Contents |
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Page last reviewed: 08/21/2007
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Highlights |
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- Ergonomics: Solutions for Electrical Contractors. OSHA eTool. Describes common hazards that electrical contractors may encounter and possible solutions for these hazards.
- Hurricane eMatrix. OSHA eTool. Provides information on many of the most common and significant additional hazards that response and recovery workers might encounter when working in an area recently devastated by a hurricane.
- Restoring Electrical Utilities. Provides an activity sheet is for trained electrical utility workers and supervisors assessing and restoring electrical utility services. For some operations or situations (e.g., permit-required confined space entry, trenching, heavy equipment use) other activity sheets also apply; see related activity sheets.
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Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution Industry
This page is a part of OSHA's commitment to provide employers and workers in the electric power generation, transmission, and distribution industry with information and assistance to help them comply with OSHA standards and ensure a safe workplace
Electric power companies under federal jurisdiction must comply with Federal OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Standards for general
industry (29 CFR 1910).
OSHA Standards
This section highlights OSHA standards,
the Regulatory Agenda (a list of actions being taken with regard to OSHA
standards), preambles to final rules (background to final rules), Federal
Registers (rules, proposed rules, and notices), directives (instructions
for compliance officers), and standard
interpretations (official letters of interpretation
of the standards) related to the electric power generation, distribution, and
transmission industry.
Note: Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies.
Frequently Cited Standards
The following standards, in order, were the most frequently cited by Federal OSHA during October 2010 through September 2011, in Electric Services Industry Group (SIC code 491).
- 1910.269,
Electric power generation, transmission, and distribution
- 1904.29, Forms [related topic page]
- 1910.146, Permit-required confined spaces [related topic page]
- 1904.32, Annual summary
- 1910.1200, Hazard communication [related topic page]
- 1910.132, General requirements (Personal Protective Equipment) [related topic page]
- 1910.67, Vehicle-mounted elevating and rotating work platforms
- 1910.212, General requirements for all machines [related topic page]
- Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, often referred to as the General Duty Clause, requires employers to "furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees". This section may be used to cite hazards for which there are no specific standards, such as ergonomics. [related topic page]
- 1910.332, Training
Other Highlighted Standards
General Industry (29
CFR 1910)
- 1910 Subpart
D, Walking-working surfaces
- 1910 Subpart
E, Exit routes, emergency action plans, and fire prevention
plans
- 1910.36,
Design and construction requirements for exit routes
- 1910.37,
Maintenance, safeguards, and operational features for exit routes
- 1910.38,
Emergency action plans
- 1910 Subpart
F, Powered platforms, manlifts, and vehicle-mounted work
platforms
- 1910.67,
Vehicle-mounted elevating and rotating work platforms
- 1910.68,
Manlifts
- 1910 Subpart
G, Occupational health and environment control
- 1910 Subpart
H, Hazardous materials
- 1910 Subpart
I, Personal protective equipment
- 1910 Subpart
N, Materials handling and storage
- 1910 Subpart
O, Machinery and machine guarding
- 1910 Subpart
R, Special industries
- Appendix
A, Flow charts. Provides guidance for employers trying to implement
the requirements of 1910.269 in combination with other General
Industry Standards contained in Part 1910 [such as
29
CFR 1910
Subpart S (Electrical), 29 CFR 1910.146
(Permit Required Confined Spaces), and 29 CFR 1910.147
(Hazardous Energy, lockout/tagout)].
- Appendix
B, Working on exposed or energized parts
- Appendix
C, Protection from step and touch potentials
- Appendix
D, Methods of inspecting and testing wood poles
- Appendix
E, Reference documents
Regulatory Agenda
The OSHA Regulatory Agenda contains
an entry related to electric power transmission and distribution, and electrical protective equipment.
Preambles to Final Rules
Federal Registers
Directives
- The Control of Hazardous Energy – Enforcement Policy and Inspection Procedures. CPL 02-00-147, (2008, February 11).
- Enforcement of Electrical Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution. CPL 02-01-038 [CPL 2-1.38], (1997, October 31). Provides information to assist OSHA compliance personnel in performing inspections at electric power generation, transmission, and distribution lines and equipment, and other installations covered by 29 CFR 1910.269.
- Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices - Inspection Procedures and Interpretation Guidelines. STD 01-16-007 [STD 1-16.7], (1991, July 1). Establishes policies and provides interpretive guidelines to ensure uniform enforcement of the standard for Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices, 29 CFR 1910.331 through 29 CFR 1910.335.
- Search all available directives.
Standard Interpretations
Minimum Approach Distance
- Use of ANSI C2-1997 as guidance for protecting employees working near insulated shielded conductors. (2002, September 26). Clarifies safe working clearances for unqualified persons who work near insulated shielded cables.
- Exceptions to minimum approach distances for power generation, transmission, and distribution. (2000, February 10). Answers a question about minimum approach distance requirements of the Electrical Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution Standard.
- Protection of workers operating mechanical equipment near overhead power lines. (1999, December 7). Provides clarification regarding an unqualified crane operator contractor, who is being guided by a qualified journeyman electrician, working in close proximity to unguarded (7,620 to 500,000) voltage.
- Minimum approach distances. (1996, February 2). Provides an interpretation of the application of the minimum approach distances in 29 CFR 1910.269 and in 29 CFR 1910.333 of the electrical standard as they apply to the service and maintenance of several 69 kilovolt (kV) air, disconnect switches.
Working Alone
Grounding
Fall Protection
Miscellaneous
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Enhanced risk of damage/degradation of insulation integrity on temporary
wiring with prolonged use. (2005, November 22).
-
Stress cone work: worker protection and job briefings. (1998, June 22).
-
Clarification of the electric power generation, transmission, and
distribution standard. (1997, June 23).
-
An interpretation of the electrical power generation standard. (1997,
February 19). Provides a clarification on the requirements of paragraph
29 CFR 1910.269(d) hazardous energy control (lockout/tagout) procedures
as they apply to electric power generating facilities.
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Electrical Workers. (1996, August 6). Provides a clarification of which
workers need specific training.
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Guidelines for the Enforcement of the Apparel Standard, 29 CFR
1910.269(l)(6). (1995, August 10). When work is performed within
reaching distance of exposed energized parts of equipment, the employee
should remove all exposed conductive articles, such as key or watch chains,
rings, or wrist watches or bands. Clothing made from acetate, nylon,
polyester, or rayon, either alone or in blends, is prohibited unless the
employer can demonstrate that the fabric has been treated to withstand the
conditions that may be encountered.
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Permit space entry. (1994, August 8).
- Search all available standard
interpretations.
OSHA Bulletins (SHIBs), (HIBs) and (TIBs)
- Hazards of Auger Drilling. OSHA Safety and Health Information Bulletin, (2008, April 16). Also available as a 38 KB PDF, 4 pages.
- Condor Aerial Device Outrigger Failure - Time Manufacturing Company's Service Bulletin [14 KB PDF*, 2 pages]. OSHA Technical Information Bulletin, (2002, August 12).
- Potential for Natural Gas and Coal Dust Explosions in Electrical Power Generating Facilities [69 KB PDF*, 3 pages]. OSHA Technical Information Bulletin, (2000, November 6).
- Retrofit of Boom Pin Retention Assembly on Digger Derricks and Vehicle-Mounted Elevating and Rotating Work Platforms. OSHA Hazard Information Bulletin, (1998, May 5).
- Work Practices Employed by the Electric Utilities Industry Regarding Sulphur Hexaflouride Gas-Insulated Circuit Breakers. OSHA Hazard Information Bulletin, (1989, January 30).
Construction
For information related to construction, see OSHA's Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution Industry - Construction page.
Other Federal Agencies
Other federal agencies are involved with many aspects of electric power generation, transmission and distribution. For example, new technologies being developed through the US Department of Energy (DOE) Fossil Energy program could virtually eliminate the sulfur, nitrogen, and mercury pollutants released when coal is burned. It may also be possible to capture greenhouse gases emitted from coal-fired power plants and prevent them from contributing to global warming concerns. Other Federal agencies with
jurisdiction and/or safety and health programs pertaining to the electric power generation, transmission, and distribution industry are:
Department of Energy (DOE)
Note: These are NOT OSHA regulations. However, they do provide guidance from their originating organizations related to worker protection.
- 10 CFR Part 820, Procedural rules of DOE nuclear activities
- 10 CFR Part 830, Nuclear safety management
- 10 CFR Part 834, Radiation protection of the public and the environment
- See Rules, for more information on DOE's current rulemaking.
- 10 CFR Part 835, Occupational radiation protection
- 10 CFR 707,
Workplace substance abuse programs at DOE sites
- 10 CFR 708,
DOE contractor employee protection program
- Office of Health and Safety. Provides policy and guidance to protect the health and safety of current DOE Federal and contractor employees.
- 10 CFR 851: Worker Safety and Health Program
- Office of Health, Safety and Security (HSS). Develops DOE-wide environmental protection policies and strategies for protecting the public and the environment and for achieving environmental compliance with internal and external environmental requirements.
- Search the latest about Federal regulatory initiatives and view over 659 documents and Federal Register notices.
- Fossil Energy. Directs such priority projects as pollution-free coal plants, more productive oil and gas fields, and the continuing readiness of federal emergency oil stockpiles. Fossil fuels supply 85% of the nation's energy.
- Clean Coal Technology & The Clean Coal Power Initiative. Describes a new generation of energy processes that sharply reduce air emissions and other pollutants from coal-burning power plants.
- Innovations for Existing Power Plants. Shifts focus to research and development on carbon dioxide (CO2) capture technologies that can be retrofitted to existing pulverized coal-fired power plants.
- Overview of Carbon Storage Research. Identifies roughly one third of the United States' carbon emissions come from power plants and other large point sources and to stabilize and ultimately reduce concentrations of this greenhouse gas, it will be necessary to employ carbon sequestration - carbon capture, separation and storage or reuse. Specifically, the program has these elements:
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
-
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Regulates the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas, and
oil. FERC which is an independent agency also reviews proposals to build liquefied natural gas (LNG)
terminals and interstate natural gas pipelines as well as licensing hydropower
projects.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Regulates civilian use of nuclear materials. NRC is an independent agency established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 headed by a five-member Commission. Its mission is to regulate the nation's civilian use of byproduct, source, and special nuclear materials to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety, to promote the common defense and security, and to protect the environment.
Note: These are NOT OSHA regulations. However, they do provide guidance from their originating organizations related to worker protection.
- 10 CFR, Nuclear regulatory commission
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Ways To Access NRC's Regulations. Provides access to regulations and guidance.
- Basic References. Includes links to basic references with regulatory information, key guidance documents, a glossary, general information about NRC and newsletters.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
-
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Establishes guidelines for protecting the public from
radiation exposure, such as when to evacuate or relocate citizens. EPA also
monitors and assesses radioactivity in the environment from an accident to
define the extent of exposure from that accident. In addition, as the Lead
Federal Agency, EPA coordinates the Federal response to an emergency if a
nuclear accident occurs in a foreign country or if a domestic emergency
involves unregulated material.
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Clean Energy. Provides objective information
about Clean Energy technologies, policy options, create networks between
the public and private sectors and provide technical assistance.
-
AP 42, Fifth Edition, Volume I, Chapter 3: Stationary Internal Combustion
Sources. Includes information on emissions factors which
are representative values that attempts to relate the quantity of a pollutant
released to the atmosphere with an activity associated with the release of
that pollutant. The full Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors,
Volume I: Stationary Point and Area Sources, also known as AP 42, is
available for download.
-
Stationary Gas Turbines [97 KB
PDF,
20 pages]. (2000, April). Identifies the
primary pollutants from gas turbine engines are nitrogen oxides (NOX),
carbon monoxide (CO), and to a lesser extent, volatile organic compounds
(VOC). Particulate matter (PM) is also a primary pollutant for gas
turbines using liquid fuels. Trace to low amounts of HAP and sulfur dioxide (SO2) are emitted from gas turbines. Ash and metallic additives in the fuel may
also contribute to PM in the exhaust. Oxides of sulfur (SOX)
will only appear in a significant quantity if heavy oils are fired in the
turbine. Emissions of sulfur compounds, mainly SO2,
are directly related to the sulfur content of the fuel.
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How does electricity affect the environment? Identifies electricity
generation as the dominant industrial source of air emissions in the
United States today. Of the total energy consumed in America, about 39% is
used to generate electricity.
There are links to environmental impacts of electricity generation
technologies as well as various energy resources.
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Natural Gas
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Coal
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Oil
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Nuclear Energy
-
Municipal Solid Waste
-
Hydroelectricity
-
Non-Hydroelectric Renewable Energy
- Air Emissions
- Water
Resource Use
-
Water Discharge
- Solid
Waste Generation
- Land Resource
Use
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Ready to Respond: EPA's Radiological Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs.
Assigns roles to several Federal agencies that contribute to an emergency
response, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA's three major
responsibilities in the Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan (FRERP) flow from the Agency's overall mission: to
protect human health and the environment. FRERP was approved in 1985
and revised in 1996
- The Emissions and Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID)
Department of the Interior (DOI)
- Bureau of Reclamation (BOR).
Manages water and water related resources in the western United States in an
economically and environmentally sound manner for the American people. BOR is an agency in
the US Department of the Interior.
- Projects and Facilities Database
Reclamation's Portal for Information on Dams, Powerplants and Projects. Provides the most current information on Reclamation's projects, facilities, and programs. On its power plant page,
there is information available on installed capacity, initial year of
operation, age, net generation, rated heat, plant factor and power plant
performance is available for all major hydroelectric power plants as well as
photo, contact information, plant history and authorization.
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
- Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
Provides affordable and reliable power, promotes sustainable economic
development, and acts as a steward of the Valley's natural resources as its
three-fold mission.
The TVA is a federal corporation and the nation’s largest public power
company. It operates fossil-fuel, nuclear, and hydropower plants, and
also produces energy from renewable sources. It manages the nation’s
fifth-largest river system to minimize flood risk, produce power, maintain
navigation, provide recreational opportunities, and protect water quality in
the 41,000-square-mile watershed.
- TVA Reservoirs and Power Plants.
Provides an interactive map of the entire Tennessee Valley Authority power system,
including fossil and nuclear plants, dams and reservoirs. Details are provided
on each facility and how they interact.
Industry Hazards
Many of the specific hazards associated with this industry are similar to those found in other large industries. In addition, workers in other industries have experienced electrocution injuries and fatalities from distribution lines, most notably in the telephone and cable industries (see Hazards for Other Workers). The most important hazards associated with the electric power industry are:
Electrocution
Student Safety Manual
- Electrical Safety: Safety and Health for Electrical Trades Student Manual. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2009-113, (2009, March). Also available as a 2 MB PDF, 92 pages. As part of a safety and health curriculum for secondary and post-secondary electrical trades courses, this manual is designed to engage the learner in recognizing, evaluating, and controlling hazards associated with electrical work.
Electrocution Reports
-
Electrical Safety. National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) Workplace Safety and Health Topic. Provides links to in-house and
state based fatality investigation reports of incidents in which
electrical incidents resulted in worker deaths, NIOSH publications,
and other related web sites.
- Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Workplace Safety and Health Topic. Studies fatal
occupational injuries to prevent occupational fatalities across
the nation by identifying and investigating work situations at high
risk for injury and then formulating and disseminating prevention
strategies to those who may intervene in the workplace. It provides
users with access to the full text of hundreds of fatality
investigation reports, indexes reports by program, industry and cause
of fatality.
US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Publications
- NIOSH Alert: Preventing Worker Deaths from Uncontrolled Release of
Electrical, Mechanical, and Other Types of Hazardous Energy.
Publication No. 99-110, (1999 August). Describes
five fatal incidents in which workers contacted uncontrolled
hazardous energy during installation, maintenance, service, or
repair work.
- Preventing Electrocutions of Crane Operators and Crew Members Working Near Overhead Power Lines. Publication No. 95-108, (1995, May). Describes five cases (six electrocutions) that resulted from the hazards of operating cranes near overhead power lines and makes recommendations for preventing similar incidents.
- Preventing Falls and Electrocutions During Tree Trimming.
Publication No. 92-106, (1992, August). Describes eight incidents involving five electrocutions and
three fatal falls of tree trimmers. One recommendation made is
to notify the utility company when an aerial bucket truck or other
boomed vehicle must operate near a power line or when work must be
performed within minimum working distances specified by OSHA (see
Table 1). The utility company and the employer should then discuss the
options for protecting workers: de-energizing and grounding the power
lines or covering them with insulating hoses or blankets.
- Preventing Fatalities of Workers Who Contact Electrical Energy. Publication No. 87-103, (1986, December). Prompt emergency medical care can be lifesaving for workers who have contacted either low voltage or high voltage electric energy. Immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) within approximately 4 minutes followed by advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) within approximately 8 minutes has been shown to save lives.
- Worker Deaths by Electrocution: A Summary of Surveillance Findings and Investigative Case Reports.
Publication No. 98-131, (1998, May). Provides an
overview of electrical hazards, including the effects of electrical
energy on the human body; a comprehensive summary of the epidemiology
of occupational electrocutions based on National Traumatic
Occupational Fatalities (NTOF) and Fatality Assessment and Control
Evaluation (FACE) data which identifies common risk factors for fatal injury due to contact with
electrical energy; and recommendations for elements of an effective
electrical safety program for the prevention of workplace
electrocutions. Part II includes a summary abstract for all 224 FACE
electrocution investigative reports prepared by NIOSH for further
information and reference.
-
For additional information, see OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Pages
on:
Falls
-
Worker Deaths by Falls:
A Summary of Surveillance Findings and Investigative Case Reports.
US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication
No. 2000-116, (2000, September). Also available as a 2 MB PDF,
334 pages. Reports that falls from
elevations were the fourth leading cause of occupational
fatalities from 1980 through 1994. The 8,102 deaths due to
falls from elevations accounted for 10% of all
fatalities and an average of 540 deaths per year. Between 1982
and 1997, NIOSH investigated 90 falls incidents that resulted
in 91 fatalities.
- A Plant Operator at a Coal Fired Power Generation Plant in Texas, Died When He Fell
Between the Bypass Dampers Located in the Flu Gas Disulfurization Unit.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fatality Assessment and Control
Evaluation (FACE) 98TX23501, (1998,
December 28). A 32-year-old plant operator died
while performing regularly scheduled
maintenance on bypass dampers in the flu gas disulfurization
unit at a power generation plant.
- Electrician Falls to His Death From an Old Wooden Transformer Platform.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Iowa Fatality Assessment and Control
Evaluation (FACE) 981A053,
(1998). A 47-year-old city electrical supervisor
died from injuries suffered when he fell 25
feet from a wooden utility platform. The transformer platform
was not well designed for safe maintenance work. It was too wide to enable
accessing the transformers from a bucket, yet it was not built for safe
access while standing on the platform.
-
Lineman Dies from Fall from Utility Pole. National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fatality Assessment and Control
Evaluation (FACE) 8839, (1988). The belt and
safety strap worn by the victim would have been adequate to prevent a fall
if used, but these were not utilized due to the difficulty in passing the
television cable. A second strap, to provide protection until the climber
had the primary strap in place above the lower cable, could have prevented
this fall. In this incident the victim was only wearing leather
(non-insulated) gloves when he contacted the energized line. If insulated
gloves and sleeves had been worn, the victim would not have received the
electrical shock which contributed to the fatal fall.
-
33 Year-Old Apprentice Substation Electrician Fatally Injured. National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fatality Assessment
and Control Evaluation (FACE) 8610, (1986).
A 33-year-old electrician came into contact with electrical energy
while cleaning a substation switch. He died from
injuries sustained as a result of falling from the aerial bucket from which
he was working. The victim did not have himself belted to the aerial bucket
as required. This would have prevented his fall and the injuries sustained
in the fall.
-
For additional information, see OSHA's Safety and Health Topics
Page on:
Confined Spaces
-
Worker Deaths in Confined Spaces: A Summary of NIOSH Surveillance and Investigative Findings.
US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 94-103, (1994,
January). From December 1983 through September 1993, the
deaths of 480 workers in 423 incidents were investigated.
Seventy of these investigations involved confined spaces where
109 persons died. In 25 of the confined-space incidents, there
were multiple fatalities, including those deaths which
involved persons attempting rescue.
- Preventing Occupational Fatalities in Confined Spaces. US
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 86-110,
(1986, January). The deaths of workers in confined
spaces constitute a recurring occupational tragedy;
approximately 60% of these fatalities have involved
would-be rescuers. NIOSH investigations indicate that workers
usually do not recognize that they are working in a confined space and
that they may encounter unforeseen hazards. Testing and
evaluation of the
atmosphere are typically not initiated prior to entry and
monitoring is
not performed during the confined space work procedures. Rescue is seldom
planned and usually consists of spontaneous reaction in an emergency
situation.
- For additional information, see OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Page on:
Fires and Explosions
- Coal Dust Explosion Hazards [32 KB PDF, 10 pages]. Mine Safety and Health Administration Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, (2001, March 3). Discusses how explosions can occur within facilities. Describes the five necessary elements which must occur simultaneously: fuel, heat, oxygen, suspension, and confinement.
- Potential for Natural Gas and Coal Dust Explosions in Electric Power Generation Facilities [69 KB PDF*, 3 pages]. OSHA Technical Information Bulletin (TIB), (2000, November 6). Provides a reminder
for employers who operate electrical power generation
facilities of potential explosion hazards during boiler
startup, operation, and shutdown.
- Rouge Powerhouse Explosion [2 MB PDF, 20 pages]. Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act (MIOSHA)
News, (1999, Fall).
Describes the settlement in the Dearborn, Michigan
powerhouse boiler explosion and secondary explosion from coal
dust accumulations.
-
Potential for Feed Water Pipes in Electrical Power
Generation Facilities to Rupture Causing Hazardous Release of Steam and Hot
Water. OSHA Hazard Information Bulletin (HIB), (1996, October
31). Describes how feed water pipe
failures were attributed to wall thinning as a result of single-phase
erosion/corrosion, leading to rupture of the pipes under high working
pressures.
- For additional information on fire and explosion hazards, see OSHA's
Safety and Health Topics pages on:
Sprains, Strains, and Fractures
Environmental Stress
-
Cold Stress Equation. OSHA Publication 3156, (1999). Also available as a 20 KB PDF, 4 pages.
Summarizes information to recognize and avoid hazards associated with
working in cold environments.
-
Protecting Workers from Heat Stress [3 MB PDF*,
2 pages]. OSHA
Quick Card, (2010). Summarizes information to recognize and avoid
hazards associated with working in hot environments.
-
Occupational Heat Exposure. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
Industry Overview
- Certification of Workplace Products by Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories. OSHA Safety and Health Information Bulletin (SHIB) 02-16-2010, (2010, February 16). Also available as a 154 KB PDF, 6 pages.
- Electric Power Annual. US Department of Energy (DOE), Energy
Information Administration (EIA),
(2010). Contains statistical data on the US Electric Power industry.
- Inventory of Electric Utility Power Plants in the United States 1999 [1 MB
PDF, 342 pages].
US Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Information Administration (EIA),
(2000, September).
Provides annual
statistics on generating units operated by electric utilities in
the United States (the 50 States and the District of Columbia),
that have ownership in generating units operated by electric
utilities.
- Profile of the Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation Industry [2 MB
PDF, 164 pages].
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) EPA/310-R-97-007, (1997).
Includes information on the industry description, processes, and regulatory and
compliance history.
The electric power industry is a large, diverse, and fully integrated combination
of several sub-industries. The major sub-industries and their SIC and NAICS
codes are:
2002
NAICS |
1987
SIC |
Corresponding Index Entries |
2211 |
4911 |
Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution |
22111 |
4911 |
Electric Power Generation |
221111 |
4911 |
Hydroelectric Power Generation |
|
4911 |
Electric
services-hydroelectric power generation |
4931 |
Electric & other services
combined-hydroelectric power generation |
4939 |
Combination
utilities-hydroelectric power generation |
221112 |
4911 |
Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation |
|
4911 |
Electric services-electric
power generation by fossil fuels |
|
4931 |
Electric & other services
combined-electric power generation by fossil fuels |
|
4939 |
Combination utilities-electric
power generation by fossil fuels |
221113 |
4911 |
Nuclear Electric Power Generation |
|
4911 |
Electric services-electric
power generation by nuclear fuels |
|
4931 |
Electric & other services
combined-electric power generation by nuclear fuels |
221119 |
4911 |
Other Electric Power Generation |
|
4911 |
Electric services-other
electric power generation |
|
4931 |
Electric & other services
combined-other power generation |
|
4939 |
Combination utilities-other
power generation |
22112 |
4911 |
Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution |
221121 |
4911 |
Electric Bulk Power Transmission and Control |
|
4911 |
Electric services-electric
power transmission and control |
|
4931 |
Electric & other services
combined-electric power transmission |
|
4939 |
Combination utilities-electric
power transmission |
221122 |
4911 |
Electric Power Distribution |
|
4911 |
Electric services-electric
power distribution |
|
4931 |
Electric & other services
combined-electric power distribution |
|
4939 |
Combination utilities-electric
power distribution |
Hazards for Other Workers
The industries with the highest number of electrocutions were construction, followed by manufacturing, transportation, communications, and public utilities. Although the workers in these industries are not employees of the electric power generation, transmission, and distribution industry, they often work near energized power lines. This subjects them to the risk of electrocution when:
- A boomed vehicle, truck, or other vehicle
comes into contact with electric power distribution or transmission lines,
- A ladder or scaffold comes into contact with
electric power distribution or transmission lines,
- A backhoe or other digging device comes into contact with underground electric power distribution or
transmission lines, or
- A worker makes bodily contact with
electric power distribution or transmission lines.
Cable Installers
Construction Workers
Tree Trimmers
Truck Drivers
Other
- Hurricane Preparedness and Response. OSHA. Includes information such as news releases, public service announcements, fact sheets, frequently asked questions, and more.
-
Fatal Incident Summary Report: Electrocution of a Painter. National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fatality
Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Investigations of Fatal Electrical Incidents Report 82-09. A
22-year-old painter working on an electrical
transmission tower accidentally contacted a grounding line that
had a static charge.
-
Municipal Utility Worker Electrocuted When a Backhoe Strikes an
Underground Electrical Transmission Line. National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fatality
Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE), New Jersey FACE
Investigation Report. A 28-year-old municipal utility worker was electrocuted
when a backhoe struck a 4,100-volt underground electrical
transmission line.
-
One Firefighter Electrocuted and One Seriously Injured When An
Aluminum Extension Ladder Contacts a 7,600 Volt Overhead Power Line. National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fatality
Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE), New Jersey FACE
Investigation Report. A 47-year-old
firefighter was electrocuted and a second firefighter was
seriously injured while positioning a 35-foot aluminum extension
ladder at a fire scene. The ladder fell back and contacted a
7,600-volt overhead power line, electrocuting the victim and
critically injuring a second firefighter.
- For more information about other occupations and other
reports, see the NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic: Electrical Safety.
Safety References
Workers who will be performing work within the minimum approach distances of power lines established in
[29 CFR
1910.269(r)(1)(iii)],
training them solely in the use of personal protective equipment such as rubber gloves and sleeves alone will not satisfy the training requirements of
29 CFR
1910.269. The employees must be either (1) trained as qualified employees, or (2) must be undergoing on-the-job training, have demonstrated an ability to perform duties safely at their level of training, and be under the direct supervision of a qualified employee.
Apparel
-
Guidelines for the Enforcement of the Apparel Standard, 29 CFR 1910.269(l)(6).
OSHA Standard Interpretation, (1995, August 10). When work is performed within reaching distance of exposed energized
parts of equipment, the employee should remove all exposed conductive articles, such as key or watch chains, rings, or wrist watches or bands. Clothing made from acetate, nylon, polyester,
or rayon, either alone or in blends, is prohibited unless the
employer can demonstrate that the fabric has been treated to withstand the conditions that may be encountered.
Fall Protection
Minimum Approach Distance
- Clarification of 1910.269 as applied to line-clearance tree-trimming operations.
OSHA Standard Interpretation, (1999, April 26). Provides a clarification of line-clearance tree-trimming work. The employees must be either (1) trained as qualified employees, or (2) must be "undergoing on-the-job training," have "demonstrated an ability to perform duties safely at [their] level of training," and be "under the direct supervision of a qualified [employee]."
- Permit space entry. OSHA Standard Interpretation, (1994, August 8). Provides a response to a question about what confined space entry requirements apply to subcontractors who perform work (not involving power generation, transmission, or distribution) in utility company manholes and vaults.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Report
- Worker Deaths by Electrocution: A Summary of Surveillance Findings and Investigative Case Reports. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 98-131, (1998, May). Also available as a 100 KB PDF, 51 pages. Reports the industries with the highest percentage of electrocutions were construction (40%), transportation, communication, and public utilities (16%), and agriculture, forestry, and fishing (11%).
Additional Information
Related Safety and Health Topics Pages
Training
Other Resources
- Small Business. OSHA.
- Job Hazard Analysis. OSHA Publication 3071, (2002). Also available as a 497 KB PDF, 50 pages. Explains what a job hazard analysis is and offers guidelines to help employers conduct their own step-by-step analysis.
- Certification of Workplace Products by Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories. OSHA Safety and Health Information Bulletin (SHIB) 02-16-2010, (2010, February 16). Also available as a 154 KB PDF, 6 pages.
- Worker Deaths by Electrocution: A Summary of NIOSH Surveillance and Investigative Findings. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 98-131, (1998, May). Reports that electrocutions were the fifth leading cause of death based on data from the NIOSH National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities (NTOF) surveillance system, from 1980 through 1989. The 6,359 deaths caused by electrocutions accounted for 7% of all fatalities.
- Glossary of Electricity Terms. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
- Edison Electric Institute (EEI). Represents United States shareholder-owned electric companies, international affiliates, and industry associates worldwide. US members generate almost 60% of the electricity produced by US electric generators.
- Electricity 101 [6 MB PDF, 54 pages]. (2006). Explains how electricity is produced, transmitted, and distributed; which fuels are used to generate electricity; how electric utilities are regulated; and how the electric utility industry has evolved over the past 100 years.
- American Public Power Association (APPA). Serves the nation's more than 2,000 community-owned electric utilities that supply power to more than 43 million Americans.
- American Public Works Association (APWA)
- Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI). Has major locations in Palo Alto, California, and Charlotte, North Carolina, and was established in 1973 as an independent, nonprofit center for public interest energy and environmental research. EPRI's members represent over 90% of the electricity generated in the United States.
- National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA)
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