it. It is not right. An inspection may come to the enterprise, and the lack of a certificate will prohibit the employee from performing his duties, and the employer will be fined.

It is mandatory to issue an order for permission to work independently after each test of ETP knowledge. Lace all the magazines, seal them, number each sheet in them. Keep the documents for 10 years, and then archive them.

We advise you to study - Oil arc suppression reactors

By following our simple recommendations, you can easily organize training on electrical safety, which will suit the inspector, and will allow your employees to be properly prepared to work with hazardous factors of electrical nature.

What it is

An electrical safety group is a qualification-based system that provides introductory training and then examinations. This is a list of requirements that divides electrical personnel into groups, each of which has its own responsibilities and duties. This is a title that is determined not only by experience, but also by education. Skills and knowledge acquired on the job are also involved in the assignment of titles.

Definition from regulatory documentation