Skip to content

Popular topics:

Alberta.ca Account
Part of OHS Code review

OHS Code review - Part 40 (Utility Workers – Electrical) survey

Help update Alberta’s OHS Code by providing your input for potential changes to rules and requirements for electrical utility workers.

Explore pages in:
OHS Code review

Introduction

The Government of Alberta continues to review the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code.

The OHS Code contains detailed technical requirements to protect worker health and safety at work sites. In 2020, the Government of Alberta developed a plan to update the OHS legislation, which aims to:

  • Protect the health and safety of workers in Alberta.
  • Make rules easy to understand and apply.
  • Align Alberta’s OHS legislation with other Canadian jurisdictions.
  • Empower work site parties to carry out their responsibilities for health and safety according to their level of authority and control.
  • Correct errors, reduce duplication and conflict in requirements.
  • Reduce unnecessary administrative burden.

This confidential survey will obtain input on proposed changes to Part 40 (Utility Workers – Electrical) of the OHS Code. Your input is vital to the review process and will inform recommendations for OHS Code changes.

Part 40, Utility Workers – Electrical, addresses health and safety requirements for workers involved in electrical utility work. This includes the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in complex and high-risk environments such as near energized overhead power lines. To ensure consistency with best practices, Part 40 references nationally and internationally recognized third-party standards. Given the complexity of this work and the importance of having OHS rules that employers can follow to ensure the health and safety of workers, Part 40 will be reviewed across two OHS Code review cycles. The current cycle will address immediate changes to improve the requirements. Further work will be done to in the following OHS Code review cycle to address long term changes to ensure OHS rules reflect the realities of Alberta work sites.

The survey questions will help:

  • Collect feedback on proposed changes to Part 40 for changes to occur in this OHS Code review cycle;
  • Identify the scope of work and workers that Part 40 should apply to;
  • Clarify which third-party standards are being used by industry;
  • Collect input on updating CAN/ULC-S801-14, Standard on Electric Utility Workplace Electrical Safety for Generation, Transmission, and Distribution to the latest version, and allowing options for alternatives; and
  • Collect information that will inform updates to Part 40 in the next OHS Code review cycle.

The survey wording will provide a summary of the proposed change with rationale but will not include proposed legal language. Final legal language will be drafted once consultation is complete.

Additional surveys on proposed changes to other parts of the OHS Code are also available on the following topics:

  • Part 36 (Mining).
  • Occupational Exposure Limits.
  • Miscellaneous Changes and Approach to Referencing Technical Standards.
  • OHS Harmonization Initiatives.

Please see the OHS Code review webpage for more information and to participate.

If you have questions regarding the survey, or the OHS Code review in general, please contact [email protected] for assistance. 

Survey

All fields are required unless otherwise indicated.

1 of 8 (0%)

Survey details

If you will be completing the survey on behalf of an organization, a PDF copy of the questionnaire can be downloaded for your reference while consolidating your feedback.

After compiling your organization’s feedback, please enter your organization’s response as a survey submission. This ensures that your input will be accurately captured and reflected in the data set.

This form will take 20 to 30 minutes to complete and closes July 8, 2026. For optimal functionality, it is recommended to complete this survey on a desktop, not on a mobile phone.

Important: Please note that progress cannot be saved. Closing this window or navigating away will clear all responses. Please allow sufficient time to complete the survey in a single, uninterrupted session.

Section 1: Demographic information

2. I am providing input on behalf of:
4. The group I am providing input on behalf of is my:
6. Approximately how many people in Alberta are represented by your group?

Section 2: Part 40 (Utilities Workers – Electrical)

Part 40 – Utilities Workers – Electrical (Section 797)
In place of the current application statement, a new application statement could be added that clarifies the scope of Part 40 (i.e. electrical utility operations) and the work to which the requirements in Part 40 apply.

Part 40 – Utilities Workers – Electrical (Section 799)

Part 40 – Utilities Workers – Electrical (Section 799)
Currently, section 799 requires an employer to ensure that protective device and protective equipment meet the requirements of a number of referenced standards:

  • CAN/ULC-60832-99, Insulating Poles (Insulating Sticks) and Universal Tool Attachments (Fittings) for Live Workings.
  • CAN/ULC-D60855-00, Live Working — Insulating Foam Filled Tubes and Solid Rods for Live Working.
  • CAN/ULC-60895-04, Live Working — Conductive Clothing for Use at Nominal Voltage Up to 800 kV A.C. and +/- 600 kV D.C.
  • CAN/ULC-60900-99, Hand Tools for Live Working up to 1000 V a.c. and 1500 V d.c.
  • CAN/ULC-60903-04, Live Working — Gloves of Insulating Materials.
  • CAN/ULC-D60984-00, Sleeves of Insulating Material for Live Working.
  • CAN/ULC-D61112-01, Blankets of Insulating Material for Electrical Purposes.
  • CAN/ULC-D61229-00, Rigid Protective Covers for Live Working on a.c. Installations.
  • CAN/ULC-61236-99,Saddles, Pole Clamps (Stick Clamps) and Accessories for Live Working.
  • CAN/CSA-C225-00 (R2005), Vehicle Mounted Aerial Devices.

Section 799 requires a laboratory that performs electrical insulating materials testing to the standards listed in subsection (1) must meet the requirements of ASTM Standard D2865 06, Standard Practice for Calibration of Standards and Equipment for Electrical Insulating Materials Testing.

To ensure alignment with current health and safety requirements, it is proposed to update this list of standards to the most up to date versions:

  • CAN/ULC-60832-1-10, Live Working – Insulating Sticks and Attachable Devices – Part 1: Insulating Sticks.
  • CAN/ULC-60832-2-10, Live Working – Insulating Sticks and Attachable Devices – Part 2: Attachable Devices.
  • CAN/ULC-IEC 60855-1:2016, Live working – Insulating foam-filled tubes and solid rods – Part 1: Tubes and rods of a circular cross-section.
  • CAN/ULC-60895-2022, Live Working – Conductive Clothing.
  • CAN/ULC-60900-2022, Live Working – Hand Tools for use up to 1000 V Ac and 1500 V Dc.
  • CAN/ULC-60903-15, Live working – Electrical insulating gloves.
  • CAN/ULC-60984-15, Sleeves of Insulating Material for Live Working.
  • CAN/ULC-61112-09, Live Working – Electrical Insulating Blankets.
  • CAN/ULC-61229-09, Rigid Protective Covers for Live Working on A.C. Installations.
  • CAN/ULC-61236-14, Live working – Saddles, stick clamps and their accessories.
  • CSA C225:20 (R2025), Vehicle-mounted aerial devices.

Part 40 – Utilities Workers – Electrical (Section 800 - Change A)

Part 40 – Utilities Workers – Electrical (Section 800)
Currently, section 800 requires an electric utility and a rural electrification association to ensure that all work performed by utility workers is in accordance with CAN/ULC-S801-14, Standard on Electric Utility Workplace Electrical Safety for Generation, Transmission, and Distribution.

Change A:
To enhance alignment with current health and safety requirements, it is proposed to update the referenced technical standard to the most current version CAN/ULC-S801-25,Standard on Electric Utility Workplace Electrical Safety for Generation, Transmission, and Distribution in this Part and in section 227 in Part 17 Overhead Power Lines.

Why are modifications necessary for the proposed changes to section 800 (Change A)?
What is the main reason you disagree with the proposed changes to section 800 (Change A)?

Change B:
CAN/ULC-S801-25, Standard on Electric Utility Workplace Electrical Safety for Generation, Transmission, and Distribution has eight annexes which cover the following topics:
A. Safe Work Plan Hazard Assessment and Emergency Response Plan Form and Project Planning Hazard Assessment Form
B. Minimum Approach Distance
C. Arc Flash Calculations
D. Equipotential Bonding and Grounding (EBG) For Overhead Transmission and Distribution Facilities
E. Description And Use of the Standards Related To The Products Used As PPE Including Clothing
F. Fall Protection Systems
G. Human Performance Tools
H. List Of Acronyms

Change C:
To improve flexibility and reduce the need for acceptances, it is proposed to add a new provision allowing employers to follow alternatives to standards, personal protective equipment, equipment or work procedures prescribed by CAN/ULC-S801-25,Standard on Electric Utility Workplace Electrical Safety for Generation, Transmission, and Distribution, if the alternative is certified by a professional engineer as safe and appropriate for the protection of workers.

Why are modifications necessary for the proposed changes to section 800 (Change C)?
What is the main reason you disagree with the proposed changes to section 800 (Change C)?

Change D:
CAN/ULC-S801-25, Standard on Electric Utility Workplace Electrical Safety for Generation, Transmission, and Distribution, section 5, requires minimum approach distances (MAD) to be established by the utility and approved by a professional engineer using recognized standards, listed in Annex B, including:

  • ULC 61472, Live working – Minimum approach distances for a.c. systems in the voltage range of 72.5 kV to 800 kV – A method of calculation; and/or
  • IEEE 516, Guide for Maintenance Methods on Energized Power Lines.

The standard also identifies further considerations related to movement of workers, equipment or tools.

The former Alberta Electrical Utilities Code (2016 version) referenced MAD tables rather than a calculation method.

Part 40 – Utilities Workers – Electrical (Section 803)

Part 40 – Utilities Workers – Electrical (Section 803)
Section 803 currently requires a utility worker stringing or removing communication lines or cables near any electric utility facility to ensure:

  • The safe limit of approach distance between the communication lines or cables and energized equipment or lines is met as required by CAN/ULC-S801-14, Standard on Electric Utility Workplace Electrical Safety for Generation, Transmission, and Distribution.
  • The communication lines or cables are prevented from contacting overhead electrical lines.
  • The work is done under the control of the operator of the electric utility system.
  • The work method is acceptable to the operator of the electric utility system.

To remove legacy requirements which do not reflect the work utility workers do in Alberta, it is proposed to repeal section 803.

Why are modifications necessary for the proposed changes to section 803?
What is the main reason you disagree with the proposed change to section 803?

Part 40 – Utilities Workers – Electrical (Section 804)

Part 40 – Utilities Workers – Electrical (Section 804)
Section 804 contains the requirements for work on energized electrical equipment or lines above 750 volts. The section contains requirements specific to “utility workers” and “qualified utility” workers.

Question A:

Question B:

Question C:
Currently “utility worker” is defined for the purposes of Parts 17 and 40 as “a worker engaged in the work of an electric utility, industrial power producer or rural electrification association”.

“Qualified utility worker” is not currently defined.

To clarify work site party roles and responsibilities, a new definition of “qualified utility worker” could be added, defined as “a competent worker designated by the employer who is engaged in the work of an electric utility, industrial power producer or rural electrification association”.

Section 3: Conclusion

Previous OHS Code - Part 36 (Mining) survey