00SENATE BILL NO. 243                                                                                                   
01 "An Act relating to and authorizing the use of insulated gloves as well as tools                                        
02 equipped with insulated handles for certain electrical and telecommunications                                           
03 work."                                                                                                                  
04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
05    * Section 1.  The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new                                 
06 section to read:                                                                                                        
07  FINDINGS RELATED TO USE OF INSULATED GLOVES FOR CERTAIN                                                                
08 ELECTRICAL AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORK.  The legislature finds that the use                                             
09 of insulated gloves in connection with electrical and telecommunications work is increasingly                           
10 more common and is now specifically authorized by federal regulations, including 29 C.F.R.                              
11 1910.268(b)(7), 1910.269(l)(2) and 1926.950(c)(1).  In many situations, employees in the                                
12 electrical and telecommunications industry can perform their work more safely using insulated                           
13 gloves instead of tools equipped with insulated handles.                                                                
14    * Sec. 2.  AS 18.60 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                    

01  Sec. 18.60.076.  Handling of conductive objects.  (a)  Unless the employee                                          
02 is insulated or guarded from the energized part or the energized part is insulated or                                   
03 guarded from the employee, an employer may not allow an employee to approach or                                         
04 take a conductive object closer to exposed parts that are energized at 5,000 volts or                                   
05 more from phase-to-phase or phase-to-ground than the distance set out in 29 C.F.R.                                      
06 1910.269, Tables R-6 to R-10, as amended, or in 29 C.F.R. 1926.950, Table B-1, as                                       
07 amended.  An employee may be insulated by using approved rubber gloves or by using                                      
08 tools with approved insulating handles.                                                                                 
09  (b)  The employee shall have the right to decide between using insulated or                                           
10 rubber gloves or a tool with an insulated handle for a particular task.                                                 
11  (c)  An employer may not be held liable for damages caused by an employee's                                           
12 decision under (b) of this section.