OSHA Requirements (Public Law 91-596) OSHA Regulations are Law
OSHA requirements are not recommendations. The requirements set forth in the OSHA standards are the law. By passing the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Congress authorized enforcement of the standards developed under the OSHA Act. Compliance with this regulation is enforced by the Department Of Labor. There are a number of OSHA requirements that address the hazards of working on or near exposed energized parts for construction and maintenance work.
OSHA General Duty Clause (GDC) Employment free from hazards
Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health act.
"Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.“
Employee Duties Employees Shall Comply
Each employee shall comply with occupational safety and health standards and all rules, regulations, and orders issued pursuant to this Act which are applicable to his own actions and conduct.
29 CFR OSHA 1910 Subpart I – Personal Protective Equipment
- §1910.132 (d) (1) Employers Shall Asses the Workplace to Determine Hazards
The employer shall asses the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of PPE. If such hazards are present, or likely to be present, the employer shall:
- Select and have each affected employee use, the types of PPE that will protect the affected employee from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment;
- Communicate selection decisions to each affected employee;
- Select PPE that properly fits each affected employee.
29 CFR OSHA 1910 Subpart S – Electrical
Employees who face electrical hazards are required to be trained.
§1910.332 (b) (1)
Employees shall be trained in and familiar with the safety-related work practices required by §1910.331 through §1910.335 that pertain to their respective job assignments.
§1910.332 (c)
Type of training. "The training required by this section shall be of the classroom or on-the-job type. The degree of training provided shall be determined by the risk to the employee."
§1910.332 (b) (3)
Qualified persons (i.e. those permitted to work on or near exposed energized parts) shall, at a minimum, be trained in and familiar with the following:
- The skills and techniques necessary to distinguish exposed live parts from the other parts of electric equipment.
- The skills and techniques necessary to determine the nominal voltage of exposed live parts.
- The clearance distances specified in 1910.333 (c) and the corresponding voltages to which the qualified person will be exposed
1910.333 (a) (1)
De-energized parts. Live parts to which an employee may be exposed shall be de- energized before the employee works on or near them, unless the employer can demonstrate that de-energizing introduces additional or increased hazards or is infeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations.
29 CFR OSHA 1910 Subpart S – Electrical
§1910.333 (a) (2)
When working on energized parts other safety-related work practices shall be used to protect employees who may be exposed to the electrical hazards involved.
§1910.333 (C) (2)
Only Qualified persons may work on electric circuit parts or equipment that have not been de-energized. Such Persons shall be capable of working safely on energized circuits and shall be familiar with the proper use of special precautionary techniques, Personal protective equipment, insulating and shielding materials, and insulated tools.
§1910.335 (a)(1)(i)
Employees working in areas where there are potential electrical hazards shall be provided with, and shall use, electrical protective equipment that is appropriate for the specific parts of the body to be protected and for the work to be performed.
§1910.335 (a)(1)(iv)
Employees shall wear nonconductive head protection wherever there is a danger of head injury from electric shock or burns due to contact with exposed energized parts.
§1910.335 (a)(1)(v)
Employees shall wear protective equipment for the eyes or face wherever there is danger of injury to the eyes of face from electric arcs of flashes or from flying objects resulting from electrical explosion.
29 CFR OSHA 1910 Subpart S – Electrical
§1910.335 (a)(2)(ii)
Protective shields, protective barriers, or insulating materials shall be used to protect each employee from shock, burns, or other electrically related injuries while that employee is working near exposed energized parts which might be accidentally contacted or where dangerous electric heating or arcing might occur. When normally enclosed live parts are exposed for maintenance or repair, they shall be guarded to protect unqualified persons from contact with the life parts.
§1910.335 (b)
The following altering techniques shall be used to warn and protect employees from hazards which could cause injury due to electric shock, burns, or failure of electric equipment parts:
- Safety signs and tags. Safety signs, safety symbols, or accident prevention tags shall be used where necessary to warn employees about electrical hazards which may endanger them, as required by §1910.145.
- Barricades. Barricades shall be used in conjunction with safety signs where it is necessary to prevent or limit employee access to work areas exposing employees to uninsulated energized conductors or circuit parts. Conductive barricades may not be used where they might cause an electrical contact hazard.
- Attendants. If signs and barricades do not provide sufficient warning and protection from electrical hazards, and attendant shall be stationed to warn and protect employees.
Subpart S - Appendix A
“The following references provide information which can be helpful in understanding and complying with the requirements contained in Subpart S:”
NFPA 70E Standard for the Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces
