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Text from the OSHA Logging StandardText from the OSHA Logging Standard

1910.266(d)(5), (d)(6), (d)(8), (h) and 1910.333(c)(3)...

(d)(5) "Environmental conditions." All work shall terminate and each employee shall move to a place of safety when environmental conditions, such as but not limited to, electrical storms, strong winds which may affect the fall of a tree, heavy rain or snow, extreme cold, dense fog, fires, mudslides, and darkness, create a hazard for the employee in the performance of the job.

(d)(6) "Work areas."

(d)(6)(i) Employees shall be spaced and the duties of each employee shall be organized so the actions of one employee will not create a hazard for any other employee.

(d)(6)(ii) Work areas shall be assigned so that trees cannot fall into an adjacent occupied work area. The distance between adjacent occupied work areas shall be at least two tree lengths of the trees being felled. The distance between adjacent occupied work areas shall reflect the degree of slope, the density of the growth, the height of the trees, the soil structure and other hazards reasonably anticipated at that work site. A distance of greater than two tree lengths shall be maintained between adjacent occupied work areas on any slope where rolling or sliding of trees or logs is reasonably foreseeable.

(d)(6)(iii) Each employee performing a logging operation at a logging work site shall work in a position or location that is within visual or audible contact with another employee.

(d)(6)(iv) The employer shall account for each employee at the end of each workshift.

(d)(8) "Overhead electric lines."

(d)(8)(i) Logging operations near overhead electric lines shall be done in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.333(c)(3).

(d)(8)(ii) The employer shall notify the power company immediately if a felled tree makes contact with any power line. Each employee shall remain clear of the area until the power company advises that there are no electrical hazards.

(h) "Tree harvesting."

(h)(1) "General requirements."

(h)(1)(i) Trees shall not be felled in a manner that may create a hazard for an employee, such as but not limited to, striking a rope, cable, power line, or machine.

(h)(1)(ii) The immediate supervisor shall be consulted when unfamiliar or unusually hazardous conditions necessitate the supervisor's approval before cutting is commenced.

(h)(1)(iii) While manual felling is in progress, no yarding machine shall be operated within two tree lengths of trees being manually felled. Exception: This provision does not apply to yarding machines performing tree pulling operations.

(h)(1)(iv) No employee shall approach a feller closer than two tree lengths of trees being felled until the feller has acknowledged that it is safe to do so, unless the employer demonstrates that a team of employees is necessary to manually fell a particular tree.

(h)(1)(v) No employee shall approach a mechanical felling operation closer than two tree lengths of the trees being felled until the machine operator has acknowledged that it is safe to do so.

(h)(1)(vi) Each danger tree shall be felled, removed or avoided. Each danger tree, including lodged trees and snags, shall be felled or removed using mechanical or other techniques that minimize employee exposure before work is commenced in the area of the danger tree. If the danger tree is not felled or removed, it shall be marked and no work shall be conducted within two tree lengths of the danger tree unless the employer demonstrates that a shorter distance will not create a hazard for an employee.

(h)(1)(vii) Each danger tree shall be carefully checked for signs of loose bark, broken branches and limbs or other damage before they are felled or removed. Accessible loose bark and other damage that may create a hazard for an employee shall be removed or held in place before felling or removing the tree.

(h)(1)(viii) Felling on any slope where rolling or sliding of trees or logs is reasonably foreseeable shall be done uphill from, or on the same level as, previously felled trees.

(h)(1)(ix) Domino felling of trees is prohibited.

Note to paragraph (h)(1)(ix): The definition of domino felling does not include the felling of a single danger tree by felling another single tree into it.

..1910.333(c)(3)

(c)(3) "Overhead lines." if work is to be performed near overhead lines, the lines shall be deenergized and grounded, or other protective measures shall be provided before work is started. If the lines are to be deenergized, arrangements shall be made with the person or organization that operates or controls the electric circuits involved to deenergize and ground them. If protective measures, such as guarding, isolating, or insulating, are provided, these precautions shall prevent employees from contacting such lines directly with any part of their body or indirectly through conductive materials, tools, or equipment.

Note: The work practices used by qualified persons installing insulating devices on overhead power transmission or distribution lines are covered by 1910.269 of this Part, not by 1910.332 through 1910.335 of this Part. Under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, unqualified persons are prohibited from performing this type of work.

(c)(3)(i) "Unqualified persons."

(c)(3)(i)(A) When an unqualified person is working in an elevated position near overhead lines, the location shall be such that the person and the longest conductive object he or she may contact cannot come closer to any unguarded, energized overhead line than the following distances:

(c)(3)(i)(A)(1) For voltages to ground 50kV or below - 10 feet (305 cm);

(c)(3)(i)(A)(2) For voltages to ground over 50kV - 10 feet (305 cm) plus 4 inches (10 cm) for every 10kV over 50kV.

(c)(3)(i)(B) When an unqualified person is working on the ground in the vicinity of overhead lines, the person may not bring any conductive object closer to unguarded, energized overhead lines than the distances given in paragraph (c)(3)(i)(A) of this section.

Note: For voltages normally encountered with overhead power line, objects which do not have an insulating rating for the voltage involved are considered to be conductive.

(c)(3)(ii) "Qualified persons." When a qualified person is working in the vicinity of overhead lines, whether in an elevated position or on the ground, the person may not approach or take any conductive object without an approved insulating handle closer to exposed energized parts than shown in Table S-5 unless:

(c)(3)(ii)(A) The person is insulated from the energized part (gloves, with sleeves if necessary, rated for the voltage involved are considered to be insulation of the person from the energized part on which work is performed), or

(c)(3)(ii)(B) The energized part is insulated both from all other conductive objects at a different potential and from the person, or

(c)(3)(ii)(C) The person is insulated from all conductive objects at a potential different from that of the energized part.

      TABLE S-5 - APPROACH DISTANCES FOR QUALIFIED

                  EMPLOYEES - ALTERNATING CURRENT

 

______________________________________________________________

                                  |

   Voltage range (phase to phase) | Minimum approach distance

__________________________________|___________________________

                                  |

300V and less ....................| Avoid  Contact

Over 300V, not over 750V .........| 1 ft. 0 in. (30.5 cm).

Over 750V, not over 2kV ..........| 1 ft. 6 in. (46 cm).

Over 2kV, not over 15kV ..........| 2 ft. 0 in. (61 cm).

Over 15kV, not over 37kV .........| 3 ft. 0 in. (91 cm).

Over 37kV, not over 87.5kV .......| 3 ft. 6 in. (107 cm).

Over 87.5kV, not over 121kV ......| 4 ft. 0 in. (122 cm).

Over 121kV, not over 140kV .......| 4 ft. 6 in. (137 cm).

__________________________________|___________________________

(c)(3)(iii) "Vehicular and mechanical equipment."

(c)(3)(iii)(A) Any vehicle or mechanical equipment capable of having parts of its structure elevated near energized overhead lines shall be operated so that a clearance of 10 ft. (305 cm) is maintained. If the voltage is higher than 50kV, the clearance shall be increased 4 in. (10 cm) for every 10kV over that voltage. However, under any of the following conditions, the clearance may be reduced:

(c)(3)(iii)(A)(1) If the vehicle is in transit with its structure lowered, the clearance may be reduced to 4 ft. (122 cm). If the voltage is higher than 50kV, the clearance shall be increased 4 in. (10 cm) for every 10 kV over that voltage.

(c)(3)(iii)(A)(2) If insulating barriers are installed to prevent contact with the lines, and if the barriers are rated for the voltage of the line being guarded and are not a part of or an attachment to the the vehicle or its raised structure, the clearance may be reduced to a distance within the designed working dimensions of the insulating barrier.

(c)(3)(iii)(A)(3) If the equipment is an aerial lift insulated for the voltage involved, and if the work is performed by a qualified person, the clearance (between the uninsulated portion of the aerial lift and the power line) may be reduced to the distance given in Table S-5.

(c)(3)(iii)(B) Employees standing on the ground may not contact the vehicle or mechanical equipment or any of its attachments, unless:

(c)(3)(iii)(B)(1) The employee is using protective equipment rated for the voltage; or

(c)(3)(iii)(B)(2) The equipment is located so that no uninsulated part of its structure (that portion of the structure that provides a conductive path to employees on the ground) can come closer to the line than permitted in paragraph (c)(3)(iii) of this section.

(c)(3)(iii)(C) If any vehicle or mechanical equipment capable of having parts of its structure elevated near energized overhead lines is intentionally grounded, employees working on the ground near the point of grounding may not stand at the grounding location whenever there is a possibility of overhead line contact. Additional precautions, such as the use of barricades or insulation, shall be taken to protect employees from hazardous ground potentials, depending on earth resistivity and fault currents, which can develop within the first few feet or more outward from the grounding point.

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