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.)