Maritime Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/2010-120)

• 176. (1) All testing or work performed on electrical equipment must be performed by a person in charge or an employee under the direct supervision of a person in charge.

• (2) Before authorizing a person to test or perform work on electrical equipment, the employer must ensure that a work permit referred to in section 166 has been obtained.

• (3) If there is a possibility that the person in charge or the employee may receive a hazardous electrical shock during the performance of their testing or work,

  • (a) the person in charge or the employee must use insulated protection equipment and tools that will protect them from injury; and

  • (b) the employee must be trained and instructed in the use of the insulated protection equipment and tools.

• (4) Subject to subsection (5), if an employee is working on or near electrical equipment that is live or may become live, the electrical equipment must be guarded.

• (5) If it is not practicable for the electrical equipment to be guarded, the employer must take measures to protect the employee from injury by insulating the equipment from the employee or the employee from ground.

• 177. (1) If an employee is working on or near live electrical equipment and, because of the nature of the work or the condition or location of the work place, it is necessary for the safety of the employee that the work be observed by a person not engaged in the work, the employer must appoint a safety watcher

  • (a) to warn all employees in the work place of the hazard; and

  • (b) to ensure that all safety precautions and procedures are complied with.

• (2) Safety watchers must be

  • (a) informed of their duties as safety watchers and of the hazard involved in the work;

  • (b) trained and instructed in the procedures to follow in the event of an emergency;

  • (c) authorized to stop immediately any part of the work that they consider dangerous; and

  • (d) free of any other duties that might interfere with their duties as safety watchers.

• (3) For the purposes of subsection (1), employers may appoint themselves as safety watchers.

178. If an employee is working on or in connection with electrical equipment, that employee and every other person who is so working, including every safety watcher, must be fully informed by the employer with respect to the safe coordination of their work.

• 179. (1) Every control device must be designed and located so as to permit quick and safe operation at all times.

• (2) The path of access to every electrical switch, control device or meter must be free from obstruction.

• (3) If an electrical switch or other control device controlling the supply of electrical energy to electrical equipment is operated only by a person authorized to do so by the employer, the switch or control device must be fitted with a locking device that only the authorized person can activate.

• (4) Control switches for all electrically operated machinery must be clearly marked to indicate the switch positions.