1910.333(a): Electrical Safe Work Practices: Deenergize First
Employers must use safety-related work practices to prevent shock and other injuries when work is done on or near equipment or circuits that are or may be energized. Live parts an employee may be exposed to must be deenergized before work, unless the employer can show deenergizing creates more hazards or is infeasible. Parts under 50 volts to ground need not be deenergized if there is no increased exposure to burns or arc explosion.
Key takeaways
- 1910.333(a) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart S).
- OSHA cited it 190 times in the last 3 years, in 184 inspections, with $1,219,809 in current penalties.
- 15 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: OH (20), MI (15), MA (15).
- Related part: 1910.333(a)(1) Deenergized parts (113 citations).
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.333(a) ("General") is one requirement inside 1910.333 Selection and use of work practices, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart S). It includes 2 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
(a) General. Safety-related work practices shall be employed to prevent electric shock or other injuries resulting from either direct or indirect electrical contacts, when work is performed near or on equipment or circuits which are or may be energized. The specific safety-related work practices shall be consistent with the nature and extent of the associated electrical hazards. 190 citations
(1) Deenergized parts. Live parts to which an employee may be exposed shall be deenergized before the employee works on or near them, unless the employer can demonstrate that deenergizing introduces additional or increased hazards or is infeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations. Live parts that operate at less than 50 volts to ground need not be deenergized if there will be no increased exposure to electrical burns or to explosion due to electric arcs. Open (a)(1) 113 citations
Examples of increased or additional hazards include interruption of life support equipment, deactivation of emergency alarm systems, shutdown of hazardous location ventilation equipment, or removal of illumination for an area.
Examples of work that may be performed on or near energized circuit parts because of infeasibility due to equipment design or operational limitations include testing of electric circuits that can only be performed with the circuit energized and work on circuits that form an integral part of a continuous industrial process in a chemical plant that would otherwise need to be completely shut down in order to permit work on one circuit or piece of equipment.
Work on or near deenergized parts is covered by paragraph (b) of this section.
(2) Energized parts. If the exposed live parts are not deenergized (i.e., for reasons of increased or additional hazards or infeasibility), other safety-related work practices shall be used to protect employees who may be exposed to the electrical hazards involved. Such work practices shall protect employees against contact with energized circuit parts directly with any part of their body or indirectly through some other conductive object. The work practices that are used shall be suitable for the conditions under which the work is to be performed and for the voltage level of the exposed electric conductors or circuit parts. Specific work practice requirements are detailed in paragraph (c) of this section. Open (a)(2) 30 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.333.
Injuries linked to this rule
15 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.333(a).
At approximately 4:20 a.m. on February 25, 2025, Employee #1 was working on an AirTrain switch electrical panel, attempting to replace blown fuses. During the task, the employee came into contact with energized components and received a 600-volt electric shock. Employee #1 was fatally electrocuted.
Full case list with employer, penalty, filters and download is part of OSHA Data (Purple Belt).
Unlock with Purple BeltWhere and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 67 |
| 2025 | 71 |
| 2026 | 40 |
Top states: OH (20), MI (15), MA (15), TX (13), NY (11)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| S.J. SERVICES | BOSTON, MA | $165,514 |
| FUYAO GLASS AMERICA INC. | MORAINE, OH | $70,938 |
| WESTERN EXTRUSIONS CORPORATION | CARROLLTON, TX | $16,550 |
| ALSTOM TRANSPORTATION USA INC. | NEWARK, NJ | $16,550 |
| MIDDLETON INC. | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $16,550 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.333(a), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
- Electrical Busway Hot Swappable Plug-In Units (2025-08-25)
- "Continuous industrial processes" and the infeasibility of de-energizing equipment under 29 CFR 1910.333. (2006-12-19)
- OSHA requirements for warning signs and protection from electric-arc-flash hazards and compliance with NFPA 70E-2004. (2006-11-14)
- Clarification about 29 CFR 1910.333 and 29 CFR 1910.147 as they relate to work inside an electrical panel and on related equipment. (2006-07-28)
- Acceptability of using a light switch as a disconnecting means for the electrical lockout/tagout standard. (2005-10-27)
- Evaluation of proposed modifications to the Bureau of Prisons' Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures. (2000-07-10)
- Training and PPE for employees performing tests on equipment. (1998-06-22)
- Safety electrical work practices; motor disconnects;work clearances. (1996-02-07)
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.333(a)(1) Deenergized parts 113 citations
- 1910.333(a)(2) Energized parts 30 citations
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Frequently asked questions
When can work be done on live parts?
Only if the employer can demonstrate that deenergizing introduces additional or increased hazards or is infeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations.
Must parts under 50 volts be deenergized?
Live parts that operate at less than 50 volts to ground need not be deenergized if there will be no increased exposure to electrical burns or to explosion due to electric arcs.
What is an example of an increased hazard?
Interruption of life support equipment, deactivation of emergency alarms, shutdown of hazardous location ventilation, or removal of lighting for an area.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.333 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-20
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.