Occupational Safety and Health Standards
RULE 1210 ELECTRICAL SAFETY
1211: Philippine Electrical Code The Philippine Electrical Code is hereby adopted and the standards contained therein shall be considered safety standards to the extent that they safeguard any person employed in any workplace and control the practice of electrical engineering.
1212: Electrical Safety Inspection
1212.01: Definition
(1) “Installation” as used in this Rule shall mean assemblage of electrical equipment in a given location, designed for coordinated operation, properly erected and wired.
(2) “Approved” shall mean acceptable to the Bureau after test and examination show compliance with standards.
1212.02: General Provisions
(1) No electrical installation shall be undertaken without the plans having been approved by the Secretary or his authorized representative.
(2) No service or power supply shall be connected to any electrical installation by any utility company supplying electricity or by any person until the necessary final inspection is conducted and a safety certificate/permit issued by the Regional Labor Office or authorized representative having jurisdiction over the case.
(3) The following are excluded in the coverage of this Rule;
a. electric generating plants with franchises which are under the jurisdiction of the Board of Power and Waterworks.
b. electric generating plants and electrical installations in radio and television station which are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communications, and
c. electrical installation for conveyances used in connection with water transportation which are under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Customs.
(4) The exemptions under 3 (a) and (b) are only for the design and construction, the electrical installation may be inspected by the Regional Labor Office or authorized representative, if such poses danger to the safety and health of the workers therein.
(5) The practice of electrical engineering as required under this Rule shall be subjected to the provisions of the Philippine Electrical Engineering Law, R.A. 7920 or New Electrical Engineering Law.
1212.03 Application and Plans
(1) Application for electrical installation shall be filed by the owner/manager to the Secretary or his authorized representative having jurisdiction accompanied by plans, designs and/or specifications in triplicate prepared under the responsible charge of, signed and sealed by a registered professional electrical engineer duly licensed to practice in the Philippines. The approved plans shall serve as the installation permit and construction may be started.
(2) Application for the electrical installation for household lighting utilizing energy involving installation of twenty (20) outlets or less, or for the power or heat utilizing electrical energy not exceeding four (4) kilowatts need not be accompanied by plans. However, a layout sketch of the proposed installation shall be submitted with a list of materials and devices to be used and a signed statement to the effect that it shall conform with the rules and regulations of this Standards.
(3) After construction, a certificate of final inspection shall be secured from the office having jurisdiction, which shall serve as a service connection, safety permit and to use the installation for one year counted from the date of final inspection.
(4) Application for a certificate of electrical inspection shall be filed by the owner, manager or his authorized representative with the Regional Labor Office or authorized representative having jurisdiction at least thirty (30) days before the expiration date of the safety permit.
1212.04: Inspection
(1) The safety engineers of the Regional Labor Office or authorized representative having jurisdiction shall conduct annual safety inspection on all electrical installation and/or special inspections as provided in Rule 1004.
(2) All Regional Labor Offices shall adopt and maintain an effective records control of all electrical inspections in order that re-inspection shall not go beyond the expiration date.
1212.05: Permit to Use Installation
(1) A certificate to use the installation shall be issued subject to the following:
a. Work shall be performed under the responsible charge or supervision of a duly authorized electrical engineer or a master electrician in conformity with the field of action authorized for each grade.
b. All work shall conform with the approved plans and the provisions of this Standards.
c. All materials used in the installation shall be of the approved type.
d. The certificate shall be valid for a period of one (1) year counted from the date of final inspection and renewable annually thereafter if inspection show it is safe to use.
(2) A certificate shall continue to be valid even beyond the expiration date if an application for renewal was submitted and filed at least thirty (30) days before the expiration date and for reasons beyond its control, the enforcing agency concerned failed to act on the application on or before the date of expiration.
(3)Temporary Installation Certificate: A temporary certificate may be issued for the following:
a. temporary installations for building construction or other civil engineering work;
b. temporary installations pending completion of permanent installation; and
c.temporary installation for amusements such as ferris wheels, fairs, fiestas and other similar electrical installations.
(4)Temporary Installation Certificate shall be issued after the following conditions are complied with:
a. Clearance by the enforcing authority of the electrical plans where the installation is over twenty (20) outlets or the total load exceeds four (4) kilowatts.
b. Submission of sketch of the proposed installation to the Regional Labor Office or authorized representative for installation of twenty (20) or less outlets on for loads not exceeding four (4) kilowatts, showing a layout of the wiring installation, location and a signed statement that the installation shall conform with this Standards and that all materials used shall be of the approved type.
(5) Duration of Temporary Certificate:
a. Temporary installation for construction work and installation pending permanent installation shall be for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days from the date of issuance subject to renewal until the work is completed. Each renewal is for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days.
b. Installations for amusements shall be for sixty (60) days renewable for a maximum of sixty (60) days.
1212.06: Additional Loads
(1) When subsequent inspection is conducted for additional loads to an existing installation within a covered year, fees shall be charged only for the additional load.
(2) Permit for additional loads inspected within the covered year shall have for their expiration date the date of the original electrical installation.
(3) The original installation including all additional loads shall be reinspected on the same date of the following year.
(4) Additional load and/or alteration of installation is not allowed unless a permit is issued.
1213: Inspection Fees
Refer to Rule 1970
1214: Requirements in the Preparation of Electrical Plans
Before electrical wiring installation is done, the owner/manager or his authorized representative shall file the required application for electrical wiring installation in triplicate, accompanied by three (3) copies of each sheet of plans in white print. The following shall be incorporated in the plans.
(1) Location Plans:
a. site of the compound indicating any known landmarks, private or public buildings and arrow indicating NORTH direction drawn not necessarily to scale.
b. the service drop from the utility company pole to the building structure; and
c. all feeder lines.
(2) Electrical Layout:
a. power layout, in addition to the lighting layout, if the number of motors exceed (10);
b. other loads;
c. bell system circuit;
d. telephone system circuit;
e. riser or single line diagram
f. riser design computation;
g. load schedule;
h.electrical legend and specifications
(3) Outdoor sub-station:
a. location of outdoor sub-station indicating the distance with respect to the nearest building,
b. primary and secondary lines,
c. fencing or enclosure,
d. top, front and side views showing pertinent distances,
e. grounding system,
f. specification
c. single line diagram
h. legend
i. design computation.
(4) Indoor Sub-station:
Transformer vault walls, roof, flooring, doorways, ventilation and drainage including items, b, d, e, f, g, h and i of outdoor sub-station requirements.
Reference : Occupational Safety and Health Standards Handbook
