Overhead and excavation

Overhead: Requirements overview

The requirements described in this section are not intended to and do not alter any responsibilities or safety obligations imposed under applicable law, including OSHA and the requirements of the High Voltage Power Lines and Safety Restrictions Act at A.R.S. §40-360.41 et. seq.

When working near TEP overhead equipment, minimum approach distances must be maintained to help protect both the worker and TEP equipment. These distances will vary depending on the qualifications of the requestor and line voltages. Upon request, TEP will provide voltage and line height information. Contractors with a current A-17 Electrical and Transmission Line contractor license issued by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AROC) will be allowed to work in closer proximity to TEP facilities and equipment than requestors without such a license, except when work requires the use of equipment such as a crane or derrick defined by OSHA 29 C.F.R. §1926.1400. Due to OSHA regulation 29 C.F.R. §1926.1408, OSHA prohibits any non-utility worker from operating a crane or derrick within the OSHA minimum clearance distance of TEP energized overhead facilities and/or equipment.

Minimum approach distances for non-qualified electrical workers, people, materials and non-crane and derrick equipment

When an unqualified person is working in an elevated position near overhead power lines, the location shall be such that the person and the longest conductive object he or she may contact cannot come closer to any unguarded, energized overhead line than the following distances:

Required minimum clearance distances for cranes and derricks

Determine if any part of the equipment, load line or load (including rigging and lifting accessories), if operated up to the equipment’s maximum working radius in the work zone could get closer than;

• 20 feet for lines up to 350,000 volts
• 50 feet for lines over 350,000 volts

If so, TEP will need to be contacted as describe below.

In addition to the minimum approach distances, review the following guidelines on when to contact TEP under the OSHA Rule:

1. If the work zone defined by OSHA involving a crane or derrick is greater than 20 ft. away from TEP overhead facilities for voltages from 50 V-350 kV, or greater than 50 ft. for voltages above 350 kV, then no additional actions are needed from the utility.
2. If the work zone defined by OSHA involving a crane or derrick is less than 20 ft. away from TEP overhead facilities for voltages from 50 V-350 kV, or less than 50 ft. for voltages above 350 kV, but does not violate OSHA's minimum approach distance, then the requestor should contact TEP as described below. TEP will review the plan and determine if actions are needed from the utility.
3. If the work zone defined by OSHA involving a crane or derrick will violate OSHA's minimum approach distance, then requestor should contact TEP.

View a diagram illustrating the Overhead Forbidden Zone

The minimum approach distance can be described as the radius of a circle centered on the overhead conductor or wire. No person, equipment or material should violate this radius. A violation may result in equipment damage or severe injury or death.

Applicants should contact TEP with any questions or concerns regarding overhead protection, or to arrange for overhead protection measures.

Step 1 – Complete an application

Complete the online application which includes submitting a work plan description and sketch of the work site. You will need to generate a sketch to upload with the completed form.  View a sample overhead sketch.

Once we receive your application, a TEP representative will attempt to contact you within approximately one business day to schedule an on-site meeting.

Step 2 – Meet with a representative

Once contact is made, our TEP representative will arrange to meet with you at the work site within five business days. At this initial on-site meeting, the TEP representative will identify applicable conductor heights and voltages, review the scope of the proposed work and discuss safe practices to use near TEP equipment. At this meeting, the applicant and the TEP representative will determine if work can safely proceed as described in the submitted work plan or if an alternative plan or safety measures are necessary.

In instances when TEP identifies a safety concern related to TEP's equipment associated with the proposed work plan, the applicant must follow one of the following alternatives subject to TEP’s consent:

1. If the steps necessary to de-energize TEP’s facilities will not damage TEP’s system, TEP can de-energize and ground TEP overhead equipment. The applicant is responsible for any applicable costs. The applicant must complete an Agree To Pay form and will be invoiced for the actual costs of labor and material to perform the overhead protection plan. TEP will provide a cost estimate prior to performing any non-emergency work. Should TEP determine the steps necessary to de-energize TEP’s facilities is damaging to TEP’s system, the customer will be directed to hire a qualified electrical contractor (see Option 4 below) to perform that portion of the work in a manner that will avoid such damage. A list of contacts will be provided and all billing, payments, contracts, etc. will handled directly between the customer and the contractor, not TEP.
2. If TEP can temporarily move TEP overhead equipment, the applicant must complete an Agree To Pay form and will be invoiced for the actual costs of labor and material to perform the overhead protection plan. TEP will provide a cost estimate prior to performing any non-emergency work. Once TEP's system adjustments are complete and the applicant begins work near TEP equipment, TEP may require that a monitor is present while the applicant's work is performed.
3. The applicant can alter the work plan to avoid violating minimum approach distances and address any other safety concerns related to TEP's equipment and then resubmit their revised work plan to TEP for review.
4. A qualified electrical contractor with a current AROC A-17 Electrical and Transmission Line license, not requiring the use of a crane or derrick, may perform the work in a manner that does not damage TEP’s system. The electrical contractor must submit a written description of its new work plan and coordinate with TEP before performing any work near TEP's electrical equipment. This may include taking reclosing out of service and installing “Danger – Do Not Operate” tags, if needed. The high voltage contractor must follow all OSHA, NESC and all other applicable legal and regulatory guidelines and requirements.

Step 3 – Review safety measures

If the applicant determines that work can be performed without violating minimum approach distances, then the applicant can proceed once a mutually agreeable work plan has been signed by both TEP and the applicant. The applicant must agree to follow OSHA regulation 1926.1408.

In situations where TEP line crews have completed grounding or temporary relocation of equipment, a TEP representative will conduct a detailed "protection briefing" meeting with the applicant that includes information about equipment that is grounded, locations where equipment remains energized, and working rules around TEP equipment.

Once TEP and the applicant have agreed upon a work plan, schedule, and the overhead safety measures that have been implemented, both parties will sign the protection briefing, and the applicant will be allowed to proceed with its work.

TEP recognizes that work conditions can change during the construction phase of a project. If such changing conditions potentially affect TEP equipment and/or associated safety measures taken, work at a job site should stop until these conditions have been reevaluated by a TEP representative.

It is important for TEP and the applicant to maintain clear, ongoing communications at all times while work is being conducted in the vicinity of TEP equipment. In emergency situations, TEP reserves the right to stop overhead protection at any time, including by re-energizing one or more lines, to maintain system reliability. In this case, a TEP representative will notify the applicant that the line(s) will be re-energized and the applicant's work will have to wait until TEP reinstates the overhead protection.

Step 4 – Call for removal

On job sites where additional safety measures are implemented, the applicant should contact TEP for removal of such additional safety measures when the applicant's work has been completed.