Focus Four Hazards: Electrocution
Where the current comes from
Electrocution deaths in construction cluster around four sources: contact with overhead power lines by equipment, ladders, scaffolds, or long materials; contact with energized parts of tools and cords; faulty or damaged wiring and missing grounding; and failure to lock out and tag out. Shock also causes falls and burns, so an electrical question can be a fall question in disguise.
Required controls
Temporary receptacles must have GFCI protection, or the employer may run an assured equipment grounding conductor program with recorded tests. Cords must be three-wire, of hard or extra-hard usage, and free of damage, with strain relief and proper connectors. Lockout/tagout under 1926.417 requires the circuit to be de-energized, locked, tagged, and verified, with only the person who applied the lock removing it.
Clearance from overhead lines: 10 feet is the minimum for equipment operating near lines up to 50 kV, and the distance grows as voltage rises. For cranes, 1926.1408 contains the clearance table and allows planning, an encroachment plan, or a dedicated spotter as alternatives when the distance cannot be maintained.
Traps
GFCI protection and the assured grounding conductor program are alternatives, not requirements to do both. Rubber insulating gloves must be voltage-rated, worn with leather protectors, and electrically tested. A de-energized line is treated as energized until verified.
Rule of thumb: 10 feet is the floor for lines up to 50 kV, not a comfortable working distance to aim for.