Section 408.15321. Electrical hazards.

Rule 5321. (1) An electric conductor or communication line shall be considered energized unless the systems utility  or  owner  indicates otherwise and they have visibly grounded the conductor or line.

(2)   The location of underground utilities shall be determined before any digging or ditching operations are started.

(3)   A tree worker or qualified line clearance tree trimmer shall not make a direct contact with an energized conductor.

(4)   A tree worker shall maintain his body and tools not less than the distance prescribed in table 1 from an energized conductor. If these clearances cannot be maintained, the systems operator or owner shall be contacted to deenergize the conductor or provide   protective   measures   or devices before the work is started.

(5)   A qualified line clearance tree trimmer shall maintain his body and tools not less than the distance prescribed in table 2 from an energized conductor, except the trimmer may remove branches hanging on a conductor using approved insulated tools and equipment when the voltage is below 10 kv.

(6)    A branch hanging on a conductor energized at more than 10 kv shall be removed after the line is deenergized or removed by an  authorized  and trained systems operator employee or owner employee using approved protective tools and equipment.

TABLE 1

Minimum Working Distances for Tree Workers Voltage                              Minimum Distance

0 to 300 volts       1 foot (.305 M)

301 to 750 volts  2 feet (.610 M)

751 to 50 kv        10 feet (3.05 M)

50 kv or more      .4 inch per 100 volts

TABLE 2

Minimum Working Distances for Qualified Line Clearance Tree Trimmers

Voltage Range                  Minimum Working

(phase to phase)                Distance

O to 750 v                      1 ft.       ( .305 M)

751 to  35 kv                  2 ft. 4 in. ( .711 M)

35.1 kv to 46.0 kv          2 ft. 6 in. ( .762 M)

46.1 kv to 72.5 kv          3 ft. 0 in. ( .914 M)

72.6 kv to 121.0 kv        3 ft. 4 in. (1.016 M)

138.0 kv to 145.0 kv      3 ft. 6 in. (1.067 M)

161.0 kv to 169.0 kv      3 ft. 8 in. (1.118 M)

230.0 kv to 242.0 kv      5 ft. 0 in. (1.524 M)

345.0 kv to 362.0 kv      7 ft. 0 in. (2.134 M)

500.0 kv to 552.0 kv      11 ft. 0 in. (3.453 M)

700.0 kv to 765.0 kv      15 ft. 0 in. (4.572 M)

History: 1979 AC.