Electrical protective equipment requirements

Employees working in areas with potential electrical hazards must be provided with and must use electrical protective equipment appropriate for the body parts to be protected and the work to be performed. See 1910.335(a)(1)(i).

• Choose PPE based on the specific energized parts and tasks (e.g., insulating gloves for hands, arc-rated face shields for arc flash exposure).
• Remember that personal protective equipment requirements are detailed elsewhere in Subpart I and must be used together with the general rule in 1910.335(a)(1)(i).

Electrical protective equipment must be maintained in a safe, reliable condition and periodically inspected or tested as required by 1910.137.

• Follow the inspection and testing frequency and procedures set out in 1910.137 for rubber insulating equipment and other listed items.
• Keep records and remove from service any equipment that fails inspection or testing until repaired or replaced per 1910.137.

If the insulating capability of protective equipment might be damaged during use, the insulating material must be protected (for example, with an outer leather cover). See 1910.335(a)(1)(iii).

• Use approved outer protectors (e.g., leather over rubber gloves) when abrasion, cuts, heat, or other hazards could compromise insulation.
• Inspect the protectors along with the insulating equipment per 1910.137.

Nonconductive head protection is required wherever there is danger of head injury from electric shock or burns due to contact with exposed energized parts. See 1910.335(a)(1)(iv).

• Employers must assess hazards and provide helmets that meet recognized consensus standards; OSHA has explained that where overhead electrical or falling-object hazards exist (for example, crane operations), head protection is required and must meet ANSI requirements as incorporated by OSHA. See OSHA’s interpretation on head protection for crane operators at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-06-06-2.
• If in doubt, select helmets complying with the ANSI Z89.1 series referenced in OSHA guidance (see the head-protection interpretation above).

Employees must wear protective equipment for the eyes or face wherever there is danger of injury from electric arcs or flashes or from flying objects caused by electrical explosions. See 1910.335(a)(1)(v).

• Use arc-rated face shields and safety goggles appropriate to the expected energy level and task.
• Combine face/eye protection with other PPE (e.g., hearing, head protection) as the hazard assessment requires and follow inspection/testing requirements in 1910.137 for insulating face and eye gear when applicable.

Insulated tools or handling equipment must be used when working near exposed energized conductors or circuit parts if the tools might make contact with those conductors or parts. See 1910.335(a)(2)(i).

• Choose tools rated for the circuit voltage and intended exposure; if the insulating capability could be damaged, protect the insulating material.
• Do not rely on insulation alone—use safe work practices (de‑energize when possible) and PPE required by 1910.335(a)(1)(i).

Fuse handling equipment that is insulated for the circuit voltage must be used to remove or install fuses when the fuse terminals are energized. See 1910.335(a)(2)(i)(A).

• Use only tools specifically rated and designed for the voltage and type of fuse being handled.
• Follow manufacturer's instructions and inspect the fuse handling tools per 1910.137 where applicable.

Ropes and handlines used near exposed energized parts must be nonconductive. See 1910.335(a)(2)(i)(B).

• Select nonconductive rope materials that retain insulating properties under the job’s temperature, chemical, and wear conditions.
• Inspect ropes regularly for wear or contamination that could reduce insulating performance and remove compromised ropes from service.

Protective shields, barriers, or insulating materials must be used to protect employees from shock, burns, or other electrically related injuries when they are working near exposed energized parts that might be accidentally contacted or where dangerous heating or arcing might occur. See 1910.335(a)(2)(ii).

• Use guards to prevent unqualified persons from contacting live parts when normally enclosed live parts are exposed for maintenance or repair.
• Design temporary barriers and insulating covers to withstand the environment and clearly mark them to prevent accidental removal.

Safety signs, safety symbols, or accident prevention tags must be used where necessary to warn employees about electrical hazards that may endanger them, as required by 1910.335(b)(1). The content and use of such signs/tags are governed by 1910.145.

• Post warning signs at locations with exposed energized parts or arc flash hazards.
• Use tags and lockout/tagout practices in coordination with other standards (e.g., 1910.147) when isolating energy sources.

Barricades must be used in conjunction with safety signs where necessary to prevent or limit employee access to work areas exposing employees to uninsulated energized conductors or circuit parts. See 1910.335(b)(2).

• Combine visual warnings (signs/tags) with physical barriers to keep unqualified workers away from live parts.
• Ensure barricades remain in place until the hazard is eliminated or properly guarded.

When normally enclosed live parts are exposed for maintenance or repair, they must be guarded to protect unqualified persons from contact with the live parts. See 1910.335(a)(2)(ii).

• Use temporary guards, barriers, or insulating covers and restrict access to authorized, qualified personnel only.
• Post warning signs and consider additional measures (lockout/tagout, insulated tools, PPE) to prevent accidental contact.

Employers must use appropriate outer protectors (such as leather covers) whenever insulating equipment may be damaged during use to preserve the insulating capability. See 1910.335(a)(1)(iii).

• Select protectors rated for the job’s mechanical and thermal hazards (abrasion, cuts, sparks, heat).
• Inspect protectors during the periodic inspections and testing required by 1910.137 and replace them when worn or damaged.

Electrical protective equipment still must be provided and used for hazards that remain when machines are temporarily energized for testing or positioning, and employers must follow the procedures in the lockout/tagout standard for these transition steps. See 1910.335(a)(1)(i) and OSHA’s lockout/tagout guidance under 29 CFR 1910.147 (see DIR and interpretations referenced in OSHA letters such as https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-10-21).

• If temporary re-energization is necessary, follow the required sequence (clear tools, remove employees from hazard area, remove devices as specified, re-energize for testing, then de-energize and reapply controls) as described in OSHA lockout/tagout guidance.
• During the energized interval, provide PPE and other protections consistent with 1910.335(a)(1)(i).

Yes—employers must provide and ensure the use of electrical protective equipment suitable to the hazard, which implies the employer must train employees in selection, use, and limitations of that equipment so it is used properly under 1910.335(a)(1)(i).

• Training should include proper donning/doffing, inspection, care, and the reasons for using specific insulating tools or PPE.
• Supplement this with training requirements from related standards (for example, lockout/tagout procedures in 29 CFR 1910.147 and inspection/testing in 1910.137).

Employers may permit access by unqualified persons only if effective guards—such as protective shields, barriers, or insulating materials—are in place to prevent contact with exposed energized parts, per 1910.335(a)(2)(ii).

• The guards must reliably prevent accidental contact and be appropriate to the voltage and exposure risk.
• When parts are exposed for maintenance, restrict access to qualified personnel unless permanent guarding or effective temporary barriers protect unqualified workers.

Insulated tools and handling equipment that serve as protective insulating devices should be maintained and inspected in accordance with the periodic inspection and testing requirements described in 1910.137 when that section applies to the insulating tool. See 1910.335(a)(2)(i).

• Follow manufacturer instructions and 1910.137 for tests like dielectric tests and visual inspections.
• Remove from service and tag out defective insulating tools until repaired or replaced.

1910.335 requires protective equipment appropriate to the hazard, which means arc-rated PPE must be used where there is a danger of injury from electric arcs or flashes; selection should match the potential incident energy and task. See 1910.335(a)(1)(i) and the eye/face rule at 1910.335(a)(1)(v).

• Perform an arc flash hazard assessment (or use established PPE tables) to determine minimum arc rating needed.
• Combine arc-rated clothing with insulating gloves, face shields, and other PPE as the assessment requires, and inspect per 1910.137.

While 1910.335 focuses on protective equipment and safeguards, OSHA strongly expects employers to de-energize electrical equipment before work when it is feasible and safer than relying solely on PPE; protective equipment is required when exposure remains or de-energizing is not possible. See 1910.335(a)(1)(i).

• Follow lockout/tagout procedures where applicable (see OSHA's lockout/tagout requirements at 29 CFR 1910.147 and related interpretations such as https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-10-21).
• When work must be done energized, use insulated tools, barriers, PPE, and other controls required by 1910.335.

The specific design, wording, and use requirements for safety signs, symbols, and tags referenced in 1910.335(b)(1) are set out in 1910.145.

• Use the signal word, color, and legend guidance in 1910.145 to create effective electrical hazard signs.
• Place signs so they are visible and legible to employees exposed to the hazard.

Employers should use barricades together with safety signs to prevent or limit employee access to work areas exposing them to uninsulated energized conductors or circuit parts, in accordance with 1910.335(b)(2).

• Combine physical barriers, clear signage per 1910.145, and access controls (authorized personnel only) to reduce accidental contact.
• Maintain barricades and signs until the hazard is eliminated or properly guarded.