Electric Power Generation,

Transmission, and Distribution

and Electrical Protective
Equipment Final Rule
Updated 2-18-2015

Effective Dates and Best Practice

Revisions based on the Final Rule

Electric Power Generation,

Transmission,
and Distribution and Electrical
Protective Equipment Final Rule
Updated 2-18-2015
Final Rule was Published on April 11, 2014
Became Effective July 10, 2014
Temporary Enforcement Policies were
issued on:
June 20, 2014
Extended on October 28, 2014 and
December 16, 2014
Revoked Temporary Citation Policy on
February 18, 2015

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Training
No Enforcement Delays per final
rule but
OSHA will not site employers that
are training according to the Best
Practices for
the training provision
necessary to comply with the Final
Rule.

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Information Transfer
No Citations will be issued to host
employers under the information
transfer provisions provided that
after April 30, 2015 they provide all
information other than maximum
switching-transient voltages
required by the standards.

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Information Transfer ET&D Best Practice
PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: Contractor will ensure that the
information (included but not necessarily limited too) listed
on the attached form (or other types of records that provide
to accomplish the objective of information transfer) has
been collected from the Host employer and communicated
to the person in charge of related tasks. The contractor
must communicate hazardous conditions to the Host
Employer unrelated to the original scope of work that were
not communicated by the host during the information
transfer and that will not be abated/corrected by the
contractor. The form provided is an example of how to
document this communication.

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Job Briefing
No Citations until April 30, 2015 of
the standards that require the
employer to provide employee in
charge with all available
information on existing
characteristics and conditions.

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Job Briefing ET&D Best Practice
PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: The Person In
Charge (or a designated representative)
shall document job steps, hazards to be
encountered, and steps taken to
control/eliminate hazards by doing the
following:
NEW
C. Existing characteristics and conditions
(provided by host)

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Job Briefing ET&D Best Practice
BENEFITS (Added)
Ensures employees receive information
about the known characteristics and
conditions of the system they are working.

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Minimum Approach Distances
Employers have until April 1, 2015 to
comply with revised MADs for voltages of
5.1kV and above.
No citations until January 31, 2016 for
voltages of 169.1 kV and more for
employer to determine the maximum
anticipated per-unit transient overvoltage.
If peer review is not available before May
1, 2015, OSHA may extend this deadline.

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Minimum Approach Distances
No citations until January 31, 2016 for
voltages of 79.6 to 169.1 kV for employer to
determine the maximum anticipated per-unit
transient
overvoltage as long as the
anticipated transient overvoltage, phase to
ground is 3.0 per unit. If peer review is not
available before May 1, 2015 OSHA may
extend this deadline.
Information to help employers establish
minimum approach distances appears in
appendices to the standards.

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Incident Energy Calculations
No citations until March 31 , 2015 for
the standards that require the
employer to make a reasonable
estimate of the incident heat energy
exposures as a result of electrical arc
hazards.

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Flame Resistant Clothing
Employers must ensure outer layer of
clothing worn by an employee is
flame resistant under certain
conditions.
No citations issued before April 1,
2015 for employers for failure to wear
flame resistant pants
as long as
employees are
wearing 11-ounce or
heavier weight cotton pants.

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Arc Rated Protection
Employers have until April 1, 2015 to
comply with the standards that require
Arc-Rated Protective Clothing and
other protective equipment.
No Citations for failure to provide
protective clothing or equipment rated
higher than
8 cal/cm2 until after
August 31, 2015

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Fall Protection in Aerial lifts
No Citations until March 31, 2015
for line clearance tree-trimming
employers that ensures employee
uses a body belt and lanyard
attached to the boom or basket of
the aerial lift.

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Fall Protection in Aerial lifts
No Citations from March 31 to
December 31, 2015 for line clearance
tree-trimming employers that are
actively testing fall restraint systems
in the type of bucket at issue and
ensure employees use a body belt and
lanyard attached to the boom of the
aerial lift until the fall restraint system is
put in place.

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Fall Protection in Aerial lifts
For work covered by the standards, the following
enforcement policies apply to any bucket-type
aerial lift that does not have a suitable anchorage
built into the bucket. No Citation provided:
1. A fall arrest system is in place and complies with
1926 Subpart M
2. Aerial lift is parked and brakes set with
outriggers extended
3. Employer has taken reasonable precautions to
prevent an employee from being ejected out of
the bucket

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Fall Protection in Elevated Locations on
Poles, Towers and Similar Structures
Employees must use personal fall arrest
systems, work-positioning equipment or
fall restraint systems on elevated
structures located more than 4 feet
above the ground.
No citations until May 31, 2015 as long
as
employers comply with standards that
were in effect on April 11, 2014

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Fall Protection When Performing
Aerial Work on a Lattice Structures
ET&D Best Practice New
PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: Fall hazards
associated with aerial work performed on
lattice structures shall be assessed, and fall
hazard mitigation plans developed when
working in or on a horizontal or vertical
position/surface.

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V
Enforcement Dates
Underground Installations, Work in
Manholes and Vaults
As of February 28, 2015, work
underground, in manholes and vaults
must comply with the new standards.

29 CFR 1910.269 and

29 CFR 1926 Subpart V

OSHA Partnership
Electrical Transmission &
Distribution

General Partnership Goals

Analyze accident and incident data and

statistics

Identify common cause factors related to:

Fatalities
Injuries and illnesses

Develop recommended Best Practices for

each identified cause.

Develop Best Practice implementation

strategies

Partnership Future Objectives

Continue to perform the following:
Monitor injury and fatality data and
trends and identify additional cause
factors
Expand the training efforts and
resources
Developing additional Best Practices
Increase communication, education,
involvement
Expand services provided on the
Website.
Visit: www.powerlinesafety.org

Final Rule
General Industry
1910.137 Electrical Protective
Equipment
1910.269 Electrical Power Generation,
Transmission, and Distribution
Construction
1926.97 Protective Equipment
1926 Subpart V Electrical Transmission
and Distribution

Why Revise the Rule?

The existing Electric Power Transmission
and Distribution for Construction standard
was issued in 1972 and referenced
consensus standards of that time.
The later Electric Power Generation,
Transmission, and Distribution for General
Industry (Operation and Maintenance)
standard, issued in 1994, also needed
updating based on advances in electrical
safety technology.

Why Revise the Rule?

As revised, the standards create a
unified set of requirements to help
employers more effectively establish
effective safety-related work practices
to protect their workers.
Its all about improved safety and as
leaders, we have no greater
responsibility than the safety of our
people.

Benefits of the Revised Rule

OSHA expects the updated standards to
prevent at least an additional 118
workplace injuries and 20 fatalities annually.
The Agency estimates the net monetized
benefits of the final rule to be about $130
million annually ($179 million in benefits
minus $49 million in costs).
Revised standards are easier to understand
and to apply, improving safety by
facilitating compliance.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Definitions
Host Employer: An employer that
operates, or that controls the operating
procedures for, an electric power
generation, transmission, or distribution
installation on which a contract employer
is performing work covered by [the
standard]
Contract Employer: An employer, other
than a host employer, that performs work
covered by [the standard] under contract.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Host Employers and Contractors
New or revised provisions for host and
contract employer meetings/job briefings to
share safety-related information with each
other and with line workers and other
associated employees.
Required job hazard and risk analysis and
assessment will improve work operations
and strategies to utilize the most effective
methods and techniques for performing
tasks.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
General Training
The degree of training must be
determined by risk to the worker for the
hazard involved.
Qualified workers must have training to
recognize and control or avoid electrical
hazards present at the worksite.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
General Training
Line-clearance tree trimmers must have
training to distinguish exposed live parts
and to determine the voltage on those
parts, and they must have training in
minimum approach distances and how to
maintain them.
It is no longer necessary for employers to
certify that workers are proficient in safe
work practices.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Fall Protection
The standard now provides updated fall
protection requirements for employees
working from aerial lifts and on overhead
line structures.
Qualified workers must use fall protection
when climbing or changing location on
poles, towers, or similar structures unless
climbing or changing location with fall
protection is infeasible or creates a
greater hazard than climbing or changing
location without it.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Fall Protection
No Citations until March 31, 2015 for line
clearance tree-trimming employers that ensures
employee uses a body belt and lanyard attached
to the boom or basket of the aerial lift.
No Citations from March 31 to December 31,
2015 for line clearance tree-trimming employers
that are actively testing fall restraint systems
in the type of bucket at issue and ensure
employees use a body belt and lanyard attached
to the boom of the aerial lift until the fall
restraint system in put in place.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Fall restraint system
A system that prevents the user from falling
any distance
Work positioning equipment
A system rigged to allow an employee to be
supported on an elevated vertical surface
and work with both hands free while leaning
Personal fall arrest equipment
A system used to arrest an employee in a
fall from a working level

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Fall Protection
Fall protection equipment rigged to arrest
falls is considered as one or more
components of a fall arrest system and
must meet the applicable requirements
for the design and use of those systems.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Fall Protection
Fall protection equipment rigged for work
positioning is considered as work
positioning equipment and must meet the
applicable requirements for the design
and use of that equipment.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Fall Protection
Fall arrest equipment must be capable of
passing a drop test after exposure to an
electric arc with a heat energy of 405
cal/cm2 if the workers using the fall
protection are exposed to flames or
electric arc hazards.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Fall Protection
On and after April 1, 2015, workpositioning equipment must be rigged so
that workers can free fall no more than
0.6 meters (2 feet).
1910.269(g)(2)(iv)(D)
Information on the inspection of workpositioning equipment appears in
appendices to the standards.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Minimum Approach Distances and
Insulation
Revised minimum approach distances for
voltages of 5.1 kV and more become
effective on April 1, 2015.
No citations until January 31, 2016 for
voltages of 169.1 kV and more for employer
to determine the maximum anticipated perunit transient overvoltage. If peer review is
not available before May1, 2015, OSHA may
extend this deadline.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Minimum Approach Distances and Insulation
No citations until January 31, 2016 for voltages
of 79.6 to 169.1 kV for employer to determine
the maximum anticipated per-unit transient
overvoltage as long as the anticipated transient
overvoltage, phase to ground is 3.0 per unit. If
peer review is not available before May 1, 2015,
OSHA may extend this deadline.
Information to help employers establish
minimum approach distances appears in
appendices to the standards.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Employer must establish minimum
approach distances based on the new
requirements.
For voltages up to 72.5 kV the default
distances remain the same.
For voltages exceeding 72.5 kV, the
distances must be based on calculations
in the revised standard.
D = (TOV) x (C + a) + M

Significant Changes to the

Standards
MAD is based on the probability of 1/1000
of flash over.
Maximum transient overvoltage (TOV)
adjusted to 3.5 from 3.0.
Appendix B includes TOV tables
The Agency developed an online
calculator.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
MAD
Employees must put on and take off
rubber gloves where the worker cannot
reach in the MAD.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Protection from Flames and Arc-Flash
Hazards
The employer must assess the workplace
to identify workers exposed to flame or
electric-arc hazards.
No citations until March 31, 2015 for
employers that make a reasonable
estimate of the incident heat energy of
any electric-arc hazard to which a worker
would be exposed.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Protection from Flames and Arc-Flash Hazards
Employers must ensure outer layer of clothing
worn by an employee is flame resistant under
certain conditions.
No citations issued before April 1, 2015 for
employers for failure to wear flame resistant
pants as long as employees are wearing 11ounce or heavier weight cotton pants.
Information on protecting workers from flames
and electric arcs appears in appendices to the
standards.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
De-energizing Transmission and Distribution
Lines and Equipment
Multiple crews working together on the same
lines or equipment must either:
(a) coordinate their activities under a single
worker in charge and work as if all of the
employees formed a single crew; or
(b) independently comply with the standard
and, if there is no system operator in charge
of the lines or equipment, have separate tags
and coordinate deenergizing and reenergizing
the lines and equipment with the other crews.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Protective Grounding
Employers may use insulating equipment
other than a live-line tool for placing
grounds on or removing grounds from
circuits of 600 volts or less under certain
conditions.
Information on protective grounding for
de-energized lines appears in appendices
to the standards.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Underground Installations
Special precautions apply when
employees perform work that could cause
a cable to fail.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Electrical Protective Equipment
The Electrical Protective Equipment for
Construction standard applies to all
construction work, not just electrical power
generation, transmission, and distribution
work.
Replaces the existing construction standards
incorporation of out-of-date consensus
standards with a set of performance-oriented
requirements that is consistent with the latest
revisions of the relevant consensus standards.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Electrical Protective Equipment
The final rule recognizes a new class of
electrical protective equipment, Class 00
rubber insulating gloves.
The standards adopt new requirements
for electrical protective equipment made
of materials other than rubber.

Significant Changes to the

Standards
Foot Protection
The Agency revised the General Industry
Foot Protection standard to clarify that an
employer must ensure that workers use
protective footwear as a supplementary
form of protection when the use of
protective footwear will protect the
workers from electrical hazards, such as
static-discharge or electric-shock hazards,
that remain after the employer takes
other necessary protective measures

Electric Power Generation,

Transmission, and Distribution
and Electrical Protective
Equipment Final Rule

Additional information is available on

OSHAs Electrical Power Generation, Transmi
ssion, and Distribution Standard
webpage
Questions and Answers on the final rule
PDF*
A memorandum to OSHA field offices
regarding enforcement of some of the
fall protection requirements in the final
rule PDF*
A memorandum to OSHA field offices
regarding enforcement dates PDF*,

Electric Power Generation,

Transmission, and Distribution
and Electrical Protective
Equipment Final Rule
Updated 2-18-2015

Effective Dates and Best Practice

Revisions based on the Final Rule