29 CFR 1910 · General Industry · Subpart S

1910.303(h)(2): Enclosure for electrical installations

By Black Belt Safety Editorial Team Official text as of octubre 15, 2026 Data updated noviembre 6, 2026 4 min read

Key takeaways

  • 1910.303(h)(2) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart S).
  • OSHA cited it 6 times in the last 3 years, in 6 inspections, with $14,448 in current penalties.
  • Related part: 1910.303(h) Over 600 volts, nominal (27 citations).
  • Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.

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6citations, 3 years
$14,448current penalties
6inspections
0linked injury cases
In this article
  1. What this rule covers
  2. Official text
  3. Where and how often it was cited
  4. Free toolbox talk
  5. OSHA interpretation letters
  6. Related parts of this rule
  7. Get your crew competent
  8. About this page

What this rule covers

29 CFR 1910.303(h)(2) ("Enclosure for electrical installations") is one requirement inside 1910.303 General, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart S). It includes 13 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.

Official text

(2) Enclosure for electrical installations. 6 citations

(i) Electrical installations in a vault, room, or closet or in an area surrounded by a wall, screen, or fence, access to which is controlled by lock and key or other approved means, are considered to be accessible to qualified persons only. The type of enclosure used in a given case shall be designed and constructed according to the hazards associated with the installation.

(ii) For installations other than equipment described in paragraph (h)(2)(v) of this section, a wall, screen, or fence shall be used to enclose an outdoor electrical installation to deter access by persons who are not qualified. A fence may not be less than 2.13 m (7.0 ft) in height or a combination of 1.80 m (6.0 ft) or more of fence fabric and a 305-mm (1-ft) or more extension utilizing three or more strands of barbed wire or equivalent. Open (h)(2)(ii)

(iii) The following requirements apply to indoor installations that are accessible to other than qualified persons: 1 citations

(A) The installations shall be made with metal-enclosed equipment or shall be enclosed in a vault or in an area to which access is controlled by a lock;

(B) Metal-enclosed switchgear, unit substations, transformers, pull boxes, connection boxes, and other similar associated equipment shall be marked with appropriate caution signs; and 1 citations

(C) Openings in ventilated dry-type transformers and similar openings in other equipment shall be designed so that foreign objects inserted through these openings will be deflected from energized parts.

(iv) Outdoor electrical installations having exposed live parts shall be accessible to qualified persons only.

(v) The following requirements apply to outdoor enclosed equipment accessible to unqualified employees: 5 citations

(A) Ventilating or similar openings in equipment shall be so designed that foreign objects inserted through these openings will be deflected from energized parts;

(B) Where exposed to physical damage from vehicular traffic, suitable guards shall be provided; 1 citations

(C) Nonmetallic or metal-enclosed equipment located outdoors and accessible to the general public shall be designed so that exposed nuts or bolts cannot be readily removed, permitting access to live parts;

(D) Where nonmetallic or metal-enclosed equipment is accessible to the general public and the bottom of the enclosure is less than 2.44 m (8.0 ft) above the floor or grade level, the enclosure door or hinged cover shall be kept locked; and 1 citations

(E) Except for underground box covers that weigh over 45.4 kg (100 lb), doors and covers of enclosures used solely as pull boxes, splice boxes, or junction boxes shall be locked, bolted, or screwed on. 2 citations

Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.303.

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Where and how often it was cited

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OSHA interpretation letters

None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.303(h)(2).

Related parts of this rule

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About this page

Sources

3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.

Written and reviewed by

Black Belt Safety Editorial Team

Site Safety Officer and Safety Professional

OSHA 30 · CPR · USACE CQM

Written and reviewed by the Black Belt Safety team. Every post is checked against the OSHA standard or agency source it cites.

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