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Subchapter 5. Electrical Safety Orders
Group 2. High-Voltage Electrical Safety Orders
Article 37. Provisions for Preventing Accidents Due to Proximity to Overhead Lines

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§2946. Provisions for Preventing Accidents Due to Proximity to Overhead Lines.

(a) General. No person, firm, or corporation, or agent of same, shall require or permit any employee to perform any function in proximity to energized high-voltage lines; to enter upon any land, building, or other premises and there engage in any excavation, demolition, construction, repair, or other operation; or to erect, install, operate, or store in or upon such premises any tools, machinery, equipment, materials, or structures (including scaffolding, house moving, well drilling, pile driving, or hoisting equipment) unless and until danger from accidental contact with said high-voltage lines has been effectively guarded against.
(b) Clearances or Safeguards Required. Except where overhead electrical distribution and transmission lines have been de-energized and visibly grounded, the following provisions shall be met:
(1) Over Lines. The operation, erection, or handling of tools, machinery, apparatus, supplies, or materials, or any part thereof, over energized overhead high-voltage lines shall be prohibited.
Exception 1: Aircraft over energized overhead high-voltage lines operating in conformance with:
(A) Applicable regulations administered by the Federal Aviation Administration, and/or
(B) Helicopter Operations, Article 35, Construction Safety Orders, California Administrative Code, Title 8.
Exception 2: Tower cranes (Hammerhead) installed not closer than the minimum clearances set forth in Table 2, whereon the trolley or boom travel is controlled by limit switches which will prevent carrying a load over energized overhead high-voltage lines or within a horizontal distance closer than the minimum clearances set forth in Table 2.
(2) The operation, erection, handling, or transportation of tools, machinery, materials, structures, scaffolds, or the moving of any house or other building, or any other activity where any parts of the above or any part of an employee's body will come closer than the minimum clearances from energized overhead lines as set forth in Table 1 shall be prohibited.
Exception: Amusement rides or attractions shall not be located under or within 15 ft. (4.57 m) horizontally of conductors operating in excess of 600 volts.
Operation of boom-type equipment shall conform to the minimum clearances set forth in Table 2, except in transit where the boom is lowered and there is no load attached, in which case the distances specified in Table 1 shall apply.

TABLE 1

General Clearances Required from Energized Overhead High-Voltage Conductors
Nominal Voltage (Phase to Phase)
Minimum Required Clearance (Feet)
600
 
50,000
6
over 50,000
 
345,000
10
over 345,000
 
750,000
16
over 750,000
 
1,000,000
20
(3) Boom-type lifting or hoisting equipment. The erection, operation or dismantling of any boom-type lifting or hoisting equipment, or any part thereof, closer than the minimum clearances from energized overhead high-voltage lines set forth in Table 2 shall be prohibited.
(4) Storage. The storage of tools, machinery, equipment, supplies, materials, or apparatus under, by, or near energized overhead high-voltage lines is hereby expressly prohibited if at any time during such handling or other manipulation it is possible to bring such tools, machinery, equipment, supplies, materials, or apparatus, or any part thereof, closer than the minimum clearances from such lines as set forth in Table 2.
(c) The specified clearance shall not be reduced by movement due to any strains impressed (by attachments or otherwise) upon the structures supporting the overhead high-voltage line or upon any equipment, fixtures, or attachments thereon.
(d) Any overhead conductor shall be considered to be energized unless and until the person owning or operating such line verifies that the line is not energized, and the line is visibly grounded at the work site.

TABLE 2

Material Storage and Boom-type lifting or hoisting equipment clearances required from energized overhead high-voltage lines.

Nominal Voltage (Phase to Phase)
Minimum Required Clearance (Feet)
600
 
50,000
10
over 50,000
 
75,000
11
over 75,000
 
125,000
13
over 125,000
 
175,000
15
over 175,000
 
250,000
17
over 250,000
 
370,000
21
over 370,000
 
550,000
27
over 550,000
 
1,000,000
42
(e) A person shall be designated to observe clearance of the equipment and give timely warning for all operations where site conditions or crane configurations make it difficult for the operator to maintain the desired clearance by visual means.
(f) Cage-type boom guards, insulating links, or proximity warning devices may be used on cranes, but the use of such devices shall not alter the requirements of any other section of these Safety Orders even if such device is required by law or regulation.

Credits

Note: Authority cited: Section 142.3, Labor Code. Reference: Section 142.3, Labor Code.
History
1. Amendment of subsections (b), (c), repealer of subsections (d), (e) and new subsection (d) filed 8-9-79; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 79, No. 32).
2. Editorial correction renumbering former Article 86 to Article 37 filed 11-2-83 (Register 83, No. 45).
3. Amendment filed 12-10-87; operative 1-9-88 (Register 88, No. 1).
4. Amendment of subsection (b)(2) 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).
5. Amendment of subsections (b) and (d) filed 2-27-2018; operative 4-1-2018 (Register 2018, No. 9).
6. New subsections (e)-(f) filed 7-26-2022; operative 7-26-2022 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2022, No. 30). Filing deadline specified in Government Code section 11349.3(a) extended 60 calendar days pursuant to Executive Order N-40-20 and an additional 60 calendar days pursuant to Executive Order N-71-20.


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