How can employers ensure workspace for electrical equipment will not be used as a passageway?

Providing barriers or other means of guarding is the most effective way for employers to ensure that workspace for electrical equipment is not used as a passageway. Barriers can physically prevent individuals from entering a designated area, thus creating a clear separation between electrical equipment and pedestrian traffic. This approach reduces the likelihood of accidents or injuries caused by unintentional contact with electrical installations.

Barriers can take various forms, such as fencing, signage, or physical constraints that delineate the area for equipment use. Ensuring that the passageways remain clear and distinct from workspaces contributes to overall safety and compliance with OSHA regulations, which require a clear understanding of hazard zones within the work environment.

Other options, while potentially useful, do not provide the same level of physical restriction or certainty. For instance, floor markings can guide behavior but lack the deterrence of a solid barrier. Similarly, employing a security guard or issuing warnings could help manage behavior, but neither approach is as effective as installing physical barriers in preventing access to hazardous zones.