Portable Electrical Equipment

A flexible cord used with grounding type equipment must contain an equipment grounding conductor. Attachment plugs and receptacles cannot be connected or altered in a manner that would prevent proper continuity of the equipment grounding conductor at the point where plugs are attached to receptacles. Additionally, these devices cannot be altered to allow the grounding pole of a plug to be inserted into slots intended for connection to the current-carrying conductors. Adapters that interrupt the continuity of the equipment grounding connection must not be used.

Portable electrical equipment and flexible cords used in highly conductive work locations (such as those inundated with water or other conductive liquids), or in job locations where employees are likely to contact water or conductive liquids, must be designed for use in those locations.

If the condition of the connection could provide a conducting path to the employee's hand, employees should handle these energized plug and receptacle connections by using insulating protective equipment only. Whenever they are working with energized equipment, employees should always make sure their hands are dry before they plug in and unplug flexible cords and cord- and plug-connected equipment.

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