WAC 296-45-325   Working on or near exposed energized parts.  This section applies to work on exposed live parts, or near enough to them, to expose the employee to any hazard they present.

     (1) General. Only qualified employees may work on or with exposed energized lines or parts of equipment. Only qualified employees may work in areas containing unguarded, uninsulated energized lines or parts of equipment operating at 50 volts or more. Electric lines and equipment shall be considered and treated as energized unless the provisions of WAC 296-45-175 through 296-45-17565 or 296-45-335 have been followed.

     (2) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, at least two qualified employees shall be present while the following types of work are being performed:

     (a) Installation, removal, or repair of lines that are energized at more than 600 volts;

     (b) Installation, removal, or repair of deenergized lines if an employee is exposed to contact with other parts energized at more than 600 volts;

     (c) Installation, removal, or repair of equipment, such as transformers, capacitors, and regulators, if an employee is exposed to contact with parts energized at more than 600 volts;

     (d) Work involving the use of mechanical equipment, other than insulated aerial lifts, near parts energized at more than 600 volts; and

     (e) Other work that exposes an employee to electrical hazards greater than or equal to those posed by operations that are specifically listed in subsection (2)(a) through (d) of this section.

Note 1:	One employee will serve principally as a standby person who must be so located that they may physically reach the other employee in the event of an accident either with their hand or with a hot stick twelve feet or less in length. The standby will be so positioned as to be able to observe the other employee, their bodily movements, and verbally warn of any impending dangers. In no case when working in pairs will employees work simultaneously on energized wires or parts of different phases or polarity;
Note 2:	When installing or removing a hot line clamp connection on a multiphase system, it is permissible for the second employee to stand by at the lower controls of the aerial lift provided the connection or disconnection does not interrupt or pick up load. The hot line clamp and connecting jumper must be constructed so it cannot make contact with any other energized parts. The work must not be performed above lines or apparatus energized at more than 600 V.
Note 3:	In cases of necessity the standby person may temporarily assist the other employee provided that they both work on wires or parts of the same phase or polarity. Both employees shall so position themselves so that the presence of the second person does not increase the hazard.

     (3) The provisions of WAC 296-45-325(2) do not apply to (a) through (e) of this subsection. In addition to the requirements of subsection (4) of this section, a qualified employee working under this subsection (3), must position themselves so that he/she is neither within reach of nor otherwise exposed to contact with energized parts.

     (a) When re-fusing circuits or equipment with a hot stick.

     (b) When operating switches by means of operating handle or switch sticks.

     (c) When installing or removing a hot line clamp connection with an approved hot stick on a single-phase line or apparatus, providing that the connection or disconnection does not interrupt or pick up a load.

Note 1:	The hot line clamp and connecting jumper must be constructed so that it cannot make contact with any other energized parts.
Note 2:	On a multiphase feed this applies only when one single-phase line or apparatus is present on the load side.

     (d) When installing or removing by hot stick simple load metering devices provided the connection does not interrupt or pickup load.

     (e) Emergency repairs to the extent necessary to safeguard the general public.

     (4) "Minimum approach distances." The employer shall ensure that no employee approaches or takes any conductive object closer to exposed energized parts than set forth in Table 1 through Table 4, unless:

     The employee is insulated from the energized part (insulating gloves or insulating gloves and sleeves worn in accordance with subsection (6) of this section are considered insulation of the employee only with regard to the energized part upon which work is being performed); or

     The energized part is insulated from the employee and from any other conductive object at a different potential.

Note 1:	WAC 296-45-475 (5)(a) and 296-45-48525(1) contain requirements for the guarding and isolation of live parts. Parts of electric circuits that meet these two provisions are not considered as "exposed" unless a guard is removed or an employee enters the space intended to provide isolation from the live parts.
Note 2:	When an employee is required to work on or within reach of any unprotected conductors that are or may become energized at more than 50 volts and less than 600 volts between phases, they shall take the following precautions:
1:	They shall wear approved insulating gloves or insulating gloves and sleeves during the time they are working on such conductor, or
2:	They shall cover, with approved devices, any adjacent unprotected conductor that could be touched by any part of their body, and use insulated tools.
3:	Cables which are properly insulated for the voltages to which they are energized, shall be considered as an effective barrier to protect the employees and Table 1 need not apply.

     (5) Initial determination.

     (a) Before any work is performed, the location of energized lines and their condition, the location and condition of energized equipment, the condition of the poles, the location of circuits and equipment including power communication lines, CATV and fire alarm circuits, shall be determined as shall any other particular hazard of a particular work site.

     (b) No work shall be performed on energized lines or parts until the voltage of such equipment and lines is determined.

     (6) Type of insulation. If the employee is to be insulated from energized parts by the use of insulating gloves (under subsection (4) of this section), insulating sleeves shall also be used. However, insulating sleeves need not be used under the following conditions:

     (a) If exposed energized parts on which work is not being performed are insulated from the employee; and

     (b) If such insulation is placed from a position not exposing the employee's upper arm to contact with other energized parts.

     (7) Working position. The employer shall ensure that each employee, to the extent that other safety-related conditions at the worksite permit, works in a position from which a slip or shock will not bring the employee's body into contact with exposed, uninsulated parts energized at a potential different from the employee.

     (8) Making connections. The employer shall ensure that connections are made as follows:

     (a) In connecting deenergized equipment or lines to an energized circuit by means of a conducting wire or device, an employee shall first attach the wire to the deenergized part;

     (b) When disconnecting equipment or lines from an energized circuit by means of a conducting wire or device, an employee shall remove the source end first; and

     (c) When lines or equipment are connected to or disconnected from energized circuits, loose conductors shall be kept away from exposed energized parts.

     (9) Rubber gloves can only be used on 5,000 volts or less between phases.

     (10) It shall not be permissible to consider one part of a high voltage switch or disconnect as deenergized for the purpose of doing work on it if the remainder of the switch or disconnect remains energized unless approved barriers are erected which will prevent employees who are doing the work on such equipment from coming in direct contact with the energized parts.

     (11) Conductor support tools such as link sticks, strain carriers, and insulator cradles may be used: Provided, That the clear insulation is at least as long as the insulator string or the minimum distance specified in Table 1 for the operating voltage.

     (12) Apparel.

     (a) When work is performed within reaching distance of exposed energized parts of equipment, the employer shall ensure that each employee removes or renders nonconductive all exposed conductive articles, such as key or watch chains, rings, or wrist watches or bands, unless such articles do not increase the hazards associated with contact with the energized parts.

     (b) The employer shall train each employee who is exposed to the hazards of flames or electric arcs in the hazards involved.

     (c) The employer shall ensure that each employee who is exposed to the hazards of flames or electric arcs does not wear clothing that, when exposed to flames or electric arcs, could increase the extent of injury that would be sustained by the employee.

Note:

Clothing made from the following types of fabrics, either alone or in blends, is prohibited by this subsection, unless the employer can demonstrate that the fabric has been treated to withstand the conditions that may be encountered or that the clothing is worn in such a manner as to eliminate the hazard involved: Acetate, nylon, polyester, rayon.

     (d) Workers shall wear clothing appropriate to the season and the kind of work being performed. Shirts or jumpers must have full length sleeves that are rolled down. Protective hard hats and eye protection shall be worn when working on or near live parts or while climbing poles.

     (13) Fuse handling. When fuses must be installed or removed with one or both terminals energized at more than 300 volts or with exposed parts energized at more than 50 volts, the employer shall ensure that tools or gloves rated for the voltage are used. When expulsion-type fuses are installed with one or both terminals energized at more than 300 volts, the employer shall ensure that each employee wears eye protection meeting the requirements of WAC 296-45-25505(1), uses a tool rated for the voltage, and is clear of the exhaust path of the fuse barrel.

     (14) Covered (noninsulated) conductors. The requirements of this section which pertain to the hazards of exposed live parts also apply when work is performed in the proximity of covered (noninsulated) wires.

     (15) Noncurrent-carrying metal parts. Noncurrent-carrying metal parts of equipment or devices, such as transformer cases and circuit breaker housings, shall be treated as energized at the highest voltage to which they are exposed, unless the employer inspects the installation and determines that these parts are grounded before work is performed.

     (16) Opening circuits under load. Devices used to open circuits under load conditions shall be designed to interrupt the current involved.

Table 1: AC Live Work Minimum Approach Distance
		Distance to employee
Voltage in kilovolts phase to phase*		Phase to ground		Phase to Phase
		(m)	(ft-in)	(m)	(ft-in)
	0 to 0.050	not specified		not specified
	0.051 to 0.300	avoid contact		avoid contact
	0.301 to 0.750	0.31	1-0	0.31	1-0
	0.751 to 15	0.65	2-2	0.67	2-3
	15.1 to 36.0	0.77	2-7	0.86	2-10
	36.1 to 46.0	0.84	2-9	0.96	3-2
	46.1 to 72.5	1.00**	3-3**	1.20	3-11
	72.6 to 121	0.95**	3-2**	1.29	4-3
	138 to 145	1.09	3-7	1.50	4-11
	161 to 169	1.22	4-0	1.71	5-8
	230 to 242	1.59	5-3	2.27	7-6
	345 to 362	2.59	8-6	3.80	12-6
	500 to 550	3.42	11-3	5.50	18-1
	765 to 800	4.53	14-11	7.91	26-0
	*For single-phase systems, use the highest voltage available.
	For single-phase lines off three phase systems, use the phase-to-phase voltage of the system.
	**The 46.1 to 72.5 kV phase-to-ground 3-3 distance contains a 1-3 electrical component and a 2-0 inadvertent movement component while the 72.6 to 121 kV phase-to-ground 3-2 distance contains a 2-2 electrical component and a 1-0 inadvertent movement component.

Note 1:	These distances take into consideration the highest switching surge an employee will be exposed to on any system with air as the insulating medium and the maximum voltages shown.
Note 2:	The clear live-line tool distance shall equal or exceed the values for the indicated voltage ranges.
Note 3:	See Appendix B to this section for information on how the minimum approach distances listed in the tables were derived.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. 05-17-038, § 296-45-325, filed 8/9/05, effective 10/1/05; 03-17-071, § 296-45-325, filed 8/19/03, effective 11/1/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040. 99-09-080, § 296-45-325, filed 4/20/99, effective 8/1/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, [49.17].050 and[49.17].060 . 98-07-009, § 296-45-325, filed 3/6/98, effective 5/6/98.]