The “New” OSHA Rules for Electric Cooperatives

The “New” OSHA Rules
for Electric Cooperatives
David Wallis
Existing Standards
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General industry (1994)
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§1910.137—Electrical protective equipment
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§1910.269—Electric power generation,
transmission, and distribution
Construction (1972)
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Subpart V—Power transmission and distribution
Final Rule
General industry
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§1910.137—Electrical protective equipment
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§1910.269—Electric power generation, transmission,
and distribution
Construction
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§1926.97—Electrical protective equipment
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Subpart V—Electric power transmission and
distribution
Goals
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Update standards based on latest consensus standards
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Make the two sets of standards the same
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Provide additional protection beyond current standards
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Information transfer (host-contractor and job briefing)
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Fall protection
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Minimum approach distances (MAD)
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Protection from electric arcs
Information Transfer
Host-Contractor
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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].
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Contract employer
An employer, other than a host employer, that performs work
covered by [the standard] under contract.
Information Transfer
Host provides information to contractors
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Characteristics listed in §§1910.269(a)(4) and
1926.950(d)
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Known conditions listed in §§1910.269(a)(4) and
1926.950(d)
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System design information needed for assessments
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Other known system information related to safety
and requested by contractor
§§1910.269(a)(3)(i) and 1926.950(c)(1)
Information Transfer
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Contractor and host must coordinate work rules
and procedures so that each employee is
protected
§§1910.269(a)(3)(iii) and 1926.950(c)(3)
Information Transfer—Q&As
What methods may be used to transfer
information?
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Qs 8, 10
What about subcontractors?
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Q 13
What about emergency restoration activities?
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Q 17a, b, c
https://www.osha.gov/dsg/power_generation/QandAFinal.html
Fall Protection
Fall Restraint System
A fall protection system that prevents the user from
falling any distance
Work
Positioning
Equipment
A body belt or body harness
system rigged to allow an
employee to be supported on
an elevated vertical surface,
such as a utility pole or tower
leg, 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
Fall Protection
Use fall protection
while climbing or
changing location
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Limited exemption
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Provides anchorage
§§1910.269(g)(2)(iv)(C) and 1926.954(b)(3)(iii)
Appropriate for Work
Arc Rating?
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Personal fall arrest equipment used by employees
who are exposed to hazards from flames or electric
arcs must be capable of passing a drop test after
exposure to an electric arc with a heat energy of
40±5 cal/cm2.
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Positioning straps must be capable of withstanding
flame and dielectric tests.
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Equipment meeting ASTM F887-2004 or later is
acceptable.
§§1910.269(g)(2)(ii) and 1926.954(b)(1)(ii)
How Many D Rings?
Four D-ring body belt
§§1910.269(g)(2)(iv)(F) and 1926.954(b)(3)(vi)
Fall Protection—Q&As
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Are tree branches, conductors, or structure
members a lower level?
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Q 29
How can employers determine anchorage strength?
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Qs 32, 33(b), 34(b)
https://www.osha.gov/dsg/power_generation/QandAFinal.html
Fall Protection—Enforcement
Memo
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Fall arrest for employees in aerial lifts
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Fall arrest above tower arms
https://www.osha.gov/dsg/power_generation/SubpartV-Fall-protection.html
Minimum Approach
Distances (MAD)
MAD
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Employer must establish minimum approach
distances based on formulas in the standard
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For voltages >72.5 kV, employer must determine
maximum transient overvoltage (TOV)
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Based on engineering analysis or
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Use default values
§§1910.269(l)(3)(i) & (ii) and 1926.960(c)(1)(i) & (ii)
MAD
Maintain MAD between the worker and live parts,
unless:
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Worker is insulated from live parts (gloves or
gloves and sleeves if employee has control of
parts),
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Live parts are insulated from worker, or
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Live-line barehand work
§§1910.269(l)(3)(iii) and 1926.960(c)(1)(iii)
MAD for ≤72.5 kV
(showing difference compared to old §1910.269)
Voltage
(kV phase-to-phase)
0.50 to 0.300
m
ft
Avoid contact
0.301 to 0.750
0.33 (+0.33)
1.09 (+1.09)
0.751 to 5.0
0.63 (-0.01)
2.07 (-0.01)
5.1 to 15.0
0.65 (+0.01)
2.14 (+0.06)
15.1 to 36.0
0.77 (+0.05)
2.53 (+0.20)
36.1 to 46.0
0.84 (+0.07)
2.76 (+0.18)
46.1 to 72.5
1.00 (+0.10)
3.29 (+0.29)
§1910.269 Table R-6 and Subpart V Table V-5
MAD
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April 1, 2015, voltages up to 72.5 kV
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February 1, 2017, voltages > 72.5 kV
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Until then, for voltages up to 169 kV, employers
must use TOV of 3.0 per unit using the new
formulas
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Until then, for voltages > 169 kV, employers need
not calculate TOV and must use Table 6 or
Tables 10 – 13 in Appendix B to §1910.269
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=30191
Working Position
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Where to put on and take off rubber gloves
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Where may unprotected employees work?
§§1910.269(l)(4)(ii) & (5)(ii) and 1926.960(c)(2)(ii) & (d)(2)
Don & Doff Rubber Gloves
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Put on and take off rubber insulating gloves in a
position where the worker cannot reach into MAD
§§1910.269(l)(4)(ii) and 1926.960(c)(2)(ii)
Unprotected Workers
For work near live parts of >600 volts but ≤ 72.5
kV, work from a position where the worker cannot
reach into MAD, except:
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wearing rubber insulating gloves,
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protected by insulating equipment,
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using live-line tools, and
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performing live-line barehand work
§§1910.269(l)(5)(ii) and 1926.960(d)(2)
MAD—Q&As
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How can employers determine maximum transient
overvoltage?
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Qs 23, 24, 25
https://www.osha.gov/dsg/power_generation/QandAFinal.html
Electric Arc Protection
Principle Requirements
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Assess workplace for hazards from flames or electric
arcs
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If there is exposure, estimate incident energy
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Prohibit flammable clothing when incident energy
could ignite the clothing
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Require FR under certain conditions
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Select clothing with an arc rating greater than the
estimated incident energy
§§1910.269(l)(8) and 1926.960(g)
Guidelines—Appendix E
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Assessing the workplace for arc and flame hazards
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Estimating incident energy
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Selecting clothing and other protective equipment
§§1910.269(l)(8) and 1926.960(g)
Guidelines for Calculation
Methods
Appendix E to §1910.269 and Subpart V
Arc-Rated Protection
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Outer layer of clothing must be FR for incident energy
exceeding 2.0 cal/cm2
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Arc-rated protection must cover entire body, with certain
exceptions:
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Protection for hands (rubber gloves with protectors or,
for exposures ≤ 14 cal/cm2, heavy-duty (12-oz) leather
work gloves)
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Protection for feet (heavy work shoes or boots)
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Protection for the head under certain conditions
§§1910.269(l)(8)(v) and 1926.960(g)(5)
Head and Face Protection
§§1910.269(l)(8)(v)(C) - (D) and 1926.960(g)(5)(iii) - (v)
2012 NESC
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Employers can use Table 410-1 of the 2012 NESC
to estimate incident energy except for values with
footnote 7 or 8.
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https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_d
ocument?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=2969
3
§§1910.269(l)(8) and 1926.960(g)
Electric Arc—Q&As
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How can employers estimate incident energy?
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Qs 26, 27
Is elastic prohibited?
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Q 28
https://www.osha.gov/dsg/power_generation/QandAFinal.html
For More Information
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OSHA’s Website on the Electric Power Standard:
https://www.osha.gov/dsg/power_generation/index.
html
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Or, from OSHA’s home page (www.osha.gov):
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Click on A to Z Index (at top of page)
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Click on E
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Click on Electric Power Generation,
Transmission, and Distribution Final Standard