OSHA Electrical Safety Standards 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA's lockout/tagout standard (29 CFR 1910.147), who is authorized to remove a lockout device?
- Any coworker on the shift
- The employee who applied it, or per a documented removal procedure if absent (Correct answer)
- The facility security guard
- Any supervisor at will
Correct answer: The employee who applied it, or per a documented removal procedure if absent
Only the authorized employee who applied the device removes it, unless a documented procedure allows removal when that employee is unavailable.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of grounding electrical equipment?
- To increase voltage output
- To provide a low-resistance path for fault current to safely dissipate (Correct answer)
- To reduce electricity costs
- To speed up motors
Correct answer: To provide a low-resistance path for fault current to safely dissipate
Grounding creates a low-resistance path that safely carries fault current away, reducing shock and fire risk.
Question 3: A GFCI protects workers primarily by detecting what condition?
- Excessive heat in the wire
- An imbalance between hot and neutral current (ground fault) (Correct answer)
- Low battery voltage
- Loose terminal screws
Correct answer: An imbalance between hot and neutral current (ground fault)
A GFCI trips when current leaking to ground creates an imbalance between the hot and neutral conductors.
Question 4: OSHA requires that flexible cords and cables be protected from which hazard?
- Sunlight only
- Damage from sharp corners, pinching, or vehicle traffic (Correct answer)
- Being coiled when stored
- Color fading
Correct answer: Damage from sharp corners, pinching, or vehicle traffic
Cords must be protected from physical damage such as pinching, sharp edges, and passing traffic.
Question 5: Which condition allows work on energized parts under OSHA rules?
- When it is more convenient than de-energizing
- When de-energizing introduces greater hazard or is infeasible (Correct answer)
- Whenever the worker feels confident
- During any routine maintenance
Correct answer: When de-energizing introduces greater hazard or is infeasible
Energized work is only permitted when de-energizing increases hazards or is infeasible for the task.
Question 6: What does the color of an electrical conductor's insulation typically indicate?
- The manufacturer brand
- The conductor's function such as hot, neutral, or ground (Correct answer)
- The wire's age
- The installation date
Correct answer: The conductor's function such as hot, neutral, or ground
Insulation color coding identifies conductor function—for example green or bare for ground, white for neutral.
Question 7: Why must overcurrent protection devices (fuses/breakers) be sized correctly?
- To match the wall color
- To interrupt current before conductors overheat and cause fire (Correct answer)
- To make lights brighter
- To reduce electricity bills
Correct answer: To interrupt current before conductors overheat and cause fire
Properly sized breakers or fuses trip before conductors overheat, preventing fires.
OSHA Electrical Safety Standards 2
Under OSHA's lockout/tagout standard (29 CFR 1910.147), who is authorized to remove a lockout device?