WorkSafe Bulletin

Underground Distribution Cable Vaults:

Guidance for Employers on Risk Assessment
Entering an underground distribution cable vault
can put workers at risk of injury from a wide What is an underground distribution
range of hazards. Some of these hazards include cable vault?
the following:
An underground distribution cable vault is an
• Electric shock hazards (for example, water, faulty
opening in an underground duct system that
cable splices, or damaged cable insulation)
houses cables, cable splices, and other electrical
• Confined space hazards
equipment. The opening is large enough for a
• Asbestos exposure
worker to enter on a ladder and is often called
• Atmospheric hazards (from by-products of
a manhole.
cable faults)
Before workers enter a cable vault to carry out
maintenance or inspections, employers must identify Hazard identification and elimination
the hazards, assess the risks, and implement controls of hazards
to ensure workers' safety.
An effective planning process can anticipate hazards
This document provides guidance for employers on in a cable vault before work begins. De-energization
key elements of the risk assessment process for cable of the electrical equipment must be considered as the
vault entry. The scope of this document is limited to first step in planning the work. If de-energization is not
cable vaults that contain electrical equipment and to feasible, then you can use the following guidelines to
inspection work required before and upon entering identify the hazards.
such vaults. This document is not a confined space
Hazard identification starts with collecting information
entry procedure; however, it may be used together
that could be useful before starting work. This
with a written confined space entry procedure.
information includes schematics, blueprints, and any
hazard surveys prepared previously. The owner of
About the risk assessment process the power system should be able to provide this data.
As an employer, you should implement and maintain Consider prior experience from previous entries and
a risk assessment process as part of your cable vault knowledge from workers familiar with the cable vault.
entry program. The risk assessment process should Energy hazards are sources of energy that can be
cover the following areas: harmful if workers come into contact with them.
• Hazard identification and elimination of hazards Energy hazards could convert to physical hazards (such
• Risk analysis of the remaining hazards as heat, light, noise, or gases) through their interaction
with materials used in a product or process.
• Risk evaluation
It’s not always possible to have accurate knowledge of
all cable circuits within a cable vault. For this reason,

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before entering a cable vault, a qualified worker
should contact the owner of the power system and Electrical qualifications
arrange for a Live Line Permit (LLP) or an equivalent
form of protection on all the known circuits located For definitions of a "qualified worker" and a
in the cable vault. "qualified electrical worker," see OHS Guideline
G19.1-2. Follow the link in the "For more
A qualified worker who is in charge should assemble
information" section at the end of this bulletin.
the crew and conduct a briefing before work begins.
The briefing should cover the hazards associated with
cable vault work, the procedures involved, special grounding and halo integrity of the vault.
precautions, the means to control the energy source,
For submerged energized cables, perform a thermal
and personal protective equipment requirements.
test every 20 minutes for 1 hour regardless of the
The initial entry should be performed by a qualified initial temperature reading. Then test as per normal
electrical worker who performs a hands-off safety and above-normal limits. Water-cooling conditions can
inspection within the cable vault. This inspection lead to a delayed rise in cable temperature.
should include the following actions:
• Look and listen for any visible or audible tracking, Risk analysis of the remaining hazards
arcing, etc. Qualitative risk analysis may be performed by a
• Note the location and state of cable covers, cable qualified worker with the appropriate skills, knowledge,
supports, etc. and experience to provide an informed judgment
• Check for leaking, swelling, or collapsed splices. without extensive quantitative analysis. Once the risk
analysis is complete, verify the controls put in place to
• Check for proper grounding within the cable vault.
ensure that they provide the expected degree of risk
• Check that all circuits have been included in the reduction.
cable vault permit process.
The following factors may affect the level of risk
• Check for vandalism, such as neutral harvesting. determined by a risk analysis:
• Perform temperature measurements on all • Source of the electrical energy (for example, BC
splices and connections. Verify if they are within Hydro, an independent power producer, or a point
the allowable temperatures provided by the of isolation)
power system owner or known data references.
• Type of current (AC or DC)
Temperature readings should be taken again prior
to work, and then repeated at a minimum of every • Voltage and normal loading of the energy source
four hours. • Fault current-delivering capability of the
• Record temperatures on the tailboard form. If energy source
temperatures are: • Potential for an arc flash event
• Within normal limits, repeat testing every • Hazardous live parts
four hours • Parts that have become live under fault conditions,
• Higher than normal but below the maximum especially as a result of an insulation failure
allowable, repeat testing every 20 minutes
• Insulation not suitable for the conditions of use
• Above maximum allowable limits, stop work and
vacate the space • Effects of arc flash (for example, projection of molten
particles)
It’s critical to inspect all high-voltage connectors,
such as straight splices, T-body splices, insulated • Effects from short-circuits and overloads on cable
connectors, and transition splices. Check the cable splices and cable insulation

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• Cable circuit loading due to switching conditions completed rankings allow you to evaluate the results
• Damage resulting from climbing or stepping on and prioritize rescue plans.
cables or cable hangers Factors that could negatively influence risk
• Tools and materials lowered into the vault opening evaluation include the following:
from above • Work overload (for example, projects that cannot
• Ducts, rods, and worker position be managed with available resources)

• Damage resulting from spiking the wrong cable • Work complexity (i.e., projects that go beyond
before starting work existing skill sets)

• Secondary effects (resulting from electric shock, • Excessive work pace and/or duration (for example,
slipping, tripping, etc.) that cause workers to fall or unrealistic timelines)
drop objects • Inappropriate shift work design (overtime,
• Repair work that is due or has not been completed extended hours, shift rotation factors, etc.)
on the circuits inside the cable vault • Inadequate materials resource management
(equipment, supplies, etc.)
Risk evaluation • Poor design of the equipment, the cable vault, etc.
Risk evaluation is the last stage of a risk assessment. • Inadequate training and instruction
The goal of a risk evaluation is to determine whether
a tolerable level of risk has been achieved. Risk For more information
evaluation aids in making decisions about whether a
Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
work activity can be undertaken within the expected
degree of risk reduction. • Section 4.13, Risk Assessment
As an employer, you should develop a qualitative • Part 19, Electrical Safety
risk-scoring tool to rank the different hazards Occupational Health and Safety Guidelines
according to their risk of injury to workers. The
• Guideline G19.1-2, Electrical Qualifications

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