But here’s the reality: electrical compliance isn’t getting simpler. NFPA 70E requirements continue evolving, OSHA enforcement is becoming more sophisticated, and the consequences of getting it wrong, whether that’s citations, insurance issues, or worse, employee injuries, are significant. Sometimes the smartest decision is recognizing when your situation requires specialized expertise you don’t have in-house.
Let’s walk through the real-world scenarios where bringing in engineering consulting help isn’t just helpful, it’s often essential for protecting your people, your operations, and your organization.
You’re Facing an OSHA Inspection or Compliance Audit
Picture this: you get a notification that OSHA is conducting an inspection, or your insurance carrier schedules a comprehensive audit of your electrical safety program. Suddenly, everything you thought was probably fine needs to be documented, justified, and defensible.
This is one of the clearest signals that you need expert support. OSHA inspectors and insurance auditors know exactly what they’re looking for: proper arc flash labeling, documented electrical safety programs, current short circuit studies, evidence of NFPA 70E compliance, and qualified worker training records. If any of these elements are missing, outdated, or inadequate, you’re looking at citations, increased premiums, or mandated corrective actions.
Engineering consultants who specialize in electrical compliance can quickly assess your current state, identify gaps, and help you address them before or during the inspection process. They speak the same technical language as inspectors and understand what documentation and evidence will satisfy compliance requirements. More importantly, they can help you respond to findings or citations in ways that demonstrate good faith compliance efforts, which often influences enforcement outcomes.
The cost of bringing in experts for audit preparation is almost always lower than the cost of citations, insurance premium increases, or being forced to halt operations until issues are corrected.
Your Facility Is Expanding or Undergoing Major Modifications
Facility expansions, production line additions, or infrastructure upgrades all change your electrical system and your compliance requirements. That new manufacturing equipment might push your existing electrical infrastructure beyond its designed capacity. The building addition could create new arc flash hazards that weren’t present before. Equipment modifications might invalidate your existing electrical safety documentation.
Here’s the thing: most in-house maintenance teams are excellent at keeping existing systems running, but fewer have the specialized training to analyze how modifications impact arc flash hazards, short circuit calculations, or protective device coordination. These aren’t casual considerations; they’re complex engineering calculations that require specific expertise and software tools.
When you’re planning significant facility changes, engaging engineering consulting support early in the process prevents expensive problems down the road. Consultants can evaluate how proposed changes will affect your electrical system, identify needed upgrades to maintain safety and compliance, and ensure your arc flash study and electrical safety program are updated to reflect the new configuration.
The alternative to discovering compliance gaps after construction is complete typically costs far more to remediate and can delay occupancy or production start-up while issues are resolved.
You’re Implementing or Updating Your NFPA 70E Program
NFPA 70E isn’t just a standard you acknowledge exists; it’s a comprehensive framework for electrical safety that requires documented programs, risk assessments, training protocols, and ongoing management. Creating or significantly updating an NFPA 70E-compliant electrical safety program is a substantial undertaking that touches every aspect of how your organization approaches electrical work.
Many facilities struggle with this because NFPA 70E compliance isn’t a one-time project; it’s an ongoing program that requires specific technical knowledge to implement correctly. You need to establish electrically safe work conditions, create job hazard analyses for different types of electrical work, determine appropriate PPE requirements, develop energy control procedures, and train workers to appropriate qualification levels.
Engineering consultants who specialize in NFPA 70E can help you build a program that’s both compliant and practical for your specific operations. They’ve seen what works across different facility types, understand common implementation pitfalls, and can tailor program elements to your actual hazards and work practices rather than creating generic documentation that doesn’t reflect reality.
This is especially valuable if you’re starting from scratch or if your existing program hasn’t been maintained properly. Rather than trying to interpret hundreds of pages of NFPA 70E requirements and figure out how they apply to your facility, consultants provide a roadmap based on proven approaches and industry best practices.
Your Arc Flash Study Is Outdated or Missing
If your arc flash study is more than five years old, or if you don’t have one at all, you’re operating with incomplete information about one of your facility’s most serious electrical hazards. Arc flash incidents can be catastrophic, and OSHA expects employers to assess and address these hazards through proper studies and labeling.
Conducting arc flash assessments requires specialized engineering expertise and software that most facilities don’t maintain in-house. It’s not just about calculating incident energy levels; it involves understanding your electrical system’s configuration, analyzing protective device coordination, modeling fault currents, and translating complex calculations into practical safety recommendations and equipment labels.
This is definitely an area where engineering consulting expertise is necessary. Arc flash studies aren’t something you can approximate or estimate; they require precise electrical engineering analysis using current system data and industry-standard calculation methods. Getting it wrong means your workers might be using inadequate PPE or following unsafe work procedures based on inaccurate hazard information.
Beyond the initial study, consultants can also identify opportunities to reduce arc flash hazards through protective device adjustments or equipment modifications, potentially lowering PPE requirements and improving worker safety beyond basic compliance.
You Have Limited In-House Electrical Engineering Resources
Let’s be honest about staffing realities. Many facilities, even large ones, don’t employ full-time electrical engineers on staff. Your maintenance team might include skilled electricians who keep systems running day-to-day, but they may lack the engineering background needed for complex compliance analysis, system studies, or program development.
This staffing model makes perfect sense for most operations. You don’t need an electrical engineer on payroll full-time when the specialized work arises periodically. But when those needs do arise, whether for arc flash studies, power quality analysis, or compliance program development, you need access to that expertise somehow.
Engineering consulting provides flexible access to specialized knowledge without the overhead of full-time positions. You bring in experts when you need them, for the specific projects that require their skills, and you’re not paying for capacity you don’t use year-round. For facilities in competitive markets like metro Atlanta, this approach often makes the most financial sense while still ensuring you have access to expertise when it matters.
You’re Dealing with Complex or Unusual Electrical Systems
Some facilities have electrical configurations that go beyond standard commercial or industrial setups. Maybe you have on-site generation, complex power distribution schemes, multiple voltage levels, or specialized equipment with unique electrical requirements. Perhaps your facility includes older infrastructure that’s been modified repeatedly over decades, creating a system that’s difficult to analyze without detailed investigation.
These complex situations often exceed what general electrical contractors or in-house teams can confidently handle from an engineering and compliance perspective. The calculations become more involved, the potential interactions between system components are harder to predict, and the stakes of getting something wrong are higher.
Engineering consultants who specialize in power systems analysis have both the technical tools and practical experience to untangle complex electrical configurations. They can model your system accurately, identify hidden issues, and provide recommendations based on proven engineering principles rather than educated guesses.
Your Insurance Carrier Is Requiring Documentation
Insurance carriers are increasingly sophisticated about electrical safety requirements, and many now require specific documentation as a condition of coverage or renewal. They might ask for current arc flash studies, evidence of NFPA 70E program implementation, infrared thermography reports, or documentation of protective device testing and maintenance.
If your insurance carrier is requesting documentation you don’t have or can’t produce, engineering consultants can help you generate the required materials quickly and credibly. They understand what insurance companies are looking for and can provide documentation that satisfies these requirements while actually improving your facility’s safety posture.
Failing to provide requested documentation can result in coverage limitations, premium increases, or even policy cancellation. The cost of consulting support to address these requirements is almost always less than the cost of insurance implications or trying to find new coverage without proper documentation.
You’re Pursuing Certification or Need Third-Party Verification
Some situations require independent, third-party verification of compliance or safety measures. Maybe you’re pursuing NFPA 70E certification for your facility or specific operations. Perhaps you’re involved in an acquisition or sale where electrical safety compliance needs to be documented for due diligence. Or you might need independent verification to satisfy contractual requirements with clients or partners.
In these scenarios, having your own internal team assess and document compliance doesn’t carry the same weight as independent engineering verification. Third-party consultants provide a credible, objective assessment that stakeholders can trust because there’s no internal bias or conflict of interest.
This independence is particularly valuable when disputes arise or when compliance questions need definitive answers. Consultant findings and recommendations carry professional engineering authority that internal assessments may lack, especially in regulatory or legal contexts.
The Cost-Benefit Analysis Often Favors Expert Help
Here’s the bottom line that many facility managers discover: attempting to handle complex electrical compliance issues in-house often ends up costing more in time, stress, and eventual remediation than engaging expert help upfront would have cost.
Your maintenance team’s time has value, and pulling them away from their core responsibilities to struggle with complex compliance requirements they’re not trained for creates operational costs that aren’t always visible. Factor in the risk of errors, the possibility of citations or safety incidents, and the opportunity cost of delayed projects, and the economics usually favor bringing in specialists for specialized work.
Think of engineering consulting like any other specialized service. You wouldn’t expect your electricians to handle complex legal matters or sophisticated financial analysis; you’d bring in lawyers or accountants with the right expertise. Electrical compliance engineering works the same way. You’re not admitting weakness by seeking expert help; you’re making a smart decision that protects your facility and your people.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly can engineering consultants address urgent compliance needs?
Most electrical engineering consulting firms can mobilize quickly for urgent needs like impending audits or inspection responses. Initial assessments often happen within days, with preliminary findings available shortly after. Full arc flash studies or comprehensive program development take longer, but consultants can prioritize immediate compliance gaps while developing longer-term solutions. Early contact provides more options and better outcomes than waiting until deadlines are imminent.
Do we need to have everything perfect before contacting an engineering consultant?
Absolutely not. Consultants work with facilities at all compliance levels, from those with comprehensive programs needing updates to those starting from scratch. In fact, contacting consultants early, before you’ve invested time and resources in potentially incorrect approaches, often leads to more efficient outcomes. They can assess your current state objectively and recommend the most effective path forward for your specific situation.
What’s the typical cost range for engineering consulting on electrical compliance?
Costs vary significantly based on facility size, complexity, and scope of work needed. Arc flash studies might range from a few thousand dollars for small facilities to $20,000+ for large, complex sites. NFPA 70E program development varies similarly based on facility scope and existing documentation. Most consultants provide detailed proposals after initial assessment, letting you make informed decisions. The investment typically pays for itself through avoided citations, reduced insurance costs, and prevented incidents.
Can engineering consultants work with our existing electrical contractors?
Yes, and this collaboration often produces the best results. Consultants provide the specialized engineering analysis and compliance expertise, while your trusted electrical contractors handle the implementation work they’re already familiar with at your facility. This team approach combines outside expertise with local knowledge and existing relationships for efficient project execution.
What qualifications should we look for in an electrical compliance consultant?
Look for licensed professional engineers with specific experience in power systems, arc flash analysis, and NFPA 70E compliance. Relevant certifications might include Certified Electrical Safety Compliance Professional (CESCP) or similar credentials. Experience with facilities similar to yours matters, such as industrial, commercial, healthcare, etc. References from facilities that have been through inspections or audits after working with the consultant provide valuable verification of their effectiveness.
Expert Electrical Compliance Support When You Need It
Shaw Consulting Services provides specialized engineering consulting to facilities throughout the Atlanta area facing electrical compliance challenges. Our team of licensed professional engineers brings deep expertise in NFPA 70E program development, arc flash assessments, power studies, and OSHA compliance requirements across diverse facility types.
We understand that every facility’s situation is unique: different electrical configurations, different operational constraints, different compliance priorities. Our consulting approach starts with understanding your specific needs, timeline, and constraints before recommending solutions. Whether you’re preparing for an audit, planning a facility expansion, updating outdated studies, or building an electrical safety program from scratch, we provide practical expertise that addresses your real-world requirements.
Our services include comprehensive arc flash assessments, power system studies, NFPA 70E program development and training, infrared thermography, electrical equipment testing and maintenance, and ongoing compliance support. We work collaboratively with your internal teams and existing contractors to deliver results efficiently without disrupting your operations.
Many facilities across Georgia rely on our expertise to maintain electrical compliance, respond to regulatory requirements, and ensure their electrical safety programs protect workers effectively. We’re not just consultants who hand you a report and disappear—we’re partners who help you understand findings, implement recommendations, and maintain compliance over time.
Ready to discuss your electrical compliance needs with experts who understand both the engineering and the practical realities of facility management? Contact Shaw Consulting Services to schedule a consultation and learn how we can support your compliance and safety objectives.