Search
Search

Displaying Holiday Lights

Posted on 12/4/2012 by James Griffin

It’s time again to decorate for the holidays! Whether your holiday lights are red, green, blue, flashing, icicle-shaped, or still knotted in a ball in the storage room—there are several workplace lighting, electrical, and installation/wiring guidelines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) you should be aware of before stringing up the decorations.
 
Lighting standards can be found at 29 CFR Part 1910, under the rules for electrical wiring installation. The rules, including regulations regarding grounding, wire size, and installation locations for permanent wiring can be found at §1910.304. Keep in mind that permanent wiring rules still apply regardless of the light source. For instance, OSHA standard 1910.304(c)(5) states that lights used outdoors must be placed below all live transformers, conductors, and any other electrical equipment unless adequate clearances and safeguards are provided.
 
At §1910.305, there are also rules for temporary lighting, which is where you will find specific standards for holiday lights. These requirements include, but are not limited to:
 
  • All other requirements for permanent wiring still apply to temporary wiring (unless specifically modified in §1910.305(a)(2));
  • The temporary lighting must be 600 volts, nominal, or less;
  • Holiday lights may only be up for 90 days;
  • Flexible cords and cables shall be protected from accidental damage, as might be caused, for example, by sharp corners, projections, and doorways or other pinch points;
  • Cable assemblies and flexible cords and cables shall be supported in place at intervals that ensure that they will be protected from physical damage. Support shall be in the form of staples, cables ties, straps, or similar type fittings installed so as not to cause damage; and
  • Specific rules for feeders and branch circuits.
For full requirements, check out 29 CFR 1910.305(a)(2).
 
Have a happy and safe holiday season!
 

Tags: osha

Find a Post

Recent Posts

Compliance Topics

Compliance Archives

Lion - Quotes

You blew the doors off the competition!

Stephen Bieschke

Facilities Manager

The instructor did an excellent job presenting a very dry subject; keeping everyone interested and making it enjoyable.

Marc Bugg

Hazardous Waste Professional

This training broke down the regulations in an easy-to-understand manner and made them less overwhelming. I now feel I have the knowledge to make more informed decisions.

Amanda Oswald

Shipping Professional

The instructor was excellent. They knew all of the material without having to read from a notepad or computer.

Gary Hartzell

Warehouse Supervisor

I tried other environmental training providers, but they were all sub-standard compared to Lion. I will not stray from Lion again!

Sara Sills

Environmental Specialist

If I need thorough training or updating, I always use Lion. Lion is always the best in both instruction and materials.

Bryce Parker

EHS Manager

Amazing instructor; real-life examples. Lion training gets better every year!

Frank Papandrea

Environmental Manager

I attended training from another provider and learned absolutely nothing. Lion is much better. Hands down.

Nicole Eby

Environmental Specialist

Given the choice, I would do all coursework this way. In-person courses go very fast without the opportunity to pause or repeat anything.

Ellen Pelton

Chemical Laboratory Manager

The price was reasonable, the time to complete the course was manageable, and the flexibility the online training allowed made it easy to complete.

Felicia Rutledge

Hazmat Shipping Professional

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Shipping papers are a crucial part of safely shipping hazardous materials. See the top 5 mistakes shippers make on shipping papers, and how to avoid them.

Download
Latest Whitepaper

By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.