ASE to Provide Program for xEV High-Voltage Safety

[Counterman]

Although hybrids have been around for more than 20 years, many shops are not familiar with the risks of high-voltage vehicles or are not comfortable working on or around them. To address this concern, the National Institute for

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(ASE) said it is offering a testing and certification program for electrified propulsion vehicle (xEV) high-voltage safety, including light-duty and medium-/heavy-duty hybrid and electric vehicles. 

This industry-developed program provides two options to certify shop personnel based on their involvement with xEVs. Industry standards accompany both certifications and are intended to be used in conjunction with high-voltage vehicle safety training. Training managers have found that technicians who have attained xEV certification have increased confidence and lower anxiety while working on hybrid and electric vehicles.

The test can be completed online, ASE said. Once the test is passed, the test-taker receives an electronic credential and a certificate that can be downloaded and printed for display.

The xEV Electrical Safety Awareness Certification (Level One) certification is designed for anyone who may encounter xEV in the workplace, including individuals who perform tasks near electric-powered vehicles, such as sales, service, repair and support, ASE said. Level One individuals require high-voltage electrical safety awareness to identify the hazards and reduce the associated risks when working on or near xEVs or near high-voltage components of electrified propulsion vehicles.

Skills performed by Level One individuals may include: operating (driving) a hybrid or electric propulsion vehicle; performing maintenance and repairs not related to high-voltage systems or their components; handling non-high-voltage components of electrified propulsion vehicles and working near electric-powered vehicles or high-voltage components of electrified propulsion vehicles.

The xEV Technician Electrical Safety Certification (Level Two) certification is for those service professionals, technicians or specialists who have received high-voltage electrical training; have demonstrated skills and knowledge related to the construction, operation and repair of electrically powered high-voltage vehicles; maintain an electrically safe working area and use required personal protective equipment. They have also received safety training to identify the hazards and reduce the associated risk.

Skills performed by Level Two repair professionals may include: evaluating and classifying the condition of the high-voltage battery and high-voltage electrical system; isolating the voltage from the high-voltage systems and checking the isolation from the supply; securing the high-voltage system against being activated; re-starting the high voltage system; performing general work on de-energized high-voltage systems and components and assessing the risk of high-voltage vehicles that were involved in an accident.

“Today, shops must consider the exposure and liability related to servicing hybrid and electric vehicles,” Dave Johnson, ASE president and CEO, said. “The ASE xEV certifications should be a critical component of a shop’s high voltage safety training. The standards were developed to keep shop personnel safe and earning the credentials is a great way for shops to showcase the ability of their knowledgeable staff to work on high voltage vehicles.”

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