WAC 296-17A-0509:

296-17A-0508 << 296-17A-0509 >> 296-17A-0510

PDFWAC 296-17A-0509

Classification 0509.

0509-00 Overhead telephone or telegraph lines: New construction or extension of lines - Including poles or towers; erection, maintenance or repair by contractor

Applies to:

Contractors engaged in the construction, maintenance, or repair of overhead telephone or telegraph lines, poles, and towers.

Towers may be constructed of solid wall, cylindrical steel or of fabricated steel cross members reaching a height of about 50 feet, and are secured to a concrete pad or set into the ground. They may be used to elevate the lines over long distances or to support microwave antennae or receivers.

Work activities and processes include, but are not limited to:

• Clearing a right of way (excluding logging-type operations);

• Boring holes for poles to be set in;

• Installing cross arms, insulators, and brackets on poles (which may be wood or metal);

• Setting poles or towers into position;

• Installing guy wires if necessary;

• Stringing the lines;

• Incidental tree topping;

• Tying into the low-voltage power source;

• Making service connections when done by employees of an employer having operations subject to this classification;

• Securing towers to concrete pads;

• Setting towers into the ground.

Exclusions:

Specialty contractors engaged in any single phase of the work described above:

• Land clearing and grading operations are classified in 0101;

• Erection of poles or towers is classified in 0508;

• Drilling holes is classified in 0103;

• Tree topping is classified in 0106;

• Making service connections is classified in 0601 or 0608 as applicable;

• Underground telephone line installation is classified in 0107;

• Felling of timber is classified in the applicable logging classification.

Special notes:

• If done by a telephone or telegraph company, the work described above is included in classification 1303.

• A contractor engaged in the installation of electric and/or cable television overhead lines in addition to telephone and telegraph lines is to be reported in classification 0509-03.

• If a specialty contractor is only stringing telephone or telegraph lines, and not erecting poles or towers, classification 0509-00 is still applicable.

0509-01 Overhead television lines: New construction or extension of lines - Including poles or towers; erection, maintenance, or repair by contractor

Applies to:

Contractors engaged in the construction, maintenance, or repair of overhead television lines, poles, and towers.

Towers may be constructed of solid wall, cylindrical steel, or of fabricated steel cross members reaching a height of about 50 feet, and are secured to a concrete pad or set into the ground. They may be used to elevate the lines over long distances or to support microwave antennae or receivers.

Work activities and processes include, but are not limited to:

• Clearing a right of way (excluding logging-type operations);

• Boring holes for poles to be set in;

• Installing cross arms, insulators, and brackets on poles (which may be wood or metal);

• Setting poles or towers into position;

• Installing guy wires if necessary;

• Stringing the lines;

• Incidental tree topping;

• Tying into the low-voltage power source;

• Making service connections when done by employees of an employer having operations subject to this classification;

• Securing towers to concrete pads;

• Setting towers into the ground.

Exclusions:

Specialty contractors engaged in any single phase of the work described above:

• Land clearing and grading operations are classified in 0101;

• Erection of poles or towers is classified in 0508;

• Drilling holes is classified in 0103;

• Tree topping is classified in 0106;

• Making service connections is classified in 0601 or 0608 as applicable;

• Underground television line installation is classified in 0107;

• Felling of timber is classified in the applicable logging classification.

Special notes:

• If done by a cable television company, the work described above is included in classification 1305.

• A contractor engaged in the installation of overhead electric and/or telephone or telegraph lines in addition to overhead television lines is to be reported in classification 0509-03.

• If a specialty contractor is only stringing overhead television lines, and not erecting poles or towers, classification 0509-01 is still applicable.

0509-02 Overhead electric transmission lines: New construction or extension of lines - Including poles or towers; erection, maintenance, or repair by contractor

Applies to:

Contractors engaged in the construction, maintenance, or repair of overhead electric transmission lines, poles, and towers.

Work activities and processes include, but are not limited to:

• Clearing a right of way (excluding logging-type operations);

• Boring holes for poles to be set in;

• Installing cross arms, insulators, and brackets on poles (which may be wood or metal);

• Setting poles or towers into position;

• Installing guy wires if necessary;

• Stringing the lines;

• Installing circuit breakers and transformers;

• Incidental tree topping;

• Tying into the high-voltage power source;

• Making service connections when done by employees of an employer having operations subject to this classification;

• Securing towers to concrete pads;

• Setting towers into the ground.

Exclusions:

Specialty contractors engaged in any single phase of the work described above:

• Land clearing and grading operations are classified in 0101;

• Erection of poles or towers is classified in 0508;

• Drilling holes is classified in 0103;

• Tree topping is classified in 0106;

• Making service connections is classified in 0601 or 0608 as applicable;

• Underground electric line installation is classified in 0107;

• Felling of timber is classified in the applicable logging classification.

Special notes:

• If done by an electric power company, the work described above is included in classification 1301.

• A contractor engaged in the installation of overhead telephone or telegraph lines and/or television lines in addition to overhead electric lines is to be reported in classification 0509-03.

• If a specialty contractor is only stringing overhead electric lines, and not erecting poles or towers, classification 0509-02 is still applicable.

0509-03 Overhead transmission lines, N.O.C.: New construction or extension of lines - Including poles or towers; erection, maintenance, or repair by contractor

Applies to:

Contractors engaged in the construction, maintenance, or repair of more than one type of overhead transmission line, including poles and towers, which are not covered by another classification (N.O.C.).

If the contractor specializes in either telephone, telegraph, television, or electric lines, they are specifically defined elsewhere within classification 0509.

Work activities and processes include, but are not limited to:

• Clearing a right of way (excluding logging-type operations);

• Boring holes for poles to be set in;

• Installing cross arms, insulators, and brackets on poles (which may be wood or metal);

• Setting poles or towers into position;

• Installing guy wires if necessary;

• Stringing the lines;

• Installing circuit breakers and transformers;

• Incidental tree topping;

• Tying into the power source;

• Making service connections when done by employees of an employer having operations subject to this classification;

• Securing towers to concrete pads;

• Setting towers into the ground.

Exclusions:

Specialty contractors engaged in any single phase of the work described above:

• Land clearing and grading operations are classified in 0101;

• Erection of poles or towers is classified in 0508;

• Drilling holes is classified in 0103;

• Tree topping is classified in 0106;

• Making service connections is classified in 0601 or 0608 as applicable;

• Underground line installation is classified in 0107;

• Felling of timber is classified in the applicable logging classification.

Special notes:

• If done by a telephone or telegraph company, the work described above is included in classification 1303; if done by a cable television company, it is included in classification 1305; if done by an electric utility company, it is included in classification 1301.

• If a specialty contractor is only stringing a combination of types of overhead lines, and not erecting poles or towers, classification 0509-03 is still applicable.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 51.04.020 and 51.16.035. WSR 25-23-070, s 296-17A-0509, filed 11/18/25, effective 1/1/26. Statutory Authority: RCW 51.16.035 and WAC 296-17-31029. WSR 14-24-049, § 296-17A-0509, filed 11/25/14, effective 1/1/15. WSR 07-01-014, recodified as § 296-17A-0509, filed 12/8/06, effective 12/8/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 51.16.035. WSR 98-18-042, § 296-17-52101, filed 8/28/98, effective 10/1/98; WSR 85-24-032 (Order 85-33), § 296-17-52101, filed 11/27/85, effective 1/1/86; WSR 83-24-017 (Order 83-36), § 296-17-52101, filed 11/30/83, effective 1/1/84; WSR 82-24-047 (Order 82-38), § 296-17-52101, filed 11/29/82, effective 1/1/83.]