Section 12: Working near electrical lines, pipes and installations.

Where, in the course of carrying out the work, there is a risk of workers coming directly or indirectly into contact either with a live conductor or live conductive part which is bare or insufficiently insulated, or with a metal mass which may be accidentally energised, the work shall not be carried out until the line or installation has been de-energised. With the exception of cases where the work is…

If the line or installation is to be de-energised, the employer must ask the operator or user of the line or installation to de-energise it or obtain permission from him to do so himself. The employer: 1° Does not order work to begin until he has checked that de-energising has taken place; 2° Signs de-energising in a visible manner; 3° Protects himself against the unexpected re-energising of the power supply…

When the work is carried out while the line or installation is live, the parts of the line or installation likely to cause dangerous contact must be kept out of reach: 1° Either by placing effective, firmly fixed obstacles; 2° Or by having or carrying out effective insulation by covering bare or insufficiently insulated live conductors and parts or parts likely to be brought into contact with them.

The provisions of article R. 4534-129 do not prevent the implementation, in agreement with the user, of any other protective measure appropriate to each case under consideration, such as isolating workers by means of clothing, gloves, headgear or insulating floors. The employer shall issue instructions to inform the workers concerned of the safety measures implemented.