Subpart V—Electric Power Transmission and Distribution
§ 1926.967 Special conditions.

(a) Capacitors. The following additional requirements apply to work on capacitors and on lines connected to capacitors.
Note to paragraph ( a ): See §§ 1926.961 and 1926.962 for requirements pertaining to the deenergizing and grounding of capacitor installations.
(1) Disconnect from energized source. Before employees work on capacitors, the employer shall disconnect the capacitors from energized sources and short circuit the capacitors. The employer shall ensure that the employee short circuiting the capacitors waits at least 5 minutes from the time of disconnection before applying the short circuit,
(2) Short circuiting units. Before employees handle the units, the employer shall short circuit each unit in series-parallel capacitor banks between all terminals and the capacitor case or its rack. If the cases of capacitors are on ungrounded substation racks, the employer shall bond the racks to ground.
(3) Short circuiting connected lines. The employer shall short circuit any line connected to capacitors before the line is treated as deenergized.
(b) Current transformer secondaries. The employer shall ensure that employees do not open the secondary of a current transformer while the transformer is energized. If the employer cannot deenergize the primary of the current transformer before employees perform work on an instrument, a relay, or other section of a current transformer secondary circuit, the employer shall bridge the circuit so that the current transformer secondary does not experience an open-circuit condition.
(c) Series streetlighting —(1) Applicable requirements. If the open-circuit voltage exceeds 600 volts, the employer shall ensure that employees work on series streetlighting circuits in accordance with § 1926.964 or § 1926.965, as appropriate.
(2) Opening a series loop. Before any employee opens a series loop, the employer shall deenergize the streetlighting transformer and isolate it from the source of supply or shall bridge the loop to avoid an open-circuit condition.
(d) Illumination. The employer shall provide sufficient illumination to enable the employee to perform the work safely.
Note to paragraph ( d ): See § 1926.56, which requires specific levels of illumination.
(e) Protection against drowning —(1) Personal flotation devices. Whenever an employee may be pulled or pushed, or might fall, into water where the danger of drowning exists, the employer shall provide the employee with, and shall ensure that the employee uses, a personal flotation device meeting § 1926.106.
(2) Maintaining flotation devices in safe condition. The employer shall maintain each personal flotation device in safe condition and shall inspect each personal flotation device frequently enough to ensure that it does not have rot, mildew, water saturation, or any other condition that could render the device unsuitable for use.
(3) Crossing bodies of water. An employee may cross streams or other bodies of water only if a safe means of passage, such as a bridge, is available.
(f) Excavations. Excavation operations shall comply with subpart P of this part.
(g) Employee protection in public work areas —(1) Traffic control devices. Traffic-control signs and traffic-control devices used for the protection of employees shall meet § 1926.200(g)(2).
(2) Controlling traffic. Before employees begin work in the vicinity of vehicular or pedestrian traffic that may endanger them, the employer shall place warning signs or flags and other traffic-control devices in conspicuous locations to alert and channel approaching traffic.
(3) Barricades. The employer shall use barricades where additional employee protection is necessary.
(4) Excavated areas. The employer shall protect excavated areas with barricades.
(5) Warning lights. The employer shall display warning lights prominently at night.
(h) Backfeed. When there is a possibility of voltage backfeed from sources of cogeneration or from the secondary system (for example, backfeed from more than one energized phase feeding a common load), the requirements of § 1926.960 apply if employees will work the lines or equipment as energized, and the requirements of §§ 1926.961 and 1926.962 apply if employees will work the lines or equipment as deenergized.
(i) Lasers. The employer shall install, adjust, and operate laser equipment in accordance with § 1926.54.
(j) Hydraulic fluids. Hydraulic fluids used for the insulated sections of equipment shall provide insulation for the voltage involved.
(k) Communication facilities —(1) Microwave transmission. (i) The employer shall ensure that no employee looks into an open waveguide or antenna connected to an energized microwave source.
(ii) If the electromagnetic-radiation level within an accessible area associated with microwave communications systems exceeds the radiation-protection guide specified by § 1910.97(a)(2) of this chapter, the employer shall post the area with warning signs containing the warning symbol described in § 1910.97(a)(3) of this chapter. The lower half of the warning symbol shall include the following statements, or ones that the employer can demonstrate are equivalent: “Radiation in this area may exceed hazard limitations and special precautions are required. Obtain specific instruction before entering.”
(iii) When an employee works in an area where the electromagnetic radiation could exceed the radiation-protection guide, the employer shall institute measures that ensure that the employee's exposure is not greater than that permitted by that guide. Such measures may include administrative and engineering controls and personal protective equipment.
(2) Power-line carrier. The employer shall ensure that employees perform power-line carrier work, including work on equipment used for coupling carrier current to power line conductors, in accordance with the requirements of this subpart pertaining to work on energized lines.