Electrical Safety

Did you know?

The basic rule is simple: consider all electrical wires and equipment to be live until they are tested and proven otherwise.

Summary

Construction work can involve working with electrical equipment including lighting, wires, tools, cords and panels. These tasks may also involve working near an electric utility line or equipment. If you do not take the right precautions when working with electricity you risk electrical shock or worse, death.

The majority of us use electricity every day on the job. This familiarity can create a false sense of security. It's important to remember that electricity is always a potential source of danger.

The basic rule is simple: consider all electrical wires and equipment to be live until they are tested and proven otherwise.

The human body is an efficient conductor of electricity and contact with electric current can cause serious injury, including:

Electric shock - results when electricity flows between parts of the body or through the body to a ground or the earth.
Electrocution - results when a person is exposed to a lethal amount of electrical energy.
Electrical burn - occurs when electric current flows through tissues or bone, generating heat that causes tissue damage.
Thermal burn - occurs when the skin touches hot surfaces of overheated electric conductors, conduits, or other energized equipment.
Loss of muscle control - occurs when a current of six to 25 milliamperes (ma) flows through a body.

The extent of injury depends on the amount of electric current, the path, and duration.

Employees in the construction industry can get electrical injuries from:

Contact with high voltage power lines
Poorly installed or maintained electrical equipment, tools and machinery
Contact with energized electrical machinery or equipment
Arc flash and arc blast

Electricity also can cause fires and explosions in environments that contain flammable gases, vapours, or combustible dusts.

As an employer you must:

Train all employees to recognize and avoid the hazards associated with their work. [OHS Act S.9(2)(b)]
Contact the authority that owns or operates the electrical utility line or utility line equipment to ensure that the line or equipment is (a) de-energized, or (b) adequately insulated or guarded before permitting any employees to start work. [Reg. 91-191, S.289(2)]
When an employee who is not a qualified person [Reg. 91-191, S.286] is about to start work that is liable to bring any person or object close to an energized electrical line or utility line equipment, maintain the minimum distances specified in the table. [Reg. 91-191, S.289(1)]

Phase to Phase Voltage of Energized Electrical Utility Line or Utility Line Equipment	Distance
Up to 750 v	900 mm
750 v - 100,000 v	3.6 m
100,001 v - 250,000 v	5.2 m
250,001 v - 345,000 v	6.1 m

Ensure that the employee does not use a metal ladder or wire reinforced ladder when they work closer to utility lines or utility line equipment than a distance specified in the above table. [Reg. 91-191, S.297]
Make sure that electrical equipment has a method to isolate its energy source, and that the energy source is lockable, placed in a location that all employees know, and is identified. [Reg. 91-191, S. 287.3(1)]
Provide a safety lock and key to a qualified person who may need to lock out the electrical equipment. [Reg. 91-191, S. 287.3(2)]
Establish a written lock out procedure for electrical equipment, and make sure that a qualified person who locks out electrical equipment is adequately instructed in trained how to do so. [Reg. 91-191, S. 287.3(3)]
Make sure that before a qualified person works on electrical equipment that: [Reg. 91-191, S.287.3(4)]
- An electrically safe work condition is established, and
- Each qualified person who will be working on the electrical equipment verifies that an electrically safe work condition is established, locks out the electrical equipment (using the safety lock and key provided by the employer), and puts a non-conductive tag on the safety lock. This tag must have words that direct people to not start or operate the electrical equipment, must have the qualified person’s printed name and signature, and must have the date and time when the tag was put on the safety lock.
Allow only authorized persons to enter a room containing energized electrical equipment with exposed parts by marking it with conspicuous warning signs at the entrance of the room. [Reg. 91-191, S.287(1)]
Allow only qualified persons [Reg. 91-191, S. 286] to work on and maintain electrical equipment and machinery.
Ensure that no employee in a manhole or tunnel works on an energized electrical conductor or with electrical equipment having a potential in excess of 750 volts. [Reg. 91-191, S.296]
Ensure that temporary panel boards are securely mounted, protected from weather and water, easily accessible to authorized persons, and kept clear of obstructions (for 1 metre in front and 2 metres headroom), have a suitable cover over uninsulated energized parts, and have a label or other indicator that identifies what equipment is energized by each line. [Reg. 91-191, S.287.5]
Ground any equipment that can become energized such as dispensing equipment used for transferring flammable liquids and overhead cranes used in high voltage areas.

The qualified person must verify that the lock out requirements have been followed. [Reg. 91-191, S.287.3(5)]

No person is allowed to remove a safety lock or tag on electrical equipment except: [Reg. 91-191, S.287.3(6)]

The person who installed the safety lock or tag, or
In an emergency, or when attempts are made to contact the person (who installed the safety lock or tag) and the person is not available, a qualified person designated by the employer.

Code of Practice

When circumstances do not allow electrical equipment to be in an electrically safe work condition before working on or near energized parts, the employer must make sure the work is carried out by a qualified person. [Reg. 91-191, S. 287.4(3)]

Both the employer and the qualified person must make sure: [Reg. 91-191, S.287.4]

A written code of practice is established.
All testing and troubleshooting of electrical equipment is conducted in an electrically safe work condition.
The instruments, equipment, and accessories used to test and troubleshoot electrical equipment are in good working condition, and are rated for the circuits and electrical equipment to be worked on.

The code of practice must be readily available to employees. [Reg. 91-191, S.287.41(6)] Employees must follow the code of practice, and employers must make sure employees comply. [Reg. 91-191, S.287.41(7)]

The employer or contractor, immediately before beginning work on or near energized exposed parts of electrical equipment, shall inform employees about the code of practice. The supervisor must document that the information has been communicated. [Reg. 91-191, S.287.41(3)]

This must be repeated if there is a change in the employees involved in the work. [Reg. 91-191, S.287.41(4)]

A new code of practice must be established by the employer and contractor when there is a change in the electrical equipment. [Reg. 91-191, S.287.41(5)]

The code of practice must contain the following information: [Reg. 91-191, S.287.41(1)]

The responsibilities and accountabilities for each person who may be exposed to electrical hazards.
A description of the circuit and electrical equipment to be worked on, the location, the work to be performed and the electrical hazards, and other associated risks.
The reason why the work needs to be done while the equipment is in an energized condition.
The safe work procedures to be followed.
The voltage the employees will be exposed to.
A description of the personal protective equipment and other protective equipment to be used.
A description of how unqualified persons will be restricted access from the work area.

The employer must use CSA Standard Z462-15 Workplace Electrical Safety, or a standard offering equivalent or higher protection, as a guide for the selection of personal protective and other protective equipment.

While the employer is ultimately responsible for all the provisions mentioned above, the supervisor has a vital role to play in the safety of their teams. As a supervisor, you must:

Acquaint your employees with the hazards and control measures associated with their work
Provide the information and instruction necessary to ensure their health and safety
Enforce company safety rules, programs, codes of practice and procedures, including ensuring employees comply with the requirements below.

To prevent from the risks of electrical hazards, as an employee you must:

Maintain a safe distance when working near overhead power lines and energized equipment arc flash boundary. [Reg. 91-191, S.289(1)]
Not use a metal ladder or wire reinforced ladder when working closer to utility lines or utility line equipment than a distance specified in the above table. [Reg. 91-191, S.297]
Use rubber gloves, mats, shields and other protective equipment to ensure protection from electrical shocks and burns while performing the work, where it is not practical to de-energize the equipment. [Reg. 91-191, S.288]
Use only appropriately rated testing equipment when testing and trouble-shooting electrical equipment. [Reg. 91-191, S. 287.4(2)]
Use only fuses or breakers of the recommended amperage. For example, if the electrical system is rated for 30 amps, do not use a fuse or breaker that’s higher than 30 amps.
Never cut off, bend back, or cheat the ground pin on three-prong plugs.
Make sure extension cords are the right gauge for the job to prevent overheating, voltage drops, and tool burnout.
Check extension cords and outlets with a circuit-tester before use.
Always use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) when using portable electric tools outdoors or in damp or wet locations. GFCIs detect current that may be leaking to the ground from a tool or cord, and will shut off power before injury or damage can happen.
Check for electrical wires or equipment before drilling, nailing, cutting, or sawing into walls, ceilings, and floors.
Never use water extinguishers to fight electrical fires.

Legislation

Occupational Health and Safety Act

S.N.B. 1983, c. O-0.2

DUTIES OF EMPLOYERS, OWNERS, CONTRACTORS, SUB-CONTRACTORS, SUPERVISORS, EMPLOYEES AND SUPPLIERS

Section 9 Duties of employer

9. (1) Every employer shall
- (a) take every reasonable precaution to ensure the health and safety of its employees;
- (b) comply with this Act, the regulations and any order made in accordance with this Act or the regulations; and
- (c) ensure that its employees comply with this Act, the regulations and any order made in accordance with this Act or the regulations.
(2) Without limiting the generality of the duties under subsection (1), every employer shall
- (a) ensure that the necessary systems of work, tools, equipment, machines, devices and materials are maintained in good condition and are of minimum risk to health and safety when used as directed by the supplier or in accordance with the directions supplied by the supplier;
- (a.1) ensure that the place of employment is inspected at least once a month to identify any risks to the health and safety of its employees;
- (b) acquaint an employee with any hazard in connection with the use, handling, storage, disposal and transport of any tool, equipment, machine, device or biological, chemical or physical agent;
- (c) provide the information that is necessary to ensure an employee’s health and safety;
- (c.1) provide the instruction that is necessary to ensure an employee’s health and safety;
- (c.2) provide the training that is necessary to ensure an employee’s health and safety;
- (c.3) ensure that work at the place of employment is competently supervised and that supervisors have sufficient knowledge of all of the following with respect to matters that are within the scope of the supervisor’s duties:
  - (i) this Act and any regulations under this Act that apply to the place of employment;
  - (ii) any safety policy for the place of employment;
  - (iii) any health and safety program for the place of employment;
  - (iv) any health and safety procedures with respect to hazards in connection with the use, handling, storage, disposal and transport of any tool, equipment, machine, device or biological, chemical or physical agent by employees who work under the supervisor’s supervision and direction;
  - (v) any protective equipment required to ensure the health and safety of the employees who work under the supervisor’s supervision and direction; and
  - (vi) any other matters that are necessary to ensure the health and safety of the employees who work under the supervisor’s supervision and direction;
- (c.4) ensure that work at the place of employment is sufficiently supervised;
- (d) provide and maintain in good condition such protective equipment as is required by regulation and ensure that such equipment is used by an employee in the course of work;
- (e) co-operate with a committee, where such a committee has been established, a health and safety representative, where such a representative has been elected or designated, and with any person responsible for the enforcement of this Act and the regulations.
(3) An employer shall develop a program for the inspection referred to in paragraph (2)(a.1) with the joint health and safety committee, if any, or the health and safety representative, if any, and shall share the results of each inspection with the committee or the health and safety representative.

[S.N.B. 2001, c. 35, s. 3; 2007, c. 12, s. 2; 2013, c. 15, s. 4; 2019, c. 38, s. 4; 2022, c. 32, s. 5]

General Regulation - Occupational Health and Safety Act

N.B. Reg. 91-191

Part XIX ELECTRICAL SAFETY

Section 286

286. In this Part

"electrical equipment" means any wiring, apparatus, instrument, fitting, fixture, machinery or device that transforms, transmits, distributes, supplies or utilizes electricity, but does not include energized electrical utility lines or utility line equipment or household appliances;

"electrical hazard" means a danger of electric shock, arc flash burn, thermal burn or arc blast injury resulting from contact with electrical equipment or failure of that equipment;

"electrically safe work condition" means, with respect to electrical equipment that operates at 30 VAC or 60 VDC or more, a state in which an electrical conductor or a circuit part has been disconnected from energized parts of the electrical equipment, locked out, tested to ensure the absence of voltage and, if necessary, grounded;

"energized", when applied to electrical equipment, means electrically connected to or a source of voltage;

"qualified person" means

- (a) when applied to work on electrical equipment, a person who meets the requirements of section 11 or 24 of New Brunswick Regulation 84-165 under the Electrical Installation and Inspection Act;
(b) when applied to work on an energized electrical utility line or utility line equipment,
- (i) a person who holds a certificate of qualification issued under the Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Act for the distribution construction lineman trade, the powerline technician trade or the power system technician trade, or
- (ii) a person who is registered as an apprentice under the Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Act for an occupation described in subparagraph (i) and who is working under the supervision of a person described in subparagraph (i),
(c) when applied to work in an arboricultural operation described in section 369 that occurs closer to an energized electrical utility line or utility line equipment than the distances set out in subsection 289(1), an employee who meets the requirements of section 369,
(d) when applied to any other type of work that occurs closer to an energized electrical utility line or utility line equipment than a distance set out in subsection 289(1), an employee who is trained to use and follows a code of practice established by the employer, and
(e) when applied to work referred to in paragraph (a), a person who is
- (i) knowledgeable about the provisions of this Act and the regulations that apply to the assigned work, and
- (ii) knowledgeable about the actual and potential dangers to health and safety associated with the assigned work.

[N.B. Reg. 2001-33, s. 94; 2022-79, s. 82]

Section 287 Qualifications

287. (1) An employer shall ensure that an employee does not work on energized electrical equipment unless the employee is a qualified person described in paragraph (a) of the definition "qualified person" in section 286.
(2) An employer shall ensure that an employee does not work on an energized electrical utility line or utility line equipment unless the employee is a qualified person described in paragraph (b) of the definition "qualified person" in section 286.
(3) Subject to paragraph 289(2)(b), an employer shall ensure that an employee does not work closer to an energized electrical utility line or utility line equipment than the applicable distance set out in subsection 289(1) unless the employee is a qualified person.

[N.B. Reg. 2001-33, ss. 95, 96]

Section 287.3

287.3 (1) An employer shall ensure that electrical equipment has a means of isolating its energy source and that the energy source is
- (a) lockable,
- (b) situated in a location that is familiar to all employees, and
- (c) properly identified.
(2) An employer shall provide a safety lock and key to a qualified person who may be required to lock out the electrical equipment.
(3) An employer shall establish a written lock out procedure for electrical equipment and ensure that a qualified person who may be required to lock out the electrical equipment is adequately instructed and trained to lock out the electrical equipment.
(4) An employer shall ensure that before a qualified person works on electrical equipment
- (a) an electrically safe work condition is established, and
- (b) each qualified person who will be working on the electrical equipment
  - (i) verifies that an electrically safe work condition is established,
  - (ii) locks out the electrical equipment using the safety lock and key provided by the employer, and
  - (iii) puts a non-conductive tag on the safety lock that contains
    - (A) words directing persons not to start or operate the electrical equipment,
    - (B) the qualified person’s printed name and signature, and
    - (C) the date and time when the tag was put on the safety lock.
(5) Before working on electrical equipment, a qualified person shall verify that the requirements set out in subsection (4) have been complied with.
(6) No person shall remove a safety lock or tag on electrical equipment except
- (a) the person who installed the safety lock or tag, or
- (b) in an emergency or, when attempts are made to contact the person referred to in paragraph (a) and the person is not available, a qualified person designated by the employer.

[N.B. Reg. 2001-33, s. 97; 2022-79, s. 85]

Section 287.4

287.4 (1) An employer and a qualified person shall each ensure that all testing and troubleshooting of electrical equipment is conducted in an electrically safe work condition.
(2) An employer and a qualified person shall each ensure that the instruments, equipment and accessories used to test and troubleshoot electrical equipment are in good working condition and are rated for the circuits and electrical equipment to be worked on.
(3) When the circumstances do not permit an electrically safe working condition to be established before working on or near energized exposed parts of electrical equipment, an employer shall ensure the work is carried out by a qualified person and the employer and qualified person shall each ensure that a code of practice referred to in section 287.41 is established.

[N.B. Reg. 2001-33, s. 97; 2022-79, s. 86]

Section 287.5

287.5 An employer shall ensure that main service switches and temporary panel boards of electrical equipment

(a) are securely mounted on sufficient supports on an upright position,
(b) are kept clear of any obstructions for one metre in front and two metres headroom,
(c) are within easy reach of and readily accessible to authorized persons,
(d) are adequately protected from weather and the accumulation of water,
(e) have a suitable cover over uninsulated energized parts, and
(f) have a label or other indicator that identifies what equipment is energized by each line.

[N.B. Reg. 2001-33, s. 97]

Section 287.41 Code of practice

287.41 (1) A code of practice for work on or near energized exposed parts of electrical equipment shall be in writing and shall contain the following information:
- (a) clearly established responsibilities and accountabilities for each person who may be exposed to electrical hazards;
- (b) a description of the circuit and electrical equipment to be worked on, their location, the work to be performed and the electrical hazards and other associated risks;
- (c) a justification for why the work needs to be performed in an energized condition;
- (d) the safe work procedures to be followed;
- (e) the voltage to which persons will be exposed;
- (f) a description of the personal protective equipment and other protective equipment to be used; and
- (g) a description of the means employed to restrict the access of unqualified persons to the work area.
- (2) An employer shall use CSA Standard Z462-15, "Workplace electrical safety" or a standard offering equivalent or better protection as a guide for the selection of personal protective equipment and other protective equipment that employees are required to use.
(3) Before commencing work on or near energized exposed parts of electrical equipment, an employer or a contractor shall inform the employees involved in the work of the content of the code of practice and the supervisor shall document the communication of the information.
(4) The requirements of subsection (3) apply whenever there is a change in the employees involved in the work on or near energized exposed parts of electrical equipment.
(5) Whenever there is a change in the electrical equipment, an employer and a contractor shall each ensure that a new code of practice is established for the electrical equipment that contains the information set out in subsection (1).
(6) An employer shall ensure that a copy of the code of practice is readily available to employees.
(7) An employee shall comply with the code of practice and an employer shall ensure that employees comply with the code of practice.

[N.B. Reg. 2022-79, s. 87]

Section 288 Protective Equipment

288. An employer shall ensure that an employee does not work on an energized electrical utility line or utility line equipment or closer to an energized electrical utility line or utility line equipment than the applicable distance set out in subsection 289(1) unless the employee uses rubber gloves, shields, insulated objects or other necessary protective equipment.

[N.B. Reg. 2001-33, ss. 98, 99]

Section 289 Utility Lines and Utility Line Equipment

289. (1) An employer shall ensure that an employee who is not a qualified person does not carry out any work, and no such employee shall carry out any work, that is liable to bring any person or object closer to an energized electrical utility line or utility line equipment than the distances specified in the following table:

Phase to Phase Voltage of Energized Electrical Utility Line or Utility Line Equipment	Distance
Up to 750 v	900 mm
750 v - 100,000 v	3.6 m
100,001 v - 250,000 v	5.2 m
250,001 v - 345,000 v	6.1 m

Table

(2) Where an employee who is not a qualified person is about to commence work that is liable to bring any person or object closer to an energized electrical utility line or utility line equipment than a distance specified in subsection (1), an employer shall contact the authority owning or operating the energized electrical utility line or utility line equipment and shall ensure that the utility line or utility line equipment
- (a) is de-energized, or
- (b) is adequately insulated or guarded
before permitting the employee to commence the work.

[N.B. Reg. 2001-33, s. 100]

Section 296

296. An employer shall ensure that no employee in a manhole or tunnel works on an energized electrical conductor or with electrical equipment having a potential in excess of 750 volts.

Section 297

297. Where an employee may come closer to an energized electrical utility line or utility line equipment than a distance specified in subsection 289(1), an employer shall ensure that the employee does not use, and an employee shall not use a metal ladder or wire reinforced ladder.