Electrical – General
Potential Hazards & OSHA Electrical Requirements
Electricity is a serious workplace hazard capable of causing severe injury, death, fire, explosion, and property damage. Employees may be exposed to electrical hazards while installing, operating, inspecting, maintaining, or repairing electrical equipment, as well as while performing work near energized electrical conductors or equipment.
Electrical exposure is not limited to electricians and other qualified electrical workers. Construction workers, equipment operators, maintenance personnel, office employees, and others may encounter electrical hazards through damaged cords, temporary wiring, power tools, electrical panels, overhead or underground power lines, improperly grounded equipment, wet locations, or defective electrical components.
OSHA electrical standards establish requirements intended to protect employees from hazards including electric shock, electrocution, electrical burns, arc flash or arc blast, fires, and explosions. Applicable requirements vary according to the type of workplace and work being performed. Electrical hazards are addressed under OSHA standards for general industry and construction, as well as standards applicable to shipyards, marine terminals, and other specialized operations.
Electrical hazards may result from direct or indirect contact with energized parts, damaged insulation, improper grounding, inadequate overcurrent protection, defective equipment, improper use of extension cords, missing covers or guards, wet conditions, and failure to maintain required clearances from energized conductors.
General Electrical Safety Practices
Treat electrical conductors and equipment as energized unless they have been properly de-energized, locked or tagged out when required, and verified to be in an electrically safe condition by an authorized or qualified person, as applicable.
Only qualified and authorized employees shall perform electrical work for which specialized electrical knowledge or training is required.
Employees shall not attempt to repair, modify, or service electrical equipment, wiring, cords, plugs, panels, or components unless qualified and authorized to perform the work.
Electrical equipment shall be used in accordance with its listing, labeling, manufacturer instructions, and applicable workplace requirements.
Inspect electrical cords, plugs, tools, and equipment before use. Equipment with exposed conductors, damaged insulation, missing grounding pins, cracked plugs, damaged enclosures, or other conditions that could create an electrical hazard shall be removed from service until repaired or replaced.
Do not use electrical equipment in wet or damp conditions unless the equipment is approved or suitable for the environment and required protective measures are provided.
Ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection shall be provided where required. This is particularly important for temporary power, construction activities, and locations where employees may be exposed to increased electrical hazards.
Do not bypass, defeat, or remove grounding connections, interlocks, guards, circuit-protection devices, or other electrical safety features.
Maintain required working space and clearances around electrical panels and equipment. Electrical equipment shall not be blocked by stored materials, tools, furniture, or other objects.
Keep panel covers, junction boxes, receptacles, switches, and electrical enclosures properly installed and closed. Unused openings shall be effectively closed where required.
Extension cords shall be appropriate for the intended use and environment. Extension cords shall not be used as a substitute for permanent wiring where permanent wiring is required.
Flexible cords shall be protected from damage caused by vehicles, equipment, sharp edges, pinch points, doors, heat, chemicals, and other foreseeable hazards.
Do not handle energized electrical equipment, plugs, or connections with wet hands or while standing in water unless the equipment and work practices are specifically designed and approved for those conditions.
Electrical equipment that has been submerged, flooded, or otherwise exposed to water shall not be re-energized until it has been evaluated and determined safe by a qualified person.
Appropriate warning signs, barricades, guarding, or other controls shall be used where necessary to prevent unauthorized employees from entering areas containing electrical hazards.
Required personal protective equipment shall be selected and used when employees are exposed to electrical hazards that cannot otherwise be eliminated or adequately controlled.
Overhead Power Lines
Overhead electrical lines present a particularly serious hazard because contact may occur directly or indirectly through ladders, cranes, aerial lifts, scaffolds, dump trucks, excavators, long-handled tools, piping, conductive materials, or other equipment.
Consider overhead electrical lines energized unless the utility owner or operator has confirmed that the lines have been de-energized and appropriately grounded or otherwise made safe.
Before beginning work, inspect the work area for overhead electrical lines and determine whether employees, tools, equipment, vehicles, or materials could enter the required minimum approach or clearance distance.
Maintain the minimum clearance required by the OSHA standard applicable to the work and voltage involved. Ten feet is a common minimum clearance for certain operations involving lines rated 50 kV or less, but greater distances may be required for higher voltages or particular operations.
When required clearance cannot be maintained, work shall not proceed until appropriate protective measures have been established in coordination with the utility owner/operator and other responsible parties.
Use a dedicated spotter when required or when necessary to help equipment operators maintain safe clearance from overhead electrical lines.
Employees handling conductive objects such as ladders, pipes, conduit, reinforcing steel, scaffolding components, or long tools shall consider the possibility of accidental contact with overhead electrical conductors.
Never touch or approach a fallen or downed electrical line or an object in contact with the line. Keep other individuals away and immediately notify the electric utility and appropriate emergency services.
The ground surrounding a downed energized conductor may also be energized. Employees shall remain a safe distance from the line and follow emergency instructions provided by the utility or emergency responders.
Vehicles and Equipment Contacting Power Lines
If a vehicle or piece of equipment contacts or becomes entangled with an energized overhead power line, the operator should generally remain inside the vehicle or equipment, warn others to stay away, and contact emergency services and the electric utility.
No person on the ground should touch the vehicle or equipment because it may be energized. If fire or another immediate life-threatening condition makes evacuation necessary, occupants should avoid simultaneously contacting the equipment and the ground and follow emergency escape procedures appropriate for electrical contact situations. Employees who operate equipment near overhead power lines should receive task-specific training addressing these emergency procedures.
Electrical Hazard Prevention
Electrical safety begins with identifying electrical hazards before work starts. Pre-job planning should consider energized equipment, overhead and underground utilities, temporary power, environmental conditions, equipment condition, employee qualifications, required clearances, energy-control procedures, and necessary PPE.
Where electrical hazards are identified, employers should eliminate the hazard whenever feasible. When elimination is not possible, appropriate engineering controls, guarding, safe work practices, administrative controls, and PPE shall be implemented based on the hazard and applicable regulatory requirements.
Employees shall immediately report damaged electrical equipment, exposed wiring, electrical shocks, arcing, unusual odors, overheating, tripped protective devices, damaged receptacles, missing covers, or other potentially unsafe electrical conditions. Unsafe electrical equipment shall be removed from service or otherwise controlled until the condition has been corrected.
Applicable OSHA requirements may include 29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart S – Electrical; 29 CFR 1910.147 – Control of Hazardous Energy; and 29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart K – Electrical, depending on the workplace and work being performed.