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803 KAR 2:016. Construction industry standards


Published: 2015

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      803 KAR 2:016. Construction industry standards.

 

      RELATES TO: KRS Chapter 338

      STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS Chapter 13A

      NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS

338.051 and 338.061 authorize the Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health

Standards Board to adopt and promulgate occupational safety and health rules,

administrative regulations, and contains those standards to be enforced by the Division

of Occupational Safety and Health Compliance. The Occupational Safety and

Health Standards Board hereby adopts the following administrative regulations

applicable to the construction industry.

 

      Section 1. Safety and Testing of Supply

Lines in Excess of 600 Volts. (1) Definitions.

      (a) Disconnected means disconnected from

any electrical source of supply.

      (b) Guarded: protected by personnel,

covered, fenced, or enclosed by means of suitable castings, barrier, rails,

screens, mats, platforms, or other suitable devices in accordance with standard

barricading techniques designed to prevent dangerous approach or contact by

persons or objects. (Note: wires, which are insulated but not otherwise protected,

are not considered as guarded.)

      (c) Hold cards: (also called "hold

tags") a card or tag-type device, usually having a predominant color of

white or red which warns against or which cautions against the operation of a

particular switch, device, circuit, tool, machine, etc.

      (d) Near: a distance no closer than that

shown in the table in subsection (3)(c) of this section.

      (e) Qualified person: a person who,

because of experience and training is familiar with the construction and

operation of the apparatus or equipment and the hazards involved in the

performance of the job.

      (2) Purpose.

      (a) The intent and purpose of this

administrative regulation is to provide and establish safety procedures for

testing equipment to protect electrical workers from hazards resulting from

exposure to high voltage.

      (b) This administrative regulation shall

apply to nonutility electrical workers who are engaged in electrical

construction and/or maintenance of electrical conductors and equipment rated at

600 volts and above.

      (3) Energized conductors and equipment.

      (a) Only qualified employees shall work

on or near high voltage conductors or equipment.

      (b) Personal protective equipment shall

be provided by the employer and used by the employee when working on or near

energized, ungrounded high voltage conductors or equipment.

      (c) No employee shall approach or take

any conductive object, without an approved insulating handle, within the

minimum distance specified in the table below, unless the energized part is

insulated or guarded from the employee, or the employee is effectively

insulated from the live parts. Rubber gloves (sleeves if necessary) rated for

the voltage involved shall be considered effective insulation of the employee

from the energized part.



Minimum Clear Distance

From Live Parts







Voltage Phase to Phase (Kilovolts)





Distance Phase to Employee







0.6 to 34.5





2'







34.5 to 46





2 1/2'







46 to 69





3'







69 to 115





3' 4"







115 to 138





3' 6"







138 to 169





3' 8"





      (4) Deenergized conductor or equipment.

      (a) Existing conditions shall be

determined before starting work on electrical conductor and/or equipment.

      (b) Before any work is performed, all

electrical switches, breakers and associated disconnecting devices shall be

opened, made inoperable and hold tagged out by the person in charge. Employees

shall be trained and thoroughly instructed in the tagging procedure. One (1)

qualified person, for example: foreman, general foreman or first class

electrician, of each crew shall be responsible for attaching hold tags and/or

hold cards to the disconnecting means. When more than one (1) crew is involved

in the work, multiple hold tags or hold cards shall be placed in the handle of

the disconnecting equipment. The use of such tags must be respected. Equipment

or items so tagged must not be activated or used without full and proper

authority of a responsible person whose signature appears on the tag.

      (c) Conductors shall be short-circuited

and grounded wherever possible.

      (d) Capacitors may be components of

apparatus of the disconnected electrical system. Before employees are allowed

to work, the capacitors shall be discharged, short-circuited and grounded.

      (e) When deenergizing conductors and

equipment and the means of disconnecting from the energy source is not visibly

open, a voltage test shall be made before starting work. An operational check

shall be made of the voltage tester prior to and following the voltage test to

determine reliability of the testing device. The test device must be handled

and used while wearing or using approved protective equipment during the test.

      (f) All conductors and equipment shall be

treated as energized until tested, short-circuited and effectively grounded

except when the circuit involved is isolated from all possible sources of

energizing voltage from another circuit, induced voltage or back feed.

      (g) The voltage condition of deenergized

conductors and/or equipment shall be determined with testing equipment designed

for the applicable voltage.

      (h) Upon completion of work on

deenergized conductors and equipment, the person responsible shall ascertain

that all employees under his jurisdiction are clear and that all protective

short-circuit and grounding lines are removed. The qualified person(s) shall

then remove his hold tag(s). Only at this time shall conductors and equipment

be reenergized. (3 Ky.R. 794; Am. 4 Ky.R. 106; eff. 8-3-77; 234; eff. 2-1-78;

323; eff. 5-3-78; 7 Ky.R. 917; eff. 7-1-81; 10 Ky.R. 302; eff. 12-2-83; TAm eff.

8-9-2007; TAm eff. 9-8-2011.)