1. Field Note: two lessons from a recent substation job
On a recent substation job, the crews logged one near miss and one good catch over a few weeks. No injuries, no recordables. These are small events, but both are worth sharing.
The near miss: the ground cable nobody was watching.
A mini excavator was being moved inside an energized yard. It was bonded to a steel structure with a ground cable, and the cable was still attached with no slack check when the machine moved. It tore the ground lug off a breaker support structure. No one was hurt, nothing was damaged, and the lug went back on right away.
Why did it happen? Every spotter was watching overhead clearance to the energized line. They were doing that job well. Nobody had been given the job of watching the ground connections.
What changed:
Before any move, disconnect grounds and bonds, or confirm they have enough slack.
Assign a dedicated "look down" spotter for ground connections, separate from the overhead-clearance watch.
It was written up the same day, and the lesson went to the whole crew. That's what a reporting culture looks like.
The good catch: a ticket number isn't a locate.
The crew was getting ready to excavate for a wood pole on a line leaving the substation. A reissued 811 ticket put the located area about 220 ft east of the staked pole. If they'd dug there, they would have been outside any valid located area.
The foreman checked the spotter's printed ticket and its coordinates against the staked location before breaking ground. The dig was held until the ticket and the locates were corrected.
Lesson: Every time you dig, check that the ticket coordinates and the white-lining match your excavation footprint. If the marks don't match, stop and call.
2. Regulatory Radar: what the rules say about these two events
Observers near energized lines: 29 CFR 1926.959(d)
(d)(1) Mechanical equipment must hold the employer-established minimum approach distance (MAD) from exposed energized lines and equipment.
(d)(2) A designated employee other than the operator has to watch the approach distance and give warnings in time. The only exception is when the employer can show the operator can judge MAD accurately alone.
(d)(3)(iii) If the equipment could become energized, the protections can include the best available ground, bonding equipment together, ground mats, and insulating barricades.
Why it matters: The rule asks for an observer for approach distance. It doesn't assign anyone to watch the bonds that (d)(3) relies on. Your plan has to cover that.
Cranes near power lines: 29 CFR 1926.1408
If any part of the crane, load line, or load could get within 20 ft of a line, use one of three options: de-energize and ground, hold 20 ft, or hold the Table A clearance (20 ft for over 200 to 350 kV). You also need a planning meeting and non-conductive tag lines, plus at least one encroachment measure such as a dedicated spotter. Note that (b)(5) exempts work covered by Subpart V from the (b)(4) measures, so know which standard your pick falls under. In California, also check Title 8 §2946 for overhead-line clearances.
Locating before you dig: 29 CFR 1926.651(b) / Title 8 §1541(b)
Federal OSHA requires that the estimated location of underground installations be determined, and that utility owners be contacted, before the excavation is opened. Cal/OSHA goes further. Under §1541(b)(1)(A), excavation can't start until the area is marked as required by Gov. Code §4216.2 and every known operator has given a positive response. A located area 220 ft from your stake doesn't count as a located area for your dig.
3. Toolbox Talk of the Week: Look Up AND Look Down Near Energized Equipment
About 5 minutes. Read it out loud as is, or adapt it to your site.
Why we're talking about this
On a recent substation job, an excavator was moved while it was still bonded to a structure. The ground cable tore a lug off a breaker support. Every spotter on that move was doing their job, which was watching the overhead line. Nobody was watching the ground. Nobody got hurt. But a bond that's torn loose and nobody notices is a bond that isn't protecting anyone.
What the rules say (plain English)
Equipment has to stay outside the minimum approach distance, and someone other than the operator watches that distance and calls warnings (29 CFR 1926.959(d)(1)–(2)).
Where equipment could become energized, grounding and bonding are part of what protects you (1926.959(d)(3)(iii)). A bond only works if it's still connected.
Hazards to look for today
Ground or bond cables still attached when a machine is about to move
Cables with no slack, or routed where tracks, outriggers, or the swing can catch them
Spotters with two jobs, or nobody owning the ground connections
Clearance calls that are shouted but never confirmed
Controls
Assign two roles before every move: an overhead-clearance observer and a ground/bond checker. Say names out loud.
Disconnect or confirm slack on every ground and bond before the machine moves.
Use three-way communication for every clearance call: say it, repeat it back, confirm it.
Stop if either spotter loses sight of what they're watching.
Pair this with the crane-pick exclusion-zone plan. Review it the day before the pick, not the morning of.
Discussion questions (ask the crew)
Who's watching overhead on our next equipment move? Who's watching the ground?
Where are our bonds and grounds connected right now?
What would we do if a bond pulled loose in the middle of a move?
When was the last time a clearance call got misheard?
Key takeaway: Look up for the line, look down for the bond. Give each one to a different person.
Sign-in
Date | Site/Area | Talk given by |
|---|---|---|
Name (print) | Signature | Company |
|---|---|---|
4. Field Tip: Make "spotter" a real job, not a spare body
In a September field audit on that same job, a crew member was seen working without a spotter during equipment movement. He was coached on the spot, and the later audits were clean. The audit form asks "Crew uses a spotter?" at every observation. That's a good habit to copy.
Before the next move, check:
Does each spotter have one job? One watches overhead clearance. A separate one watches grounds, the swing, and people.
Can they see it, and can the operator hear them? If not, add radios or move the spotter.
Is backing covered? Equipment with an obstructed rear view needs a working backup alarm or an observer who signals that it's safe to back up (29 CFR 1926.601(b)(4); 1926.602(a)(9)(ii)). Inside a substation, use both.
Is the crane spotter trained for it? Under 1926.1408(g)(2), dedicated spotters have to be trained to do that task.
5. Free for readers: the toolbox talk pack
I'm putting together a free pack of ready-to-read toolbox talks like the one above. If this issue was useful, forward it to a foreman or safety coordinator who'd use it. Readers who share Site Safety Weekly will be first in line for the pack. No pressure. Thanks for reading.
— Shaun
Sources (checked October 17, 2026)
29 CFR 1926.959, Mechanical equipment: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.959
29 CFR 1926.960, Working on or near exposed energized parts (MAD): https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.960
29 CFR 1926.1408, Power line safety (up to 350 kV): https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.1408
29 CFR 1926.651, Specific excavation requirements: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.651
29 CFR 1926.601, Motor vehicles: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.601
29 CFR 1926.602, Material handling equipment: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.602
Title 8 CCR §1541, Excavations, General Requirements: https://www.dir.ca.gov/title8/1541.html
Title 8 CCR §2946, Proximity to overhead lines: https://www.dir.ca.gov/title8/2946.html
Site Safety Weekly is general safety information, not legal advice. It does not replace your company's safety program, a site-specific hazard assessment, or the judgment of your competent and qualified persons. Always check the current regulation text at osha.gov or dir.ca.gov.
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