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Should you lock your electrical panel?
Interior panels can be blocked by storage or by furniture. The electrical code actually requires 36 inches of unrestricted clearance in front of an electrical panel. For optimal home safety, unimpeded accessibility is a wise practice at all electric panels.
Can you block electrical panels?
Blocking electrical panels is a violation of regulations set by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Electrical Code (NEC) published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
What is the OSHA standard for electrical panels?
To ensure that an electrical panel can be accessed at all times – during inspection, maintenance or emergency – OSHA has determined that the working space in front of the equipment must be at least 30-inches wide (or the width of the equipment).
Are you allowed to lock your breaker box?
Lately I’ve been reading thieves would turn your home’s power off to disable any cameras that depends on power or wifi/internet connection like Nest cam or Arlo Q. There is nothing in the National Electrical Code that prevents you from locking your panel.
Does OSHA require electrical panels to be closed?
The OSHA standard (29 CFR1910. 305 (d)) requires a dead front on electrical panel boards. equipment serving 600 volts or less. more to be guarded to prevent accidental contact by approved enclosures.
Should breaker box be outside?
However, new regulations have made it so that a home electrical box has to be attached outside the home. This regulation was imposed in part by the fire department, so when fire fighters arrive at a home that is aflame, they can quickly shut off all the electricity to the house.
Can a locked electrical panel be readily accessible?
“Readily Accessible”. Climbing over or moving furniture and other impediments to reach the equipment also constitutes a violation of the “readily accessible” standard. If electrical panels are locked, they are still considered readily accessible, as long as qualified persons can quickly access the keys.
When does locking electrical panels violate OSHA requirements?
Question: Does locking the electrical panels operating at 600 volts or less (to control access by unauthorized employees) violate OSHA electrical requirements for not being “Readily accessible” in the event of an emergency?
Why are lighting panels locked in office buildings?
Locking the panels is to control access by unauthorized employees. A majority of these panels are lighting panels operating at 277 volts and are located throughout the center in office buildings, shop areas, and testing facilities. The breakers in these electrical panels are not used by employees as switches to turn equipment on and off daily.
Do you have to lock circuit breaker panels?
A: According to NFPA 99-2012, section 6.3.2.2.1.3 (A), circuit breaker panels to Category 1 and Category 2 rooms must be secured against unauthorized access. If you can justify that only authorized individuals with approved badge readers can access the panels, then you should not have to lock the individual panels.