August 28, 2007:

We have reached the half-way point in the development of the new Z462 Standard. Much of the content for the main body of the Standard has been drafted. We are still collecting resource material relevant to Canadian workplaces for inclusion in the Annex of the Standard. All-in-all, it is shaping up to be a high-value standard for employers, contractors, electricians, and regulatory bodies from B.C. to Newfoundland. Z462 will serve to tie together the Canadian Electrical Code, with safe work practices endorsed by NFPA and IEEE, as well as Hazardous Energy Control Standards from CSA. It will also link the ASTM arc flash hazard evaluation criteria (limits of approach) with some of the protective equipment standards from ULC, IEC, and ASTM.

CSA Z462 will be developed in parallel with the 2009 edition of NFPA 70E. And as much as practicable for Canadian Workplaces, Z462 will be designed to harmonize with the safety requirements of NFPA 70E. As a result, companies and electrical professionals already complying with NFPA 70E should be able to easily adjust their practices to meet the Canadian Standard.

CSA very much appreciates the efforts of the 60 men and women who represent stakeholders from across Canada on the Z462 Technical Committee. These CSA members, as well as representatives from NFPA and IEEE, are volunteering their expertise to develop a quality safety standard applicable to all jurisdictions in a wide variety of occupational sectors.

If everything goes as planned, the first edition of the CSA Z462 Standard will be published in late 2008.

Dave Shanahan,
OHS Standards Project Manager

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