1910.269(l)(3)(iii): Staying Outside Minimum Approach Distance
Employers must make sure no employee approaches, or takes any conductive object, closer to exposed energized parts than the employer's established minimum approach distance. The only exceptions are when the employee is insulated from the energized part, the energized part is insulated from the employee and other conductive objects, or the employee is insulated as required for live-line barehand work.
Key takeaways
- 1910.269(l)(3)(iii) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart R).
- OSHA cited it 26 times in the last 3 years, in 22 inspections, with $152,341 in current penalties.
- 4 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: TN (4), KY (3), MA (2).
- Related part: 1910.269(l) Working on or near exposed energized parts (75 citations).
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.269(l)(3)(iii) is one requirement inside 1910.269 Electric power generation, transmission, and distribution, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart R). It includes 3 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
(iii) The employer shall ensure that no employee approaches or takes any conductive object closer to exposed energized parts than the employer's established minimum approach distance, unless: 26 citations
(A) The employee is insulated from the energized part (rubber insulating gloves or rubber insulating gloves and sleeves worn in accordance with paragraph (l)(4) of this section constitutes insulation of the employee from the energized part upon which the employee is working provided that the employee has control of the part in a manner sufficient to prevent exposure to uninsulated portions of the employee's body), or Open (l)(3)(iii)(a) 5 citations
(B) The energized part is insulated from the employee and from any other conductive object at a different potential, or Open (l)(3)(iii)(b) 3 citations
(C) The employee is insulated from any other exposed conductive object in accordance with the requirements for live-line barehand work in paragraph (q)(3) of this section. Open (l)(3)(iii)(c) 2 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.269.
Injuries linked to this rule
4 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.269(l)(3)(iii).
At 9:30 a.m. on July 23, 2024, an employee working as a lineman for an electric power cooperative was working from a bucket truck switching out transformers at a residence. The employee successfully swapped out the transformer and began connecting the existing wires. At some…
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 | 3 |
| 2024 | 12 |
| 2025 | 8 |
| 2026 | 3 |
Top states: TN (4), KY (3), MA (2), VA (2), IA (2)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| HOOPER CORPORATION | LITTLETON, CO | $16,550 |
| NAES | PLEASANT HILL, MO | $16,550 |
| AMEREN MISSOURI | JEFFERSON CITY, MO | $16,550 |
| SHENANDOAH VALLEY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE - ROCKINGHAM OFFICE COMPLEX | LURAY, VA | $15,375 |
| 66372 - PIKE CORPORATION | LOUISVILLE, KY | $14,000 |
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A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.269(l)(3)(iii), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
- Minimum approach distance (MAD) (2023-08-16)
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.269(l) Working on or near exposed energized parts 75 citations
- 1910.269(l)(3) Minimum approach distances 28 citations
- 1910.269(l)(8) Protection from flames and electric arcs 18 citations
- 1910.269(l)(1) General 13 citations
- 1910.269(l)(8)(v) 9 citations
- 1910.269(l)(1)(ii) 6 citations
- 1910.269(l)(5) Working position 6 citations
- 1910.269(l)(1)(iii) 5 citations
- 1910.269(l)(3)(iii)(A) 5 citations
- 1910.269(l)(5)(ii) 5 citations
- 1910.269(l)(2) At least two employees 4 citations
- 1910.269(l)(2)(i) 4 citations
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Frequently asked questions
What is the basic rule?
No employee may approach or take a conductive object closer to exposed energized parts than the employer's established minimum approach distance.
Do rubber gloves count as insulation?
Rubber insulating gloves, or gloves and sleeves, worn per paragraph (l)(4) count as insulation from the part being worked on, if the employee controls the part so no uninsulated body part is exposed.
What are the other exceptions?
The energized part is insulated from the employee and other conductive objects, or the employee is insulated per the live-line barehand rules.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.269 (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 2026-10-24
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.