1910.334(a): Portable Electric Equipment and Extension Cords
Employers must make sure cord and plug equipment and extension cords are handled so they are not damaged, never used to raise or lower equipment, and not stapled or hung in a damaging way. They must be visually inspected before use on each shift, removed if damaged, kept properly grounded, and approved for wet or conductive locations where used.
Key takeaways
- 1910.334(a) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart S).
- OSHA cited it 956 times in the last 3 years, in 866 inspections, with $959,816 in current penalties.
- 5 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: CT (94), VA (79), TX (70).
- Related part: 1910.334(a)(2) Visual inspection (830 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.334(a) ("Portable electric equipment") is one requirement inside 1910.334 Use of equipment, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart S). It includes 14 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) Portable electric equipment. This paragraph applies to the use of cord- and plug-connected equipment, including flexible cord sets (extension cords). 956 citations
(1) Handling. Portable equipment shall be handled in a manner which will not cause damage. Flexible electric cords connected to equipment may not be used for raising or lowering the equipment. Flexible cords may not be fastened with staples or otherwise hung in such a fashion as could damage the outer jacket or insulation. Open (a)(1) 29 citations
(2) Visual inspection. Open (a)(2) 830 citations
(i) Portable cord- and plug-connected equipment and flexible cord sets (extension cords) shall be visually inspected before use on any shift for external defects (such as loose parts, deformed and missing pins, or damage to outer jacket or insulation) and for evidence of possible internal damage (such as pinched or crushed outer jacket). Cord- and plug-connected equipment and flexible cord sets (extension cords) which remain connected once they are put in place and are not exposed to damage need not be visually inspected until they are relocated. Open (a)(2)(i) 344 citations
(ii) If there is a defect or evidence of damage that might expose an employee to injury, the defective or damaged item shall be removed from service, and no employee may use it until repairs and tests necessary to render the equipment safe have been made. Open (a)(2)(ii) 484 citations
(iii) When an attachment plug is to be connected to a receptacle (including any on a cord set), the relationship of the plug and receptacle contacts shall first be checked to ensure that they are of proper mating configurations. 1 citations
(3) Grounding-type equipment. Open (a)(3) 80 citations
(i) A flexible cord used with grounding-type equipment shall contain an equipment grounding conductor. Open (a)(3)(i) 52 citations
(ii) Attachment plugs and receptacles may not be connected or altered in a manner which would prevent proper continuity of the equipment grounding conductor at the point where plugs are attached to receptacles. Additionally, these devices may not be altered to allow the grounding pole of a plug to be inserted into slots intended for connection to the current-carrying conductors. Open (a)(3)(ii) 26 citations
(iii) Adapters which interrupt the continuity of the equipment grounding connection may not be used. 2 citations
(4) Conductive work locations. Portable electric equipment and flexible cords used in highly conductive work locations (such as those inundated with water or other conductive liquids), or in job locations where employees are likely to contact water or conductive liquids, shall be approved for those locations. Open (a)(4) 15 citations
(5) Connecting attachment plugs. 2 citations
(i) Employees' hands may not be wet when plugging and unplugging flexible cords and cord- and plug-connected equipment, if energized equipment is involved.
(ii) Energized plug and receptacle connections may be handled only with insulating protective equipment if the condition of the connection could provide a conducting path to the employee's hand (if, for example, a cord connector is wet from being immersed in water). 2 citations
(iii) Locking-type connectors shall be properly secured after connection.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.334.
Injuries linked to this rule
5 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.334(a).
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…
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 | 69 |
| 2024 | 369 |
| 2025 | 342 |
| 2026 | 176 |
Top states: CT (94), VA (79), TX (70), TN (55), NC (53)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| TINDALL CORPORATION | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $14,187 |
| CALGON CARBON CORPORATION | BLOOMFIELD, NM | $13,660 |
| THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY | DANVILLE, VA | $13,415 |
| CRESCO LABS, INC. | FALL RIVER, MA | $11,585 |
| VTCU, CORP. | POCATELLO, ID | $11,348 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.334(a), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
- Clarification of the Electrical Standard as it applies to flexible power cords on appliances. (1997-09-09)
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.334(a)(2) Visual inspection 830 citations
- 1910.334(a)(2)(ii) 484 citations
- 1910.334(a)(2)(i) 344 citations
- 1910.334(a)(3) Grounding-type equipment 80 citations
- 1910.334(a)(3)(i) 52 citations
- 1910.334(a)(1) Handling 29 citations
- 1910.334(a)(3)(ii) 26 citations
- 1910.334(a)(4) Conductive work locations 15 citations
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Frequently asked questions
Do extension cords need to be inspected?
Yes. They must be visually inspected before use on any shift for external defects and signs of internal damage.
What happens to a damaged cord?
It must be removed from service and not used until repaired and tested to make it safe.
What should you check before plugging in?
That the plug and receptacle contacts are the proper matching configuration.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.334 (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.