Bucket Truck Safety: OSHA Standards and Other Considerations

I receive numerous and varied questions about the safe use of bucket trucks in electric utility operations, so in this installment of “Voice of Experience,” I am going to share with you the OSHA standards you need to know as well as some things I have discovered during observations and audits of field crews.

First, it is important to recognize that there is a substantial difference between Class A barehand bucket trucks and the Class B trucks used in gloving distribution. Class A barehand trucks are used for precisely that type of work; to protect employees, OSHA requires grounding the vehicles using the best available ground (see OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269(p)(4)(iii)(C)). The boom is the insulating barrier between the bucket that is directly connected to the energized transmission voltage being worked on and any difference of potential. Before employees can use the equipment, a leakage test must be performed by measuring the intentional contact between the bucket and the energized conductors for five to eight minutes. Booms must be dielectrically tested at least once every 12 months in accordance with ANSI A92.2, “American National Standard for Vehicle-Mounted Elevating and Rotating Aerial Devices,” although some companies conduct more frequent tests. Note that hydraulic tool circuits and material-handling jibs must also be tested if they could contact energized conductors.

An employee inside a bucket is required by OSHA to wear fall protection equipment. The equipment must be rigged so that the employee cannot free-fall more than 6 feet nor contact any lower level if ejected from the bucket (see 1926.502(d)(16)).

Regulatory FAQs
I have seen photos on social media that fail to meet even the simple requirements I have mentioned so far. Because workforce safety depends on rule compliance, I have created the following list outlining the six OSHA bucket truck regulations that I am most frequently asked to discuss in my consulting work. It is critical for employers and employees to both understand and apply each of them as required.

1. OSHA 1910.67, “Vehicle-mounted elevating and rotating work platforms,” is the standard that details the agency’s rules concerning bucket trucks.

2. Per 1910.67(b)(2), “Aerial lifts may be ‘field modified’ for uses other than those intended by the manufacturer, provided the modification has been certified in writing by the manufacturer or by any other equivalent entity, such as a nationally recognized testing laboratory, to be in conformity with all applicable provisions of ANSI A92.2-1969 and this section, and to be at least as safe as the equipment was before modification.”

3. Per 1910.67(c)(2)(i), “Lift controls shall be tested each day prior to use to determine that such controls are in safe working condition.”

4. Per 1910.67(c)(2)(iv), “Employees shall always stand firmly on the floor of the basket, and shall not sit or climb on the edge of the basket or use planks, ladders, or other devices for a work position.”

5. Per 1910.67(c)(2)(viii), “An aerial lift truck may not be moved when the boom is elevated in a working position with men in the basket, except for equipment which is specifically designed for this type of operation in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section.”

6. Per 1910.67(c)(2)(xii), “Before moving an aerial lift for travel, the boom(s) shall be inspected to see that it is properly cradled and outriggers are in stowed position, except as provided in paragraph (c)(2)(viii) of this section.”

I still have pictures in my files of crews moving trucks without cradling the buckets, sometimes with workers still in those buckets. OSHA 1910.67(c)(2)(viii) specifically prohibits moving a truck when an employee is working in the basket, with limited exceptions. Paragraph 1910.67(b)(2) prohibits equipment owners and users from modifying a bucket, boom and/or truck without the manufacturer’s approval. In reality, many organizations have asked for and received manufacturer exemptions, resulting in revised policies that allow employees to ride in a bucket for short distances (e.g., pole to pole when reconductoring and clipping in a new conductor) provided that (1) booms are properly cradled; (2) the employee is facing the direction of travel; and (3) the vehicle operator maintains a slow, reasonable speed while observing the area for hazards.

Class B Trucks
Class B bucket trucks differ from Class A trucks in that, typically, the bucket is not intentionally connected to the energized distribution voltage being gloved. Most Class B buckets have an insulating liner that provides an extra layer of protection between the employee and any nearby energized parts. On its own, a fiberglass bucket offers very little protection from the surrounding primary voltage and energized parts. All energized equipment and/or conductors must be properly covered for the purposes of worker safety, including any potentially conductive parts of the bucket.

The booms and buckets on Class A and B trucks must be kept clean and dry to prevent tracking to the vehicle frame on the ground. All non-dielectric trucks, digger derricks, cranes and other equipment must be grounded according to 1910.269(p) and barricaded to protect employees from hazardous step and touch potentials. Booms and buckets should be cleaned and waxed according to manufacturer recommendations.

Insulating booms and buckets are common conversation topics during field interviews and crew discussions. Class B buckets do not insulate employees from electrical contacts; that is why we use rubber gloves and protective cover. Less experienced workers sometimes think that buckets undergo dielectric testing, but that is incorrect – only the booms are tested. So, any potentially conductive items in or on the bucket must be isolated from all energized parts; otherwise, employees risk accidental contact or an arc flash between two potentials.

It seems that it is becoming more common for lineworkers to hang metal tools and other objects over the exterior side of a bucket for their convenience. This is an unsafe practice that has resulted in many incidents, including contacts on primary distribution voltages. The best and safest practice is to ensure no conductive items are hanging outside the bucket when working in energized or potentially energized areas.

Often, Class B buckets are used by substation crews or transmission crews in high-induction areas in and around substations. Potential differences between an employee in a Class B bucket and the bus or equipment they are working on can pose issues. Extra-high-voltage substations in particular can be very uncomfortable – this is something I have heard from crews across the country. Two rarely used alternative methods exist that can balance these differences for workers standing in Class B buckets. In the first method, the worker stands on a ground mat and connects to the grounded bus. The second method involves using a connected system ground from the basket to the grounded bus.

Conclusion
I want to emphasize here that one of the most common contributing factors to bucket-related incidents is failure to properly cover all energized parts and conductors, including second points of contact and potential differences in the immediate work area.

Lastly, if you would like to review an example of an aerial device operating bulletin, please reach out to me at rainesafety@gmail.com. I will send you one that can be adapted to your company’s policies.

About the Author: Danny Raines, CUSP, is an author, an OSHA-authorized trainer, and a transmission and distribution safety consultant who retired from Georgia Power after 40 years of service and now operates Raines Utility Safety Solutions LLC. 

Learn more from Danny Raines on the Utility Safety Podcast series. Listen now at https://utilitysafety.podbean.com!