General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

Electrical Protective Equipment

Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05

29 CFR 1910.137

29 CFR 1910.137 sets the design, testing, and in-service care requirements for electrical protective equipment: the rubber insulating gloves, sleeves, blankets, and covers that guard against shock. Equipment is classed by voltage, must be inspected for damage before each day's use, and rubber gloves must be electrically retested at least every six months.

29 CFR 1910.137 at a glance

What it requires: Design, testing, and in-service care of electrical protective equipment (rubber insulating goods)
Who it covers: General-industry employers whose workers use insulating gloves, sleeves, blankets, line hose, or covers
Inspection: Insulating equipment must be inspected for damage before each day's use (1910.137(c)(2)(ii))
Glove testing: Rubber insulating gloves are electrically retested at least every 6 months
Max penalty (2026): $16,550 per serious violation; $165,514 per willful
The #1 confusion: 1910.137 governs the rubber goods themselves: using them is required by other electrical standards

What 29 CFR 1910.137 requires (plain English)

29 CFR 1910.137 sets the design, electrical test, and in-service care requirements for electrical protective equipment: the rubber insulating gloves, sleeves, blankets, matting, line hose, and covers that protect workers from electric shock. It classifies this equipment by voltage rating (classes 00, 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4) and specifies the manufacturing and dielectric-strength requirements each class must meet.

Because insulating rubber degrades with use, ozone, and time, the standard is built around inspection and periodic electrical testing. Insulating equipment must be inspected for damage before each day's use and immediately after any incident that could have damaged it; rubber insulating gloves must be electrically retested at regular intervals, at least every six months in service, and blankets and other items on their own schedules. Leather protector gloves must be worn over rubber insulating gloves to shield them from mechanical damage.

1910.137 is about the equipment itself; the duty to actually use it comes from the electrical safe-work-practice standards: 1910.335 requires PPE and insulating equipment where employees work near energized parts, and 1910.333 sets the work practices (de-energize by default). For construction, the parallel requirements sit in Subpart K and Subpart V. Treat 1910.137 as the specification and testing rulebook for the rubber goods that those standards require.

The regulatory text

“Insulating equipment shall be inspected for damage before each day's use and immediately following any incident that can reasonably be suspected of causing damage.”

29 CFR 1910.137(c)(2)(ii)

Key facts about 29 CFR 1910.137

1910.137 covers rubber insulating gloves, sleeves, blankets, matting, line hose, and covers.
Electrical protective equipment is classed by voltage: classes 00, 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Insulating equipment must be inspected for damage before each day's use (1910.137(c)(2)(ii)).
Rubber insulating gloves must be electrically retested at least every 6 months in service.
Leather protector gloves must be worn over rubber insulating gloves to prevent mechanical damage.
The duty to use this equipment comes from 1910.335; the design and testing rules are in 1910.137.
Equipment that fails inspection or testing must be removed from service.

Scope: who 29 CFR 1910.137 applies to

Regulatory framework: General Industry (29 CFR 1910)
Citation reference: 29 CFR 1910.137
Enforcement status: In force and enforced
Jurisdiction: Federal OSHA (29 State-Plan jurisdictions may be stricter)

State-Plan states (e.g. California, Washington, Michigan) operate OSHA-approved programs that must be at least as effective as federal OSHA and frequently impose higher penalties or additional requirements. Confirm the rule as adopted in your state.

Key requirements of 29 CFR 1910.137

#	Employer obligation
1	Test insulating gloves before first use and every 6 months
2	Inspect rubber goods before each use
3	Store insulating equipment properly to prevent damage
4	Select voltage rating appropriate for the work
5	Use leather protectors over rubber gloves

Summarized from the text of 29 CFR 1910.137. Always read the full regulation for the binding language.

Common Electrical PPE violations

Deficiencies OSHA cites under 29 CFR 1910.137 include the ones below, in no particular order. Distinct deficiencies can be cited as separate items, and each serious item carries up to $16,550 (2026). Broader per-instance stacking exists but is a discretionary, case-by-case OSHA enforcement policy, not an automatic multiplier.

Rubber insulating gloves not electrically retested on schedule (at least every 6 months): 1910.137(c)(2)(viii).
Insulating equipment not inspected for damage before each day's use (1910.137(c)(2)(ii)).
Wrong voltage class of insulating equipment for the exposure (1910.137(b)).
Leather protectors not worn over rubber insulating gloves (1910.137(c)(2)(vii)).
Damaged or failed insulating equipment kept in service (1910.137(c)(2)).

1910.137 is the rubber-goods rulebook: the duty to wear them is elsewhere

Employers sometimes look to 1910.137 to tell them when insulating gloves are required. It does not: it specifies what the rubber goods must be (voltage classes, dielectric strength) and how they must be inspected and tested. The requirement to actually use insulating equipment near energized parts comes from the electrical safe-work-practice standards: 1910.335 mandates the PPE and insulating equipment, and 1910.333 sets the work practices, with de-energizing as the default. A frequent lapse under 1910.137 itself is skipping the periodic electrical retest of gloves (at least every six months) or the daily damage inspection, or omitting the leather protectors that keep rubber gloves from being cut.

What OSHA inspectors look for

A compliance officer checks that insulating equipment is the correct voltage class, inspected before each day's use, and that rubber gloves are within their six-month electrical retest, and confirms leather protectors are worn over rubber gloves. Overdue glove tests and missing leather protectors are common findings: the use duty itself comes from 1910.335.

Example: how a violation is cited

An electrician uses rubber insulating gloves that are eight months past their electrical retest and cracked. OSHA cites 1910.137 because insulating equipment must be inspected and periodically retested: a lapse that can let current through, with penalties from $16,550.

Illustrative example, not a specific OSHA case.

Electrical PPE compliance checklist

Use this to evaluate your compliance with 29 CFR 1910.137. Each item is a key requirement OSHA may verify during an inspection.

Select rubber insulating equipment of the correct voltage class for the exposure (classes 00–4).
Inspect insulating equipment for damage before each day's use and after any suspected damage.
Electrically retest rubber insulating gloves at least every 6 months, and other items on their schedules.
Wear leather protector gloves over rubber insulating gloves to prevent mechanical damage.
Remove from service and re-test or discard any equipment that fails inspection.
Coordinate with 1910.335 and 1910.333 so the equipment is actually used under the right work practices.

2026 penalties for 29 CFR 1910.137

Maximums set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d). 2026 amounts unchanged from 2025 (no CPI adjustment; OMB M-26-11). Not an increase. The 2025 OSHA penalty levels remain in effect for 2026; OSHA made no inflation adjustment for 2026. 29 CFR 1903.15 identifies January 15, 2025 as the effective reference for these amounts, while OSHA's public penalties page currently references penalties assessed after Jan. 15, 2026.

Violation type	Minimum	Maximum	When it applies
Serious	$1,085	$16,550	Substantial probability of death or serious physical harm.
Other-Than-Serious	$0	$16,550	Relates to safety/health but unlikely to cause death or serious harm.
Willful	$11,823	$165,514	Intentional, knowing, or voluntary disregard of the requirement.
Repeated	$4,256	$165,514	A substantially similar violation cited within the last 5 years.
Failure to Abate	None	$16,550/day	up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6)

Electrical-PPE citations follow shock incidents and electrical-work inspections. Serious violations reach $16,550 and willful or repeat violations $165,514; overdue glove testing and missing protectors are the usual findings.

Maximums and the willful minimum are set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d); the serious and repeated minimums are OSHA policy floors from its annual penalty adjustment memo. OSHA applies gravity-based and size, good-faith and history reductions (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch.6). Estimates only, not legal advice.

The business case for Electrical PPE compliance

Rubber insulating gloves are the last barrier between a worker and an energized conductor, but the rubber degrades with use, ozone, and time. The daily inspection and six-month retest ensure the gloves still hold their rated voltage when a worker's life depends on them.

Free compliance tools for 29 CFR 1910.137

PPE Selector Weekly Site Safety Inspection

Electrical PPE penalties by state

Penalties and enforcement vary by state. State-Plan states may impose higher penalties and additional requirements beyond federal 29 CFR 1910.137.

Alabama Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia

View all 50 states + DC →

Frequently asked questions about 29 CFR 1910.137

What does 29 CFR 1910.137 cover?

1910.137 sets the design, electrical testing, and in-service care requirements for electrical protective equipment: rubber insulating gloves, sleeves, blankets, matting, line hose, and covers. It classifies the equipment by voltage rating (classes 00 through 4) and requires inspection and periodic electrical testing so the rubber goods reliably protect workers from electric shock.

How often must rubber insulating gloves be tested?

Rubber insulating gloves must be electrically retested at regular intervals, at least every six months while in service, in addition to being inspected for damage before each day's use. Blankets, sleeves, and other insulating equipment have their own test intervals. Equipment that fails a test or inspection must be removed from service until it is retested or replaced.

Do you need leather protectors over insulating gloves?

Yes. Under 1910.137, leather protector gloves must be worn over rubber insulating gloves, because the soft insulating rubber is easily cut, punctured, or abraded during work. The leather protectors shield the rubber from mechanical damage that could compromise its dielectric protection, while the rubber glove provides the actual electrical insulation.

Does 1910.137 require workers to wear insulating equipment?

Not directly: it specifies what the equipment must be and how it is tested and cared for. The requirement to actually use insulating equipment near energized parts comes from the electrical safe-work-practice standards: 1910.335 mandates the PPE and insulating equipment, and 1910.333 sets the work practices with de-energizing as the default. 1910.137 is the specification and testing rulebook for the rubber goods those standards require.

Regulatory history of 29 CFR 1910.137

OSHA updated 1910.137 in 2014 (79 FR 20316) as part of the electric power generation, transmission, and distribution rulemaking, revising the electrical protective equipment requirements and moving toward performance-based references to the ASTM D120-series consensus standards for rubber insulating equipment. The voltage-class system and periodic-test intervals reflect those consensus standards.

Related glossary terms

Key terms that appear in 29 CFR 1910.137, each with a full plain-English explainer.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Hierarchy of Controls Engineering Controls

Related guides & articles

Electrical Safety Construction: OSHA & NFPA 70E Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Construction Guide

Related OSHA standards

29 CFR 1910.268

Telecommunications

29 CFR 1910.269

Electric Power Operations

29 CFR 1910.303

Electrical General

29 CFR 1910.304

Wiring Design

Primary sources

OSHA figures on this page are imported from HazComFast's verified regulatory module (verified 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register).

This page is an educational summary, not legal advice. OSHA standards and penalty amounts change; confirm requirements against the current regulation and your applicable State-Plan before acting.

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