OSHA fined a New Jersey General Contractor $180,000 due to their safety negligence for not recognizing the hazards working near power lines. They allowed workers employed by subcontractors to work 5-7 feet from live power lines using scaffolds, when the minimum clearing distance is 10 feet for up to 50 volts.
The general contractor is responsible for many duties, such as adhering to local codes and regulations, as well as OSHA. The third leading cause of construction deaths is electrocution, and the major hazards regarding contact with energized sources are electrical shock and burns.
Creating a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) program can decrease the risk of an injury or fatality at your job site.
Consider these helpful tips when creating your JSA:
Power Line Safety Standards
Before beginning equipment operations, the contractor must identify the work zone. This can be done by either:
- Setting boundaries (such as with flags) and prohibiting the operator from operating outside those boundaries; or
- Defining the work zone as the area 360 degrees around the equipment, up to its maximum working radius.
Clearance Distance
The clearance distance is the required minimum space between power lines and scaffolds, cranes, derricks or their loads and load lines. Generally, the clearance distance is 20 feet. The contractor must determine if any part of the equipment, load or load line could get closer than 20 feet to a power line.
If the equipment may get closer than 20 feet to a power line, the employer has three options:
- De-energize and ground the power line.
- Take encroachment precautions to prevent contact with the power lines; or
- Consult Table A of the standards (below) to determine the appropriate clearance distance.
|
Table A – MINIMUM CLEARANCE DISTANCES |
|
|
Voltage range (nominal, kV, alternating current) |
Minimum clearance distance (feet) |
|
Up to 50 |
10 |
|
50 – 200 |
15 |
|
200 – 350 |
20 |
|
350 – 500 |
25 |
|
500 – 750 |
35 |
|
750 – 1,000 |
45 |
|
Over 1,000 |
Must be established by the utility owner or operator or a qualified, registered professional engineer. |
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