Title 29—Labor--Volume 1
PART 1910—OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS
§ 1910.308   Special systems.
(a) Systems over 600 volts, nominal. This paragraph covers the general requirements for all circuits and equipment operated at over 600 volts.
(1) Aboveground wiring methods. (i) Aboveground conductors shall be installed in rigid metal conduit, in intermediate metal conduit, in electrical metallic tubing, in rigid nonmetallic conduit, in cable trays, as busways, as cablebus, in other identified raceways, or as open runs of metal-clad cable suitable for the use and purpose. In locations accessible to qualified persons only, open runs of Type MV cables, bare conductors, and bare busbars are also permitted. Busbars shall be either copper or aluminum. Open runs of insulated wires and cables having a bare lead sheath or a braided outer covering shall be supported in a manner designed to prevent physical damage to the braid or sheath.
(ii) Conductors emerging from the ground shall be enclosed in approved raceways.
(2) Braid-covered insulated conductors—open installations. The braid on open runs of braid-covered insulated conductors shall be flame retardant or shall have a flame-retardant saturant applied after installation. This treated braid covering shall be stripped back a safe distance at conductor terminals, according to the operating voltage.
(3) Insulation shielding. (i) Metallic and semiconductor insulation shielding components of shielded cables shall be removed for a distance dependent on the circuit voltage and insulation. Stress reduction means shall be provided at all terminations of factory-applied shielding.
(ii) Metallic shielding components such as tapes, wires, or braids, or combinations thereof, and their associated conducting and semiconducting components shall be grounded.
(4) Moisture or mechanical protection for metal-sheathed cables. Where cable conductors emerge from a metal sheath and where protection against moisture or physical damage is necessary, the insulation of the conductors shall be protected by a cable sheath terminating device.
(5) Interrupting and isolating devices. (i) Circuit breaker installations located indoors shall consist of metal-enclosed units or fire-resistant cell-mounted units. In locations accessible only to qualified employees, open mounting of circuit breakers is permitted. A means of indicating the open and closed position of circuit breakers shall be provided.
(ii) Where fuses are used to protect conductors and equipment, a fuse shall be placed in each ungrounded conductor. Two power fuses may be used in parallel to protect the same load, if both fuses have identical ratings, and if both fuses are installed in an identified common mounting with electrical connections that will divide the current equally. Power fuses of the vented type may not be used indoors, underground, or in metal enclosures unless identified for the use.
(iii) Fused cutouts installed in buildings or transformer vaults shall be of a type identified for the purpose. Distribution cutouts may not be used indoors, underground, or in metal enclosures. They shall be readily accessible for fuse replacement.
(iv) Where fused cutouts are not suitable to interrupt the circuit manually while carrying full load, an approved means shall be installed to interrupt the entire load. Unless the fused cutouts are interlocked with the switch to prevent opening of the cutouts under load, a conspicuous sign shall be placed at such cutouts reading: “WARNING—DO NOT OPERATE UNDER LOAD.”
(v) Suitable barriers or enclosures shall be provided to prevent contact with nonshielded cables or energized parts of oil-filled cutouts.
(vi) Load interrupter switches may be used only if suitable fuses or circuits are used in conjunction with these devices to interrupt fault currents.
(A) Where these devices are used in combination, they shall be coordinated electrically so that they will safely withstand the effects of closing, carrying, or interrupting all possible currents up to the assigned maximum short-circuit rating.
(B) Where more than one switch is installed with interconnected load terminals to provide for alternate connection to different supply conductors, each switch shall be provided with a conspicuous sign reading: “WARNING—SWITCH MAY BE ENERGIZED BY BACKFEED.”
(vii) A means (for example, a fuseholder and fuse designed for the purpose) shall be provided to completely isolate equipment for inspection and repairs. Isolating means that are not designed to interrupt the load current of the circuit shall be either interlocked with an approved circuit interrupter or provided with a sign warning against opening them under load.
(6) Mobile and portable equipment. (i) A metallic enclosure shall be provided on the mobile machine for enclosing the terminals of the power cable. The enclosure shall include provisions for a solid connection for the grounding terminal to effectively ground the machine frame. The method of cable termination used shall prevent any strain or pull on the cable from stressing the electrical connections. The enclosure shall have provision for locking so only authorized qualified persons may open it and shall be marked with a sign warning of the presence of energized parts.
(ii) All energized switching and control parts shall be enclosed in effectively grounded metal cabinets or enclosures. Circuit breakers and protective equipment shall have the operating means projecting through the metal cabinet or enclosure so these units can be reset without locked doors being opened. Enclosures and metal cabinets shall be locked so that only authorized qualified persons have access and shall be marked with a sign warning of the presence of energized parts. Collector ring assemblies on revolving-type machines (shovels, draglines, etc.) shall be guarded.
(7) Tunnel installations. This paragraph applies to installation and use of high-voltage power distribution and utilization equipment that is portable or mobile, such as substations, trailers, cars, mobile shovels, draglines, hoists, drills, dredges, compressors, pumps, conveyors, and underground excavators.
(i) Conductors in tunnels shall be installed in one or more of the following:
(A) Metal conduit or other metal raceway;
(B) Type MC cable; or
(C) Other approved multiconductor cable.
(ii) Multiconductor portable cable may supply mobile equipment.
(iii) Conductors and cables shall also be so located or guarded as to protect them from physical damage. An equipment grounding conductor shall be run with circuit conductors inside the metal raceway or inside the multiconductor cable jacket. The equipment grounding conductor may be insulated or bare.
(iv) Bare terminals of transformers, switches, motor controllers, and other equipment shall be enclosed to prevent accidental contact with energized parts.
(v) Enclosures for use in tunnels shall be drip-proof, weatherproof, or submersible as required by the environmental conditions.
(vi) Switch or contactor enclosures may not be used as junction boxes or raceways for conductors feeding through or tapping off to other switches, unless special designs are used to provide adequate space for this purpose.
(vii) A disconnecting means that simultaneously opens all ungrounded conductors shall be installed at each transformer or motor location.
(viii) All nonenergized metal parts of electric equipment and metal raceways and cable sheaths shall be effectively grounded and bonded to all metal pipes and rails at the portal and at intervals not exceeding 305 m (1000 ft) throughout the tunnel.
(b) Emergency power systems. This paragraph applies to circuits, systems, and equipment intended to supply power for illumination and special loads in the event of failure of the normal supply.
(1) Wiring methods. Emergency circuit wiring shall be kept entirely independent of all other wiring and equipment and may not enter the same raceway, cable, box, or cabinet or other wiring except either where common circuit elements suitable for the purpose are required, or for transferring power from the normal to the emergency source.
(2) Emergency illumination. Emergency illumination shall include all required means of egress lighting, illuminated exit signs, and all other lights necessary to provide illumination. Where emergency lighting is necessary, the system shall be so arranged that the failure of any individual lighting element, such as the burning out of a light bulb, cannot leave any space in total darkness.
(3) Signs. (i) A sign shall be placed at the service entrance equipment indicating the type and location of on-site emergency power sources. However, a sign is not required for individual unit equipment.
(ii) Where the grounded circuit conductor connected to the emergency source is connected to a grounding electrode conductor at a location remote from the emergency source, there shall be a sign at the grounding location that shall identify all emergency and normal sources connected at that location.
(c) Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 remote control, signaling, and power-limited circuits —(1) Classification. Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 remote control, signaling, or power-limited circuits are characterized by their usage and electrical power limitation that differentiates them from light and power circuits. These circuits are classified in accordance with their respective voltage and power limitations as summarized in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (c)(1)(iii) of this section.
(i) A Class 1 power-limited circuit shall be supplied from a source having a rated output of not more than 30 volts and 1000 volt-amperes.
(ii) A Class 1 remote control circuit or a Class 1 signaling circuit shall have a voltage not exceeding 600 volts; however, the power output of the source need not be limited.
(iii) The power source for a Class 2 or Class 3 circuit shall be listed equipment marked as a Class 2 or Class 3 power source, except as follows:
(A) Thermocouples do not require listing as a Class 2 power source; and
(B) A dry cell battery is considered an inherently limited Class 2 power source, provided the voltage is 30 volts or less and the capacity is less than or equal to that available from series-connected No. 6 carbon zinc cells.
(2) Marking. A Class 2 or Class 3 power supply unit shall be durably marked where plainly visible to indicate the class of supply and its electrical rating.
(3) Separation from conductors of other circuits. Cables and conductors of Class 2 and Class 3 circuits may not be placed in any cable, cable tray, compartment, enclosure, manhole, outlet box, device box, raceway, or similar fitting with conductors of electric light, power, Class 1, nonpower-limited fire alarm circuits, and medium power network-powered broadband communications cables unless a barrier or other equivalent form of protection against contact is employed.
(d) Fire alarm systems —(1) Classifications. Fire alarm circuits shall be classified either as nonpower limited or power limited.
(2) Power sources. The power sources for use with fire alarm circuits shall be either power limited or nonpower limited as follows:
(i) The power source of nonpower-limited fire alarm (NPLFA) circuits shall have an output voltage of not more than 600 volts, nominal; and
(ii) The power source for a power-limited fire alarm (PLFA) circuit shall be listed equipment marked as a PLFA power source.
(3) Separation from conductors of other circuits. (i) Nonpower-limited fire alarm circuits and Class 1 circuits may occupy the same enclosure, cable, or raceway provided all conductors are insulated for maximum voltage of any conductor within the enclosure, cable, or raceway. Power supply and fire alarm circuit conductors are permitted in the same enclosure, cable, or raceway only if connected to the same equipment.
(ii) Power-limited circuit cables and conductors may not be placed in any cable, cable tray, compartment, enclosure, outlet box, raceway, or similar fitting with conductors of electric light, power, Class 1, nonpower-limited fire alarm circuit conductors, or medium power network-powered broadband communications circuits.
(iii) Power-limited fire alarm circuit conductors shall be separated at least 50.8 mm (2 in.) from conductors of any electric light, power, Class 1, nonpower-limited fire alarm, or medium power network-powered broadband communications circuits unless a special and equally protective method of conductor separation is employed.
(iv) Conductors of one or more Class 2 circuits are permitted within the same cable, enclosure, or raceway with conductors of power-limited fire alarm circuits provided that the insulation of Class 2 circuit conductors in the cable, enclosure, or raceway is at least that needed for the power-limited fire alarm circuits.
(4) Identification. Fire alarm circuits shall be identified at terminal and junction locations in a manner that will prevent unintentional interference with the signaling circuit during testing and servicing. Power-limited fire alarm circuits shall be durably marked as such where plainly visible at terminations.
(e) Communications systems. This paragraph applies to central-station-connected and non-central-station-connected telephone circuits, radio and television receiving and transmitting equipment, including community antenna television and radio distribution systems, telegraph, district messenger, and outside wiring for fire and burglar alarm, and similar central station systems. These installations need not comply with the provisions of § 1910.303 through § 1910.308(d), except for §§ 1910.304(c)(1) and 1910.307.
(1) Protective devices. (i) A listed primary protector shall be provided on each circuit run partly or entirely in aerial wire or aerial cable not confined within a block.
(ii) A listed primary protector shall be also provided on each aerial or underground circuit when the location of the circuit within the block containing the building served allows the circuit to be exposed to accidental contact with electric light or power conductors operating at over 300 volts to ground.
(iii) In addition, where there exists a lightning exposure, each interbuilding circuit on premises shall be protected by a listed primary protector at each end of the interbuilding circuit.
(2) Conductor location. (i) Lead-in or aerial-drop cables from a pole or other support, including the point of initial attachment to a building or structure, shall be kept away from electric light, power, Class 1, or nonpower-limited fire alarm circuit conductors so as to avoid the possibility of accidental contact.
(ii) A separation of at least 1.83 m (6 ft) shall be maintained between communications wires and cables on buildings and lightning conductors.
(iii) Where communications wires and cables and electric light or power conductors are supported by the same pole or run parallel to each other in-span, the following conditions shall be met:
(A) Where practicable, communication wires and cables on poles shall be located below the electric light or power conductors; and
(B) Communications wires and cables may not be attached to a crossarm that carries electric light or power conductors.
(iv) Indoor communications wires and cables shall be separated at least 50.8 mm (2 in.) from conductors of any electric light, power, Class 1, nonpower-limited fire alarm, or medium power network-powered broadband communications circuits, unless a special and equally protective method of conductor separation, identified for the purpose, is employed.
(3) Equipment location. Outdoor metal structures supporting antennas, as well as self-supporting antennas such as vertical rods or dipole structures, shall be located as far away from overhead conductors of electric light and power circuits of over 150 volts to ground as necessary to prevent the antenna or structure from falling into or making accidental contact with such circuits.
(4) Grounding. (i) If exposed to contact with electric light and power conductors, the metal sheath of aerial cables entering buildings shall be grounded or shall be interrupted close to the entrance to the building by an insulating joint or equivalent device. Where protective devices are used, they shall be grounded in an approved manner.
(ii) Masts and metal structures supporting antennas shall be permanently and effectively grounded without splice or connection in the grounding conductor.
(iii) Transmitters shall be enclosed in a metal frame or grill or separated from the operating space by a barrier, all metallic parts of which are effectively connected to ground. All external metal handles and controls accessible to the operating personnel shall be effectively grounded. Unpowered equipment and enclosures are considered to be grounded where connected to an attached coaxial cable with an effectively grounded metallic shield.
(f) Solar photovoltaic systems. This paragraph covers solar photovoltaic systems that can be interactive with other electric power production sources or can stand alone with or without electrical energy storage such as batteries. These systems may have ac or dc output for utilization.
(1) Conductors of different systems. Photovoltaic source circuits and photovoltaic output circuits may not be contained in the same raceway, cable tray, cable, outlet box, junction box, or similar fitting as feeders or branch circuits of other systems, unless the conductors of the different systems are separated by a partition or are connected together.
(2) Disconnecting means. Means shall be provided to disconnect all current-carrying conductors of a photovoltaic power source from all other conductors in a building or other structure. Where a circuit grounding connection is not designed to be automatically interrupted as part of the ground-fault protection system, a switch or circuit breaker used as disconnecting means may not have a pole in the grounded conductor.
(g) Integrated electrical systems —(1) Scope. Paragraph (g) of this section covers integrated electrical systems, other than unit equipment, in which orderly shutdown is necessary to ensure safe operation. An integrated electrical system as used in this section shall be a unitized segment of an industrial wiring system where all of the following conditions are met:
(i) An orderly shutdown process minimizes employee hazard and equipment damage;
(ii) The conditions of maintenance and supervision ensure that only qualified persons will service the system; and
(iii) Effective safeguards are established and maintained.
(2) Location of overcurrent devices in or on premises. Overcurrent devices that are critical to integrated electrical systems need not be readily accessible to employees as required by § 1910.304(f)(1)(iv) if they are located with mounting heights to ensure security from operation by nonqualified persons.
§§ 1910.309-1910.330   [Reserved]
§ 1910.331   Scope.
(a) Covered work by both qualified and unqualified persons. The provisions of §§ 1910.331 through 1910.335 cover electrical safety-related work practices for both qualified persons (those who have training in avoiding the electrical hazards of working on or near exposed energized parts) and unqualified persons (those with little or no such training) working on, near, or with the following installations:
(1) Premises wiring. Installations of electric conductors and equipment within or on buildings or other structures, and on other premises such as yards, carnival, parking, and other lots, and industrial substations;
(2) Wiring for connection to supply. Installations of conductors that connect to the supply of electricity; and
(3) Other wiring. Installations of other outside conductors on the premises.
(4) Optical fiber cable. Installations of optical fiber cable where such installations are made along with electric conductors.
See § 1910.399 for the definition of “qualified person.” See § 1910.332 for training requirements that apply to qualified and unqualified persons.
(b) Other covered work. The provisions of §§ 1910.331 through 1910.335 also cover:
(1) Work performed by unqualified persons on, near, or with the installations listed in paragraphs (c)(1) through (4) of this section; and
(2) Work performed by qualified persons near the installations listed in paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(4) of this section when that work is not on or directly associated with those installations.
(c) Excluded work by qualified persons. The provisions of §§ 1910.331 through 1910.335 do not apply to work performed by qualified persons on or directly associated with the following installations:
(1) Generation, transmission, and distribution installations. Installations for the generation, control, transformation, transmission, and distribution of electric energy (including communication and metering) located in buildings used for such purposes or located outdoors.
Work on or directly associated with installations of utilization equipment used for purposes other than generating, transmitting, or distributing electric energy (such as installations which are in office buildings, warehouses, garages, machine shops, or recreational buildings, or other utilization installations which are not an integral part of a generating installation, substation, or control center) is covered under paragraph (a)(1) of this section.
For work on or directly associated with utilization installations, an employer who complies with the work practices of § 1910.269 (electric power generation, transmission, and distribution) will be deemed to be in compliance with §§ 1910.333(c) and 1910.335. However, the requirements of §§ 1910.332, 1910.333(a), 1910.333(b), and 1910.334 apply to all work on or directly associated with utilization installations, regardless of whether the work is performed by qualified or unqualified persons.
Work on or directly associated with generation, transmission, or distribution installations includes:
(1) Work performed directly on such installations, such as repairing overhead or underground distribution lines or repairing a feed-water pump for the boiler in a generating plant.
(2) Work directly associated with such installations, such as line-clearance tree trimming and replacing utility poles, when that work is covered by § 1910.269 (see § 1910.269(a)(1)(i)(D) and (E) and the definition of “line-clearance tree trimming” in § 1910.269(x)).
(3) Work on electric utilization circuits in a generating plant provided that:
(A) Such circuits are commingled with installations of power generation equipment or circuits, and
(B) The generation equipment or circuits present greater electrical hazards than those posed by the utilization equipment or circuits (such as exposure to higher voltages or lack of overcurrent protection).
This work is covered by § 1910.269.
(2) Communications installations. Installations of communication equipment to the extent that the work is covered under § 1910.268.
(3) Installations in vehicles. Installations in ships, watercraft, railway rolling stock, aircraft, or automotive vehicles other than mobile homes and recreational vehicles.
(4) Railway installations. Installations of railways for generation, transformation, transmission, or distribution of power used exclusively for operation of rolling stock or installations of railways used exclusively for signaling and communication purposes.
§ 1910.332   Training.
(a) Scope. The training requirements contained in this section apply to employees who face a risk of electric shock that is not reduced to a safe level by the electrical installation requirements of §§ 1910.303 through 1910.308.
Employees in occupations listed in Table S-4 face such a risk and are required to be trained. Other employees who also may reasonably be expected to face a comparable risk of injury due to electric shock or other electrical hazards must also be trained.
(b) Content of training —(1) Practices addressed in this standard. 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.
(2) Additional requirements for unqualified persons. Employees who are covered by paragraph (a) of this section but who are not qualified persons shall also be trained in and familiar with any electrically related safety practices not specifically addressed by §§ 1910.331 through 1910.335 but which are necessary for their safety.
(3) Additional requirements for qualified persons. 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:
(i) The skills and techniques necessary to distinguish exposed live parts from other parts of electric equipment,
(ii) The skills and techniques necessary to determine the nominal voltage of exposed live parts, and
(iii) The clearance distances specified in § 1910.333(c) and the corresponding voltages to which the qualified person will be exposed.
For the purposes of §§ 1910.331 through 1910.335, a person must have the training required by paragraph (b)(3) of this section in order to be considered a qualified person.
Qualified persons whose work on energized equipment involves either direct contact or contact by means of tools or materials must also have the training needed to meet § 1910.333(c)(2).
(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.
Table S-4—Typical Occupational Categories of Employees Facing a Higher Than Normal Risk of Electrical Accident
1 Workers in these groups do not need to be trained if their work or the work of those they supervise does not bring them or the employees they supervise close enough to exposed parts of electric circuits operating at 50 volts or more to ground for a hazard to exist.
§ 1910.333   Selection and use of work practices.
(a) General. Safety-related work practices shall be employed to prevent electric shock or other injuries resulting from either direct or indirect electrical contacts, when work is performed near or on equipment or circuits which are or may be energized. The specific safety-related work practices shall be consistent with the nature and extent of the associated electrical hazards.
(1) Deenergized parts. Live parts to which an employee may be exposed shall be deenergized before the employee works on or near them, unless the employer can demonstrate that deenergizing introduces additional or increased hazards or is infeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations. Live parts that operate at less than 50 volts to ground need not be deenergized if there will be no increased exposure to electrical burns or to explosion due to electric arcs.
Examples of increased or additional hazards include interruption of life support equipment, deactivation of emergency alarm systems, shutdown of hazardous location ventilation equipment, or removal of illumination for an area.
Examples of work that may be performed on or near energized circuit parts because of infeasibility due to equipment design or operational limitations include testing of electric circuits that can only be performed with the circuit energized and work on circuits that form an integral part of a continuous industrial process in a chemical plant that would otherwise need to be completely shut down in order to permit work on one circuit or piece of equipment.
Work on or near deenergized parts is covered by paragraph (b) of this section.
(2) Energized parts. If the exposed live parts are not deenergized (i.e., for reasons of increased or additional hazards or infeasibility), other safety-related work practices shall be used to protect employees who may be exposed to the electrical hazards involved. Such work practices shall protect employees against contact with energized circuit parts directly with any part of their body or indirectly through some other conductive object. The work practices that are used shall be suitable for the conditions under which the work is to be performed and for the voltage level of the exposed electric conductors or circuit parts. Specific work practice requirements are detailed in paragraph (c) of this section.
(b) Working on or near exposed deenergized parts —(1) Application. This paragraph applies to work on exposed deenergized parts or near enough to them to expose the employee to any electrical hazard they present. Conductors and parts of electric equipment that have been deenergized but have not been locked out or tagged in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section shall be treated as energized parts, and paragraph (c) of this section applies to work on or near them.
(2) Lockout and tagging. While any employee is exposed to contact with parts of fixed electric equipment or circuits which have been deenergized, the circuits energizing the parts shall be locked out or tagged or both in accordance with the requirements of this paragraph. The requirements shall be followed in the order in which they are presented (i.e., paragraph (b)(2)(i) first, then paragraph (b)(2)(ii), etc.).
As used in this section, fixed equipment refers to equipment fastened in place or connected by permanent wiring methods.
Lockout and tagging procedures that comply with paragraphs (c) through (f) of § 1910.147 will also be deemed to comply with paragraph (b)(2) of this section provided that:
(1) The procedures address the electrical safety hazards covered by this Subpart; and
(2) The procedures also incorporate the requirements of paragraphs (b)(2)(iii)(D) and (b)(2)(iv)(B) of this section.
(i) Procedures. The employer shall maintain a written copy of the procedures outlined in paragraph (b)(2) and shall make it available for inspection by employees and by the Assistant Secretary of Labor and his or her authorized representatives.
The written procedures may be in the form of a copy of paragraph (b) of this section.
(ii) Deenergizing equipment. (A) Safe procedures for deenergizing circuits and equipment shall be determined before circuits or equipment are deenergized.
(B) The circuits and equipment to be worked on shall be disconnected from all electric energy sources. Control circuit devices, such as push buttons, selector switches, and interlocks, may not be used as the sole means for deenergizing circuits or equipment. Interlocks for electric equipment may not be used as a substitute for lockout and tagging procedures.
(C) Stored electric energy which might endanger personnel shall be released. Capacitors shall be discharged and high capacitance elements shall be short-circuited and grounded, if the stored electric energy might endanger personnel.
If the capacitors or associated equipment are handled in meeting this requirement, they shall be treated as energized.
(D) Stored non-electrical energy in devices that could reenergize electric circuit parts shall be blocked or relieved to the extent that the circuit parts could not be accidentally energized by the device.
(iii) Application of locks and tags. (A) A lock and a tag shall be placed on each disconnecting means used to deenergize circuits and equipment on which work is to be performed, except as provided in paragraphs (b)(2)(iii)(C) and (b)(2)(iii)(E) of this section. The lock shall be attached so as to prevent persons from operating the disconnecting means unless they resort to undue force or the use of tools.
(B) Each tag shall contain a statement prohibiting unauthorized operation of the disconnecting means and removal of the tag.
(C) If a lock cannot be applied, or if the employer can demonstrate that tagging procedures will provide a level of safety equivalent to that obtained by the use of a lock, a tag may be used without a lock.
(D) A tag used without a lock, as permitted by paragraph (b)(2)(iii)(C) of this section, shall be supplemented by at least one additional safety measure that provides a level of safety equivalent to that obtained by the use of a lock. Examples of additional safety measures include the removal of an isolating circuit element, blocking of a controlling switch, or opening of an extra disconnecting device.
(E) A lock may be placed without a tag only under the following conditions:
( 1 ) Only one circuit or piece of equipment is deenergized, and
( 2 ) The lockout period does not extend beyond the work shift, and
( 3 ) Employees exposed to the hazards associated with reenergizing the circuit or equipment are familiar with this procedure.
(iv) Verification of deenergized condition. The requirements of this paragraph shall be met before any circuits or equipment can be considered and worked as deenergized.
(A) A qualified person shall operate the equipment operating controls or otherwise verify that the equipment cannot be restarted.
(B) A qualified person shall use test equipment to test the circuit elements and electrical parts of equipment to which employees will be exposed and shall verify that the circuit elements and equipment parts are deenergized. The test shall also determine if any energized condition exists as a result of inadvertently induced voltage or unrelated voltage backfeed even though specific parts of the circuit have been deenergized and presumed to be safe. If the circuit to be tested is over 600 volts, nominal, the test equipment shall be checked for proper operation immediately before and immediately after this test.
(v) Reenergizing equipment. These requirements shall be met, in the order given, before circuits or equipment are reenergized, even temporarily.
(A) A qualified person shall conduct tests and visual inspections, as necessary, to verify that all tools, electrical jumpers, shorts, grounds, and other such devices have been removed, so that the circuits and equipment can be safely energized.
(B) Employees exposed to the hazards associated with reenergizing the circuit or equipment shall be warned to stay clear of circuits and equipment.
(C) Each lock and tag shall be removed by the employee who applied it or under his or her direct supervision. However, if this employee is absent from the workplace, then the lock or tag may be removed by a qualified person designated to perform this task provided that:
( 1 ) The employer ensures that the employee who applied the lock or tag is not available at the workplace, and
( 2 ) The employer ensures that the employee is aware that the lock or tag has been removed before he or she resumes work at that workplace.
(D) There shall be a visual determination that all employees are clear of the circuits and equipment.
(c) Working on or near exposed energized parts —(1) Application. This paragraph applies to work performed on exposed live parts (involving either direct contact or contact by means of tools or materials) or near enough to them for employees to be exposed to any hazard they present.
(2) Work on energized equipment. Only qualified persons may work on electric circuit parts or equipment that have not been deenergized under the procedures of paragraph (b) of this section. 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.
(3) Overhead lines. If work is to be performed near overhead lines, the lines shall be deenergized and grounded, or other protective measures shall be provided before work is started. If the lines are to be deenergized, arrangements shall be made with the person or organization that operates or controls the electric circuits involved to deenergize and ground them. If protective measures, such as guarding, isolating, or insulating are provided, these precautions shall prevent employees from contacting such lines directly with any part of their body or indirectly through conductive materials, tools, or equipment.
The work practices used by qualified persons installing insulating devices on overhead power transmission or distribution lines are covered by § 1910.269 of this part, not by §§ 1910.332 through 1910.335 of this part. Under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, unqualified persons are prohibited from performing this type of work.
(i) Unqualified persons. (A) When an unqualified person is working in an elevated position near overhead lines, the location shall be such that the person and the longest conductive object he or she may contact cannot come closer to any unguarded, energized overhead line than the following distances:
( 1 ) For voltages to ground 50kV or below—10 ft. (305 cm);
( 2 ) For voltages to ground over 50kV—10 ft. (305 cm) plus 4 in. (10 cm) for every 10kV over 50kV.
(B) When an unqualified person is working on the ground in the vicinity of overhead lines, the person may not bring any conductive object closer to unguarded, energized overhead lines than the distances given in paragraph (c)(3)(i)(A) of this section.
For voltages normally encountered with overhead power lines, objects which do not have an insulating rating for the voltage involved are considered to be conductive.
(ii) Qualified persons. When a qualified person is working in the vicinity of overhead lines, whether in an elevated position or on the ground, the person may not approach or take any conductive object without an approved insulating handle closer to exposed energized parts than shown in Table S-5 unless:
(A) The person is insulated from the energized part (gloves, with sleeves if necessary, rated for the voltage involved are considered to be insulation of the person from the energized part on which work is performed), or
(B) The energized part is insulated both from all other conductive objects at a different potential and from the person, or
(C) The person is insulated from all conductive objects at a potential different from that of the energized part.
Table S-5—Approach Distances for Qualified Employees—Alternating Current
(iii) Vehicular and mechanical equipment. (A) Any vehicle or mechanical equipment capable of having parts of its structure elevated near energized overhead lines shall be operated so that a clearance of 10 ft. (305 cm) is maintained. If the voltage is higher than 50kV, the clearance shall be increased 4 in. (10 cm) for every 10kV over that voltage. However, under any of the following conditions, the clearance may be reduced:
( 1 ) If the vehicle is in transit with its structure lowered, the clearance may be reduced to 4 ft. (122 cm). If the voltage is higher than 50kV, the clearance shall be increased 4 in. (10 cm) for every 10kV over that voltage.
( 2 ) If insulating barriers are installed to prevent contact with the lines, and if the barriers are rated for the voltage of the line being guarded and are not a part of or an attachment to the vehicle or its raised structure, the clearance may be reduced to a distance within the designed working dimensions of the insulating barrier.
( 3 ) If the equipment is an aerial lift insulated for the voltage involved, and if the work is performed by a qualified person, the clearance (between the uninsulated portion of the aerial lift and the power line) may be reduced to the distance given in Table S-5.
(B) Employees standing on the ground may not contact the vehicle or mechanical equipment or any of its attachments, unless:
( 1 ) The employee is using protective equipment rated for the voltage; or
( 2 ) The equipment is located so that no uninsulated part of its structure (that portion of the structure that provides a conductive path to employees on the ground) can come closer to the line than permitted in paragraph (c)(3)(iii) of this section.
(C) If any vehicle or mechanical equipment capable of having parts of its structure elevated near energized overhead lines is intentionally grounded, employees working on the ground near the point of grounding may not stand at the grounding location whenever there is a possibility of overhead line contact. Additional precautions, such as the use of barricades or insulation, shall be taken to protect employees from hazardous ground potentials, depending on earth resistivity and fault currents, which can develop within the first few feet or more outward from the grounding point.
(4) Illumination. (i) Employees may not enter spaces containing exposed energized parts, unless illumination is provided that enables the employees to perform the work safely.
(ii) Where lack of illumination or an obstruction precludes observation of the work to be performed, employees may not perform tasks near exposed energized parts. Employees may not reach blindly into areas which may contain energized parts.
(5) Confined or enclosed work spaces. When an employee works in a confined or enclosed space (such as a manhole or vault) that contains exposed energized parts, the employer shall provide, and the employee shall use, protective shields, protective barriers, or insulating materials as necessary to avoid inadvertent contact with these parts. Doors, hinged panels, and the like shall be secured to prevent their swinging into an employee and causing the employee to contact exposed energized parts.
(6) Conductive materials and equipment. Conductive materials and equipment that are in contact with any part of an employee's body shall be handled in a manner that will prevent them from contacting exposed energized conductors or circuit parts. If an employee must handle long dimensional conductive objects (such as ducts and pipes) in areas with exposed live parts, the employer shall institute work practices (such as the use of insulation, guarding, and material handling techniques) which will minimize the hazard.
(7) Portable ladders. Portable ladders shall have nonconductive siderails if they are used where the employee or the ladder could contact exposed energized parts.
(8) Conductive apparel. Conductive articles of jewelry and clothing (such as watch bands, bracelets, rings, key chains, necklaces, metalized aprons, cloth with conductive thread, or metal headgear) may not be worn if they might contact exposed energized parts. However, such articles may be worn if they are rendered nonconductive by covering, wrapping, or other insulating means.
(9) Housekeeping duties. Where live parts present an electrical contact hazard, employees may not perform housekeeping duties at such close distances to the parts that there is a possibility of contact, unless adequate safeguards (such as insulating equipment or barriers) are provided. Electrically conductive cleaning materials (including conductive solids such as steel wool, metalized cloth, and silicon carbide, as well as conductive liquid solutions) may not be used in proximity to energized parts unless procedures are followed which will prevent electrical contact.
(10) Interlocks. Only a qualified person following the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section may defeat an electrical safety interlock, and then only temporarily while he or she is working on the equipment. The interlock system shall be returned to its operable condition when this work is completed.
§ 1910.334   Use of equipment.
(a) Portable electric equipment. This paragraph applies to the use of cord- and plug-connected equipment, including flexible cord sets (extension cords).
(1) Handling. Portable equipment shall be handled in a manner which will not cause damage. Flexible electric cords connected to equipment may not be used for raising or lowering the equipment. Flexible cords may not be fastened with staples or otherwise hung in such a fashion as could damage the outer jacket or insulation.
(2) Visual inspection. (i) Portable cord- and plug-connected equipment and flexible cord sets (extension cords) shall be visually inspected before use on any shift for external defects (such as loose parts, deformed and missing pins, or damage to outer jacket or insulation) and for evidence of possible internal damage (such as pinched or crushed outer jacket). Cord- and plug-connected equipment and flexible cord sets (extension cords) which remain connected once they are put in place and are not exposed to damage need not be visually inspected until they are relocated.
(ii) If there is a defect or evidence of damage that might expose an employee to injury, the defective or damaged item shall be removed from service, and no employee may use it until repairs and tests necessary to render the equipment safe have been made.
(iii) When an attachment plug is to be connected to a receptacle (including any on a cord set), the relationship of the plug and receptacle contacts shall first be checked to ensure that they are of proper mating configurations.
(3) Grounding-type equipment. (i) A flexible cord used with grounding-type equipment shall contain an equipment grounding conductor.
(ii) Attachment plugs and receptacles may not be connected or altered in a manner which would prevent proper continuity of the equipment grounding conductor at the point where plugs are attached to receptacles. Additionally, these devices may not be altered to allow the grounding pole of a plug to be inserted into slots intended for connection to the current-carrying conductors.
(iii) Adapters which interrupt the continuity of the equipment grounding connection may not be used.
(4) Conductive work locations. Portable electric equipment and flexible cords used in highly conductive work locations (such as those inundated with water or other conductive liquids), or in job locations where employees are likely to contact water or conductive liquids, shall be approved for those locations.
(5) Connecting attachment plugs. (i) Employees' hands may not be wet when plugging and unplugging flexible cords and cord- and plug-connected equipment, if energized equipment is involved.
(ii) Energized plug and receptacle connections may be handled only with insulating protective equipment if the condition of the connection could provide a conducting path to the employee's hand (if, for example, a cord connector is wet from being immersed in water).
(iii) Locking-type connectors shall be properly secured after connection.
(b) Electric power and lighting circuits —(1) Routine opening and closing of circuits. Load rated switches, circuit breakers, or other devices specifically designed as disconnecting means shall be used for the opening, reversing, or closing of circuits under load conditions. Cable connectors not of the load-break type, fuses, terminal lugs, and cable splice connections may not be used for such purposes, except in an emergency.
(2) Reclosing circuits after protective device operation. After a circuit is deenergized by a circuit protective device, the circuit may not be manually reenergized until it has been determined that the equipment and circuit can be safely energized. The repetitive manual reclosing of circuit breakers or reenergizing circuits through replaced fuses is prohibited.
When it can be determined from the design of the circuit and the overcurrent devices involved that the automatic operation of a device was caused by an overload rather than a fault condition, no examination of the circuit or connected equipment is needed before the circuit is reenergized.
(3) Overcurrent protection modification. Overcurrent protection of circuits and conductors may not be modified, even on a temporary basis, beyond that allowed by § 1910.304(e), the installation safety requirements for overcurrent protection.
(c) Test instruments and equipment —(1) Use. Only qualified persons may perform testing work on electric circuits or equipment.
(2) Visual inspection. Test instruments and equipment and all associated test leads, cables, power cords, probes, and connectors shall be visually inspected for external defects and damage before the equipment is used. If there is a defect or evidence of damage that might expose an employee to injury, the defective or damaged item shall be removed from service, and no employee may use it until repairs and tests necessary to render the equipment safe have been made.
(3) Rating of equipment. Test instruments and equipment and their accessories shall be rated for the circuits and equipment to which they will be connected and shall be designed for the environment in which they will be used.
(d) Occasional use of flammable or ignitible materials. Where flammable materials are present only occasionally, electric equipment capable of igniting them shall not be used, unless measures are taken to prevent hazardous conditions from developing. Such materials include, but are not limited to: flammable gases, vapors, or liquids; combustible dust; and ignitible fibers or flyings.
Electrical installation requirements for locations where flammable materials are present on a regular basis are contained in § 1910.307.
§ 1910.335   Safeguards for personnel protection.
(a) Use of protective equipment —(1) Personal protective equipment. (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.
Personal protective equipment requirements are contained in subpart I of this part.
(ii) Protective equipment shall be maintained in a safe, reliable condition and shall be periodically inspected or tested, as required by § 1910.137.
(iii) If the insulating capability of protective equipment may be subject to damage during use, the insulating material shall be protected. (For example, an outer covering of leather is sometimes used for the protection of rubber insulating material.)
(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.
(v) Employees shall wear protective equipment for the eyes or face wherever there is danger of injury to the eyes or face from electric arcs or flashes or from flying objects resulting from electrical explosion.
(2) General protective equipment and tools. (i) When working near exposed energized conductors or circuit parts, each employee shall use insulated tools or handling equipment if the tools or handling equipment might make contact with such conductors or parts. If the insulating capability of insulated tools or handling equipment is subject to damage, the insulating material shall be protected.
(A) Fuse handling equipment, insulated for the circuit voltage, shall be used to remove or install fuses when the fuse terminals are energized.
(B) Ropes and handlines used near exposed energized parts shall be nonconductive.
(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 live parts.
(b) Alerting techniques. The following alerting 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:
(1) 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.
(2) 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.
(3) Attendants. If signs and barricades do not provide sufficient warning and protection from electrical hazards, an attendant shall be stationed to warn and protect employees.
§§ 1910.336-1910.360   [Reserved]
§§ 1910.361-1910.380   [Reserved]
§§ 1910.381-1910.398   [Reserved]
§ 1910.399   Definitions applicable to this subpart.
Acceptable. An installation or equipment is acceptable to the Assistant Secretary of Labor, and approved within the meaning of this subpart S:
(1) If it is accepted, or certified, or listed, or labeled, or otherwise determined to be safe by a nationally recognized testing laboratory recognized pursuant to § 1910.7; or
(2) With respect to an installation or equipment of a kind that no nationally recognized testing laboratory accepts, certifies, lists, labels, or determines to be safe, if it is inspected or tested by another Federal agency, or by a State, municipal, or other local authority responsible for enforcing occupational safety provisions of the National Electrical Code, and found in compliance with the provisions of the National Electrical Code as applied in this subpart; or
(3) With respect to custom-made equipment or related installations that are designed, fabricated for, and intended for use by a particular customer, if it is determined to be safe for its intended use by its manufacturer on the basis of test data which the employer keeps and makes available for inspection to the Assistant Secretary and his authorized representatives.
Accepted. An installation is “accepted” if it has been inspected and found by a nationally recognized testing laboratory to conform to specified plans or to procedures of applicable codes.
Accessible. (As applied to wiring methods.) Capable of being removed or exposed without damaging the building structure or finish, or not permanently closed in by the structure or finish of the building. (See “concealed” and “exposed.”)
Accessible. (As applied to equipment.) Admitting close approach; not guarded by locked doors, elevation, or other effective means. (See “Readily accessible.”)
Ampacity. The current, in amperes, that a conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating.
Appliances. Utilization equipment, generally other than industrial, normally built in standardized sizes or types, that is installed or connected as a unit to perform one or more functions.
Approved. Acceptable to the authority enforcing this subpart. The authority enforcing this subpart is the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. The definition of “acceptable” indicates what is acceptable to the Assistant Secretary of Labor, and therefore approved within the meaning of this subpart.
Armored cable (Type AC). A fabricated assembly of insulated conductors in a flexible metallic enclosure.
Askarel. A generic term for a group of nonflammable synthetic chlorinated hydrocarbons used as electrical insulating media. Askarels of various compositional types are used. Under arcing conditions, the gases produced, while consisting predominantly of noncombustible hydrogen chloride, can include varying amounts of combustible gases depending upon the askarel type.
Attachment plug (Plug cap)(Cap). A device that, by insertion in a receptacle, establishes a connection between the conductors of the attached flexible cord and the conductors connected permanently to the receptacle.
Automatic. Self-acting, operating by its own mechanism when actuated by some impersonal influence, as, for example, a change in current strength, pressure, temperature, or mechanical configuration.
Bare conductor. See Conductor.
Barrier. A physical obstruction that is intended to prevent contact with equipment or live parts or to prevent unauthorized access to a work area.
Bathroom. An area including a basin with one or more of the following: a toilet, a tub, or a shower.
Bonding (Bonded). The permanent joining of metallic parts to form an electrically conductive path that ensures electrical continuity and the capacity to conduct safely any current likely to be imposed.
Bonding jumper. A conductor that assures the necessary electrical conductivity between metal parts required to be electrically connected.
Branch circuit. The circuit conductors between the final overcurrent device protecting the circuit and the outlets.
Building. A structure that stands alone or is cut off from adjoining structures by fire walls with all openings therein protected by approved fire doors.
Cabinet. An enclosure designed either for surface or flush mounting, and provided with a frame, mat, or trim in which a swinging door or doors are or can be hung.
Cable tray system. A unit or assembly of units or sections and associated fittings forming a rigid structural system used to securely fasten or support cables and raceways. Cable tray systems include ladders, troughs, channels, solid bottom trays, and other similar structures.
Cablebus. An assembly of insulated conductors with fittings and conductor terminations in a completely enclosed, ventilated, protective metal housing.
Cell line. An assembly of electrically interconnected electrolytic cells supplied by a source of direct current power.
Cell line attachments and auxiliary equipment. Cell line attachments and auxiliary equipment include, but are not limited to, auxiliary tanks, process piping, ductwork, structural supports, exposed cell line conductors, conduits and other raceways, pumps, positioning equipment, and cell cutout or bypass electrical devices. Auxiliary equipment also includes tools, welding machines, crucibles, and other portable equipment used for operation and maintenance within the electrolytic cell line working zone. In the cell line working zone, auxiliary equipment includes the exposed conductive surfaces of ungrounded cranes and crane-mounted cell-servicing equipment.
Center pivot irrigation machine. A multi-motored irrigation machine that revolves around a central pivot and employs alignment switches or similar devices to control individual motors.
Certified. Equipment is “certified” if it bears a label, tag, or other record of certification that the equipment:
(1) Has been tested and found by a nationally recognized testing laboratory to meet nationally recognized standards or to be safe for use in a specified manner; or
(2) Is of a kind whose production is periodically inspected by a nationally recognized testing laboratory and is accepted by the laboratory as safe for its intended use.
Circuit breaker. A device designed to open and close a circuit by nonautomatic means and to open the circuit automatically on a predetermined overcurrent without damage to itself when properly applied within its rating.
Class I locations. Class I locations are those in which flammable gases or vapors are or may be present in the air in quantities sufficient to produce explosive or ignitable mixtures. Class I locations include the following:
(1) Class I, Division 1. A Class I, Division 1 location is a location:
(i) In which ignitable concentrations of flammable gases or vapors may exist under normal operating conditions; or
(ii) In which ignitable concentrations of such gases or vapors may exist frequently because of repair or maintenance operations or because of leakage; or
(iii) In which breakdown or faulty operation of equipment or processes might release ignitable concentrations of flammable gases or vapors, and might also cause simultaneous failure of electric equipment.
This classification usually includes locations where volatile flammable liquids or liquefied flammable gases are transferred from one container to another; interiors of spray booths and areas in the vicinity of spraying and painting operations where volatile flammable solvents are used; locations containing open tanks or vats of volatile flammable liquids; drying rooms or compartments for the evaporation of flammable solvents; locations containing fat and oil extraction equipment using volatile flammable solvents; portions of cleaning and dyeing plants where flammable liquids are used; gas generator rooms and other portions of gas manufacturing plants where flammable gas may escape; inadequately ventilated pump rooms for flammable gas or for volatile flammable liquids; the interiors of refrigerators and freezers in which volatile flammable materials are stored in open, lightly stoppered, or easily ruptured containers; and all other locations where ignitable concentrations of flammable vapors or gases are likely to occur in the course of normal operations.
(2) Class I, Division 2. A Class I, Division 2 location is a location:
(i) In which volatile flammable liquids or flammable gases are handled, processed, or used, but in which the hazardous liquids, vapors, or gases will normally be confined within closed containers or closed systems from which they can escape only in the event of accidental rupture or breakdown of such containers or systems, or as a result of abnormal operation of equipment; or
(ii) In which ignitable concentrations of gases or vapors are normally prevented by positive mechanical ventilation, and which might become hazardous through failure or abnormal operations of the ventilating equipment; or
(iii) That is adjacent to a Class I, Division 1 location, and to which ignitable concentrations of gases or vapors might occasionally be communicated unless such communication is prevented by adequate positive-pressure ventilation from a source of clean air, and effective safeguards against ventilation failure are provided.
This classification usually includes locations where volatile flammable liquids or flammable gases or vapors are used, but which would become hazardous only in case of an accident or of some unusual operating condition. The quantity of flammable material that might escape in case of accident, the adequacy of ventilating equipment, the total area involved, and the record of the industry or business with respect to explosions or fires are all factors that merit consideration in determining the classification and extent of each location.
Piping without valves, checks, meters, and similar devices would not ordinarily introduce a hazardous condition even though used for flammable liquids or gases. Locations used for the storage of flammable liquids or liquefied or compressed gases in sealed containers would not normally be considered hazardous unless also subject to other hazardous conditions.
Electrical conduits and their associated enclosures separated from process fluids by a single seal or barrier are classed as a Division 2 location if the outside of the conduit and enclosures is a nonhazardous location.
(3) Class I, Zone 0. A Class I, Zone 0 location is a location in which one of the following conditions exists:
(i) Ignitable concentrations of flammable gases or vapors are present continuously; or
(ii) Ignitable concentrations of flammable gases or vapors are present for long periods of time.
As a guide in determining when flammable gases or vapors are present continuously or for long periods of time, refer to Recommended Practice for Classification of Locations for Electrical Installations of Petroleum Facilities Classified as Class I, Zone 0, Zone 1 or Zone 2, API RP 505-1997; Electrical Apparatus for Explosive Gas Atmospheres, Classifications of Hazardous Areas, IEC 79-10-1995; Area Classification Code for Petroleum Installations, Model Code—Part 15, Institute for Petroleum; and Electrical Apparatus for Explosive Gas Atmospheres, Classifications of Hazardous (Classified) Locations, ISA S12.24.01-1997.
(4) Class I, Zone 1. A Class I, Zone 1 location is a location in which one of the following conditions exists:
(i) Ignitable concentrations of flammable gases or vapors are likely to exist under normal operating conditions; or
(ii) Ignitable concentrations of flammable gases or vapors may exist frequently because of repair or maintenance operations or because of leakage; or
(iii) Equipment is operated or processes are carried on of such a nature that equipment breakdown or faulty operations could result in the release of ignitable concentrations of flammable gases or vapors and also cause simultaneous failure of electric equipment in a manner that would cause the electric equipment to become a source of ignition; or
(iv) A location that is adjacent to a Class I, Zone 0 location from which ignitable concentrations of vapors could be communicated, unless communication is prevented by adequate positive pressure ventilation from a source of clean air and effective safeguards against ventilation failure are provided.
(5) Class I, Zone 2. A Class I, Zone 2 location is a location in which one of the following conditions exists:
(i) Ignitable concentrations of flammable gases or vapors are not likely to occur in normal operation and if they do occur will exist only for a short period; or
(ii) Volatile flammable liquids, flammable gases, or flammable vapors are handled, processed, or used, but in which the liquids, gases, or vapors are normally confined within closed containers or closed systems from which they can escape only as a result of accidental rupture or breakdown of the containers or system or as the result of the abnormal operation of the equipment with which the liquids or gases are handled, processed, or used; or
(iii) Ignitable concentrations of flammable gases or vapors normally are prevented by positive mechanical ventilation, but which may become hazardous as the result of failure or abnormal operation of the ventilation equipment; or
(iv) A location that is adjacent to a Class I, Zone 1 location, from which ignitable concentrations of flammable gases or vapors could be communicated, unless such communication is prevented by adequate positive-pressure ventilation from a source of clean air, and effective safeguards against ventilation failure are provided.
Class II locations. Class II locations are those that are hazardous because of the presence of combustible dust. Class II locations include the following:
(1) Class II, Division 1. A Class II, Division 1 location is a location:
(i) In which combustible dust is or may be in suspension in the air under normal operating conditions, in quantities sufficient to produce explosive or ignitable mixtures; or
(ii) Where mechanical failure or abnormal operation of machinery or equipment might cause such explosive or ignitable mixtures to be produced, and might also provide a source of ignition through simultaneous failure of electric equipment, through operation of protection devices, or from other causes; or
(iii) In which combustible dusts of an electrically conductive nature may be present.
This classification may include areas of grain handling and processing plants, starch plants, sugar-pulverizing plants, malting plants, hay-grinding plants, coal pulverizing plants, areas where metal dusts and powders are produced or processed, and other similar locations that contain dust producing machinery and equipment (except where the equipment is dust-tight or vented to the outside). These areas would have combustible dust in the air, under normal operating conditions, in quantities sufficient to produce explosive or ignitable mixtures. Combustible dusts that are electrically nonconductive include dusts produced in the handling and processing of grain and grain products, pulverized sugar and cocoa, dried egg and milk powders, pulverized spices, starch and pastes, potato and wood flour, oil meal from beans and seed, dried hay, and other organic materials which may produce combustible dusts when processed or handled. Dusts containing magnesium or aluminum are particularly hazardous, and the use of extreme caution is necessary to avoid ignition and explosion.
(2) Class II, Division 2. A Class II, Division 2 location is a location where:
(i) Combustible dust will not normally be in suspension in the air in quantities sufficient to produce explosive or ignitable mixtures, and dust accumulations will normally be insufficient to interfere with the normal operation of electric equipment or other apparatus, but combustible dust may be in suspension in the air as a result of infrequent malfunctioning of handling or processing equipment; and
(ii) Resulting combustible dust accumulations on, in, or in the vicinity of the electric equipment may be sufficient to interfere with the safe dissipation of heat from electric equipment or may be ignitable by abnormal operation or failure of electric equipment.
This classification includes locations where dangerous concentrations of suspended dust would not be likely, but where dust accumulations might form on or in the vicinity of electric equipment. These areas may contain equipment from which appreciable quantities of dust would escape under abnormal operating conditions or be adjacent to a Class II Division 1 location, as described above, into which an explosive or ignitable concentration of dust may be put into suspension under abnormal operating conditions.
Class III locations. Class III locations are those that are hazardous because of the presence of easily ignitable fibers or flyings, but in which such fibers or flyings are not likely to be in suspension in the air in quantities sufficient to produce ignitable mixtures. Class III locations include the following:
(1) Class III, Division 1. A Class III, Division 1 location is a location in which easily ignitable fibers or materials producing combustible flyings are handled, manufactured, or used.
Such locations usually include some parts of rayon, cotton, and other textile mills; combustible fiber manufacturing and processing plants; cotton gins and cotton-seed mills; flax-processing plants; clothing manufacturing plants; woodworking plants, and establishments; and industries involving similar hazardous processes or conditions.
Easily ignitable fibers and flyings include rayon, cotton (including cotton linters and cotton waste), sisal or henequen, istle, jute, hemp, tow, cocoa fiber, oakum, baled waste kapok, Spanish moss, excelsior, and other materials of similar nature.
(2) Class III, Division 2. A Class III, Division 2 location is a location in which easily ignitable fibers are stored or handled, other than in the process of manufacture.
Collector ring. An assembly of slip rings for transferring electric energy from a stationary to a rotating member.
Competent Person. One who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.
Concealed. Rendered inaccessible by the structure or finish of the building. Wires in concealed raceways are considered concealed, even though they may become accessible by withdrawing them. (See Accessible. (As applied to wiring methods.))
Conductor —(1) Bare. A conductor having no covering or electrical insulation whatsoever.
(2) Covered. A conductor encased within material of composition or thickness that is not recognized by this subpart as electrical insulation.
(3) Insulated. A conductor encased within material of composition and thickness that is recognized by this subpart as electrical insulation.
Conduit body. A separate portion of a conduit or tubing system that provides access through one or more removable covers to the interior of the system at a junction of two or more sections of the system or at a terminal point of the system. Boxes such as FS and FD or larger cast or sheet metal boxes are not classified as conduit bodies.
Controller. A device or group of devices that serves to govern, in some predetermined manner, the electric power delivered to the apparatus to which it is connected.
Covered conductor. See Conductor.
Cutout. (Over 600 volts, nominal.) An assembly of a fuse support with either a fuseholder, fuse carrier, or disconnecting blade. The fuseholder or fuse carrier may include a conducting element (fuse link), or may act as the disconnecting blade by the inclusion of a nonfusible member.
Cutout box. An enclosure designed for surface mounting and having swinging doors or covers secured directly to and telescoping with the walls of the box proper. (See Cabinet.)
Damp location. See Location.
Dead front. Without live parts exposed to a person on the operating side of the equipment
Deenergized. Free from any electrical connection to a source of potential difference and from electrical charge; not having a potential different from that of the earth.
Device. A unit of an electrical system that is intended to carry but not utilize electric energy.
Dielectric heating. The heating of a nominally insulating material due to its own dielectric losses when the material is placed in a varying electric field.
Disconnecting means. A device, or group of devices, or other means by which the conductors of a circuit can be disconnected from their source of supply.
Disconnecting (or Isolating) switch. (Over 600 volts, nominal.) A mechanical switching device used for isolating a circuit or equipment from a source of power.
Electrolytic cell line working zone. The cell line working zone is the space envelope wherein operation or maintenance is normally performed on or in the vicinity of exposed energized surfaces of electrolytic cell lines or their attachments.
Electrolytic cells. A tank or vat in which electrochemical reactions are caused by applying energy for the purpose of refining or producing usable materials.
Enclosed. Surrounded by a case, housing, fence, or walls that will prevent persons from accidentally contacting energized parts.
Enclosure. The case or housing of apparatus, or the fence or walls surrounding an installation to prevent personnel from accidentally contacting energized parts, or to protect the equipment from physical damage.
Energized. Electrically connected to a source of potential difference.
Equipment. A general term including material, fittings, devices, appliances, fixtures, apparatus, and the like, used as a part of, or in connection with, an electrical installation.
Equipment grounding conductor. See Grounding conductor, equipment.
Explosion-proof apparatus. Apparatus enclosed in a case that is capable of withstanding an explosion of a specified gas or vapor that may occur within it and of preventing the ignition of a specified gas or vapor surrounding the enclosure by sparks, flashes, or explosion of the gas or vapor within, and that operates at such an external temperature that it will not ignite a surrounding flammable atmosphere.
Exposed. (As applied to live parts.) Capable of being inadvertently touched or approached nearer than a safe distance by a person. It is applied to parts not suitably guarded, isolated, or insulated. (See Accessible and Concealed.)
Exposed. (As applied to wiring methods.) On or attached to the surface, or behind panels designed to allow access. (See Accessible. (As applied to wiring methods.))
Exposed. (For the purposes of § 1910.308(e).) Where the circuit is in such a position that in case of failure of supports or insulation, contact with another circuit may result.
Externally operable. Capable of being operated without exposing the operator to contact with live parts.
Feeder. All circuit conductors between the service equipment, the source of a separate derived system, or other power supply source and the final branch-circuit overcurrent device.
Fitting. An accessory such as a locknut, bushing, or other part of a wiring system that is intended primarily to perform a mechanical rather than an electrical function.
Fountain. Fountains, ornamental pools, display pools, and reflection pools.
This definition does not include drinking fountains.
Fuse. (Over 600 volts, nominal.) An overcurrent protective device with a circuit opening fusible part that is heated and severed by the passage of overcurrent through it. A fuse comprises all the parts that form a unit capable of performing the prescribed functions. It may or may not be the complete device necessary to connect it into an electrical circuit.
Ground. A conducting connection, whether intentional or accidental, between an electric circuit or equipment and the earth, or to some conducting body that serves in place of the earth.
Grounded. Connected to the earth or to some conducting body that serves in place of the earth.
Grounded, effectively. Intentionally connected to earth through a ground connection or connections of sufficiently low impedance and having sufficient current-carrying capacity to prevent the buildup of voltages that may result in undue hazards to connected equipment or to persons.
Grounded conductor. A system or circuit conductor that is intentionally grounded.
Grounding conductor. A conductor used to connect equipment or the grounded circuit of a wiring system to a grounding electrode or electrodes.
Grounding conductor, equipment. The conductor used to connect the noncurrent-carrying metal parts of equipment, raceways, and other enclosures to the system grounded conductor, the grounding electrode conductor, or both, at the service equipment or at the source of a separately derived system.
Grounding electrode conductor. The conductor used to connect the grounding electrode to the equipment grounding conductor, to the grounded conductor, or to both, of the circuits at the service equipment or at the source of a separately derived system.
Ground-fault circuit-interrupter. A device intended for the protection of personnel that functions to deenergize a circuit or a portion of a circuit within an established period of time when a current to ground exceeds some predetermined value that is less than that required to operate the overcurrent protective device of the supply circuit.
Guarded. Covered, shielded, fenced, enclosed, or otherwise protected by means of suitable covers, casings, barriers, rails, screens, mats, or platforms to remove the likelihood of approach to a point of danger or contact by persons or objects.
Health care facilities. Buildings or portions of buildings in which medical, dental, psychiatric, nursing, obstetrical, or surgical care are provided.
Health care facilities include, but are not limited to, hospitals, nursing homes, limited care facilities, clinics, medical and dental offices, and ambulatory care centers, whether permanent or movable.
Heating equipment. For the purposes of § 1910.306(g), the term “heating equipment” includes any equipment used for heating purposes if heat is generated by induction or dielectric methods.
Hoistway. Any shaftway, hatchway, well hole, or other vertical opening or space that is designed for the operation of an elevator or dumbwaiter.
Identified (as applied to equipment). Approved as suitable for the specific purpose, function, use, environment, or application, where described in a particular requirement.
Some examples of ways to determine suitability of equipment for a specific purpose, environment, or application include investigations by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (through listing and labeling), inspection agency, or other organization recognized under the definition of “acceptable.”
Induction heating. The heating of a nominally conductive material due to its own I 2 R losses when the material is placed in a varying electromagnetic field.
Insulated. Separated from other conducting surfaces by a dielectric (including air space) offering a high resistance to the passage of current.
Insulated conductor. See Conductor, Insulated.
Interrupter switch. (Over 600 volts, nominal.) A switch capable of making, carrying, and interrupting specified currents.
Irrigation Machine. An electrically driven or controlled machine, with one or more motors, not hand portable, and used primarily to transport and distribute water for agricultural purposes.
Isolated. (As applied to location.) Not readily accessible to persons unless special means for access are used.
Isolated power system. A system comprising an isolating transformer or its equivalent, a line isolation monitor, and its ungrounded circuit conductors.
Labeled. Equipment is “labeled” if there is attached to it a label, symbol, or other identifying mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory:
(1) That makes periodic inspections of the production of such equipment, and
(2) Whose labeling indicates compliance with nationally recognized standards or tests to determine safe use in a specified manner.
Lighting outlet. An outlet intended for the direct connection of a lampholder, a lighting fixture, or a pendant cord terminating in a lampholder.
Listed. Equipment is “listed” if it is of a kind mentioned in a list that:
(1) Is published by a nationally recognized laboratory that makes periodic inspection of the production of such equipment, and
(2) States that such equipment meets nationally recognized standards or has been tested and found safe for use in a specified manner.
Live parts. Energized conductive components.
Location —(1) Damp location. Partially protected locations under canopies, marquees, roofed open porches, and like locations, and interior locations subject to moderate degrees of moisture, such as some basements, some barns, and some cold-storage warehouses.
(2) Dry location. A location not normally subject to dampness or wetness. A location classified as dry may be temporarily subject to dampness or wetness, as in the case of a building under construction.
(3) Wet location. Installations underground or in concrete slabs or masonry in direct contact with the earth, and locations subject to saturation with water or other liquids, such as vehicle-washing areas, and locations unprotected and exposed to weather.
Medium voltage cable (Type MV). A single or multiconductor solid dielectric insulated cable rated 2001 volts or higher.
Metal-clad cable (Type MC). A factory assembly of one or more insulated circuit conductors with or without optical fiber members enclosed in an armor of interlocking metal tape, or a smooth or corrugated metallic sheath.
Mineral-insulated metal-sheathed cable (Type MI). Type MI, mineral-insulated metal-sheathed, cable is a factory assembly of one or more conductors insulated with a highly compressed refractory mineral insulation and enclosed in a liquidtight and gastight continuous copper or alloy steel sheath.
Mobile X-ray. X-ray equipment mounted on a permanent base with wheels or casters or both for moving while completely assembled.
Motor control center. An assembly of one or more enclosed sections having a common power bus and principally containing motor control units.
Nonmetallic-sheathed cable (Types NM, NMC, and NMS). A factory assembly of two or more insulated conductors having an outer sheath of moisture resistant, flame-retardant, nonmetallic material.
Oil (filled) cutout. (Over 600 volts, nominal.) A cutout in which all or part of the fuse support and its fuse link or disconnecting blade are mounted in oil with complete immersion of the contacts and the fusible portion of the conducting element (fuse link), so that arc interruption by severing of the fuse link or by opening of the contacts will occur under oil.
Open wiring on insulators. Open wiring on insulators is an exposed wiring method using cleats, knobs, tubes, and flexible tubing for the protection and support of single insulated conductors run in or on buildings, and not concealed by the building structure.
Outlet. A point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment.
Outline lighting. An arrangement of incandescent lamps or electric discharge lighting to outline or call attention to certain features, such as the shape of a building or the decoration of a window.
Overcurrent. Any current in excess of the rated current of equipment or the ampacity of a conductor. It may result from overload, short circuit, or ground fault.
Overhaul means to perform a major replacement, modification, repair, or rehabilitation similar to that involved when a new building or facility is built, a new wing is added, or an entire floor is renovated.
Overload. Operation of equipment in excess of normal, full-load rating, or of a conductor in excess of rated ampacity that, when it persists for a sufficient length of time, would cause damage or dangerous overheating. A fault, such as a short circuit or ground fault, is not an overload. (See Overcurrent.)
Panelboard. A single panel or group of panel units designed for assembly in the form of a single panel; including buses, automatic overcurrent devices, and with or without switches for the control of light, heat, or power circuits; designed to be placed in a cabinet or cutout box placed in or against a wall or partition and accessible only from the front. (See Switchboard.)
Permanently installed decorative fountains and reflection pools. Pools that are constructed in the ground, on the ground, or in a building in such a manner that the fountain or pool cannot be readily disassembled for storage, whether or not served by electrical circuits of any nature. These units are primarily constructed for their aesthetic value and are not intended for swimming or wading.
Permanently installed swimming, wading, and therapeutic pools. Pools that are constructed in the ground or partially in the ground, and all other capable of holding water in a depth greater than 1.07 m (42 in.). The definition also applies to all pools installed inside of a building, regardless of water depth, whether or not served by electric circuits of any nature.
Portable X-ray. X-ray equipment designed to be hand-carried.
Power and control tray cable (Type TC). A factory assembly of two or more insulated conductors, with or without associated bare or covered grounding conductors under a nonmetallic sheath, approved for installation in cable trays, in raceways, or where supported by a messenger wire.
Power fuse. (Over 600 volts, nominal.) See Fuse.
Power-limited tray cable (Type PLTC). A factory assembly of two or more insulated conductors under a nonmetallic jacket.
Power outlet. An enclosed assembly, which may include receptacles, circuit breakers, fuseholders, fused switches, buses, and watt-hour meter mounting means, that is intended to supply and control power to mobile homes, recreational vehicles, or boats or to serve as a means for distributing power needed to operate mobile or temporarily installed equipment.
Premises wiring. (Premises wiring system.) The interior and exterior wiring, including power, lighting, control, and signal circuit wiring together with all of their associated hardware, fittings, and wiring devices, both permanently and temporarily installed, that extends from the service point of utility conductors or source of power (such as a battery, a solar photovoltaic system, or a generator, transformer, or converter) to the outlets. Such wiring does not include wiring internal to appliances, fixtures, motors, controllers, motor control centers, and similar equipment.
Qualified person. One who has received training in and has demonstrated skills and knowledge in the construction and operation of electric equipment and installations and the hazards involved.
Whether an employee is considered to be a “qualified person” will depend upon various circumstances in the workplace. For example, it is possible and, in fact, likely for an individual to be considered “qualified” with regard to certain equipment in the workplace, but “unqualified” as to other equipment. (See 1910.332(b)(3) for training requirements that specifically apply to qualified persons.)
An employee who is undergoing on-the-job training and who, in the course of such training, has demonstrated an ability to perform duties safely at his or her level of training and who is under the direct supervision of a qualified person is considered to be a qualified person for the performance of those duties.
Raceway. An enclosed channel of metal or nonmetallic materials designed expressly for holding wires, cables, or busbars, with additional functions as permitted in this standard. Raceways include, but are not limited to, rigid metal conduit, rigid nonmetallic conduit, intermediate metal conduit, liquidtight flexible conduit, flexible metallic tubing, flexible metal conduit, electrical metallic tubing, electrical nonmetallic tubing, underfloor raceways, cellular concrete floor raceways, cellular metal floor raceways, surface raceways, wireways, and busways.
Readily accessible. Capable of being reached quickly for operation, renewal, or inspections, so that those needing ready access do not have to climb over or remove obstacles or to resort to portable ladders, chairs, etc. (See Accessible.)
Receptacle. A receptacle is a contact device installed at the outlet for the connection of an attachment plug. A single receptacle is a single contact device with no other contact device on the same yoke. A multiple receptacle is two or more contact devices on the same yoke.
Receptacle outlet. An outlet where one or more receptacles are installed.
Remote-control circuit. Any electric circuit that controls any other circuit through a relay or an equivalent device.
Sealable equipment. Equipment enclosed in a case or cabinet that is provided with a means of sealing or locking so that live parts cannot be made accessible without opening the enclosure. The equipment may or may not be operable without opening the enclosure.
Separately derived system. A premises wiring system whose power is derived from a battery, a solar photovoltaic system, or from a generator, transformer, or converter windings, and that has no direct electrical connection, including a solidly connected grounded circuit conductor, to supply conductors originating in another system.
Service. The conductors and equipment for delivering electric energy from the serving utility to the wiring system of the premises served.
Service cable. Service conductors made up in the form of a cable.
Service conductors. The conductors from the service point to the service disconnecting means.
Service drop. The overhead service conductors from the last pole or other aerial support to and including the splices, if any, connecting to the service-entrance conductors at the building or other structure.
Service-entrance cable. A single conductor or multiconductor assembly provided with or without an overall covering, primarily used for services, and is of the following types:
(1) Type SE. Type SE, having a flame-retardant, moisture resistant covering; and
(2) Type USE. Type USE, identified for underground use, having a moisture-resistant covering, but not required to have a flame-retardant covering. Cabled, single-conductor, Type USE constructions recognized for underground use may have a bare copper conductor cabled with the assembly. Type USE single, parallel, or cable conductor assemblies recognized for underground use may have a bare copper concentric conductor applied. These constructions do not require an outer overall covering.
Service-entrance conductors, overhead system. The service conductors between the terminals of the service equipment and a point usually outside the building, clear of building walls, where joined by tap or splice to the service drop.
Service entrance conductors, underground system. The service conductors between the terminals of the service equipment and the point of connection to the service lateral.
Service equipment. The necessary equipment, usually consisting of one or more circuit breakers or switches and fuses, and their accessories, connected to the load end of service conductors to a building or other structure, or an otherwise designated area, and intended to constitute the main control and cutoff of the supply.
Service point. The point of connection between the facilities of the serving utility and the premises wiring.
Shielded nonmetallic-sheathed cable (Type SNM). A factory assembly of two or more insulated conductors in an extruded core of moisture-resistant, flame-resistant nonmetallic material, covered with an overlapping spiral metal tape and wire shield and jacketed with an extruded moisture-, flame-, oil-, corrosion-, fungus-, and sunlight-resistant nonmetallic material.
Show window. Any window used or designed to be used for the display of goods or advertising material, whether it is fully or partly enclosed or entirely open at the rear and whether or not it has a platform raised higher than the street floor level.
Signaling circuit. Any electric circuit that energizes signaling equipment.
Storable swimming or wading pool. A pool that is constructed on or above the ground and is capable of holding water to a maximum depth of 1.07 m (42 in.), or a pool with nonmetallic, molded polymeric walls or inflatable fabric walls regardless of dimension.
Switchboard. A large single panel, frame, or assembly of panels on which are mounted, on the face or back, or both, switches, overcurrent and other protective devices, buses, and (usually) instruments. Switchboards are generally accessible from the rear as well as from the front and are not intended to be installed in cabinets. (See Panelboard.)
Switch —(1) General-use switch. A switch intended for use in general distribution and branch circuits. It is rated in amperes, and it is capable of interrupting its rated current at its rated voltage.
(2) General-use snap switch. A form of general-use switch constructed so that it can be installed in device boxes or on box covers, or otherwise used in conjunction with wiring systems recognized by this subpart.
(3) Isolating switch. A switch intended for isolating an electric circuit from the source of power. It has no interrupting rating, and it is intended to be operated only after the circuit has been opened by some other means.
(4) Motor-circuit switch. A switch, rated in horsepower, capable of interrupting the maximum operating overload current of a motor of the same horsepower rating as the switch at the rated voltage.
Switching devices. (Over 600 volts, nominal.) Devices designed to close and open one or more electric circuits. Included in this category are circuit breakers, cutouts, disconnecting (or isolating) switches, disconnecting means, interrupter switches, and oil (filled) cutouts.
Transportable X-ray. X-ray equipment installed in a vehicle or that may readily be disassembled for transport in a vehicle.
Utilization equipment. Equipment that utilizes electric energy for electronic, electromechanical, chemical, heating, lighting, or similar purposes.
Ventilated. Provided with a means to permit circulation of air sufficient to remove an excess of heat, fumes, or vapors.
Volatile flammable liquid. A flammable liquid having a flash point below 38 °C (100 °F), or a flammable liquid whose temperature is above its flash point, or a Class II combustible liquid having a vapor pressure not exceeding 276 kPa (40 psia) at 38 °C (100 °F) and whose temperature is above its flash point.
Voltage (of a circuit). The greatest root-mean-square (rms) (effective) difference of potential between any two conductors of the circuit concerned.
Voltage, nominal. A nominal value assigned to a circuit or system for the purpose of conveniently designating its voltage class (as 120/240 volts, 480Y/277 volts, 600 volts). The actual voltage at which a circuit operates can vary from the nominal within a range that permits satisfactory operation of equipment.
Voltage to ground. For grounded circuits, the voltage between the given conductor and that point or conductor of the circuit that is grounded; for ungrounded circuits, the greatest voltage between the given conductor and any other conductor of the circuit.
Watertight. So constructed that moisture will not enter the enclosure.
Weatherproof. So constructed or protected that exposure to the weather will not interfere with successful operation. Rainproof, raintight, or watertight equipment can fulfill the requirements for weatherproof where varying weather conditions other than wetness, such as snow, ice, dust, or temperature extremes, are not a factor.
Wireways. Sheet-metal troughs with hinged or removable covers for housing and protecting electric wires and cable and in which conductors are laid in place after the wireway has been installed as a complete system.
§ 1910.401   Scope and application.
(a) Scope. (1) This subpart (standard) applies to every place of employment within the waters of the United States, or within any State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Wake Island, Johnston Island, the Canal Zone, or within the Outer Continental Shelf lands as defined in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (67 Stat. 462, 43 U.S.C. 1331), where diving and related support operations are performed.
(2) This standard applies to diving and related support operations conducted in connection with all types of work and employments, including general industry, construction, ship repairing, shipbuilding, shipbreaking and longshoring. However, this standard does not apply to any diving operation:
(i) Performed solely for instructional purposes, using open-circuit, compressed-air SCUBA and conducted within the no-decompression limits;
(ii) Performed solely for search, rescue, or related public safety purposes by or under the control of a governmental agency; or
(iii) Governed by 45 CFR part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) or equivalent rules or regulations established by another federal agency, which regulate research, development, or related purposes involving human subjects.
(iv) Defined as scientific diving and which is under the direction and control of a diving program containing at least the following elements:
(A) Diving safety manual which includes at a minimum: Procedures covering all diving operations specific to the program; procedures for emergency care, including recompression and evacuation; and criteria for diver training and certification.
(B) Diving control (safety) board, with the majority of its members being active divers, which shall at a minimum have the authority to: Approve and monitor diving projects; review and revise the diving safety manual; assure compliance with the manual; certify the depths to which a diver has been trained; take disciplinary action for unsafe practices; and, assure adherence to the buddy system (a diver is accompanied by and is in continuous contact with another diver in the water) for SCUBA diving.
(3) Alternative requirements for recreational diving instructors and diving guides. Employers of recreational diving instructors and diving guides are not required to comply with the decompression-chamber requirements specified by paragraphs (b)(2) and (c)(3)(iii) of § 1910.423 and paragraph (b)(1) of § 1910.426 when they meet all of the following conditions:
(i) The instructor or guide is engaging solely in recreational diving instruction or dive-guiding operations;
(ii) The instructor or guide is diving within the no-decompression limits in these operations;
(iii) The instructor or guide is using a nitrox breathing-gas mixture consisting of a high percentage of oxygen (more than 22% by volume) mixed with nitrogen;
(iv) The instructor or guide is using an open-circuit, semi-closed-circuit, or closed-circuit self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA); and
(v) The employer of the instructor or guide is complying with all requirements of appendix C of this subpart.
(b) Application in emergencies. An employer may deviate from the requirements of this standard to the extent necessary to prevent or minimize a situation which is likely to cause death, serious physical harm, or major environmental damage, provided that the employer:
(1) Notifies the Area Director, Occupational Safety and Health Administration within 48 hours of the onset of the emergency situation indicating the nature of the emergency and extent of the deviation from the prescribed regulations; and
(2) Upon request from the Area Director, submits such information in writing.
(c) Employer obligation. The employer shall be responsible for compliance with:
(1) All provisions of this standard of general applicability; and
(2) All requirements pertaining to specific diving modes to the extent diving operations in such modes are conducted.
§ 1910.402   Definitions.
As used in this standard, the listed terms are defined as follows:
Acfm: Actual cubic feet per minute.
ASME Code or equivalent: ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, or an equivalent code which the employer can demonstrate to be equally effective.
ATA: Atmosphere absolute.
Bell: An enclosed compartment, pressurized (closed bell) or unpressurized (open bell), which allows the diver to be transported to and from the underwater work area and which may be used as a temporary refuge during diving operations.
Bottom time: The total elasped time measured in minutes from the time when the diver leaves the surface in descent to the time that the diver begins ascent.
Bursting pressure: The pressure at which a pressure containment device would fail structurally.
Cylinder: A pressure vessel for the storage of gases.
Decompression chamber: A pressure vessel for human occupancy such as a surface decompression chamber, closed bell, or deep diving system used to decompress divers and to treat decompression sickness.
Decompression sickness: A condition with a variety of symptoms which may result from gas or bubbles in the tissues of divers after pressure reduction.
Decompression table: A profile or set of profiles of depth-time relationships for ascent rates and breathing mixtures to be followed after a specific depth-time exposure or exposures.
Dive-guiding operations means leading groups of sports divers, who use an open-circuit, semi-closed-circuit, or closed-circuit self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, to local undersea diving locations for recreational purposes.
Dive location: A surface or vessel from which a diving operation is conducted.
Dive-location reserve breathing gas: A supply system of air or mixed-gas (as appropriate) at the dive location which is independent of the primary supply system and sufficient to support divers during the planned decompression.
Dive team: Divers and support employees involved in a diving operation, including the designated person-in-charge.
Diver: An employee working in water using underwater apparatus which supplies compressed breathing gas at the ambient pressure.
Diver-carried reserve breathing gas: A diver-carried supply of air or mixed gas (as appropriate) sufficient under standard operating conditions to allow the diver to reach the surface, or another source of breathing gas, or to be reached by a standby diver.
Diving mode: A type of diving requiring specific equipment, procedures and techniques (SCUBA, surface-supplied air, or mixed gas).
Fsw: Feet of seawater (or equivalent static pressure head).
Heavy gear: Diver-worn deep-sea dress including helmet, breastplate, dry suit, and weighted shoes.
Hyperbaric conditions: Pressure conditions in excess of surface pressure.
Inwater stage: A suspended underwater platform which supports a diver in the water.
Liveboating: The practice of supporting a surfaced-supplied air or mixed gas diver from a vessel which is underway.
Mixed-gas diving: A diving mode in which the diver is supplied in the water with a breathing gas other than air.
No-decompression limits: The depth-time limits of the “no-decompression limits and repetitive dive group designation table for no-decompression air dives”, U.S. Navy Diving Manual or equivalent limits which the employer can demonstrate to be equally effective.
Psi(g): Pounds per square inch (gauge).
Recreational diving instruction means training diving students in the use of recreational diving procedures and the safe operation of diving equipment, including an open-circuit, semi-closed-circuit, or closed-circuit self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, during dives.
Scientific diving means diving performed solely as a necessary part of a scientific, research, or educational activity by employees whose sole purpose for diving is to perform scientific research tasks. Scientific diving does not include performing any tasks usually associated with commercial diving such as: Placing or removing heavy objects underwater; inspection of pipelines and similar objects; construction; demolition; cutting or welding; or the use of explosives.
SCUBA diving: A diving mode independent of surface supply in which the diver uses open circuit self-contained underwater breathing apparatus.
Standby diver: A diver at the dive location available to assist a diver in the water.
Surface-supplied air diving: A diving mode in which the diver in the water is supplied from the dive location with compressed air for breathing.
Treatment table: A depth-time and breathing gas profile designed to treat decompression sickness.
Umbilical: The composite hose bundle between a dive location and a diver or bell, or between a diver and a bell, which supplies the diver or bell with breathing gas, communications, power, or heat as appropriate to the diving mode or conditions, and includes a safety line between the diver and the dive location.
Volume tank: A pressure vessel connected to the outlet of a compressor and used as an air reservoir.
Working pressure: The maximum pressure to which a pressure containment device may be exposed under standard operating conditions.
§ 1910.410   Qualifications of dive team.
(a) General. (1) Each dive team member shall have the experience or training necessary to perform assigned tasks in a safe and healthful manner.
(2) Each dive team member shall have experience or training in the following:
(i) The use of tools, equipment and systems relevant to assigned tasks;
(ii) Techniques of the assigned diving mode: and
(iii) Diving operations and emergency procedures.
(3) All dive team members shall be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid (American Red Cross standard course or equivalent).
(4) Dive team members who are exposed to or control the exposure of others to hyperbaric conditions shall be trained in diving-related physics and physiology.
(b) Assignments. (1) Each dive team member shall be assigned tasks in accordance with the employee's experience or training, except that limited additional tasks may be assigned to an employee undergoing training provided that these tasks are performed under the direct supervision of an experienced dive team member.
(2) The employer shall not require a dive team member to be exposed to hyperbaric conditions against the employee's will, except when necessary to complete decompression or treatment procedures.
(3) The employer shall not permit a dive team member to dive or be otherwise exposed to hyperbaric conditions for the duration of any temporary physical impairment or condition which is known to the employer and is likely to affect adversely the safety or health of a dive team member.
(c) Designated person-in-charge. (1) The employer or an employee designated by the employer shall be at the dive location in charge of all aspects of the diving operation affecting the safety and health of dive team members.
(2) The designated person-in-charge shall have experience and training in the conduct of the assigned diving operation.
§ 1910.420   Safe practices manual.
(a) General. The employer shall develop and maintain a safe practices manual which shall be made available at the dive location to each dive team member.
(b) Contents. (1) The safe practices manual shall contain a copy of this standard and the employer's policies for implementing the requirements of this standard.
(2) For each diving mode engaged in, the safe practices manual shall include:
(i) Safety procedures and checklists for diving operations;
(ii) Assignments and responsibilities of the dive team members;
(iii) Equipment procedures and checklists; and
(iv) Emergency procedures for fire, equipment failure, adverse environmental conditions, and medical illness and injury.
§ 1910.421   Pre-dive procedures.
(a) General. The employer shall comply with the following requirements prior to each diving operation, unless otherwise specified.
(b) Emergency aid. A list shall be kept at the dive location of the telephone or call numbers of the following:
(1) An operational decompression chamber (if not at the dive location);
(2) Accessible hospitals;
(3) Available physicians;
(4) Available means of transportation; and
(5) The nearest U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center.
(c) First aid supplies. (1) A first aid kit appropriate for the diving operation and approved by a physician shall be available at the dive location.
(2) When used in a decompression chamber or bell, the first aid kit shall be suitable for use under hyperbaric conditions.
(3) In addition to any other first aid supplies, an American Red Cross standard first aid handbook or equivalent, and a bag-type manual resuscitator with transparent mask and tubing shall be available at the dive location.
(d) Planning and assessment. Planning of a diving operation shall include an assessment of the safety and health aspects of the following:
(1) Diving mode;
(2) Surface and underwater conditions and hazards;
(3) Breathing gas supply (including reserves);
(4) Thermal protection;
(5) Diving equipment and systems;
(6) Dive team assignments and physical fitness of dive team members (including any impairment known to the employer);
(7) Repetitive dive designation or residual inert gas status of dive team members;
(8) Decompression and treatment procedures (including altitude corrections); and
(9) Emergency procedures.
(e) Hazardous activities. To minimize hazards to the dive team, diving operations shall be coordinated with other activities in the vicinity which are likely to interfere with the diving operation.
(f) Employee briefing. (1) Dive team members shall be briefed on:
(i) The tasks to be undertaken;
(ii) Safety procedures for the diving mode;
(iii) Any unusual hazards or environmental conditions likely to affect the safety of the diving operation; and
(iv) Any modifications to operating procedures necessitated by the specific diving operation.
(2) Prior to making individual dive team member assignments, the employer shall inquire into the dive team member's current state of physical fitness, and indicate to the dive team member the procedure for reporting physical problems or adverse physiological effects during and after the dive.
(g) Equipment inspection. The breathing gas supply system including reserve breathing gas supplies, masks, helmets, thermal protection, and bell handling mechanism (when appropriate) shall be inspected prior to each dive.
(h) Warning signal. When diving from surfaces other than vessels in areas capable of supporting marine traffic, a rigid replica of the international code flag “A” at least one meter in height shall be displayed at the dive location in a manner which allows all-round visibility, and shall be illuminated during night diving operations.
§ 1910.422   Procedures during dive.
(a) General. The employer shall comply with the following requirements which are applicable to each diving operation unless otherwise specified.
(b) Water entry and exit. (1) A means capable of supporting the diver shall be provided for entering and exiting the water.
(2) The means provided for exiting the water shall extend below the water surface.
(3) A means shall be provided to assist an injured diver from the water or into a bell.
(c) Communications. (1) An operational two-way voice communication system shall be used between:
(i) Each surface-supplied air or mixed-gas diver and a dive team member at the dive location or bell (when provided or required); and
(ii) The bell and the dive location.
(2) An operational, two-way communication system shall be available at the dive location to obtain emergency assistance.
(d) Decompression tables. Decompression, repetitive, and no-decompression tables (as appropriate) shall be at the dive location.
(e) Dive profiles. A depth-time profile, including when appropriate any breathing gas changes, shall be maintained for each diver during the dive including decompression.
(f) Hand-held power tools and equipment. (1) Hand-held electrical tools and equipment shall be de-energized before being placed into or retrieved from the water.
(2) Hand-held power tools shall not be supplied with power from the dive location until requested by the diver.
(g) Welding and burning. (1) A current supply switch to interrupt the current flow to the welding or burning electrode shall be:
(i) Tended by a dive team member in voice communication with the diver performing the welding or burning; and
(ii) Kept in the open position except when the diver is welding or burning.
(2) The welding machine frame shall be grounded.
(3) Welding and burning cables, electrode holders, and connections shall be capable of carrying the maximum current required by the work, and shall be properly insulated.
(4) Insulated gloves shall be provided to divers performing welding and burning operations.
(5) Prior to welding or burning on closed compartments, structures or pipes, which contain a flammable vapor or in which a flammable vapor may be generated by the work, they shall be vented, flooded, or purged with a mixture of gases which will not support combustion.
(h) Explosives. (1) Employers shall transport, store, and use explosives in accordance with this section and the applicable provisions of §§ 1910.109 and 1926.912 of Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(2) Electrical continuity of explosive circuits shall not be tested until the diver is out of the water.
(3) Explosives shall not be detonated while the diver is in the water.
(i) Termination of dive. The working interval of a dive shall be terminated when:
(1) A diver requests termination;
(2) A diver fails to respond correctly to communications or signals from a dive team member;
(3) Communications are lost and can not be quickly re-established between the diver and a dive team member at the dive location, and between the designated person-in-charge and the person controlling the vessel in liveboating operations; or
(4) A diver begins to use diver-carried reserve breathing gas or the dive-location reserve breathing gas.
§ 1910.423   Post-dive procedures.
(a) General. The employer shall comply with the following requirements which are applicable after each diving operation, unless otherwise specified.
(b) Precautions. (1) After the completion of any dive, the employer shall:
(i) Check the physical condition of the diver;
(ii) Instruct the diver to report any physical problems or adverse physiological effects including symptoms of decompression sickness;
(iii) Advise the diver of the location of a decompression chamber which is ready for use; and
(iv) Alert the diver to the potential hazards of flying after diving.
(2) For any dive outside the no-decompression limits, deeper than 100 fsw or using mixed gas as a breathing mixture, the employer shall instruct the diver to remain awake and in the vicinity of the decompression chamber which is at the dive location for at least one hour after the dive (including decompression or treatment as appropriate).
(c) Recompression capability. (1) A decompression chamber capable of recompressing the diver at the surface to a minimum of 165 fsw (6 ATA) shall be available at the dive location for:
(i) Surface-supplied air diving to depths deeper than 100 fsw and shallower than 220 fsw;
(ii) Mixed gas diving shallower than 300 fsw; or
(iii) Diving outside the no-decompression limits shallower than 300 fsw.
(2) A decompression chamber capable of recompressing the diver at the surface to the maximum depth of the dive shall be available at the dive location for dives deeper than 300 fsw.
(3) The decompression chamber shall be:
(i) Dual-lock;
(ii) Multiplace; and
(iii) Located within 5 minutes of the dive location.
(4) The decompression chamber shall be equipped with:
(i) A pressure gauge for each pressurized compartment designed for human occupancy;
(ii) A built-in-breathing-system with a minimum of one mask per occupant;
(iii) A two-way voice communication system between occupants and a dive team member at the dive location;
(iv) A viewport; and
(v) Illumination capability to light the interior.
(5) Treatment tables, treatment gas appropriate to the diving mode, and sufficient gas to conduct treatment shall be available at the dive location.
(6) A dive team member shall be available at the dive location during and for at least one hour after the dive to operate the decompression chamber (when required or provided).
(d) Record of dive. (1) The following information shall be recorded and maintained for each diving operation:
(i) Names of dive team members including designated person-in-charge;
(ii) Date, time, and location;
(iii) Diving modes used;
(iv) General nature of work performed;
(v) Approximate underwater and surface conditions (visibility, water temperature and current); and
(vi) Maximum depth and bottom time for each diver.
(2) For each dive outside the no-decompression limits, deeper than 100 fsw or using mixed gas, the following additional information shall be recorded and maintained:
(i) Depth-time and breathing gas profiles;
(ii) Decompression table designation (including modification); and
(iii) Elapsed time since last pressure exposure if less than 24 hours or repetitive dive designation for each diver.
(3) For each dive in which decompression sickness is suspected or symptoms are evident, the following additional information shall be recorded and maintained:
(i) Description of decompression sickness symptoms (including depth and time of onset); and
(ii) Description and results of treatment.
(e) Decompression procedure assessment. The employer shall:
(1) Investigate and evaluate each incident of decompression sickness based on the recorded information, consideration of the past performance of decompression table used, and individual susceptibility;
(2) Take appropriate corrective action to reduce the probability of recurrence of decompression sickness; and
(3) Prepare a written evaluation of the decompression procedure assessment, including any corrective action taken, within 45 days of the incident of decompression sickness.
§ 1910.424   SCUBA diving.
(a) General. Employers engaged in SCUBA diving shall comply with the following requirements, unless otherwise specified.
(b) Limits. SCUBA diving shall not be conducted:
(1) At depths deeper than 130 fsw;
(2) At depths deeper than 100 fsw or outside the no-decompression limits unless a decompression chamber is ready for use;
(3) Against currents exceeding one (1) knot unless line-tended; or
(4) In enclosed or physically confining spaces unless line-tended.
(c) Procedures. (1) A standby diver shall be available while a diver is in the water.
(2) A diver shall be line-tended from the surface, or accompanied by another diver in the water in continuous visual contact during the diving operations.
(3) A diver shall be stationed at the underwater point of entry when diving is conducted in enclosed or physically confining spaces.
(4) A diver-carried reserve breathing gas supply shall be provided for each diver consisting of:
(i) A manual reserve (J valve); or
(ii) An independent reserve cylinder with a separate regulator or connected to the underwater breathing apparatus.
(5) The valve of the reserve breathing gas supply shall be in the closed position prior to the dive.
§ 1910.425   Surface-supplied air diving.
(a) General. Employers engaged in surface-supplied air diving shall comply with the following requirements, unless otherwise specified.
(b) Limits. (1) Surface-supplied air diving shall not be conducted at depths deeper than 190 fsw, except that dives with bottom times of 30 minutes or less may be conducted to depths of 220 fsw.
(2) A decompression chamber shall be ready for use at the dive location for any dive outside the no-decompression limits or deeper than 100 fsw.
(3) A bell shall be used for dives with an inwater decompression time greater than 120 minutes, except when heavy gear is worn or diving is conducted in physically confining spaces.
(c) Procedures. (1) Each diver shall be continuously tended while in the water.
(2) A diver shall be stationed at the underwater point of entry when diving is conducted in enclosed or physically confining spaces.
(3) Each diving operation shall have a primary breathing gas supply sufficient to support divers for the duration of the planned dive including decompression.
(4) For dives deeper than 100 fsw or outside the no-decompression limits:
(i) A separate dive team member shall tend each diver in the water;
(ii) A standby diver shall be available while a diver is in the water;
(iii) A diver-carried reserve breathing gas supply shall be provided for each diver except when heavy gear is worn; and
(iv) A dive-location reserve breathing gas supply shall be provided.
(5) For heavy-gear diving deeper than 100 fsw or outside the no-decompression limits:
(i) An extra breathing gas hose capable of supplying breathing gas to the diver in the water shall be available to the standby diver.
(ii) An inwater stage shall be provided to divers in the water.
(6) Except when heavy gear is worn or where physical space does not permit, a diver-carried reserve breathing gas supply shall be provided whenever the diver is prevented by the configuration of the dive area from ascending directly to the surface.
§ 1910.426   Mixed-gas diving.
(a) General. Employers engaged in mixed-gas diving shall comply with the following requirements, unless otherwise specified.
(b) Limits. Mixed-gas diving shall be conducted only when:
(1) A decompression chamber is ready for use at the dive location; and
(i) A bell is used at depths greater than 220 fsw or when the dive involves inwater decompression time of greater than 120 minutes, except when heavy gear is worn or when diving in physically confining spaces; or
(ii) A closed bell is used at depths greater than 300 fsw, except when diving is conducted in physically confining spaces.
(c) Procedures. (1) A separate dive team member shall tend each diver in the water.
(2) A standby diver shall be available while a diver is in the water.
(3) A diver shall be stationed at the underwater point of entry when diving is conducted in enclosed or physically confining spaces.
(4) Each diving operation shall have a primary breathing gas supply sufficient to support divers for the duration of the planned dive including decompression.
(5) Each diving operation shall have a dive-location reserve breathing gas supply.
(6) When heavy gear is worn:
(i) An extra breathing gas hose capable of supplying breathing gas to the diver in the water shall be available to the standby diver; and
(ii) An inwater stage shall be provided to divers in the water.
(7) An inwater stage shall be provided for divers without access to a bell for dives deeper than 100 fsw or outside the no-decompression limits.
(8) When a closed bell is used, one dive team member in the bell shall be available and tend the diver in the water.
(9) Except when heavy gear is worn or where physical space does not permit, a diver-carried reserve breathing gas supply shall be provided for each diver:
(i) Diving deeper than 100 fsw or outside the no-decompression limits; or
(ii) Prevented by the configuration of the dive area from directly ascending to the surface.
§ 1910.427   Liveboating.
(a) General. Employers engaged in diving operations involving liveboating shall comply with the following requirements.
(b) Limits. Diving operations involving liveboating shall not be conducted:
(1) With an inwater decompression time of greater than 120 minutes;
(2) Using surface-supplied air at depths deeper than 190 fsw, except that dives with bottom times of 30 minutes or less may be conducted to depths of 220 fsw;
(3) Using mixed gas at depths greater than 220 fsw;
(4) In rough seas which significantly inpede diver mobility or work function; or
(5) In other than daylight hours.
(c) Procedures. (1) The propeller of the vessel shall be stopped before the diver enters or exits the water.
(2) A device shall be used which minimizes the possibility of entanglement of the diver's hose in the propeller of the vessel.
(3) Two-way voice communication between the designated person-in-charge and the person controlling the vessel shall be available while the diver is in the water.
(4) A standby diver shall be available while a diver is in the water.
(5) A diver-carried reserve breathing gas supply shall be carried by each diver engaged in liveboating operations.
§ 1910.430   Equipment.
(a) General. (1) All employers shall comply with the following requirements, unless otherwise specified.
(2) Each equipment modification, repair, test, calibration or maintenance service shall be recorded by means of a tagging or logging system, and include the date and nature of work performed, and the name or initials of the person performing the work.
(b) Air compressor system. (1) Compressors used to supply air to the diver shall be equipped with a volume tank with a check valve on the inlet side, a pressure gauge, a relief valve, and a drain valve.
(2) Air compressor intakes shall be located away from areas containing exhaust or other contaminants.
(3) Respirable air supplied to a diver shall not contain:
(i) A level of carbon monoxide (CO) greater than 20 p/m;
(ii) A level of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) greater than 1,000 p/m;
(iii) A level of oil mist greater than 5 milligrams per cubic meter; or
(iv) A noxious or pronounced odor.
(4) The output of air compressor systems shall be tested for air purity every 6 months by means of samples taken at the connection to the distribution system, except that non-oil lubricated compressors need not be tested for oil mist.
(c) Breathing gas supply hoses. (1) Breathing gas supply hoses shall:
(i) Have a working pressure at least equal to the working pressure of the total breathing gas system;
(ii) Have a rated bursting pressure at least equal to 4 times the working pressure;
(iii) Be tested at least annually to 1.5 times their working pressure; and
(iv) Have their open ends taped, capped or plugged when not in use.
(2) Breathing gas supply hose connectors shall:
(i) Be made of corrosion-resistant materials;
(ii) Have a working pressure at least equal to the working pressure of the hose to which they are attached; and
(iii) Be resistant to accidental disengagement.
(3) Umbilicals shall:
(i) Be marked in 10-ft. increments to 100 feet beginning at the diver's end, and in 50 ft. increments thereafter;
(ii) Be made of kink-resistant materials; and
(iii) Have a working pressure greater than the pressure equivalent to the maximum depth of the dive (relative to the supply source) plus 100 psi.
(d) Buoyancy control. (1) Helmets or masks connected directly to the dry suit or other buoyancy-changing equipment shall be equipped with an exhaust valve.
(2) A dry suit or other buoyancy-changing equipment not directly connected to the helmet or mask shall be equipped with an exhaust valve.
(3) When used for SCUBA diving, a buoyancy compensator shall have an inflation source separate from the breathing gas supply.
(4) An inflatable flotation device capable of maintaining the diver at the surface in a face-up position, having a manually activated inflation source independent of the breathing supply, an oral inflation device, and an exhaust valve shall be used for SCUBA diving.
(e) Compressed gas cylinders. Compressed gas cylinders shall:
(1) Be designed, constructed and maintained in accordance with the applicable provisions of 29 CFR 1910.101 and 1910.169 through 1910.171.
(2) Be stored in a ventilated area and protected from excessive heat;
(3) Be secured from falling; and
(4) Have shut-off valves recessed into the cylinder or protected by a cap, except when in use or manifolded, or when used for SCUBA diving.
(f) Decompression chambers. (1) Each decompression chamber manufactured after the effective date of this standard, shall be built and maintained in accordance with the ASME Code or equivalent.
(2) Each decompression chamber manufactured prior to the effective date of this standard shall be maintained in conformity with the code requirements to which it was built, or equivalent.
(3) Each decompression chamber shall be equipped with:
(i) Means to maintain the atmosphere below a level of 25 percent oxygen by volume;
(ii) Mufflers on intake and exhaust lines, which shall be regularly inspected and maintained;
(iii) Suction guards on exhaust line openings; and
(iv) A means for extinguishing fire, and shall be maintained to minimize sources of ignition and combustible material.
(g) Gauges and timekeeping devices. (1) Gauges indicating diver depth which can be read at the dive location shall be used for all dives except SCUBA.
(2) Each depth gauge shall be deadweight tested or calibrated against a master reference gauge every 6 months, and when there is a discrepancy greater than two percent (2 percent) of full scale between any two equivalent gauges.
(3) A cylinder pressure gauge capable of being monitored by the diver during the dive shall be worn by each SCUBA diver.
(4) A timekeeping device shall be available at each dive location.
(h) Masks and helmets. (1) Surface-supplied air and mixed-gas masks and helmets shall have:
(i) A non-return valve at the attachment point between helmet or mask and hose which shall close readily and positively; and
(ii) An exhaust valve.
(2) Surface-supplied air masks and helmets shall have a minimum ventilation rate capability of 4.5 acfm at any depth at which they are operated or the capability of maintaining the diver's inspired carbon dioxide partial pressure below 0.02 ATA when the diver is producing carbon dioxide at the rate of 1.6 standard liters per minute.
(i) Oxygen safety. (1) Equipment used with oxygen or mixtures containing over forty percent (40%) by volume oxygen shall be designed for oxygen service.
(2) Components (except umbilicals) exposed to oxygen or mixtures containing over forty percent (40%) by volume oxygen shall be cleaned of flammable materials before use.
(3) Oxygen systems over 125 psig and compressed air systems over 500 psig shall have slow-opening shut-off valves.
(j) Weights and harnesses. (1) Except when heavy gear is worn, divers shall be equipped with a weight belt or assembly capable of quick release.
(2) Except when heavy gear is worn or in SCUBA diving, each diver shall wear a safety harness with:
(i) A positive buckling device;
(ii) An attachment point for the umbilical to prevent strain on the mask or helmet; and
(iii) A lifting point to distribute the pull force of the line over the diver's body.
§ 1910.440   Recordkeeping requirements.
(a)(1) [Reserved]
(2) The employer shall record the occurrence of any diving-related injury or illness which requires any dive team member to be hospitalized for 24 hours or more, specifying the circumstances of the incident and the extent of any injuries or illnesses.
(b) Availability of records. (1) Upon the request of the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, or the Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Department of Health and Human Services of their designees, the employer shall make available for inspection and copying any record or document required by this standard.
(2) Records and documents required by this standard shall be provided upon request to employees, designated representatives, and the Assistant Secretary in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1020 (a)-(e) and (g)-(i). Safe practices manuals (§ 1910.420), depth-time profiles (§ 1910.422), recordings of dives (§ 1910.423), decompression procedure assessment evaluations (§ 1910.423), and records of hospitalizations (§ 1910.440) shall be provided in the same manner as employee exposure records or analyses using exposure or medical records. Equipment inspections and testing records which pertain to employees (§ 1910.430) shall also be provided upon request to employees and their designated representatives.
(3) Records and documents required by this standard shall be retained by the employer for the following period:
(i) [Reserved]
(ii) Safe practices manual (§ 1910.420)—current document only;
(iii) Depth-time profile (§ 1910.422)—until completion of the recording of dive, or until completion of decompression procedure assessment where there has been an incident of decompression sickness;
(iv) Recording of dive (§ 1910.423)—1 year, except 5 years where there has been an incident of decompression sickness;
(v) Decompression procedure assessment evaluations (§ 1910.423)—5 years;
(vi) Equipment inspections and testing records (§ 1910.430)—current entry or tag, or until equipment is withdrawn from service;
(vii) Records of hospitalizations (§ 1910.440)—5 years.
(4) The employer shall comply with any additional requirements set forth at 29 CFR 1910.1020,
(5) [Reserved]
§ 1910.501   [Reserved]
§ 1910.502   Healthcare.
(a) Scope and application. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, this section applies to all settings where any employee provides healthcare services or healthcare support services.
(2) This section does not apply to the following:
(i) The provision of first aid by an employee who is not a licensed healthcare provider;
(ii) The dispensing of prescriptions by pharmacists in retail settings;
(iii) Non-hospital ambulatory care settings where all non-employees are screened prior to entry and people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not permitted to enter those settings;
(iv) Well-defined hospital ambulatory care settings where all employees are fully vaccinated and all non-employees are screened prior to entry and people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not permitted to enter those settings;
(v) Home healthcare settings where all employees are fully vaccinated and all non-employees are screened prior to entry and people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not present;
(vi) Healthcare support services not performed in a healthcare setting ( e.g., off-site laundry, off-site medical billing); or
(vii) Telehealth services performed outside of a setting where direct patient care occurs.
OSHA does not intend to preclude the employers of employees who are unable to be vaccinated from the scope exemption in paragraphs (a)(2)(iv) and (v) of this section. Under various anti-discrimination laws, workers who cannot be vaccinated because of medical conditions, such as allergies to vaccine ingredients, or certain religious beliefs may ask for a reasonable accommodation from their employer. Accordingly, where an employer reasonably accommodates an employee who is unable to be vaccinated in a manner that does not expose the employee to COVID-19 hazards ( e.g., telework, working in isolation), that employer may be within the scope exemption in paragraphs (a)(2)(iv) and (v) of this section.
(3)(i) Where a healthcare setting is embedded within a non-healthcare setting ( e.g., medical clinic in a manufacturing facility, walk-in clinic in a retail setting), this section applies only to the embedded healthcare setting and not to the remainder of the physical location.
(ii) Where emergency responders or other licensed healthcare providers enter a non-healthcare setting to provide healthcare services, this section applies only to the provision of the healthcare services by that employee.
(4) In well-defined areas where there is no reasonable expectation that any person with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 will be present, paragraphs (f), (h), and (i) of this section do not apply to employees who are fully vaccinated.
Nothing in this section is intended to limit state or local government mandates or guidance ( e.g., executive order, health department order) that go beyond the requirements of and are not inconsistent with this section.
Employers are encouraged to follow public health guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) even when not required by this section.
(b) Definitions. The following definitions apply to this section:
Aerosol-generating procedure means a medical procedure that generates aerosols that can be infectious and are of respirable size. For the purposes of this section, only the following medical procedures are considered aerosol-generating procedures: Open suctioning of airways; sputum induction; cardiopulmonary resuscitation; endotracheal intubation and extubation; non-invasive ventilation ( e.g., BiPAP, CPAP); bronchoscopy; manual ventilation; medical/surgical/postmortem procedures using oscillating bone saws; and dental procedures involving: Ultrasonic scalers; high-speed dental handpieces; air/water syringes; air polishing; and air abrasion.
Airborne infection isolation room (AIIR) means a dedicated negative pressure patient-care room, with special air handling capability, which is used to isolate persons with a suspected or confirmed airborne-transmissible infectious disease. AIIRs include both permanent rooms and temporary structures ( e.g., a booth, tent or other enclosure designed to operate under negative pressure).
Ambulatory care means healthcare services performed on an outpatient basis, without admission to a hospital or other facility. It is provided in settings such as: Offices of physicians and other health care professionals; hospital outpatient departments; ambulatory surgical centers; specialty clinics or centers ( e.g., dialysis, infusion, medical imaging); and urgent care clinics. Ambulatory care does not include home healthcare settings for the purposes of this section.
Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Labor, or designee.
Clean/cleaning means the removal of dirt and impurities, including germs, from surfaces using soap and water or other cleaning agents. Cleaning alone reduces germs on surfaces by removing contaminants and may also weaken or damage some of the virus particles, which decreases risk of infection from surfaces.
Close contact means being within 6 feet of any other person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during that person's potential period of transmission. The potential transmission period runs from 2 days before the person felt sick (or, for asymptomatic people, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the person is isolated.
Common areas means indoor or outdoor locations under the control of the employer that more than one person may use or where people congregate ( e.g., building lobbies, reception areas, waiting rooms, restrooms, break rooms, eating areas, conference rooms).
COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) means the respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). For clarity and ease of reference, this section refers to “COVID-19” when describing exposures or potential exposures to SARS-CoV-2.
COVID-19 positive and confirmed COVID-19 refer to a person who has a confirmed positive test for, or who has been diagnosed by a licensed healthcare provider with, COVID-19.
COVID-19 symptoms mean the following: Fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; diarrhea.
COVID-19 test means a test for SARS-CoV-2 that is:
(i) Cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or is authorized by an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA to diagnose current infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus; and
(ii) Administered in accordance with the FDA clearance or approval or the FDA EUA as applicable.
Direct patient care means hands-on, face-to-face contact with patients for the purpose of diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring.
Disinfect/disinfection means using an EPA-registered, hospital-grade disinfectant on EPA's “List N” (incorporated by reference, § 1910.509), in accordance with manufacturers' instructions to kill germs on surfaces.
Elastomeric respirator means a tight-fitting respirator with a facepiece that is made of synthetic or rubber material that permits it to be disinfected, cleaned, and reused according to manufacturer's instructions. It is equipped with a replaceable cartridge(s), canister(s), or filter(s).
Facemask means a surgical, medical procedure, dental, or isolation mask that is FDA-cleared, authorized by an FDA EUA, or offered or distributed as described in an FDA enforcement policy. Facemasks may also be referred to as “medical procedure masks.”
Face shield means a device, typically made of clear plastic, that:
(i) Is certified to ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 (incorporated by reference, § 1910.509); or
(ii) Covers the wearer's eyes, nose, and mouth to protect from splashes, sprays, and spatter of body fluids, wraps around the sides of the wearer's face ( i.e., temple-to-temple), and extends below the wearer's chin.
Filtering facepiece respirator means a negative pressure particulate respirator with a non-replaceable filter as an integral part of the facepiece or with the entire facepiece composed of the non-replaceable filtering medium.
Fully vaccinated means 2 weeks or more following the final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Hand hygiene means the cleaning and/or disinfecting of one's hands by using standard handwashing methods with soap and running water or an alcohol-based hand rub that is at least 60% alcohol.
Healthcare services mean services that are provided to individuals by professional healthcare practitioners ( e.g., doctors, nurses, emergency medical personnel, oral health professionals) for the purpose of promoting, maintaining, monitoring, or restoring health. Healthcare services are delivered through various means including: Hospitalization, long-term care, ambulatory care, home health and hospice care, emergency medical response, and patient transport. For the purposes of this section, healthcare services include autopsies.
Healthcare support services mean services that facilitate the provision of healthcare services. Healthcare support services include patient intake/admission, patient food services, equipment and facility maintenance, housekeeping services, healthcare laundry services, medical waste handling services, and medical equipment cleaning/reprocessing services.
High-touch surfaces and equipment means any surface or piece of equipment that is repeatedly touched by more than one person ( e.g., doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, tables, phones, keyboards, tools, toilets, faucets, sinks, credit card terminals, touchscreen-enabled devices).
Physical location means a site (including outdoor and indoor areas, a structure, or a group of structures) or an area within a site where work or any work-related activity ( e.g., taking breaks, going to the restroom, eating, entering, or exiting work) occurs. A physical location includes the entirety of any space associated with the site ( e.g., workstations, hallways, stairwells, breakrooms, bathrooms, elevators) and any other space that an employee might occupy in arriving, working, or leaving.
Powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) means an air-purifying respirator that uses a blower to force the ambient air through air-purifying elements to the inlet covering.
Respirator means a type of personal protective equipment (PPE) that is certified by NIOSH under 42 CFR part 84 or is authorized under an EUA by the FDA. Respirators protect against airborne hazards by removing specific air contaminants from the ambient (surrounding) air or by supplying breathable air from a safe source. Common types of respirators include filtering facepiece respirators, elastomeric respirators, and PAPRs. Face coverings, facemasks, and face shields are not respirators.
Screen means asking questions to determine whether a person is COVID-19 positive or has symptoms of COVID-19.
Surgical mask means a mask that covers the user's nose and mouth and provides a physical barrier to fluids and particulate materials. The mask meets certain fluid barrier protection standards and Class I or Class II flammability tests. Surgical masks are generally regulated by FDA as Class II devices under 21 CFR 878.4040—Surgical apparel.
Vaccine means a biological product authorized or licensed by the FDA to prevent or provide protection against COVID-19, whether the substance is administered through a single dose or a series of doses.
Workplace means a physical location ( e.g., fixed, mobile) where the employer's work or operations are performed.
(c) COVID-19 plan. (1) The employer must develop and implement a COVID-19 plan for each workplace. If the employer has multiple workplaces that are substantially similar, its COVID-19 plan may be developed by workplace type rather than by individual workplace so long as all required site-specific information is included in the plan.
For those employers who do not already have a COVID-19 plan in place, OSHA's website contains significant compliance assistance materials, including a model plan.
(2) If the employer has more than 10 employees, the COVID-19 plan must be written.
(3) The employer must designate one or more workplace COVID-19 safety coordinators to implement and monitor the COVID-19 plan developed under this section. The COVID-19 safety coordinator(s) must be knowledgeable in infection control principles and practices as they apply to the workplace and employee job operations. The identity of the safety coordinator(s) must be documented in any written COVID-19 plan. The safety coordinator(s) must have the authority to ensure compliance with all aspects of the COVID-19 plan.
(4)(i) The employer must conduct a workplace-specific hazard assessment to identify potential workplace hazards related to COVID-19.
(ii) In order for an employer to be exempt from providing controls in a well-defined area under paragraph (a)(4) of this section based on employees' fully vaccinated status, the COVID-19 plan must include policies and procedures to determine employees' vaccination status.
(5) The employer must seek the input and involvement of non-managerial employees and their representatives, if any, in the hazard assessment and the development and implementation of the COVID-19 plan.
(6) The employer must monitor each workplace to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of the COVID-19 plan and update it as needed.
(7) The COVID-19 plan must address the hazards identified by the assessment required by paragraph (c)(4) of this section, and include policies and procedures to:
(i) Minimize the risk of transmission of COVID-19 for each employee, as required by paragraphs (d) through (n) of this section;
Although the employer's COVID-19 plan must account for the potential COVID-19 exposures to each employee, the plan can do so generally and need not address each employee individually.
(ii) Effectively communicate and coordinate with other employers:
(A) When employees of different employers share the same physical location, each employer must effectively communicate its COVID-19 plan to all other employers, coordinate to ensure that each of its employees is protected as required by this section, and adjust its COVID-19 plan to address any particular COVID-19 hazards presented by the other employees. This requirement does not apply to delivery people, messengers, and other employees who only enter a workplace briefly to drop off or pick up items.
(B) An employer with one or more employees working in a physical location controlled by another employer must notify the controlling employer when those employees are exposed to conditions at that location that do not meet the requirements of this section; and
(iii) Protect employees who in the course of their employment enter into private residences or other physical locations controlled by a person not covered by the OSH Act ( e.g., homeowners, sole proprietors). This must include procedures for employee withdrawal from that location if those protections are inadequate.
The employer may include other policies, procedures, or information necessary to comply with any applicable federal, state, or local public health laws, standards, and guidelines in their COVID-19 plan.
(d) Patient screening and management. In settings where direct patient care is provided, the employer must:
(1) Limit and monitor points of entry to the setting. This provision does not apply where emergency responders or other licensed healthcare providers enter a non-healthcare setting to provide healthcare services.
(2) Screen and triage all clients, patients, residents, delivery people and other visitors, and other non-employees entering the setting.
(3) Implement other applicable patient management strategies in accordance with CDC's “COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations” (incorporated by reference, § 1910.509).
The employer is encouraged to use telehealth services where available and appropriate in order to limit the number of people entering the workplace.
(e) Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions. Employers must develop and implement policies and procedures to adhere to Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions in accordance with CDC's “Guidelines for Isolation Precautions” (incorporated by reference, § 1910.509).
(f) Personal protective equipment (PPE) —(1) Facemasks. (i) Employers must provide, and ensure that employees wear, facemasks that meet the definition in paragraph (b) of this section; and
(ii) The employer must ensure a facemask is worn by each employee over the nose and mouth when indoors and when occupying a vehicle with other people for work purposes. The employer must provide a sufficient number of facemasks to each employee to comply with this paragraph and must ensure that each employee changes them at least once per day, whenever they are soiled or damaged, and more frequently as necessary ( e.g., patient care reasons).
(iii) The following are exceptions to the requirements for facemasks in paragraph (f)(1)(ii) of this section:
(A) When an employee is alone in a room.
(B) While an employee is eating and drinking at the workplace, provided each employee is at least 6 feet away from any other person, or separated from other people by a physical barrier.
(C) When employees are wearing respiratory protection in accordance with § 1910.134 or paragraph (f) of this section.
(D) When it is important to see a person's mouth ( e.g., communicating with an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing) and the conditions do not permit a facemask that is constructed of clear plastic (or includes a clear plastic window). In such situations, the employer must ensure that each employee wears an alternative to protect the employee, such as a face shield, if the conditions permit it.
(E) When employees cannot wear facemasks due to a medical necessity, medical condition, or disability as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq. ), or due to a religious belief. Exceptions must be provided for a narrow subset of persons with a disability who cannot wear a facemask or cannot safely wear a facemask, because of the disability, as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq. ), including a person who cannot independently remove the facemask. The remaining portion of the subset who cannot wear a facemask may be exempted on a case-by-case basis as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act and other applicable laws. In all such situations, the employer must ensure that any such employee wears a face shield for the protection of the employee, if their condition or disability permits it. Accommodations may also need to be made for religious beliefs consistent with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
(F) When the employer can demonstrate that the use of a facemask presents a hazard to an employee of serious injury or death ( e.g., arc flash, heat stress, interfering with the safe operation of equipment). In such situations, the employer must ensure that each employee wears an alternative to protect the employee, such as a face shield, if the conditions permit it. Any employee not wearing a facemask must remain at least 6 feet away from all other people unless the employer can demonstrate it is not feasible. The employee must resume wearing a facemask when not engaged in the activity where the facemask presents a hazard.
With respect to paragraphs (f)(1)(iii)(D) through (F) of this section, the employer may determine that the use of face shields, without facemasks, in certain settings is not appropriate due to other infection control concerns.
(iv) Where a face shield is required to comply with this paragraph or is otherwise required by the employer, the employer must ensure that face shields are cleaned at least daily and are not damaged. When an employee provides a face shield that meets the definition in paragraph (b) of this section, the employer may allow the employee to use it and is not required to reimburse the employee for that face shield.
(2) Respirators and other PPE for exposure to people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. When employees have exposure to a person with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, the employer must provide:
(i) A respirator to each employee and ensure that it is provided and used in accordance with § 1910.134 and
(ii) Gloves, an isolation gown or protective clothing, and eye protection to each employee and ensure that the PPE is used in accordance with subpart I of this part.
When there is a limited supply of filtering facepiece respirators, employers may follow the CDC's “Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators” (available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirators-strategy/index.html ). Where possible, employers are encouraged to select elastomeric respirators or PAPRs instead of filtering facepiece respirators to prevent shortages and supply chain disruption.
(3) Respirators and other PPE during aerosol-generating procedures. For aerosol-generating procedures performed on a person with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, the employer must provide:
(i) A respirator to each employee and ensure that it is provided and used in accordance with § 1910.134; and
(ii) Gloves, an isolation gown or protective clothing, and eye protection to each employee and ensure that the PPE is used in accordance with subpart I of this part.
For aerosol-generating procedures on a person suspected or confirmed with COVID-19, employers are encouraged to select elastomeric respirators or PAPRs instead of filtering facepiece respirators.
Additional requirements specific to aerosol-generating procedures on people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are contained in paragraph (g) of this section.
(4) Use of respirators when not required. (i) The employer may provide a respirator to the employee instead of a facemask as required by paragraph (f)(1) of this section. In such circumstances, the employer must comply with § 1910.504.
(ii) Where the employer provides the employee with a facemask as required by paragraph (f)(1) of this section, the employer must permit the employee to wear their own respirator instead of a facemask. In such circumstances, the employer must also comply with § 1910.504.
(5) Respirators and other PPE based on Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions. The employer must provide protective clothing and equipment ( e.g., respirators, gloves, gowns, goggles, face shields) to each employee in accordance with Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions in healthcare settings in accordance with CDC's “Guidelines for Isolation Precautions” (incorporated by reference, § 1910.509) and ensure that the protective clothing and equipment is used in accordance with subpart I of this part.
(g) Aerosol-generating procedures on a person with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. When an aerosol-generating procedure is performed on a person with suspected or confirmed COVID-19:
(1) The employer must limit the number of employees present during the procedure to only those essential for patient care and procedure support.
(2) The employer must ensure that the procedure is performed in an existing AIIR, if available.
(3) After the procedure is completed, the employer must clean and disinfect the surfaces and equipment in the room or area where the procedure was performed.
Respirators and other PPE requirements during aerosol-generating procedures are contained in paragraph (f)(3) of this section.
(h) Physical distancing. (1) The employer must ensure that each employee is separated from all other people by at least 6 feet when indoors unless the employer can demonstrate that such physical distancing is not feasible for a specific activity ( e.g., hands-on medical care). This provision does not apply to momentary exposure while people are in movement ( e.g., passing in hallways or aisles).
(2) When the employer establishes it is not feasible for an employee to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from all other people, the employer must ensure that the employee is as far apart from all other people as feasible.
Physical distancing can include methods such as: Telehealth; telework or other remote work arrangements; reducing the number of people, including non-employees, in an area at one time; visual cues such as signs and floor markings to indicate where employees and others should be located or their direction and path of travel; staggered arrival, departure, work, and break times; and adjusted work processes or procedures to allow greater distance between employees.
(i) Physical barriers. At each fixed work location outside of direct patient care areas ( e.g., entryway/lobby, check-in desks, triage, hospital pharmacy windows, bill payment) where each employee is not separated from all other people by at least 6 feet of distance, the employer must install cleanable or disposable solid barriers, except where the employer can demonstrate it is not feasible. The barrier must be sized ( e.g., height and width) and located to block face-to-face pathways between individuals based on where each person would normally stand or sit. The barrier may have a pass-through space at the bottom for objects and merchandise.
Physical barriers are not required in direct patient care areas or resident rooms.
(j) Cleaning and disinfection. (1) In patient care areas, resident rooms, and for medical devices and equipment, the employer must follow standard practices for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and equipment in accordance with CDC's “COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations” and CDC's “Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control,” pp. 86-103, 147-149 (both incorporated by reference, § 1910.509).
(2) In all other areas, the employer must:
(i) Clean high-touch surfaces and equipment at least once a day, following manufacturers' instructions for application of cleaners; and
(ii) When the employer is aware that a person who is COVID-19 positive has been in the workplace within the last 24 hours, clean and disinfect, in accordance with CDC's “Cleaning and Disinfecting Guidance” (incorporated by reference, § 1910.509), any areas, materials, and equipment under the employer's control that have likely been contaminated by the person who is COVID-19 positive ( e.g., rooms they occupied, items they touched).
(3) The employer must provide alcohol-based hand rub that is at least 60% alcohol or provide readily accessible hand washing facilities.
(k) Ventilation. (1) Employers who own or control buildings or structures with an existing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system(s) must ensure that:
(i) The HVAC system(s) is used in accordance with the HVAC manufacturer's instructions and the design specifications of the HVAC system(s);
(ii) The amount of outside air circulated through its HVAC system(s) and the number of air changes per hour are maximized to the extent appropriate;
(iii) All air filters are rated Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) 13 or higher, if compatible with the HVAC system(s). If MERV-13 or higher filters are not compatible with the HVAC system(s), employers must use filters with the highest compatible filtering efficiency for the HVAC system(s);
(iv) All air filters are maintained and replaced as necessary to ensure the proper function and performance of the HVAC system(s); and
(v) All intake ports that provide outside air to the HVAC system(s) are cleaned, maintained, and cleared of any debris that may affect the function and performance of the HVAC system(s).
(2) Where the employer has an existing AIIR, the employer must maintain and operate it in accordance with its design and construction criteria.
This section does not require installation of new HVAC systems or AIIRs to replace or augment functioning systems.
In addition to the requirements for existing HVAC systems and AIIRs, all employers should also consider other measures to improve ventilation in accordance with “CDC's Ventilation Guidance,” (available at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/ventilation.html ) ( e.g., opening windows and doors). This could include maximizing ventilation in buildings without HVAC systems or in vehicles.
(l) Health screening and medical management —(1) Screening. (i) The employer must screen each employee before each work day and each shift. Screening may be conducted by asking employees to self-monitor before reporting to work or may be conducted in-person by the employer.
(ii) If a COVID-19 test is required by the employer for screening purposes, the employer must provide the test to each employee at no cost to the employee.
(2) Employee notification to employer of COVID-19 illness or symptoms. The employer must require each employee to promptly notify the employer when the employee:
(i) Is COVID-19 positive ( i.e., confirmed positive test for, or has been diagnosed by a licensed healthcare provider with, COVID-19); or
(ii) Has been told by a licensed healthcare provider that they are suspected to have COVID-19; or
(iii) Is experiencing recent loss of taste and/or smell with no other explanation; or
(iv) Is experiencing both fever (≥100.4 °F) and new unexplained cough associated with shortness of breath.
(3) Employer notification to employees of COVID-19 exposure in the workplace. (i) Except as provided for in paragraph (l)(3)(iii) of this section, when the employer is notified that a person who has been in the workplace(s) (including employees, clients, patients, residents, vendors, contractors, customers, delivery people and other visitors, or other non-employees) is COVID-19 positive, the employer must, within 24 hours:
(A) Notify each employee who was not wearing a respirator and any other required PPE and has been in close contact with that person in the workplace. The notification must state the fact that the employee was in close contact with someone with COVID-19 along with the date(s) that contact occurred.
(B) Notify all other employees who were not wearing a respirator and any other required PPE and worked in a well-defined portion of a workplace ( e.g., a particular floor) in which that person was present during the potential transmission period. The potential transmission period runs from 2 days before the person felt sick (or, for asymptomatic people, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the person is isolated. The notification must specify the date(s) the person with COVID-19 was in the workplace during the potential transmission period.
(C) Notify other employers whose employees were not wearing respirators and any other required PPE and have been in close contact with that person, or worked in a well-defined portion of a workplace ( e.g., a particular floor) in which that person was present, during the potential transmission period. The potential transmission period runs from 2 days before the person felt sick (or, for asymptomatic people, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the person is isolated. The notification must specify the date(s) the person with COVID-19 was in the workplace during the potential transmission period and the location(s) where the person with COVID-19 was in the workplace.
(ii) The notifications required by paragraph (l)(3)(i) of this section must not include any employee's name, contact information ( e.g., phone number, email address), or occupation.
(iii) The notification provisions are not triggered by the presence of a patient with confirmed COVID-19 in a workplace where services are normally provided to suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients ( e.g., emergency rooms, urgent care facilities, COVID-19 testing sites, COVID-19 wards in hospitals).
(4) Medical removal from the workplace. (i) If the employer knows an employee meets the criteria listed in paragraph (l)(2)(i) of this section, then the employer must immediately remove that employee and keep the employee removed until they meet the return to work criteria in paragraph (l)(6) of this section.
(ii) If the employer knows an employee meets the criteria listed in paragraphs (l)(2)(ii) through (iv) of this section, then the employer must immediately remove that employee and either:
(A) Keep the employee removed until they meet the return to work criteria in paragraph (l)(6) of this section; or
(B) Keep the employee removed and provide a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test at no cost to the employee.
( 1 ) If the test results are negative, the employee may return to work immediately.
( 2 ) If the test results are positive, the employer must comply with paragraph (l)(4)(i) of this section.
( 3 ) If the employee refuses to take the test, the employer must continue to keep the employee removed from the workplace consistent with paragraph (l)(4)(ii)(A) of this section, but the employer is not obligated to provide medical removal protection benefits in accordance with paragraph (l)(5)(iii) of this section. Absent undue hardship, employers must make reasonable accommodations for employees who cannot take the test for religious or disability-related medical reasons.
This partial symptom list in paragraphs (l)(2)(iii) and (l)(2)(iv) of this section informs the employer of the minimum requirements for compliance. The full list of COVID-19 symptoms provided by CDC includes additional symptoms not listed in paragraphs (l)(2)(iii) through (iv) of this section. Employers may choose to remove or test employees with additional symptoms from the CDC list, or refer the employees to a healthcare provider.
(iii)(A) If the employer is required to notify the employee of close contact in the workplace to a person who is COVID-19 positive in accordance with paragraph (l)(3)(i)(A) of this section, then the employer must immediately remove that employee and either:
( 1 ) Keep the employee removed for 14 days; or
( 2 ) Keep the employee removed and provide a COVID-19 test at least five days after the exposure at no cost to the employee.
( i ) If the test results are negative, the employee may return to work after seven days following exposure.
( ii ) If the test results are positive, the employer must comply with paragraph (l)(4)(i) of this section.
( iii ) If the employee refuses to take the test, the employer must continue to keep the employee removed from the workplace consistent with paragraph (l)(4)(iii)(A)( 1 ) of this section, but the employer is not obligated to provide medical removal protection benefits in accordance with paragraph (l)(5)(iii) of this section. Absent undue hardship, employers must make reasonable accommodations for employees who cannot take the test for religious or disability-related medical reasons, consistent with applicable non-discrimination laws.
(B) Employers are not required to remove any employee who would otherwise be required to be removed under paragraph (i)(4)(iii)(A) of this section if the employee does not experience the symptoms in paragraph (l)(2)(iii) or (iv) of this section and has:
( 1 ) Been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 ( i.e., 2 weeks or more following the final dose); or
( 2 ) Had COVID-19 and recovered within the past 3 months.
(iv) Any time an employee is required to be removed from the workplace for any reason under paragraph (l)(4) of this section, the employer may require the employee to work remotely or in isolation if suitable work is available.
(5) Medical removal protection benefits. (i) Employers with 10 or fewer employees on the effective date of this section are not required to comply with paragraphs (l)(5)(iii) through (iv) of this section.
(ii) When an employer allows an employee to work remotely or in isolation in accordance with paragraph (l)(4)(iv) of this section, the employer must continue to pay the employee the same regular pay and benefits the employee would have received had the employee not been absent from work, until the employee meets the return to work criteria specified in paragraph (l)(4)(iii) or (l)(6) of this section.
(iii) When an employer removes an employee in accordance with paragraph (l)(4) of this section:
(A) The employer must continue to provide the benefits to which the employee is normally entitled and must also pay the employee the same regular pay the employee would have received had the employee not been absent from work, up to $1,400 per week, until the employee meets the return to work criteria specified in paragraph (l)(4)(iii) or (l)(6) of this section.
(B) For employers with fewer than 500 employees, the employer must pay the employee up to the $1,400 per week cap but, beginning in the third week of an employee's removal, the amount is reduced to only two-thirds of the same regular pay the employee would have received had the employee not been absent from work, up to $200 per day ($1,000 per week in most cases).
(iv) The employer's payment obligation under paragraph (l)(5)(iii) of this section is reduced by the amount of compensation that the employee receives from any other source, such as a publicly or employer-funded compensation program ( e.g., paid sick leave, administrative leave), for earnings lost during the period of removal or any additional source of income the employee receives that is made possible by virtue of the employee's removal.
(v) Whenever an employee returns to the workplace after a COVID-19-related workplace removal, that employee must not suffer any adverse action as a result of that removal from the workplace and must maintain all employee rights and benefits, including the employee's right to their former job status, as if the employee had not been removed.
(6) Return to work. The employer must make decisions regarding an employee's return to work after a COVID-19-related workplace removal in accordance with guidance from a licensed healthcare provider or CDC's “Isolation Guidance” (incorporated by reference, § 1910.509); and CDC's “Return to Work Healthcare Guidance” (incorporated by reference, § 1910.509).
OSHA recognizes that CDC's “Strategies to Mitigate Healthcare Personnel Staffing Shortages” (available at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/mitigating-staff-shortages.html ) allows elimination of quarantine for certain healthcare workers, but only as a last resort, if the workers' absence would mean there are no longer enough staff to provide safe patient care, specific other amelioration strategies have already been tried, patients have been notified, and workers are utilizing additional PPE at all times.
(m) Vaccination. The employer must support COVID-19 vaccination for each employee by providing reasonable time and paid leave ( e.g., paid sick leave, administrative leave) to each employee for vaccination and any side effects experienced following vaccination.
(n) Training. (1) The employer must ensure that each employee receives training, in a language and at a literacy level the employee understands, and so that the employee comprehends at least the following:
(i) COVID-19, including how the disease is transmitted (including pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission), the importance of hand hygiene to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 infections, ways to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 through the proper covering of the nose and mouth, the signs and symptoms of the disease, risk factors for severe illness, and when to seek medical attention;
(ii) Employer-specific policies and procedures on patient screening and management;
(iii) Tasks and situations in the workplace that could result in COVID-19 infection;
(iv) Workplace-specific policies and procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 that are applicable to the employee's duties ( e.g., policies on Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions, physical distancing, physical barriers, ventilation, aerosol-generating procedures);
(v) Employer-specific multi-employer workplace agreements related to infection control policies and procedures, the use of common areas, and the use of shared equipment that affect employees at the workplace;
(vi) Employer-specific policies and procedures for PPE worn to comply with this section, including:
(A) When PPE is required for protection against COVID-19;
(B) Limitations of PPE for protection against COVID-19;
(C) How to properly put on, wear, and take off PPE;
(D) How to properly care for, store, clean, maintain, and dispose of PPE; and
(E) Any modifications to donning, doffing, cleaning, storage, maintenance, and disposal procedures needed to address COVID-19 when PPE is worn to address workplace hazards other than COVID-19;
(vii) Workplace-specific policies and procedures for cleaning and disinfection;
(viii) Employer-specific policies and procedures on health screening and medical management;
(ix) Available sick leave policies, any COVID-19-related benefits to which the employee may be entitled under applicable federal, state, or local laws, and other supportive policies and practices ( e.g., telework, flexible hours);
(x) The identity of the safety coordinator(s) specified in the COVID-19 plan;
(xi) The requirements of this section; and
(xii) How the employee can obtain copies of this section and any employer-specific policies and procedures developed under this section, including the employer's written COVID-19 plan, if required.
Employers may rely on training completed prior to the effective date of this section to the extent that it meets the relevant training requirements under this paragraph.
(2) The employer must ensure that each employee receives additional training whenever:
(i) Changes occur that affect the employee's risk of contracting COVID-19 at work ( e.g., new job tasks);
(ii) Policies or procedures are changed; or
(iii) There is an indication that the employee has not retained the necessary understanding or skill.
(3) The employer must ensure that the training is overseen or conducted by a person knowledgeable in the covered subject matter as it relates to the employee's job duties.
(4) The employer must ensure that the training provides an opportunity for interactive questions and answers with a person knowledgeable in the covered subject matter as it relates to the employee's job duties.
(o) Anti-Retaliation. (1) The employer must inform each employee that:
(i) Employees have a right to the protections required by this section; and
(ii) Employers are prohibited from discharging or in any manner discriminating against any employee for exercising their right to the protections required by this section, or for engaging in actions that are required by this section.
(2) The employer must not discharge or in any manner discriminate against any employee for exercising their right to the protections required by this section, or for engaging in actions that are required by this section.
In addition, section 11(c) of the OSH Act also prohibits the employer from discriminating against an employee for exercising rights under, or as a result of actions that are required by, this section. That provision of the Act also protects the employee who files a safety and health complaint, or otherwise exercises any rights afforded by the OSH Act.
(p) Requirements implemented at no cost to employees. The implementation of all requirements of this section, with the exception of any employee self-monitoring conducted under paragraph (l)(1)(i) of this section, must be at no cost to employees.
(q) Recordkeeping —(1) Small employer exclusion. Employers with 10 or fewer employees on the effective date of this section are not required to comply with paragraph (q)(2) or (q)(3) of this section.
(2) Required records. Employers with more than 10 employees on the effective date of this section must:
(i) Retain all versions of the COVID-19 plan implemented to comply with this section while this section remains in effect.
(ii) Establish and maintain a COVID-19 log to record each instance identified by the employer in which an employee is COVID-19 positive, regardless of whether the instance is connected to exposure to COVID-19 at work.
(A) The COVID-19 log must contain, for each instance, the employee's name, one form of contact information, occupation, location where the employee worked, the date of the employee's last day at the workplace, the date of the positive test for, or diagnosis of, COVID-19, and the date the employee first had one or more COVID-19 symptoms, if any were experienced.
(B) The information in the COVID-19 log must be recorded within 24 hours of the employer learning that the employee is COVID-19 positive and must be maintained as though it is a confidential medical record and must not be disclosed except as required by this ETS or other federal law.
(C) The COVID-19 log must be maintained and preserved while this section remains in effect.
The COVID-19 log is intended to assist employers with tracking and evaluating instances of employees who are COVID-19 positive without regard to whether those employees were infected at work. The tracking will help evaluate potential workplace exposure to other employees.
(3) Availability of records. By the end of the next business day after a request, the employer must provide, for examination and copying:
(i) All versions of the written COVID-19 plan to all of the following: Any employees, their personal representatives, and their authorized representatives.
(ii) The individual COVID-19 log entry for a particular employee to that employee and to anyone having written authorized consent of that employee.
(iii) A version of the COVID-19 log that removes the names of employees, contact information, and occupation, and only includes, for each employee in the COVID-19 log, the location where the employee worked, the last day that the employee was at the workplace before removal, the date of that employee's positive test for, or diagnosis of, COVID-19, and the date the employee first had one or more COVID-19 symptoms, if any were experienced, to all of the following: Any employees, their personal representatives, and their authorized representatives.
(iv) All records required to be maintained by this section to the Assistant Secretary.
Employers must continue to record all work-related confirmed cases of COVID-19 on their OSHA Forms 300, 300A, and 301, or the equivalent forms, if required to do so under 29 CFR part 1904.
(r) Reporting COVID-19 fatalities and hospitalizations to OSHA. (1) The employer must report to OSHA:
(i) Each work-related COVID-19 fatality within 8 hours of the employer learning about the fatality.
(ii) Each work-related COVID-19 in-patient hospitalization within 24 hours of the employer learning about the in-patient hospitalization.
(2) When reporting COVID-19 fatalities and in-patient hospitalizations to OSHA in accordance with paragraph (r)(1) of this section, the employer must follow the requirements in 29 CFR 1904.39, except for 29 CFR 1904.39(a)(1) and (2) and (b)(6).
(s) Dates —(1) Effective date. This section is effective as of June 21, 2021.
(2) Compliance dates. (i) Employers must comply with all requirements of this section, except for requirements in paragraphs (i), (k), and (n) of this section by July 6, 2021.
(ii) Employers must comply with the requirements of this section in paragraphs (i), (k), and (n) of this section by July 21, 2021.
§ 1910.504   Mini Respiratory Protection Program.
(a) Scope and application. This section applies only to respirator use in accordance with § 1910.502(f)(4).
(b) Definitions. The following definitions apply to this section:
COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) means the respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). For clarity and ease of reference, this section refers to “COVID-19” when describing exposures or potential exposures to SARS-CoV-2.
Elastomeric respirator means a tight-fitting respirator with a facepiece that is made of synthetic or rubber material that permits it to be disinfected, cleaned, and reused according to manufacturer's instructions. It is equipped with a replaceable cartridge(s), canister(s), or filter(s).
Filtering facepiece respirator means a negative-pressure particulate respirator with a non-replaceable filter as an integral part of the facepiece or with the entire facepiece composed of the non-replaceable filtering medium.
Hand hygiene means the cleaning and/or disinfecting of one's hands by using standard handwashing methods with soap and running water or an alcohol-based hand rub that is at least 60% alcohol.
Respirator means a type of personal protective equipment (PPE) that is certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) under 42 CFR part 84 or is authorized under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the US Food and Drug Administration. Respirators protect against airborne hazards by removing specific air contaminants from the ambient (surrounding) air or by supplying breathable air from a safe source. Common types of respirators include filtering facepiece respirators, elastomeric respirators, and PAPRs. Face coverings, facemasks, and face shields are not respirators.
Powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) means an air-purifying respirator that uses a blower to force the ambient air through air-purifying elements to the inlet covering.
Tight-fitting respirator means a respirator in which the air pressure inside the facepiece is negative during inhalation with respect to the ambient air pressure outside the respirator ( e.g., filtering facepiece).
User seal check means an action conducted by the respirator user to determine if the respirator is properly seated to the face.
(c) Respirators provided by employees. Where employees provide and use their own respirators, the employer must provide each employee with the following notice: Respirators can be an effective method of protection against COVID-19 hazards when properly selected and worn. Respirator use is encouraged to provide an additional level of comfort and protection for workers even in circumstances that do not require a respirator to be used. However, if a respirator is used improperly or not kept clean, the respirator itself can become a hazard to the worker. If your employer allows you to provide and use your own respirator, you need to take certain precautions to be sure that the respirator itself does not present a hazard. You should do the following:
(1) Read and follow all instructions provided by the manufacturer on use, maintenance, cleaning and care, and warnings regarding the respirator's limitations.
(2) Keep track of your respirator so that you do not mistakenly use someone else's respirator.
(3) Do not wear your respirator where other workplace hazards ( e.g., chemical exposures) require use of a respirator. In such cases, your employer must provide you with a respirator that is used in accordance with OSHA's respiratory protection standard (29 CFR 1910.134). For more information about using a respirator, see OSHA's respiratory protection safety and health topics page ( https://www.osha.gov/respiratory-protection ).
(d) Respirators provided by employers. Where employers provide respirators to their employees, the employer must comply with the following requirements:
(1) Training. The employer must ensure that each employee wearing a respirator receives training prior to first use and if they change the type of respirator, in a language and at a literacy level the employee understands, and comprehends at least the following:
(i) How to inspect, put on and remove, and use a respirator;
(ii) The limitations and capabilities of the respirator, particularly when the respirator has not been fit tested;
(iii) Procedures and schedules for storing, maintaining, and inspecting respirators;
(iv) How to perform a user seal check as described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section; and
(v) How to recognize medical signs and symptoms that may limit or prevent the effective use of respirators and what to do if the employee experiences signs and symptoms.
(2) User seal check. (i) The employer must ensure that each employee who uses a tight-fitting respirator performs a user seal check to ensure that the respirator is properly seated to the face each time the respirator is put on. Acceptable methods of user seal checks include:
(A) Positive pressure user seal check ( i.e., blow air out). Once you have conducted proper hand hygiene and properly donned the respirator, place your hands over the facepiece, covering as much surface area as possible. Exhale gently into the facepiece. The face fit is considered satisfactory if a slight positive pressure is being built up inside the facepiece without any evidence of outward leakage of air at the seal. Examples of evidence that it is leaking could be the feeling of air movement on your face along the seal of the facepiece, fogging of your glasses, or a lack of pressure being built up inside the facepiece. If the particulate respirator has an exhalation valve, then performing a positive pressure check may not be possible unless the user can cover the exhalation valve. In such cases, a negative pressure check must be performed.
(B) Negative pressure user seal check ( i.e., suck air in). Once you have conducted proper hand hygiene and properly donned the respirator, cover the filter surface with your hands as much as possible and then inhale. The facepiece should collapse on your face and you should not feel air passing between your face and the facepiece.
(ii) The employer must ensure that each employee corrects any problems discovered during the user seal check. In the case of either type of user seal check (positive or negative), if air leaks around the nose, use both hands to readjust how the respirator sits on your face or adjust the nosepiece, if applicable. Readjust the straps along the sides of your head until a proper seal is achieved.
When employees are required to wear a respirator and a problem with the seal check arises due to interference with the seal by an employee's facial hair, employers may provide a different type of respirator to accommodate employees who cannot trim or cut facial hair due to religious belief.
(3) Reuse of respirators. (i) The employer must ensure that a filtering facepiece respirator used by a particular employee is only reused by that employee, and only when:
(A) The respirator is not visibly soiled or damaged;
(B) The respirator has been stored in a breathable storage container ( e.g., paper bag) for at least five calendar days between use and has been kept away from water or moisture;
(C) The employee does a visual check in adequate lighting for damage to the respirator's fabric or seal;
(D) The employee successfully completes a user seal check as described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section;
(E) The employee uses proper hand hygiene before putting the respirator on and conducting the user seal check; and
(F) The respirator has not been worn more than five days total.
The reuse of single-use respirators ( e.g., filtering facepiece respirators) is discouraged.
(ii) The employer must ensure that an elastomeric respirator or PAPR is only reused when:
(A) The respirator is not damaged;
(B) The respirator is cleaned and disinfected as often as necessary to be maintained in a sanitary condition in accordance with § 1910.134, Appendix B-2; and
(C) A change schedule is implemented for cartridges, canisters, or filters.
(4) Discontinuing use of respirators. Employers must require employees to discontinue use of a respirator when either the employee or a supervisor reports medical signs or symptoms ( e.g., shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, chest pain, any other symptoms related to lung problems, cardiovascular symptoms) that are related to ability to use a respirator. Any employee who previously had a medical evaluation and was determined to not be medically fit to wear a respirator must not be provided with a respirator under this standard unless they are re-evaluated and medically cleared to use a respirator.
(e) Effective date. This section is effective as of June 21, 2021.
§ 1910.505   Severability.
Each section of this subpart U, and each provision within those sections, is separate and severable from the other sections and provisions. If any provision of this subpart is held to be invalid or unenforceable on its face, or as applied to any person, entity, or circumstance, or is stayed or enjoined, that provision shall be construed so as to continue to give the maximum effect to the provision permitted by law, unless such holding shall be one of utter invalidity or unenforceability, in which event the provision shall be severable from this subpart and shall not affect the remainder of the subpart.
§ 1910.509   Incorporation by reference.
(a)(1) The material listed in this section is incorporated by reference into this subpart with the approval of the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. To enforce any edition other than that specified in this section, OSHA must publish a document in the Federal Register and the material must be available to the public. All approved material is available for inspection at any Regional Office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), or at the OSHA Docket Office, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N-3508, Washington, DC 20210; telephone: 202-693-2350 (TTY number: 877-889-5627). It is also available for inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of these standards at NARA, email fedreg.legal@nara.gov , or go to www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html .
(2) The material is available from the sources listed in this section and as follows:
(i) The material listed in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section (CDC and EPA) is available at this permanent weblink hosted by OSHA: www.osha.gov/coronavirus/ets/ibr .
(ii) The material listed in paragraph (d) of this section (ISEA) is available from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 West 43rd Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036; telephone: 212-642-4900; fax: 212-398-0023; website: http://www.ansi.org .
(b) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30329; websites: https://www.cdc.gov/, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/communication/guidance.html , and https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/ .
(1) Cleaning and Disinfecting Guidance. COVID-19: Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility; Every Day and When Someone is Sick, updated April 5, 2021, IBR approved for § 1910.502(j).
(2) COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations. COVID-19: Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic, updated February 23, 2021, IBR approved for §§ 1910.502(d) and (j).
(3) Guidelines for Isolation Precautions. 2007 Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings, updated July 2019, IBR approved for §§ 1910.502(e) and (f).
(4) Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control. Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities, updated July 2019, IBR approved for § 1910.502(j).
(5) Isolation Guidance. COVID-19: Isolation If You Are Sick; Separate yourself from others if you have COVID-19, updated February 18, 2021, IBR approved for § 1910.502(l).
(6) Return to Work Healthcare Guidance. COVID-19: Return to Work Criteria for Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection (Interim Guidance), updated February 16, 2021, IBR approved for § 1910.502(l).
(c) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460; website: https://www.epa.gov/ .
(1) List N. Pesticide Registration List N: Disinfectants for Coronavirus (COVID-19), updated April 9, 2021, IBR approved for § 1910.502(b).
(2) [Reserved]
(d) International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA): 1901 North Moore Street, Suite 808, Arlington, VA 22209; website: www.safetyequipment.org
(1) ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2010, American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Personal Eye and Face Protection Devices, ANSI-approved April 13, 2010, IBR approved for § 1910.502(b).
(2) ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2015, American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Personal Eye and Face Protection Devices, ANSI-approved May 28, 2015, IBR approved for § 1910.502(b).
(3) ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2020, American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Personal Eye and Face Protection Devices, ANSI-approved March 11, 2020, IBR approved for § 1910.502(b).
§§ 1910.901-1910.999   [Reserved]