Our NESC Live Web Seminar titled, Applying the National Electrical Safety Code to Day-to-Day Utility Work starts again in January 2010.
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Experts in Electrical Code
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| NESC® and OSHA Newsletter | February 23, 2010 |
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Marne and Associates NESC and OSHA Newsletter addresses issues relevant to power and communication utilities.
In This Issue: Clearance between street lights and communication circuits
The change proposals for the 2012 NESC have been published to gather industry comments. Comments are due by May 1, 2010.
Change proposal CP3390 applies to NESC Rule 238C and NESC Table 238-2.
Currently a non-grounded street light can be located 20" above a
communicates line per NESC Table 238-2. Street lights are allowed in the
communications worker safety zone per Rule 238E. The proposed change was to
increase 20" to 40" for non-grounded street lights.
The code committee rejected the 20" to 40" change and cited the following reason: "The change was submitted last cycle and SC4 believes the present wording is adequate; it has been the practice of communication workers to test metallic fixtures and brackets in the safety work zone prior to working. Communication workers experience does not support the change." OSHA 1910.268 - requires communication workers to test for voltage as described in OSHA 1910.268(m)(3)(i) (see below). OSHA 1910.268(m)(3)(i)... "Metal power conduit on joint use poles, exposed vertical power ground wires, and street light fixtures which are below communications attachments or less than 20 inches above these attachments, shall be considered energize and shall be tested for voltage unless the employee can visually determine that they are bonded to the communications suspension strand or cable sheath."
It is important that communications workers who work on joint-use power poles
have training in the NESC and OSHA 1910.268. Some power utilities are now requesting that the communications
companies and contractors working on joint-use poles provide training
certification in OSHA 1910.268. Marne and Associates provides the classroom
portion of this training (see the last article of this newsletter). Industry comment is needed to review this proposed change
(in this case, rejection of the proposed change). To get your voice heard, the first step is to purchase the Preprint Proposals for the 2012 Edition of the NESC (unfortunately this document is not available for free). The second step is to follow the electronic revision process to submit your comments to the Code committees.
To order a copy of the Preprint Proposals for the 2012 Edition of the NESC click here. We only have
one (1) left in stock!
Underground cable color coding The change proposals for the 2012 NESC have been published to gather industry comments. Comments are due by May 1, 2010. Change proposal CP3039 applies to NESC Rule 350F. Rule 350F currently requires direct buried jacketed supply cables to have a "lightning bolt" symbol on them and direct buried communications cables to have a "handset" symbol on them. The change proposal is to add a RECOMMENDATION (see NESC Rule 015E) to use the American Public Works Association Color Code for marking if color coding is used as an additional method of identifying the cable. The colors being referred to are the colors that locate companies use when paining stripes for underground locates which are red for electric and orange for telephone-CATV. The title of Section 35 is being changed from "direct-buried" cable to "direct-buried cable and cable in duct not part of a conduit system" in a separate change proposal. Industry comment is needed to review this proposed change. To get your voice heard, the first step is to purchase the Preprint Proposals for the 2012 Edition of the NESC (unfortunately this document is not available for free). The second step is to follow the electronic revision process to submit your comments to the Code committees. To order a copy of the Preprint Proposals for the 2012 Edition of the NESC® click here. We only have one (1) left in stock! Marne and Associates offers eLearning training in both OSHA 1910.269 (for
power workers) and in OSHA 1910.268 (for communication workers).
Communication workers working on joint-use poles (poles with power and
communications) must have OSHA 1910.268 training to work in the
communication worker safety zone. Without this training the communication
worker must stay 10' or more away from the energized power facilities and
probably could not work on a joint-use pole.
For more information on Marne and Associates OSHA 1910.269 and OSHA
1910.268 eLearning courses
click
here.
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 View a demo of Marne and Associates OSHA 1910.269 (Power lineman) or OSHA 1910.268 (Communication Lineman) eLearning Course.
NESC LIVE WEBINAR
 Books & References
 Purchase McGraw-Hill's NESC 2007 Handbook, the NESC, and other books and references from the Code Store. SOFTWARE
Purchase software to help aid your overhead and underground line design calculations or request a demo.
 Marne and Associates provides expert witness services relating to the National Electrical Safety Code and OSHA.
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If you have a question for our newsletter, please send an email to kirstin@marneassociates.com with a concise description of your NESC or OSHA question. We attempt to answer every question received, but the volume and type of questions limits us.
Disclaimer: The content of this newsletter should be considered general information only. It is not intended to be consulting engineering advice, legal advice, or an official interpretation of the NESC® or OSHA requirements.
Information and diagrams contained in this document attempt to show common situation where the 2007 NESC Code applies. Diagrams and photos are intended to be used as visual aids to the reader of the Code and are not intended to be a replacement for the comprehensive nature of the Code as it is written.
Any figures and/or photos used in this document derived from McGraw-Hill's NESC® Handbook were used with permission from the publisher, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Copyright © 2009 Marne and Associates, Inc.
