The equipment to which you are running raceway may provide an unsafe working condition, and so can nearby equipment that is not related to the job you are working on.
Often, simply shutting something off eliminates the hazard. See if you can take the equipment out of service long enough to complete the job. If you cannot take it out of service, then determine how to protect yourself. For example, say you are installing a light above a scrap grinder with an open chute. Operations does not want to shut it down for more than a few minutes, and you need an hour. A sheet of plywood securely fastened over that chute could solve this dilemma.
To prevent falling into running machinery or dropping something into it, you might just need to move your ladder or platform. Or, as in the example, put a barrier in place. What if it is still energized? Use insulated barriers (e.g., insulated blankets) to eliminate touch shock hazards. If you are running raceway to energized enclosures, stuff open top holes with rags to prevent “dropped item” problems.
