Subchapter 5. Electrical Safety Orders
Group 2. High-Voltage Electrical Safety Orders
Article 2. Administration (Formerly Article 51)

§2706. Application.

(a) These High-Voltage Electrical Safety Orders, apply to all electrical installations and electrical equipment operating or intended to operate on systems of more than 600 volts between conductors and to all work performed directly on or in proximity to such electrical installations, equipment or systems in all places of employment in the State of California as defined in Labor Code Section 6303. These orders do not apply to:

(1) Installations or conductors and equipment in ships, watercraft, railway rolling stock, or aircraft.

(2) Installations of conductors, equipment, and associated enclosures subject to the jurisdiction of the California Public Utilities Commission, that are owned, operated and maintained by an electric, communication or electric railway utility.

Exception: No. 1. These orders apply to conduit, vaults, and other like enclosures containing the conductors and equipment of such a utility when located indoors on premises not used exclusively for utility purposes, but do not apply to the utilities conductors and the equipment therein.

Exception: No. 2. Article 36, Work and Operating Procedures; and Article 38, Line Clearance Tree Trimming Operations apply to all work performed by electric utilities and electric railways.

(b) Extent of Application.

(1) Requirements applicable to all installations. The following requirements apply to all electrical installations and utilization equipment, regardless of when they were designed or installed:

Sec. 2710 - Examination, Installation and Use of Equipment.

Sec. 2710.1 - Mounting and Cooling of Equipment.

Sec. 2712 - Atmospheric and Environmental Protection.

Sec. 2714 - Installation and Maintenance.

Sec. 2715(c) - Splices.

Sec. 2716.1 - Arcing Parts.

Sec. 2718 - Marking.

Sec. 2718.1 - Disconnecting Means and Circuits, Except for (e) and (f).

Sec. 2739.4 - Grounding Connections.

Sec. 2742.0 - Grounding Path.

Sec. 2742.1(b)(1)-(b)(4) - Grounding of Supports, Enclosures and Equipment.

Sec. 2742.2 - Nonelectrical Equipment.

Sec. 2742.3(a) - Methods of Grounding Fixed Equipment.

Article 34, Hazardous (Classified) Locations, Sec. 2925 - General.

(2) Requirements applicable to installations made after March 15, 1972. Every electrical installation and all utilization equipment installed or overhauled after March 15, 1972, shall comply with the provisions of these Safety Orders, except as noted in Sections 2706(b)(3) and (b)(4) of this Article.

(3) Requirements applicable only to installations made after April 16, 1981. The following requirements apply only to electrical installations and utilization equipment installed after April 16, 1981:

Sec. 2743(a) - Grounding of Systems and Circuits.

Sec. 2749.1(b) - Systems over 600 volts, nominal - Aboveground Wiring Methods.

Sec. 2890(c) - Switching.

Sec. 2931 - Entrance and Access to Workspace.

(4) Requirements applicable only to installations made after April 1, 2009. The following requirements apply only to electrical installations and utilization equipment installed after April 1, 2009:

Sec. 2718.1(e) - Capable of accepting a lock.

Sec. 2718.1(f) - Marking for series combination ratings.

Sec. 2735(a)(1), (a)(2), and (b)(1) - Overcurrent Protection.

Sec. 2738 - Identification of Multiwire Branch Circuits.

Sec. 2833.1(c)(2) and (c)(3) - Connection of switches.

Sec. 2833.2(b) - Load interrupter switches.

Sec. 2932(e) - Workspace.

Sec. 2946(b)(2) EXCEPTION - Provisions for Preventing Accidents Due to Proximity to Overhead Lines.

(c) Regulations herein which may affect building standards apply to all buildings, or building alteration, or building modification for which construction is commenced after the effective date of the regulations. Date of commencement of construction for the purpose of this section, shall be:

(1) The advertising date for invitation of bids for State and local government projects:

(2) The building construction permit issuance date for other than government projects.

(d) For installation requirements not specifically contained herein, installations in compliance with Title 24, Part 3, in effect at the time of construction, will be considered as complying with the intent of these orders.

(e) Nothing contained in these regulations shall be considered as abrogating the provisions relating to public safety of any ordinance, rule or regulation of any governmental agency, providing such local ordinance, rule or regulation does not lessen the provisions for safety contained in these regulations.

(f) These orders take precedence over any other orders in the California Administrative Code, Title 8, relating to high-voltage facilities or work procedures that are inconsistent with them.

<General Materials (GM) - References, Annotations, or Tables>

   Note: Authority cited: Section 142.3, Labor Code. Reference: Section 142.3, Labor Code.

 HISTORY     1. Repealer and new section filed 10-14-75 as an emergency; effective upon
filing (Register 75, No. 42).

2. Certificate of Compliance filed 1-9-76 (Register 76, No. 2).

3. Repealer and new section filed 8-9-79; effective thirtieth day thereafter 
(Register 79, No. 32).

4. Editorial correction filed 11-2-83 (Register 83, No. 45).

5. Amendment filed 12-10-87; operative 1-9-88 (Register 88, No. 1).

6. Amendment of subsection (a)(2), repealer and new subsection (b), new
subsections (b)(1)-(4) and amendment of subsection (c)(2) and Note filed 4-1-
2009; operative 4-1-2009. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to 
Labor Code section 142.3 (Register 2009, No. 14).