NETA launched its new Qualified Electrical Equipment Maintenance Contractor and Worker Program at PowerTest24, NETA’s annual electrical power system safety and reliability conference held recently at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas. The new qualification program is in response to the recently ANSI-approved NFPA 70B–2023, Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance, making proper electrical equipment maintenance mandatory and enforceable.
The new program is intended to meet the anticipated demand for vetted, qualified electrical equipment maintenance contractors through a process of company review and the testing of contractor-employed electrical maintenance equipment workers.
As facility owners and operators consider how to align their electrical maintenance programs with the NFPA 70B maintenance requirements, the demand for qualified electrical contractors with qualified electrical maintenance workers will accelerate. By establishing its new Qualified Electrical Equipment Maintenance Contractor and Worker Program, NETA has taken a leadership position in support of the NFPA 70B maintenance requirements.
For fifty-two years, NETA has served as the leader in advancing quality of service, safety, and reliability in the electrical testing and maintenance industry. As an ANSI-Accredited Standards Developer since 1996, NETA understands the implications and challenges that will be driven by now that NFPA 70B is becoming an approved ANSI-Standard.
To meet the requirements of this new qualification program administered through NETA, Qualified Electrical Equipment Maintenance Contractors (QEMC)will have completed a standardized vetting process. The vetting process entails a review of the electrical contractor’s maintenance capabilities, safety programs, equipment calibrations, and business operations. In addition, a minimum number of the electrical contractor’s employed workers will have passed an exam, administered by NETA, verifying their knowledge and expertise as a Qualified Electrical Equipment Maintenance Worker (QEMW).The NETA-administered QEMC and QEMW Program guidelines, policies, and application process have been finalized, and the QEMW exam will be available this summer (2024).
The NETA-administered QEMC and QEMW Program is designed around routine maintenance support to the advanced electrical testing services specified in the ANSI-Approved NETA Standards and performed by NETA-Certified Technicians at NETA-Accredited independent, third-party testing organizations.
For detailed information on the QEMW program, visit www.netaworld.org/qemc-qemw.
If you are interested in learning more about how to participate in the NETA-administered QEMC and QEMW Program, contact the NETA office at neta@netaworld.org or call 888.300.6382.