Glenn and Bill,
OSHA has different standards for the utility workers and construction workers. The rule for utility workers is in 1910.269 and the rule for construction is in 1926.416. There is also a rule in 1910.333 for general workers which permits live work sometimes.
1910.269(l)(1)
"General." Only qualified employees may work on or with exposed energized lines or
parts of equipment. Only qualified employees may work in areas containing unguarded, uninsulated energized lines or parts of equipment operating at 50 volts or more. Electric lines and equipment shall be considered and treated as energized unless the provisions of paragraph (d) or paragraph (m) of this section have be followed.
1926.416(a)(1)
No employer shall permit an employee to work in such proximity to any part of an
electric power circuit that the employee could contact the electric power circuit
in the course of work, unless the employee is protected against electric shock by
deenergizing the circuit and grounding it or by guarding it effectively by insulation
or other means.
1910.333(a)(1)
"Deenergized parts." Live parts to which an employee may be exposed shall be
deenergized before the employee works on or near them, unless the employer can
demonstrate that deenergizing introduces additional or increased hazards or is
infeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations. Live parts that
operate at less than 50 volts to ground need not be deenergized if there will be
no increased exposure to electrical burns or to explosion due to electric arcs.
I don't see anything in these rules that would permit an electrican to make a service change live. Note that in 1926.416 it says nothing about PPE, the insulation is on the equipment, not the worker.
Here is a link to the OSHA index:
http://www.osha-slc.gov/OshStd_toc/OSHA_Std_toc.html Don(resqcapt19)
[This message has been edited by resqcapt19 (edited 09-17-2001).]
