1910.304(g)(6): Grounding Supports, Enclosures and Equipment
Employers must ground metal cable trays, raceways and conductor enclosures, service equipment enclosures, and the frames of appliances like electric ranges, ovens and dryers. Exposed metal parts of fixed equipment that may become energized must be grounded under listed conditions, such as being within 8 feet vertically or 5 feet horizontally of ground and subject to contact, being in wet locations, or operating over 150 volts to ground.
Key takeaways
- 1910.304(g)(6) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart S).
- OSHA cited it 34 times in the last 3 years, in 32 inspections, with $40,882 in current penalties.
- 1 death is linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: SC (16), OR (7), AK (2).
- Related part: 1910.304(g) Grounding (598 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.304(g)(6) ("Supports, enclosures, and equipment to be grounded") is one requirement inside 1910.304 Wiring design and protection, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart S). It includes 24 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
(6) Supports, enclosures, and equipment to be grounded. 34 citations
(i) Metal cable trays, metal raceways, and metal enclosures for conductors shall be grounded, except that:
(A) Metal enclosures such as sleeves that are used to protect cable assemblies from physical damage need not be grounded; and
(B) Metal enclosures for conductors added to existing installations of open wire, knob-and-tube wiring, and nonmetallic-sheathed cable need not be grounded if all of the following conditions are met:
(1) Runs are less than 7.62 meters (25.0 ft);
(2) Enclosures are free from probable contact with ground, grounded metal, metal laths, or other conductive materials; and
(3) Enclosures are guarded against employee contact.
(ii) Metal enclosures for service equipment shall be grounded.
(iii) Frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, clothes dryers, and metal outlet or junction boxes that are part of the circuit for these appliances shall be grounded. 1 citations
(iv) Exposed noncurrent-carrying metal parts of fixed equipment that may become energized shall be grounded under any of the following conditions: 3 citations
(A) If within 2.44 m (8 ft) vertically or 1.52 m (5 ft) horizontally of ground or grounded metal objects and subject to employee contact;
(B) If located in a wet or damp location and not isolated; 3 citations
(C) If in electrical contact with metal;
(D) If in a hazardous (classified) location;
(E) If supplied by a metal-clad, metal-sheathed, or grounded metal raceway wiring method; or
(F) If equipment operates with any terminal at over 150 volts to ground.
(v) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (g)(6)(iv) of this section, exposed noncurrent-carrying metal parts of the following types of fixed equipment need not be grounded:
(A) Enclosures for switches or circuit breakers used for other than service equipment and accessible to qualified persons only;
(B) Electrically heated appliances that are permanently and effectively insulated from ground;
(C) Distribution apparatus, such as transformer and capacitor cases, mounted on wooden poles, at a height exceeding 2.44 m (8.0 ft) above ground or grade level; and
(D) Listed equipment protected by a system of double insulation, or its equivalent, and distinctively marked as such.
(vi) Exposed noncurrent-carrying metal parts of cord- and plug-connected equipment that may become energized shall be grounded under any of the following conditions: Open (g)(6)(vi) 29 citations
(A) If in hazardous (classified) locations (see § 1910.307);
(B) If operated at over 150 volts to ground, except for guarded motors and metal frames of electrically heated appliances if the appliance frames are permanently and effectively insulated from ground;
(C) If the equipment is of the following types: Open (g)(6)(vi)(c) 27 citations
(1) Refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners;
(2) Clothes-washing, clothes-drying, and dishwashing machines, sump pumps, and electric aquarium equipment;
(3) Hand-held motor-operated tools, stationary and fixed motor-operated tools, and light industrial motor-operated tools;
(4) Motor-operated appliances of the following types: hedge clippers, lawn mowers, snow blowers, and wet scrubbers;
(5) Cord- and plug-connected appliances used in damp or wet locations, or by employees standing on the ground or on metal floors or working inside of metal tanks or boilers;
(6) Portable and mobile X-ray and associated equipment;
(7) Tools likely to be used in wet and conductive locations; and
(8 Portable hand lamps.
(vii) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (g)(6)(vi) of this section, the following equipment need not be grounded:
(A) Tools likely to be used in wet and conductive locations if supplied through an isolating transformer with an ungrounded secondary of not over 50 volts; and
(B) Listed or labeled portable tools and appliances if protected by an approved system of double insulation, or its equivalent, and distinctively marked.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.304.
Injuries linked to this rule
1 death is linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.304(g)(6).
At 12:00 a.m. on August 15, 2024, Employee #1 was working alone at a residentialproperty, performing drain cleaning services using a pipe cleaning snake auger. The owner of Rapid Rooter attempted to contact Employee #1 multiple times throughout the day without success. Upon arriving at…
Where and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 11 |
| 2025 | 15 |
| 2026 | 6 |
Top states: SC (16), OR (7), AK (2), NC (1), VA (1)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| CAR SPA, INC. | WEBSTER, TX | $13,240 |
| FIS BY OTERRA | MARSHFIELD, MO | $8,441 |
| THE MAKAI CLUB | PRINCEVILLE, HI | $2,483 |
| 76591 - ENCORE OF GREENVILLE LLC | GREENVILLE, SC | $2,275 |
| 75985 - GEORGIA PACIFIC WOOD PRODUCTS LLC | PROSPERITY, SC | $1,500 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.304(g)(6), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.304(g)(6).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.304(g) Grounding 598 citations
- 1910.304(g)(5) Grounding path 556 citations
- 1910.304(g)(6)(vi) 29 citations
- 1910.304(g)(6)(vi)(C) 27 citations
Get your crew competent
Trainers on Black Belt Safety: Marc Harvey, Dana Reyes
Trainers and suppliers: feature your business on this rule for $25/month.
Frequently asked questions
Do metal sleeves protecting cables need grounding?
No. Metal enclosures such as sleeves used to protect cable assemblies from physical damage need not be grounded.
When must exposed metal parts of fixed equipment be grounded?
Under conditions such as being within 8 feet vertically or 5 feet horizontally of ground or grounded metal and subject to contact, in a wet or damp location and not isolated, in a hazardous location, or operating with any terminal over 150 volts to ground.
Must appliance frames be grounded?
Yes. Frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, clothes dryers and their metal outlet or junction boxes must be grounded.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.304 (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.