Electrical Code on Metal Objects

This is a Bit off Subject but I really need some good guidance here if anyone can please help me. They want me to start using this All Metal tool cart that they got for Maintenance Personnel. Though I am in the Maintenance Dept., myself, Being the Instrumentation Technician, I'm the only one that does Troubleshooting and work on MCC's and a PLC Cabinets that are also together with high Voltage. Can anybody Direct me to find some kind of Code on Metal Object hazards near Electric Cabinets. They can't seen to understand what I tell them, that a huge all metal tool cart is just not even a good look for an Electrical / Instrumentation type. Unfortunately the Engineer here has Retired, and they pulled this move afterwards. Please help. Thank you.

Does your facility have a safety officer? If so, see what he or she thinks about it. We sometimes have to go that route when plant supervisors want us to do something that we feel is unsafe.

humm i don't like to read that someone would need a code note to convince someone else that metal cart and electricity doesn't work well toghether...Go back a decade (or 2) ago, peoples wasn't relaying on safety notice to know if something was dangerous or not. PEoples was working carefully on a unsafe working place but now that work place are improved, peoples stop thinking about what remain dangerous orf not if there is no sign or notice about it...

I'm not sure but maybe the problem comes from your point of vue vs the other person? Do you need a cart for your work ? Or you request one and you would like to get the ''Ferrari'' model of cart and they just told you that their is one there if you want to use it and you don't like that answer ?

If it is required, you could make arrangement to get the actual one isolated with plastic top layer and replace handle bar etc or their is manny availaible made with molded plastic...If you want to convince him, please don't play the game of who is more stupid by simulathing a dangerous accident etc...At worst you can show the result of a charged smal size capacitor touching the cart and the lightning may convince him (Use gloves and glass if you do so)

Thanks for the Replies. It is all a Matter of the Supervisor justifying the money he spent on the tool boxes. The safety Officer is in on it, they are trained not to go against another supervisor. So they know that they are wrong but, they are letting it fly.

The code is simple, The door is not allowed to be opened when the main switch is ON. So you can use a metal cart as there is no power in the opened cabinet.
Till so far the code.

The metal doors are grounded, the same should be done with any metal object that can be touched , movable or not.
Here we have NEN code 1010, but it is formalized so should be applicable anywhere.


Any object near a voltage above 50 V must be isolated or grounded, which ever is possible.

Isolation is way better as it will not cause damage in installation.
So your thought of attention is very good.
You as certified electrician, must know the code, and you can not say, your chief is supervisor, as he may not have any electrical education or certificate.
Only you are responsible for your own workfield safety.

So yes correct, OR isolate the cart a way you can not touch any object that is conducting, OR use a plastic cart, I have a 2wheel plastic cart. and a plastic table to put cables on when connecting.
i also have a plastic footstep to reach a little higher.
Only my vise is steel (hey i am not perfect)
we use wooden ladders inside high voltage.

Simply said: you are not allowed to have any conducting materials inside a high voltage room, cabinet, box etc.

You might try NFPA 11.5.1 or NEC 110.26.

Basically you need 3' of clearance between live components and a conductive object for 0-150V and 4' for 150-600V.

Amusing, this guy. So he says that he's willing to work with me on this matter and if I could find a Lockable tool box that is "safe" around Electrical Panels. I sent this to him.
http://www.milwaukeeconnect.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_27_40028_-1_734802_192467_192327

and these pictures
http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/attachment.php?attachmentid=32216&stc=1&d=1399630536
http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/attachment.php?attachmentid=32217&stc=1&d=1399630536

When he replies, He totally disregards what this is all about and calls the cart "Trashy" and that he doesn't like it. WOW! I'm Done. Thanks guys.

A good story on using a metal tool box... when I was young and 1st starting out we had a motor would not start... pulled the fuses..layed them on my metal tool cart..checked them with a ohm meter and were good... put them back in .. still would not start.. pulled the fuses again and placed them on my metal tool box again.. again they checked OK. Talk about being a dumb kid... I still get amused every time I think about it.

cornbread said:

A good story on using a metal tool box... when I was young and 1st starting out we had a motor would not start... pulled the fuses..layed them on my metal tool cart..checked them with a ohm meter and were good... put them back in .. still would not start.. pulled the fuses again and placed them on my metal tool box again.. again they checked OK. Talk about being a dumb kid... I still get amused every time I think about it.

Click to expand...

Amazing and rookie fault but good point, it isn't just for shorting with inside of 1 live panel but also for everything else you will do with the cart that need to be isolated. BTW some device like capacitors bank or VFD DC bus remain charged regardless of how manny locks you put on the power feed so it remain important even if you keep doors closed...