Washington Administrative Code › Title 296 - Labor and Industries, Department of › Chapter 296-155 - Safety standards for construction work › Part I - ELECTRICAL › Section 296-155-428 - General requirements

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1)
(a) You must not permit an employee to work
				in such proximity to any part of an electric power circuit that the employee
				could contact the electric power circuit in the course of work, unless the
				employee is protected against electric shock by deenergizing the circuit and
				grounding it or by guarding it effectively by insulation or other
				means.
(b) You must not require or
				permit any employee to perform any function in proximity to electrical
				conductors or to engage in any excavation, construction, demolition, repair, or
				other operation, unless and until danger from accidental contact with said
				electrical conductors has been effectively guarded by deenergizing the circuit
				and grounding it or by guarding it by effective insulation or other effective
				means.
(c) In work areas where the
				exact location of underground electric powerlines is unknown, you must not
				begin any activity which may bring employees into contact with those powerlines
				until the powerlines have been positively and unmistakably deenergized and
				grounded.
(d) Before work is begun
				the you must ascertain by inquiry or direct observation, or by instruments,
				whether any part of an energized electric power circuit, exposed or concealed,
				is so located that the performance of the work may bring any person, tool, or
				machine into physical or electrical contact with the electric power circuit.
				You must post and maintain proper warning signs where such a circuit exists.
				You must advise employees of the location of such lines, the hazards involved,
				and the protective measures to be taken.
(e) You must not perform any work, nor are
				you permitted to pile, store or otherwise handle any material, nor are you
				permitted to erect or dismantle any scaffolding, commercial signs, or
				structures, nor are you permitted to operate any tools, machinery or equipment
				within the specified minimum distances from any energized high voltage
				electrical conductor capable of energizing the material or equipment; except
				where the electrical distribution and transmission lines have been deenergized
				and visibly grounded at point of work, or where insulating barriers not a part
				of or an attachment to the equipment have been erected, to prevent physical
				contact with the lines, you must operate equipment proximate to, under, over,
				by, or near energized conductors only in accordance with the following:
(i) For lines rated 50 kV. or below, minimum
				clearance between the lines and any part of the equipment or load must be 10
				feet.
(ii) For lines rated over 50
				kV. minimum, clearance between the lines and any part of the equipment or load
				must be 10 feet plus 0.4 inch or each 1 kV. over 50 kV., or twice the length of
				the line insulator but never less than 10 feet.
(f)
Work on energized equipment.
Only qualified persons are permitted to work on electric circuit parts of
				equipment that have not been deenergized under the procedures of WAC
				296-155-429(4).
				Such persons must be capable of working safely on energized circuits and must
				be familiar with the proper use of special precautionary techniques, personal
				protective equipment, insulating and shielding materials, and insulated
				tools.
(g)
Overhead electric
				lines.
Where overhead electric conductors are encountered in proximity
				to a work area, you must be responsible for:
(i) Ascertaining the voltage and minimum
				clearance distance required; and
(ii) Maintaining the minimum clearance
				distance; and
(iii) Ensuring that
				the requirements of this section are complied with.
(h) If relocation of the electrical
				conductors is necessary, you must make arrangements with the owners of the
				lines for such relocation.
(i)
Barriers.
(i) Barriers must be
				of such character and construction as to effectively provide the necessary
				protection without creating other hazards or jeopardizing the operation of the
				electrical circuits.
(ii) You must
				only install barriers within the 10 feet clearance from conductors under the
				supervision of authorized and qualified persons and this must include a
				representative of the electrical utility or owner involved.
(j)
Exceptions.
(i) These rules do not apply to the
				construction, reconstruction, operation, and maintenance, of overhead
				electrical lines, structures, and associated equipment by authorized and
				qualified electrical workers.
(ii)
				These rules do not apply to authorized and qualified employees engaged in the
				construction, reconstruction, operation, and maintenance, of overhead
				electrical circuits or conductors and associated equipment of rail
				transportation systems or electrical generating, transmission, distribution and
				communication systems which are covered by chapters 296-45 and 296-32
				WAC.
(k)
You must
				take special precautions.
(i) When
				handling any winch lines, guy wires, or other free cable, wire or rope in the
				vicinity of any electrical conductors.
(ii) When pulling a winch line, or other
				cable or rope under energized electrical conductors from a boom, mast, pile
				driver, etc., in such a manner as to make possible an approach to within 10
				feet of a conductor.
(iii) When
				there is possibility of a winch line, cable, etc., either becoming disconnected
				or breaking under load because of excessive strain and flipping up into
				overhead conductors.
(iv) When
				placing steel, concrete reinforcement, wire mesh, etc.
(v) When handling pipe or rod sections in
				connection with digging wells or test holes.
(vi) When moving construction equipment,
				apparatus, machinery, etc., all such movements must avoid striking supporting
				structures, guy wires, or other elements of the electrical utility system
				causing the conductors to so swing or move as to decrease clearances to less
				than 10 feet from construction equipment, or to cause them to come together.
(l)
Warning sign
				required.
(i) You must post and
				maintain approved durable warning sign legible at 12 feet, reading "It is
				unlawful to operate this equipment within 10 feet of electrical conductors" in
				plain view of the operator at the controls of each crane, derrick, shovel,
				drilling rig, pile driver or similar apparatus which is capable of vertical,
				lateral or swinging motion.
(ii)
				You must install a similar sign on the outside of the equipment and located as
				to be readily visible to mechanics or other persons engaged in the work
				operation.
(iii) Signs must be not
				less than 6" x 8" dimensions with the word "WARNING" or "DANGER" in large
				letters and painted red across the top and the other letters in black painted
				on yellow background.
(m) You must consider any overhead wire to be
				an energized line until the owner of such line or the electrical utility
				authorities indicate that it is not an energized line and it has been visibly
				grounded.