California Code of Regulations › Title 8 - Industrial Relations › Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations › Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety › Subchapter 5 - Electrical Safety Orders › Group 2 - High-Voltage Electrical Safety Orders › Article 38 - Line Clearance Tree Trimming Operations › Section 2950 - Application

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a) This article
						shall apply to all line clearance tree trimming operations performed in the
						vicinity of exposed energized overhead conductors and equipment where any part
						of the employee's body, tools or equipment being used, or parts of trees being
						worked upon, is likely to come within the distances specified in Table 1 of
						this section.
(b) Minimum approach
						distances to energized conductors for persons other than qualified line
						clearance tree trimmers and trainees shall be maintained in accordance with
						Table 1.
EXCEPTION NO . 1: A qualified tree worker as defined in
						  the General Industry Safety Orders (GISO), Section
						  3420(b) may
						  perform tree trimming activities within 10 feet, but no closer than 1 foot, of
						  energized low voltage (600 volts or less) power lines and conductors, provided
						  the provisions in GISO Section
						  3423 related to such work are
						  met.
EXCEPTION NO . 2: A qualified telecommunication worker
						  as defined in Section
						  8601 of the Telecommunication
						  Safety Orders when performing restoration work or other emergency work,
						  provided the employee is trained and experienced in the special techniques and
						  work procedures required to avoid the hazards of line clearance tree trimming
						  operations.
EXCEPTION NO . 3: A qualified electrical worker as
						  defined in Section
						  2700 of the High Voltage Electrical
						  Safety Orders when performing restoration work or other emergency work,
						  provided the employee is trained and experienced in the special techniques and
						  work procedures required to avoid the hazards of line clearance tree trimming
						  operations.
Table 1.
Minimum approach distances to energized
						  conductors for persons other than qualified line-clearance tree trimmers and
						  trainees
Nominal voltage in
									 kilovolts
(kV)
Distance
phase to
									 phase*
ft-in
Meters
0.0 to
								  1.0
10-00
3.05
1.1 to 15.0
10-00
3.05
15.1 to 36.0
10-00
3.05
36.1 to 50.0
10-00
3.05
50.1 to 72.5
10-09
3.28
72.6 to 121.0
12-04
3.76
138.0 to 145.0
13-02
4
161.0 to 169.0
14-00
4.24
230.0 to 242.0
16-05
4.97
345.0 to 362.0
20-05
6.17
500.0 to 550.0
26-08
8.05
785.0 to 800.0
35-00
10.55
* Exceeds phase to ground minimum approach distances
						  per the federal standard, 29
						  CFR 1910.333.
NOTE 1: Minimum approach distances to energized
						  conductors for qualified line clearance tree trimmers and trainees as defined
						  in Section 2700 are provided in the provisions
						  and references of Section
						  2951 of these Orders.
NOTE 2: Additional requirements for Tree Work,
						  Maintenance or Removal, are contained in Article 12 of the General Industry
						  Safety Orders, Title 8, California Code of Regulations.
1. New
						  Article 87 ( §§
													2950-2959, not consecutive) filed
						  10-14-75 as an emergency; effective upon filing (Register 75, No.
						  42).
2. Certificate of Compliance as to Article 87, except for
						  Sections 2950(c)(2)(A),
						  2954(f), and
						  2955(a)(5)(A)
						  filed 1-9-76 (Register 76, No. 2).
3. Amendment of subsection
						  (c)(2)(A) filed 1-9-76 (Register 76, No. 2).
4. Repealer of Article
						  87 (Sections
						  2950-2959, not consecutive) and new
						  Article 87 (Sections
						  2950-2951) filed 8-9-79; effective
						  thirtieth day thereafter (Register 79, No. 32).
5. Amendment filed
						  4-16-80 as procedural and organizational; effective upon filing (Register 80,
						  No. 16).
6. Editorial correction renumbering former Article 87 to
						  Article 38 filed 11-2-83 (Register 83, No. 45).
7. Amendment filed
						  12-10-87; operative 1-9-88 (Register 88, No. 1).
8. Amendment
						  designating first paragraph as subsection (a) and adopting new subsection (b)
						  filed 9-25-2012; operative 10-25-2012 (Register 2012, No.
						  39).
Note: Authority cited: Section
							 142.3, Labor
							 Code. Reference: Section
							 142.3, Labor
							 Code.