Electrical Panels and Clearances
Construction and general industry · Ver en español
Talking points
- A minimum of 36 inches of clear working space is required in front of electrical panels rated up to 600 volts. This space must be kept free of storage, materials, and equipment.
- The working space must be at least 30 inches wide and extend from floor to 6.5 feet high (or to the height of the equipment, whichever is greater).
- All panel directories must be labeled accurately. Every circuit breaker must be identified — blank or incorrect labels create hazards during lockout and emergencies.
- Panels must be accessible — never locked in rooms where only one person has the key, and never placed behind barriers that prevent quick access.
- Report any panels with missing covers, exposed wiring, or signs of overheating (discoloration, burning smell) immediately.
Ask the crew
Are all the electrical panels in our work area accessible with 36 inches of clearance — and are the directories current?
Standards this talk is built on
A toolbox talk is a short safety briefing. It supports the training a standard requires; it does not replace it.
Run this talk with your crew and keep the record
In Jobsite, workers sign in on their phones in English or Spanish, and you keep who attended, when, and where, with every other talk your crew has had.
Using an AI assistant? Jobsite's free MCP server serves this library, with OSHA rule text, no sign-in: https://jobsitecerts.com/api/mcp/public (/mcp)
Sign-in sheet
Print this page to collect signatures, or run the talk in Jobsite and workers sign in on their phones.
| Name | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|
© Jobsite. Free to read aloud, print and use in your own crew's safety meetings. Republishing, reselling or bulk-copying these talks is not permitted.