Conductive Materials, Equipment, and Apparel

Conductive materials and equipment that are in contact with any part of an employee's body must be handled in a manner that will prevent them from contacting exposed energized conductors or circuit parts. If an employee must handle long dimensional conductive objects (such as ducts and pipes) in areas with exposed live parts, the employer must institute work practices (such as the use of insulation, guarding, and material handling techniques) that will minimize the hazard.

Portable ladders must have nonconductive side rails if they are used where the employee or the ladder could contact exposed energized parts.

Conductive articles of jewelry and clothing (such as watch bands, bracelets, rings, key chains, necklaces, metalized aprons, cloth with conductive thread, or metal headgear) cannot be worn if they might contact exposed energized parts. However, such articles may be worn if they are rendered nonconductive by covering them, wrapping them, or other insulating means.

Where live parts present an electrical contact hazard, employees cannot perform housekeeping duties at such close distances to the parts that there is a possibility of contact, unless adequate safeguards (such as insulating equipment or barriers) are provided.

Electrically conductive cleaning materials (including conductive solids such as steel wool, metalized cloth, and silicon carbide, as well as conductive liquid solutions) cannot be used in proximity to energized parts unless procedures are followed that will prevent electrical contact.

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