(1) Each employee must be trained and proficient in the safety-related work practices, safety procedures, and other safety requirements in this section that pertain to their respective job assignments. Employees must also be trained in and proficient with any other safety practices, including applicable emergency procedures (such as pole top, aerial, manhole, and tree rescue), that are not specifically addressed by this section but that are related to their work and are necessary for their safety.

(2) The degree of training must be determined by the risk of the employee for the hazard involved.

(3) Qualified electrical employees must also be trained and competent in:

(a) The skills and techniques necessary to distinguish exposed live parts from other parts of electric equipment;

(b) The skills and techniques necessary to determine the nominal voltage of exposed live parts;

(c) The minimum approach distances specified in this chapter corresponding to the voltages to which the qualified electrical employee will be exposed and the skills and techniques necessary to maintain those distances;

(d) The proper use of the special precautionary techniques, personal protective equipment, insulating and shielding materials, and insulated tools for working on or near exposed energized parts of electric equipment; and

(e) The recognition of electrical hazards to which the employee may be exposed and the skills and techniques necessary to control or avoid these hazards.

Note:

For the purposes of this section, a person must have this training in order to be considered a qualified electrical employee.

(4) The employer must determine, through regular supervision and through inspections conducted on at least an annual basis, that each employee is complying with the safety-related work practices required by this chapter.

(5) An employee must receive additional training (or retraining) under any of the following conditions:

(a) If the supervision and annual inspections required by subsection (4) of this section indicate that the employee is not complying with the safety-related work practices required by this chapter; or

(b) If new technology, new types of equipment, or changes in procedures necessitate the use of safety-related work practices that are different from those which the employee would normally use; or

(c) If the employee must employ safety related work practices that are not normally used during their regular job duties.

Note:

DOSH would consider tasks that are performed less often than once per year to necessitate retraining before the performance of the work practices involved.

(6) The training required by this section must be of the classroom or on-the-job type.

(7) The training must establish employee proficiency in the work practices required by this section and must introduce the procedures necessary for compliance with this section.

(8) The employer must certify that each employee has received the training required by this section. This certification must be made when the employee demonstrates proficiency in the work practices involved and must be maintained for the duration of the employee's employment.

Notes:	• Employment records that indicate that an employee has received the required training are an acceptable means of meeting this requirement.
	• For an employee with previous training, an employer may determine that the employee has demonstrated the proficiency required by this subsection using the following process: - Confirm that the employee has the training required by this section; - Use an examination or interview to make an initial determination that the employee understands the relevant safety related work practices before he or she performs any work covered by this chapter; and
	• Supervise the employee closely until that employee has demonstrated proficiency as required by this section.

(9) Each line-clearance tree trimmer who is not a qualified electrical employee must also be trained and competent in:

(a) The skills and techniques necessary to distinguish exposed live parts from other parts of electric equipment;

(b) The skills and techniques necessary to determine the nominal voltage of exposed live parts; and

(c) The minimum approach distances specified in this chapter corresponding to the voltages to which the employee will be exposed and the skills and techniques necessary to maintain those distances.

PDFWAC 296-45-065

Training.