Regulations, Rules and Standards

stamp with the words regulations in front of a book of regulations

OSHA’s electrical standards are designed to protect employees exposed to dangers such as electric shock, electrocution, fires, and explosions.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is revising the general industry electrical installation standard found in Subpart S of 29 CFR Part 1910.

The Agency has determined that electrical hazards in the workplace pose a significant risk of injury or death to employees, and that the requirements in the revised standard, which draw heavily from the 2000 edition of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces (NFPA 70E), and the 2002 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC), are reasonably necessary to provide protection from these hazards.

This final rule focuses on safety in the design and installation of electric equipment in the workplace. This revision will provide the first update of the installation requirements in the general industry electrical installation standard since 1981.

Electrical safety OSHA regulations govern electrical safety hazards are addressed in specific
Electrical Safety OSHA electrical safety standards for the general industry, shipyard employment, and marine terminals.
Electrical Safety OSHA standards, the Regulatory Agenda (a list of actions being taken with regard to Electrical Safety OSHA standards), including Federal Registers (these are rules, proposed rules, and also notices)
Electrical Safety OSHA directives (these are instructions for persons deemed to be “electrical compliance officers”), standard interpretations (this means official letters of interpretation of the Electrical Safety OSHA standards), and national consensus standards which are related to any electrical equipment hazards.
Electrical safety OSHA standards are specifically intended for front line industrial electrical workers, electrical technicians, and electrical engineering professionals who all must be properly trained in each and every aspects of electrical safety, electrical maintenance, and electrical operating procedures in order to do their jobs properly on complex electrical equipment and systems today.

Employers must not allow employees to work near live parts of electrical circuits, unless the employees are protected by one of the following means:

Deenergizing and grounding the parts
Guarding the part by insulation
Any other effective means. 1926.416(a)(1)

1926.416(a)(2), In work areas where the exact location of underground electrical power lines is unknown, employees using jack hammers, bars, or other hand tools that may contact the lines must be protected by insulating gloves.

1926.416(b)(1), Barriers or other means of guarding must be used to ensure that workspace for electrical equipment will not be used as a passageway during periods when energized parts of equipment are exposed.

1926.416(b)(2), Work spaces, walkways, and similar locations shall be kept clear of cords.

1926.416(e)(1), Worn or frayed electric cords or cables shall not be used.

1926.416(e)(2), Extension cords shall not be fastened with staples, hung from nails, or suspended by wire.

1926.417(b), Equipment or circuits that are de-energized must be rendered inoperative and must have tags attached at all points where the equipment or circuits could be energized.