OSHA clarifies two power line safety requirements under Subpart CC

As part of a settlement agreement between a petitioner and the Secretary of Labor, OSHA agreed to clarify two requirements in the new Cranes and Derricks in Construction (Subpart CC) to fulfill its obligation.

First, OSHA clarified its requirement for power line voltage information. The new rule at 29 CFR §1926.1407(e) states:

“Voltage information. Where Option (3) of this section is used, the utility owner/operator of the power lines must provide the requested voltage information within two working days of the employer's request.”

Thus, §1926.1407(e) allows a utility owner/operator two working days to provide the requested information. OSHA says that for the purposes of this provision, working days include all calendar days except weekends and holidays. See 75 Fed. Reg. 47951 (Aug. 9, 2010). For example, if an electric utility receives a request for voltage information on one of its distribution lines on a Friday, it will have until the end of the business day on the following Tuesday to provide the necessary information (assuming there are no holidays in between).

Second, OSHA says that the provisions of §1926.1408 (Power Line Safety) allow deenergization as one option for employee protection from electrical hazards of power lines. Employers choosing this option must not proceed with this option if the electric utility does not de-energize the power line, but Subpart CC does not require utility companies to deenergize power lines.