34 Pa. Code Ch. 39 — Safety Standards—General

§ 39.473. Standing on ground. (a) Employes shall not touch any electric wire, cable or third-rail, no matter how well it is insulated while standing on the ground or on any pipe, track, nail, or other conducting surface, unless insulated from the latter. (b) Employes shall not to…

§ 39.474. Carrying tools. (a) In carrying tools or metal implements in passageways containing electric wires, especially near exposed trolleys, employes shall not permit the tools or implements to touch such wires. (b) In particular, employes shall not carry such objects on the s…

§ 39.475. Handling and repairing live parts. (a) When necessary to handle or repair live trolley wires, third-rails, cables, motors, or other electircal equipment, employes shall wear suitable insulating gloves or stand on the waterproof insulating mats or platforms provided. (b)…

§ 39.476. Handling portable devices. (a) In handling portable motors or lamps, employes shall ascertain that the external metal frame is not alive by contact with or leakage from live parts within. (b) Employes shall have such portable devices inspected at least once daily during…

§ 39.477. Fuses and switches. (a) Employes shall not handle fuses or close switches or circuit breakers unless they are authorized to perform that special duty, and then they shall use the insulating handles or rods provided. (b) Before closing switches employes shall ascertain w…

§ 39.478. Injuring cables and wires. Employes shall not fire shots, handle tools, or perform other work in such a manner as to injure cables or wires in the vicinity. If doubt exists as to performance of such work, employes should consult a superior. Cross References This section…

§ 39.479. Temporary wiring. (a) Employes shall not arrange the wiring of any temporary circuit for earth return, nor use bare conductors, particularly the temporary portions of shot firing circuits and to the leads of portable motors and lamps. (b) Employes shall not employ tempo…

§ 39.480. General precautions. (a) Employes shall not get on or off locomotives or cars on the side where the trolley wire or third-rail is located. (b) Employes shall not place combustible or explosive materials near electric wires, trolley tracks, third-rails, or motors. (c) Em…

§ 39.481. Reporting dangerous conditions. Employes shall promptly report to a superior any dangerous or unusual conditions observed. In particular, they shall report the presence of gas, broken insulators, bad insulation on wires, defective third-rail construction, live frames of…

SIGNAL LINE OPERATION § 39.491. General requirements. Men working on or near telephone and telegraph lines operated in connection with supply lines shall study and strictly observe this section and § § 39.492—39.497 in addition to the general rules in § § 39.331—39.371 and the sp…

§ 39.492. Official in charge of operations. Reference should be made to § 39.51 (relating to definitions). Cross References This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 39.461 (relating to general requirements).

§ 39.493. Precautions before climbing poles. (a) Before climbing poles or other structures to work on or about signal lines, especially where occupied in common with, or running near power circuits, employes shall make a careful inspection to ascertain if possible whether there a…

§ 39.494. Approaching supply lines. (a) Employes shall avoid contact with wires other than those they know to be signal wires, assuming such other wires always to be alive. Signal wires in trouble may be in contact with supply lines at some distant point and should be treated wit…

§ 39.495. Touching equipment. While handling signal lines, metal sheaths, or signal equipment employes shall avoid touching guy or span wires and supply lines or equipment, especially standing on or touching transformer cases, bangers or connections. While touching open signal li…

§ 39.496. Stringing wires. (a) When stringing wires or cables over or under supply lines, employes shall avoid any possibility of their coming in contact, and shall not string them above live supply lines where it is practicable to avoid it. (b) If liability of contact cannot be …

§ 39.497. Reporting dangerous conditions. Employes shall promptly report to the proper official abnormally sagging wires, broken or defective insulators, pins, crossarms, defective poles or any other dangerous conditions of their own or other utilities. Cross References This sect…

§ 39.5. Penalty. Any person who violates this subchapter or any regulations of the Department or who interferes with the Department or its duly authorized representative in the enforcement of these provisions or regulations shall be subject to summary proceedings before an alderm…

COMMERCIAL TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH SYSTEMS § 39.501. General requirements. This section and § § 39.502—39.546 shall also apply to fire and police alarm systems, district messenger systems and other signal systems not operated in connection with supply lines.

GENERAL PROVISIONS § 39.51. Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: Alive or live—Electrically connected to a source of potential differences or electrically charged so …

RULES FOR EMPLOYER—SIGNAL SYSTEMS § 39.511. Distribution and enforcement of rules. (a) The employer shall furnish to each regular employe working on or about commercial telephone or telegraph equipment or lines, safety rules governing his conduct while so engaged, and shall take …

§ 39.512. Address list and emergency rules. (a) Rule books should contain or be accompanied by all of the following: (1) A list of names and addresses of those physicians and members of the organization who are to be called upon in emergencies. (2) A copy of rules for first aid, …

§ 39.513. Instructing employes. (a) Employes regularly working on or about signal equipment or lines, if their duties render such training necessary, shall be thoroughly instructed in approved methods of first aid, resuscitation, and fire extinguishment, and, if advisable, regula…

§ 39.514. Qualifications of employes. The employer shall use every reasonable means and precaution to assure himself that each employe is mentally and physically qualified to perform his work in accordance with this subchapter, and that he is not addicted to the use of intoxicant…

§ 39.515. Protective devices. (a) There shall be provided in conspicuous and suitable places in stations and on line wagons a sufficient supply of suitable protective, first aid and fire-extinguishing equipment to enable employes to meet the requirements of this subchapter. The d…

§ 39.51a. Interpretation of Federal preemption of State regulations—statement of policy. (a) Purpose. The purpose of this statement of policy is to clarify for the regulated community the Department’s interpretation of Federal preemption of the State regulations in this subchapte…

§ 39.52. Penalty. Any person who violates this subchapter or any regulations of the Department or who interferes with the Department or its duly authorized representative in the enforcement of these provisions or regulations will be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and may, upon co…

GENERAL RULES FOR EMPLOYES—SIGNAL SYSTEMS § 39.521. Heeding warnings, warning others. Employes should be cautious, heed warning signs and signals, and always warn others when seen in danger near equipment and lines. Cross References This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 39.501 (rel…

§ 39.522. Inexperienced or unfit employes. Employes shall not do work for which they are not properly qualified on or about equipment or lines, except under the direct supervision of an experienced and properly qualified person. Cross References This section cited in 34 Pa. Code …

§ 39.523. Electrical supply equipment or lines. (a) Workmen whose duties do not require them to approach or handle electrical supply equipment and lines should keep away from such equipment or lines. (b) Electrical supply equipment and lines should always be considered as alive u…

§ 39.524. Safe supports and safety belts. (a) Safe supports. Employes should not support themselves on any portion of a tree, pole structure, lamp bracket or similar fixtures on poles, scaffold, ladder, roof, skylight or other elevated structure without first making sure that the…

§ 39.525. Duties of foreman. (a) Each foreman in charge of work shall see that the safety rules are observed by the employes under his direction. He shall make all necessary records and report to his superior when required. He shall permit only authorized persons to approach plac…

§ 39.526. Handling live parts. No employe should touch, with bare hands, any exposed ungrounded live part above 150 volts to ground, unless he is insulated from other conducting surface, including the ground itself. When employes necessarily touch, at the same time, two parts bet…

§ 39.527. Power circuits in central offices. (a) When making repairs on electric light or power circuits, the circuits shall, whenever possible, be made dead. (b) If practicable, moving apparatus, such as fans, shall be stopped before working upon it. (c) Only duly authorized per…

§ 39.528. Handling fuses or brushes. (a) When inspecting or changing fuses, care should be taken to prevent injury to the eyes. If it is necessary to handle the fuses, the circuit should be cut off if possible. (b) When working on the brushes of a machine in operation employes sh…

§ 39.529. Battery room. Employes shall not smoke or cause arcing in storage-battery rooms. The use of open flames should be avoided, especially while the cells are gassing, and should be permitted only in special cases under the direct supervision of an experienced person and aft…

OVERHEAD LINE OPERATION—SIGNAL SYSTEMS § 39.531. Testing structures before climbing. (a) Before climbing poles, ladders, scaffolds, or other elevated structures employes shall first insure that the pole, ladder, scaffold, tree, crossarm, messenger wire, cable car, or boatswain’s …

§ 39.532. Use of pole steps. (a) When poles are stepped, employes should make use of such steps in climbing, first making sure that the steps are firmly set in solid material before trusting one’s weight upon them. On icy poles, particular attention should be paid to each step. (…

§ 39.533. Spurs. Spurs with gaffs worn short shall not be used. The gaff on spurs shall be kept sharp, and spurs shall fit properly. Spurs shall not be worn on work for which they are not required, nor while men are traveling to or from work. Cross References This section cited i…

§ 39.534. Approaching supply line. (a) Employes shall avoid contact with wires other than those known to be signal wires, assuming such other wires always to be alive. Signal wires in trouble may be in contact with supply lines at some distance point, and should be treated as liv…

§ 39.535. Touching equipment. While handling signal lines, metal sheaths, or signal equipment, employes shall avoid touching trolley or arc lamp span wires and supply lines or equipment, and especially shall avoid standing on or touching transformer cases, hangers or connections.…

§ 39.536. Care about electrical supply lines. (a) Employes shall ascertain the voltage of all wires before going among them. (b) Leaning over and crowding through unprotected supply wires should be avoided if possible. Employes shall place themselves so that they do not fall on s…

§ 39.537. Stringing wires. (a) Employes shall not string wires near live lines except by means of suitable insulating handlines or other appliances and shall avoid the use of wire or twisted pair as a substitute for a hand line. (b) Wires should not be strung above live lines ope…

§ 39.538. Protecting traffic. (a) When working overhead, employes shall keep tools and materials not in use in proper receptacles; tools or materials should not be thrown to or from the man on the pole, but should be raised or lowered by means of a handline, using a proper recept…

§ 39.539. Reporting dangerous conditions. (a) Employes shall report promptly to immediate superiors any dangerous conditions of their own or other utilities observed arising from defective insulators, pins, crossarms, abnormally sagging wires, and the like. (b) Immediately danger…

UNDERGROUND LINE OPERATION—SIGNAL SYSTEMS § 39.541. Guarding manholes, handholes, and street openings. When removing manhole or handhole covers or making excavation, employes shall promptly protect the opening with a barrier, temporary cover, or other suitable guard, and see that…

§ 39.542. Testing for gas. (a) Employes shall not enter manholes until they have ascertained that such manholes are free from dangerous gases, as indicated by approved safety lamps, by ventilation, or by other adequate methods. (b) When work is being carried on in manholes for an…

§ 39.543. Watchman on surface at manholes. (a) Employes shall not enter manholes unless a man is stationed at the surface. (b) Employes shall not leave a manhole unwatched until workmen are out. Cross References This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 39.501 (relating to general requ…

§ 39.544. Avoiding flames. (a) Employes shall not smoke in manholes, and avoid as far as practicable open flames or torches in or near manholes. (b) If it is necessary to illuminate a manhole, electric lights only should be used. When doing this, it should be known that the leads…

§ 39.545. Pulling cables. When pulling in cables, employes shall insure that the gear does not slip so as to injure workmen. Employes shall avoid the danger of having the hands drawn into the tackle by the pulling line. Cross References This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 39.501 …

§ 39.546. Reporting dangerous conditions. Employes shall promptly report to their immediate superiors any dangerous condition of their own or other utilities, whether observed in underground or overhead construction, particularly unsanitary conditions, gas, or missing cable tags …