A power distribution equipment personnel safety system includes a vicinity sensor and a power distribution equipment sensor. An outer envelope having a door or cover to an interior of the power distribution equipment is monitored by a vicinity sensor data and a processing unit determines a position of a person in the area outside of the door/cover using vicinity sensor data. When the outer envelope is disturbed where one or more doors or one or more covers are open or not correctly closed or one or more covers are removed, the processing unit determines a personnel safety state and at least one action comprising utilization of the personnel safety state.