Key takeaways: Workers in the electric power industry are potentially exposed to a variety of serious hazards. OSHA's Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution Standard, 29 CFR 1910.269, provides direction for employers on implementing safe work practices designed to prevent these hazards. Read more about:

  • OSHA Standard Applicability
  • Employer Responsibilities
  • Training
  • Hazard Assessment and Job Briefing

In the United States, May was National Electrical Safety Awareness Month, which provides an opportunity to share reminders and best practices.

Workers in the electric power industry are potentially exposed to a variety of serious hazards, including electric shock, falls, burns and arc flashes. OSHA's Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution Standard, 29 CFR 1910.269, provides direction for employers on implementing safe work practices designed to prevent these hazards.

Regional Resources
In addition to OSHA’s standard, many countries around the world have guidelines and resources that may be useful, including:

OSHA Standard Applicability
The 269 standard applies to the operations and maintenance of any systems or activities that generate, transmit or distribute electric power and for which only qualified employees have access. The standard is not intended to apply to workers in the construction industry as it is part of OSHA’s General Industry standards. However, according to OSHA guidance, the 269 standard is considered to be more up-to-date than its counterpart in the 1926 construction standards.

The 269 standard applies to any systems or activities that generate, transmit or distribute electric power.

Employer Responsibilities
Employers are required to provide a workplace that is free from recognized hazards to prevent serious harm to their employees. In the 269 standard, OSHA outlines responsibilities for employers to help them protect their employees.

Training
Training is essential to the hazard prevention, particularly when working around energized equipment. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that each employee is proficient in the work they perform and is trained in the safe work practices and procedures that pertain to their job. While the degree of training is dependent upon the employee’s specific job, all qualified employees are required to be trained and competent in the following:

  • How to distinguish exposed live parts from other parts of electric equipment
  • Determining the nominal voltage of exposed live parts
  • The minimum approach distances for corresponding voltages and how to maintain those distances
  • Proper use of precautionary techniques, personal protective equipment, insulating and shielding materials, and insulated tools for working on or near exposed energized parts of electric equipment
  • How to recognize electrical hazards to which the employee may be exposed and how to mitigate these hazards

It is also the employer’s responsibility to regularly supervise employees and conduct an inspection at least annually to determine if their employees are complying with this training and with their safe work practices.

First Aid & Medical Services
Under 29 CFR 1910.151, employers are required to provide medical services and first aid. Additionally, due to the serious hazards that electric power work poses, the 269 standard contains requirements for First Aid and CPR that go beyond what is required in 151. These additional requirements apply when employees are performing work that exposes them to energized parts of 50 volts or more, as this is the recognized voltage level that could cause cardiac arrest or ventricular fibrillation.

When performing work on these systems with 50 volts or more, employees with first aid and CPR training must be available. In most circumstances, OSHA requires these trained employees to work in pairs so that one person can administer first aid or CPR to the other person if needed. Additionally, for work at fixed locations, such as power plants and substations, the number of first aid-trained individuals must be enough to ensure any employee exposed to electric shock can be reached within 4 minutes by one of those trained persons.

Hazard Assessment & Job Briefing
Before each job, an employer needs to assign an employee to be in charge who has all information about the characteristics and conditions of electric lines and equipment of the work to be performed. That employee in charge must then conduct a job briefing with all affected employees before they begin work and again if the work changes throughout the shift.

The job briefing must cover several items to ensure the employees are prepared to perform their work safely, including:

  • Hazards associated with the job
  • Work procedures
  • Special precautions
  • Energy-source controls
  • PPE requirements

Hazardous Energy Control
It is necessary for employers to have hazardous energy control programs in place to further safeguard workers from the risks of hazardous energy associated with electric power generation, transmission and distribution. These procedures are regulated by 29 CFR 1910.269(d) for power generation installations and 29 CFR 1910.269(m) for power transmission and distribution lines and equipment.

It is necessary for employers to have hazardous energy control programs in place to safeguard workers.

There are differences between the types of hazardous energy control used for generation and those used for transmission and distribution. For generation, lockout/tagout procedures are required and for transmission and distribution, de-energization and grounding are required.

Host Employers and Contractors
OSHA recognizes that owners of electric power systems frequently contract out work. Therefore, in addition to the above requirements, there are specific responsibilities for host employers and contractors.

Per NFPA 70E, host employers must provide information about the design and operation of their electrical installations, the conditions needed to perform work safely, and any additional information that the contractor requests that is related to the protection of the contractor’s employees.

Contractors are required to ensure each of their employees are instructed in the hazardous conditions relevant to the employee's work at the host employer’s site. Contractors must also advise the host employer of any unique hazards presented by the contractor’s work or of any unanticipated hazards found during their work for which the host employer should instruct them.

Let ISN Help
It is important for both contractors and Hiring Clients to be aware of the hazards associated with electrical power work, OSHA’s 269 standard and other related regulations/industry best practices to ensure worker protection.

For companies whose workers may be exposed to electrical hazards, ISN has multiple written program protocols that address these hazards for both qualified and unqualified workers. Examples include Utilities Ground & De-energization, Lockout/Tagout, NFPA 70E, Line Clearance and Tree Trimming, and Electrical Safety Awareness.

If you are a contractor, ask your supervisor for a copy of your company’s electrical policies and programs to review to help reduce incidents, and log in to ISNetworld to take advantage of LMS courses about electrical safety.

If you are a Hiring Client subscriber, ask your ISN Account Representative for information on our written program, training document and supporting document protocols covering electrical safety.

Are you a Hiring Client interested to learn how ISN could help you manage your contractors and validate written programs like electrical safety awareness? Request a demo of our contractor management system, ISNetworld.