Working nearby is not live working
Annex I of Spain’s Royal Decree 614/2001 distinguishes the two situations. Proximity work may enter the vicinity zone while remaining outside the danger zone. Entering the latter with the body, tools or materials changes the category of work.
Classification must consider the entire manoeuvre, including turns, swinging and involuntary movements. An initial position that appears distant does not describe exposure throughout the rest of the activity.
Identify the installation and assess alternatives
Before starting, locate overhead lines, underground cables and other electrical elements that may affect the task. Conditions influencing the risk must also be understood, without assuming a visible cable has protective insulation.
In Spain, the general rule for work involving electrical risk is to work de-energised, subject to regulated exceptions. Diversion, de-energisation or reorganisation of the activity should be considered before relying solely on distances.
Who determines feasibility
Annex V assigns this preliminary assessment to an authorised worker for low voltage and a qualified worker for high voltage. They must establish whether the necessary separation can be maintained and which measures enable it.
Employer authorisation and qualification have specific meanings under this regulation. They do not simply mean having worked at the company for a long time or attended a general prevention talk.
Distances and foreseeable movements
Regulatory boundaries depend on voltage and the conditions specified in the Annex I table. For proximity work, it also matters whether the zone can be precisely defined and crossing its boundary controlled.
Planning must consider machine reach, transported lengths, suspended loads, terrain and accidental movements. There is no single distance valid for every line or task. It must be determined through technical analysis of each situation.
Protection, information and supervision
The number of elements remaining live must be reduced and their danger zones protected through effective measures. Where accessible zones remain, the work area is delimited and those involved informed of boundaries, risks and conditions they must report.
Where protective measures are insufficient, Annex V requires work by authorised personnel or under their supervision, subject to its specific provisions. Warning tape is not by itself an electrically protective barrier.
Changes requiring a stop and review
A different machine position, loss of visibility, wind affecting a load or discovery of an unidentified installation can invalidate planning. Clear criteria must exist for stopping and reassessing.
Coordination with the installation owner and other companies prevents incompatible decisions about installations and simultaneous work. Reporting changes is particularly important where someone controls a machine from a different position from the person observing the line.
Hypothetical example: unloading near a line
A delivery is scheduled beside an overhead line. Although the vehicle fits beneath it, the load’s lifting path could approach live parts.
Before unloading, competent personnel review feasibility and choose another location. The relevant check concerned the equipment’s entire movement, not simply the parked truck’s height.
