NR-10 is the Brazilian regulatory standard governing safety in electrical installations and services. At its core sits a strict de-energization and re-energization sequence designed to guarantee that no one works on a circuit that can become live unexpectedly. For multinational operations, NR-10 maps closely onto the same principles as OSHA 1910.147, with Brazil-specific documentation and authorization requirements.
NR-10 establishes the minimum requirements for safety in the design, construction, assembly, operation, maintenance and any work near electrical installations, across all energy phases. It protects workers who interact directly or indirectly with electricity, requiring control measures, qualified personnel and documented procedures.
NR-10 mandates a defined sequence to place a circuit in a safe state: section the circuit; prevent re-energization (lockout/impediment); verify the absence of voltage; install temporary grounding where applicable; and protect and signal the work zone. Each step is a barrier, and the order ensures that verification and grounding occur only after the circuit has been isolated and secured against re-energization.
The "impediment of re-energization" step is NR-10 language for lockout: the isolating device is physically secured and tagged so the circuit cannot be re-energized while work is underway. This is where digital LOTO adds value — by binding the impediment to an authorization, an identified worker and a timestamped record, instead of relying on a padlock and a paper tag alone.
Re-energization is not the simple reverse of a switch. NR-10 requires that it follow a defined procedure: confirm the work is complete, remove tools and personnel, withdraw temporary grounding, remove the lockout/impediment, and re-energize only under explicit authorization. Rushing re-energization while a worker remains in the zone is a classic cause of electrical accidents.
NR-10 restricts intervention on electrical installations to workers who are qualified, trained and formally authorized, with their qualification kept current. A digital access and energy-control layer can enforce this automatically: only an authorized identity can open a procedure, apply an impediment or authorize re-energization.
NR-10 requires the employer to maintain a prontuário of the electrical installations — a technical dossier including single-line diagrams, procedures, risk analyses, training records and inspection reports. Keeping this current on paper is fragile; an integrated platform keeps procedures, authorizations and the audit trail synchronized and inspection-ready, reducing the administrative burden of NR-10 compliance.
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