Who does this standard apply to?

• General Industry workers performing servicing and/or maintenance on machines or equipment and who are exposed to the unexpected energization, startup, or release of hazardous energy [29 CFR 1910.147(a)(1)(i)].

  Under the standard, the term "unexpected" also covers situations in which the servicing and/or maintenance is performed during ongoing normal production operations if:

  • An employee is required to remove or bypass machine guards or other safety devices [29 CFR 1910.147(a)(2)(ii)(A)] or

  • An employee is required to place any part of his or her body into a point of operation or into an area on a machine or piece of equipment where work is performed, or into the danger zone associated with the machine's operation. [29 CFR 1910.147(a)(2)(ii)(B)].

What activities or operations are covered?

• Any servicing and/or maintenance of machines or equipment when the source of energy to the machines or equipment is electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other energy
  [29 CFR 1910.147(b)]. Definition of energy source

• Constructing, installing, setting up, adjusting, inspecting, modifying, maintaining and/or servicing machines or equipment, including lubrication, cleaning or unjamming of machines or equipment, and making adjustments or tool changes, where employees could be exposed to the unexpected energization or startup of the equipment or release of hazardous energy [29 CFR 1910.147(b)]. Definition of servicing and/or maintenance

Who does this standard not apply to?

• General Industry workers performing servicing and maintenance on machines or equipment who are NOT exposed to the unexpected energization or startup of the machines or equipment, or the release of hazardous energy.

What activities and operations are not covered?

• Servicing and/or maintenance of equipment performed during normal production operations if:

  • The safeguarding provisions of Subpart O, and other applicable general industry standards are effective in preventing worker exposure to hazards created by the unexpected energization or startup of machines or equipment, or the release of energy [29 CFR 1910.147(a)(2)(ii)].

• Minor tool changes and adjustments, and other minor servicing activities that take place during normal production operations which are routine, repetitive, and integral to the use of that production equipment, as long as workers are effectively protected by alternative measures which provide effective machine safeguarding protection. [29 CFR 1910.147(a)(2)(ii)(B)].

• Construction, agriculture, and maritime employment [29 CFR 1910.147(a)(1)(ii)(A)].

• Installations under the exclusive control of electric utilities for power generation, transmission, and distribution [29 CFR 1910.147(a)(1)(ii)(B)].

• Exposure to electrical hazards from work on, near, or with conductors or equipment in electric utilization installations [29 CFR 1910.147(a)(1)(ii)(C)].

• Oil and gas well drilling and servicing [29 CFR 1910.147(a)(1)(ii)(D)].

• Work on cord and plug connected electrical equipment, if:

  • The equipment is unplugged from the energy source and the authorized employee has exclusive control of the plug [29 CFR 1910.147(a)(2)(iii)(A)].

• Hot tap operations that involve transmission and distribution systems for gas, steam, water, or petroleum products on pressurized pipelines, if:

  • Continuity of service is essential, shutdown of the system is impractical, documented procedures are followed, and employees are effectively protected by special equipment [29 CFR 1910.147(a)(2)(iii)(B)].