Help, OSHA advises us about outlet box

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We are a manufacturing facility in TN. When installing electrical outlets in our plant we have always used an aluminum outlet box commonly used with conduit. These boxes have knockouts provided.

OSHA advises that this type of box is only suitable for "behind wall use" and should not be used say for wall mounting or drop cords from a 100 bus-bar. We mount these on wall surfaces, or when attached to a drop cord are hanging about 6 ft off the floor.

Our electrical supply house has no idea what to use and of course OSHA makes no recommendations.

Any knowledgable people out there with experience in this?
 
Re: Help, OSHA advises us about outlet box

Can you give us any catalog number from your box? All I can imagine is that you are using the type with ears, commonly called old works boxes. A regular device box, commonly called a handy box, is normally used for surface mounting. As far a attachment to cords, I know I have done it, but I seem to remember something on this forum that said that was not an approved use. I will have to check into that part of your question.

Again, give us some numbers, and someone here will respond with the correct parts numbers for your use.

Good luck.

Rick Miell
 
Re: Help, OSHA advises us about outlet box

Woodhead industrial-grade boxes are made of sturdy NEoTEX? rubber to resist oil, shock and chemicals and meet OSHA and NEC guidelines. This is what the safety people at one of the plants I work at made them change to. The Part Number they used is 3001-2 it is really a nice box and does a good job for them.

Sorry I had one to many zeros in the Part Number

[ April 13, 2004, 08:49 PM: Message edited by: tkelly ]
 
Re: Help, OSHA advises us about outlet box

Thanks guys for the input! I'll take a look at some of the items you suggest.

What we are using now is made by Unity Manufacturing. One is a 4" square outlet box (Cat.# V353). The other we use is a Standard Handy Box (Cat.# V201)

Late yesterday a found the Woodhead 3000-1. It appears these are more suited for extension cord or drop cord use. What about mounting to a wall. For ex., we run conduit down a concrete block wall and mount the box to the surface of the wall.
 
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