Which standard is essential to refer to regarding electrical safety while working on transformers?

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards are critical for ensuring electrical safety, particularly when working on electrical equipment like transformers. NFPA provides guidelines and recommendations that help prevent electrical hazards, reduce the risk of fire, and ensure safe working conditions. Among its many standards, NFPA 70E specifically addresses electrical safety in the workplace, including the necessary precautions and procedures when conducting work on electrical systems and equipment, including transformers.

Understanding NFPA standards helps electricians and safety professionals recognize potential hazards and implement safe work practices, such as appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and safe electrical disconnecting procedures. This ensures both the worker's safety and compliance with legal and industry requirements.

While other standards are relevant to electrical work—such as ANSI (American National Standards Institute) for general safety standards, NEC (National Electrical Code) for wiring and electrical installations, and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) for international standards—the NFPA standards, particularly NFPA 70E, focus directly on safety practices that are crucial when working on equipment like transformers.