Safe Distance From Power Lines: OSHA, Table A, UK GS6

The safe distance from an overhead power line depends on the voltage, the type of work and the country. In the United States, OSHA’s crane rule requires a clearance of at least 20 feet from an energized line unless the line is de-energized and grounded or the voltage-based clearances in its Table A are used, which start at 10 feet for lines up to 50 kV. For general industry, an unqualified person working near an overhead line, and any conductive object that person handles, must stay at least 10 feet from lines up to 50 kV. In Great Britain, HSE guidance says to manage the risks within 10 meters, measured horizontally from below the nearest wire.

These distances are minimums set by regulators. They are not a license to work close, and they are not interchangeable between countries. Ask the line owner for the voltage and for advice before you plan the work.

Table of Contents

Quick answer by situation

Situation	Distance or rule	Source
Crane, derrick or boom equipment in the US	20 ft from the line, or the Table A distance for the voltage, or de-energize and ground the line	29 CFR 1926.1408
Unqualified person, general industry, US	10 ft up to 50 kV, plus 4 in for every 10 kV over 50 kV, for the person and any conductive object	29 CFR 1910.333(c)(3)
Work near a line in Great Britain	Manage the risks within 10 m measured horizontally from below the nearest wire	HSE GS6
Voltage unknown	Do not guess. Treat the line as energized and ask the line owner for the voltage	1926.1408, HSE GS6

Why the distance matters

HSE’s guidance explains that an overhead wire does not need to be touched to cause serious injury or death, because electricity can jump, or arc, across small gaps. A machine, a scaffold tube, a ladder or even a jet of water that touches or gets too close can carry the current to earth. HSE also notes that one of the biggest problems is that people simply do not notice overhead lines when they are tired, rushing or cutting corners.

Load swing, boom flex and wind can move equipment closer than planned, so a plan that works only at the exact minimum has no margin. Treat the distance as the line you must never cross, and set your working limits well inside it.

United States: cranes and other equipment (29 CFR 1926.1408)

OSHA’s construction crane standard applies to power lines up to 350 kV. Before work starts the employer must assess whether any part of the equipment, the load line or the load could get closer than 20 feet to a power line while the equipment is operated. If so, the employer must choose one of three options.

De-energize and ground the line. The utility or line owner confirms it is de-energized and visibly grounded at the work location.
Keep 20 feet. Keep any part of the equipment, load line or load at least 20 feet from the line, with the precautions below.
Use Table A. If the voltage is known, keep the clearance for that voltage.

Line voltage (nominal, kV)	Minimum clearance
Up to 50	10 ft
Over 50 to 200	15 ft
Over 200 to 350	20 ft

For lines over 350 kV, 29 CFR 1926.1409 applies the same rule but substitutes 50 feet wherever 20 feet is specified (for lines up to 1,000 kV). For lines over 1,000 kV the utility owner or a registered professional engineer who is a qualified person sets the clearance. Lines are presumed energized and uninsulated unless the owner confirms otherwise. Equipment may not be operated under a line unless the line is de-energized and visibly grounded, with the limited exceptions in the rule.

Precautions when equipment could come close

Hold a planning meeting that covers the plan for working near the line and the precautions.
Use non-conductive tag lines where tag lines are used.
Mark the clearance with an elevated warning line, barricade or sign at the 20 ft or Table A distance.
Use at least one of these: a proximity alarm, a dedicated spotter, a range control warning device, a range limiting device or an insulating link, as the rule specifies.
Train operators and crew. The rule’s training covers staying in the cab, step potential, safe evacuation and the role of the spotter.

The guides to crane safety and OSHA rules and crane safety hazards and control measures cover the wider crane picture. The lift plan should record the clearance decision; see the mobile crane lifting plan and the lifting permit checklist.

United States: people and tools near lines (29 CFR 1910.333)

For general industry, 29 CFR 1910.333(c)(3) sets the distance that unqualified people must keep. When an unqualified person works in an elevated position near overhead lines, the person and the longest conductive object they may contact cannot come closer than 10 feet to an unguarded energized line up to 50 kV, plus 4 inches for every 10 kV over 50 kV. On the ground they may not bring a conductive object closer than that. Vehicles and mechanical equipment that can raise parts of their structure near energized lines must keep 10 feet, with the same increase above 50 kV, and the clearance can be reduced to 4 feet only while in transit with the structure lowered. Before work starts near overhead lines, the lines must be de-energized and grounded or other protective measures provided. The same section gives separate approach distances for qualified persons.

OSHA’s publication Working Safely Near Overhead Power Lines lists the practical steps: do a hazard assessment before work, ask the electric company to de-energize and ground the lines, train workers, know the safe working distance for people and equipment, use non-conductive wood or fiberglass ladders and wear appropriate PPE.

Great Britain: HSE guidance note GS6

HSE’s guidance note GS6, Avoiding danger from overhead power lines (fourth edition), applies in Great Britain. Its main points:

Assume that a power line is live unless and until the owner confirms it is dead.
Manage the risks of any work within 10 m, measured at ground level horizontally from below the nearest wire.
The best control is not to work where contact is possible. Ask whether the line can be switched off.
Where there will be no work under the line, erect ground-level barriers to form a safety zone that extends 6 m horizontally from the nearest wire on either side, and wider if the line owner advises or a jib could reach into it.
Where ground-level work near the line cannot be avoided, the Energy Networks Association guidance sets exclusion zones of at least 1 m for low-voltage lines, 3 m for 11 kV and 33 kV lines, 6 m for 132 kV and 7 m for 275 kV and 400 kV lines.
Insulating guards or proximity warning devices on plant, without other precautions, are not adequate protection on their own.
Use goalpost-controlled crossing points where plant must pass beneath a line.

Line	Minimum height above ground (GS6, Figure 4)
33 kV and 11 kV	5.2 m (5.8 m above roads)
132 kV	6.7 m
275 kV	7 m
400 kV	7.3 m

Planning checklist before work near a power line

Find the lines. Walk the site and note every overhead line, including ones near the edge of the work or running parallel to other lines.
Ask the owner. Get the voltage, ask whether the line can be switched off and ask for their advice.
Remove the risk if you can. Change the route, the crane position or the method so the work is not near the line. See risk assessment for heavy lifting with cranes.
Assess the work. Include the maximum reach, boom angle, load swing, wind, ground conditions and any tall loads. Risk analysis and management for businesses shows the method.
Set the controls. Barriers, warning lines, signs, limit devices, a dedicated spotter and a clear stop signal.
Plan the lift or the job. Record the clearance in the lift plan or method statement.
Brief everyone. Include contractors and new starters, and use the crane safety toolbox talk before the first lift.
Coordinate other trades. SIMOPS checks help when several crews share the area.
Check during the work. Stop if conditions change, such as wind, and do not resume until the plan is reviewed.

Roles on site

Spotter or signal person: watches the clearance and gives a stop signal. See the rigging hand signals and crane assembly and disassembly director for related roles.
Operator: knows the limits and stops at the first doubt. See how to become a crane operator.
Supervisor: makes sure the controls are in place before work starts.
Line owner: confirms voltage, switching and grounding.

If equipment touches a line

HSE’s GS6 gives this advice, which is a good basis for site emergency planning. Check what your own procedures and local regulator say too.

Never touch the overhead line’s wires, and assume they are live even if they are not sparking.
Lines that are dead may be switched back on automatically after a few seconds, or remotely after minutes or hours.
If you can, call the emergency services, give your location and say that electricity wires are involved, and ask them to contact the line owner.
If you are in contact with or close to a damaged wire, move away as quickly as possible and stay away until the owner says the situation is safe.
If you are in a vehicle that has touched a wire, either stay in the vehicle or, if you need to get out, jump out as far as you can. Do not touch the vehicle while standing on the ground.
Be aware that if a live wire is touching the ground, the area around it may be live.

OSHA’s crane rule training also covers staying in the cab, step potential and safe evacuation. After any contact or near contact, treat it as an incident and investigate it; see the incident investigation guide and crane accident causes.

Common mistakes

Using a distance from the wrong country or the wrong standard.
Guessing the voltage from the size of the pole or the number of wires.
Measuring to the boom tip and forgetting the load line, the load and the jib.
Relying on a proximity alarm alone.
Letting a single spotter also do other tasks.
Changing the crane position or the load during the shift without re-checking the clearance.
Assuming a line is dead because it is quiet.

Questions about safe distance from power lines

How far must a crane stay from a power line?

In the US, at least 20 feet under OSHA 1926.1408, unless the line is de-energized and grounded, or the Table A distance for the voltage is used and the precautions are in place. Table A gives 10 ft up to 50 kV, 15 ft over 50 to 200 kV and 20 ft over 200 to 350 kV.

What is the 10 foot rule for power lines?

It is the starting distance in OSHA’s electrical rule for general industry (29 CFR 1910.333(c)(3)). Unqualified people, the conductive objects they handle and mechanical equipment must stay at least 10 feet from lines up to 50 kV, with 4 inches more for every 10 kV above 50 kV.

What is the safe distance from power lines in the UK?

HSE guidance says to manage the risks within 10 m measured horizontally from the nearest wire, use a safety zone of 6 m on either side for ground barriers, and not let any part of plant enter the exclusion zone for the voltage.

Can I work under a power line?

Avoid it. OSHA’s crane rule prohibits equipment under a line unless the line is de-energized and visibly grounded, with narrow exceptions. In Great Britain, work near live lines is allowed only when there is no alternative and the risks are properly controlled.

Who do I call to switch off a power line?

The line owner, usually the electric utility or network operator. Ask early, because switching and grounding take time to arrange.

Related guides

Sources (checked 1 November 2026)

This page is general information, not site-specific advice. The distances are regulatory minimums for the cases described. Ask the line owner and a qualified person before working near a power line.

Safe Distance From Overhead Power Lines: OSHA and UK Rules