Read aloud: before the first plug-in
Consider this illustrative scenario: during outdoor construction setup, someone spots frayed insulation on an extension cord before plugging in a tool. Another person says, 'We only need it for one quick task.' Stop there. OSHA prohibits using worn or frayed electrical cords. Keep that cord unplugged and out of use. What needs to change before this task starts? OSHA 1926.416(e)(1).
Choose controls before starting
Consider controls in order: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, safe work practices and administrative controls, then personal protective equipment (PPE). OSHA recommends prioritizing engineering solutions, including elimination or substitution, before relying on work practices or PPE. Adaptable discussion prompt: Can this task avoid a cord-dependent setup? What is the highest-order control feasible for today's task? Evaluate alternatives for new hazards before selecting them. OSHA control-selection guidance.
The damaged-cord rule applies even when ground-fault protection is present. For construction ground-fault protection, OSHA permits either ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) meeting its specified requirements or an assured equipment grounding conductor program meeting its specified requirements. These alternatives do not cancel the prohibition on using a frayed cord. OSHA 1926.404(b)(1) and 1926.416(e)(1).
Before using the replacement setup, ask the person responsible for electrical protection to confirm which compliant method covers it. A grounding program involves written procedures, designated competent persons, inspections, tests, and records; it is more than a verbal assurance that equipment is grounded. OSHA 1926.404(b)(1)(iii).
Crew discussion and action plan
These are adaptable planning prompts, not a statement of your site's policies. Confirm your stop-work and no-retaliation procedures, including whom to notify when a cord is rejected. Discuss: What would make you stop before plugging in? How will you keep a rejected cord from being picked up by someone else?
Agree on an owner and completion time for each action below. OSHA recommends assigning responsibility, setting a target date, and planning how to verify controls. OSHA hazard-control planning guidance.
- Keep the identified frayed cord unplugged and out of use; report it through the process the team confirms. Owner: Crew to assign: ______ Due: Before anyone uses this cord
- Arrange an acceptable replacement setup and have the responsible person confirm the applicable ground-fault protection method. Owner: Crew to assign: ______ Due: Before this task starts; agreed time: ______
- Report back to the crew: the frayed cord remains out of use and the replacement setup's protection has been confirmed. Owner: Crew to assign: ______ Due: Before this task starts; agreed time: ______
Verify, explain, close the loop
- Verification: Are the controls in place right now: the frayed cord is out of use and the replacement setup has the required protection? Who can show which compliant ground-fault protection method covers it?
- Comprehension check: Does a GFCI make a frayed cord acceptable for a quick task? Expected answer: No. The frayed cord must stay out of use.
- Close the loop: Before starting, has the assigned person confirmed both actions are complete: the damaged cord is out of use and protection for the replacement setup is confirmed? If either is unresolved, what remains to be done, by whom, and by when?