Workplace electrical safety

1.1 General 

This Standard specifies requirements for workplace electrical safety necessary for the practical safeguarding of workers during activities such as the installation, inspection, operation, maintenance, and demolition of electric conductors and electric equipment, as well as work in proximity of energized electrical equipment. 

1.2 Application 

While it can be applied by organizations of any type or size, this Standard does not cover 

(a) installations in ships, watercraft other than floating buildings, railway rolling stock, aircraft, and automotive vehicles other than mobile homes and recreational vehicles; 

(b) installations of railways for the generation, transformation, transmission, or distribution of power used exclusively for operation of rolling stock or installations used exclusively for signalling and communications; 

(c) installations of communications equipment under the exclusive control of communications utilities located outdoors or in building spaces used exclusively for such installations; and 

(d) installations under the exclusive control of an electric utility when such installations

• (i) consist of service drops or service laterals, and associated metering; 
  
  (ii) are located in legally established easements or rights-of-way designated or recognized by public service commissions, utility commissions, or other regulatory agencies having jurisdiction for such installations; or 
  
  (iii) are on property owned or leased by the electric utility for communications or for metering, generation, control, transformation, transmission, or distribution of electric energy.

1.3 Suitability 

It is the responsibility of the users of this Standard to judge its suitability for their particular purpose (see Note 2 to the Preface). 

1.4 Use with related standards and regulations 

This Standard is intended for use with Parts I, II, and III of the Canadian Electrical Code and other related Canadian workplace electrical safety standards (e.g., CSA M421 and CSA Z460) and should be used with such Standards. In addition, users of this Standard should always refer to provincial, territorial, and federal safety regulations that have jurisdiction over their work facility, contract job site, or profession. 

1.5 Organization of this Standard 

The requirements of this Standard are divided into three main clauses, as shown in Figure 1. Annexes A to W do not specify requirements and are included for information only. 

1.6 Measurements 

The values given in SI units are the units of record for the purposes of this Standard. The values given in parentheses are for information and comparison only. 

1.7 Terminology 

In this Standard, "shall" is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the standard; "should" is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and "may" is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the standard. 

Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material. 

Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements. 

Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.