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17.0 ELECTRICAL SAFETY

17.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this document is to outline responsibilities and provide guidance

on the Electrical Safety procedures and practices to be followed.

These guidelines describe the principal precautions that should be taken by all
personnel in dealing with Electrical equipment and apply to all Project sites.

17.2 DEFINITIONS

Electricity: Flow of electrons through a conductor.

Grounding: A conductive connection to the earth which acts as a protective

measure.

Insulator: Substance with high resistance to electricity that prevent electricity

from getting to unwanted areas.

Substation: "Substation": - refers to any premises, part of any premises, or

outdoor erection with switchgear / transformer / other electrical equipment, in
which electrical energy is controlled, transformed or converted.

Isolated: Physically separated from the source of supply.

17.3 CAUSES OF ELECTRICAL HAZARDS

Following are some of the causes of electrical hazards :

 Faulty or damaged wiring or equipment.
 Loose connections.
 Use of under-rated wiring or poor quality fittings.
 Lack of earthing / grounding.
 Lack of protective safety devices.
 Use of overrated fuses.
 Working on live equipment.
 Overloading of power sockets, equipment.
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 Water seepage or handling with wet body parts.

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 Poor housekeeping.
 Handling of electrical equipment by incompetent person, lack of
awareness and training.
 Lack of safe working procedures and poor communication.
 Failure to use appropriate PPE & tools.
 Lack of warning signs.
 Lack of proper identification.
 Unsafe equipment and/or installation.
 Workplaces made unsafe by the environment.
 Unsafe work practices.

17.4 GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

 Only qualified / licensed electrician shall perform the electrical work.
 Do not touch any live or poorly insulated conductor.
 Any abnormality shall be reported to the Electrical Maintenance staff immediately.
 Use personal protective equipment such like safety shoes, PVC / rubber
hand gloves etc.
 Before starting the work ensure that equipment is isolated from the main supply.
 Use rubber mat/wooden plank as an insulation in front of panel, distribution
board etc. while operating them.
 Do not use wet clothing, shoes, hands etc. while working on electrical equipment.
 Check availability of proper fuses, RCCB, ELCB, MCB etc.
 Inspect the cord / cable of portable electrical appliances before using them.
 Do not use water or any liquid for extinguishing fire in electrical equipment.
 Use only 24-volt supply lamp while working inside the confined / closed
space unless proper safety device (RCCB / ELCB) is not provided in main
supply.
 Use three-pin plug top only in the electrical connection.
 Ensure Junction boxes, and fittings have approved covers.
 Placing or hanging cloth or other material on electrical equipment shall be
forbidden.
 Electrical switches or the access to them shall not be blocked by any material.
 Handling of electrical apparatus or switchgear shall not be done while the
hand or body is wet.
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 Use GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter).

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 Use of non-intrinsically safe pagers/mobile phones and similar devices shall

not be permitted inside hazardous areas.
 Lockout and Tag-out procedures shall be followed.
 Wherever the possibility of electrical shock or injury is expected due to
inadvertent starting, locking of power circuit at substation is mandatory.
Locking the control circuit at local switch shall not be considered as
adequate.
 Properly sized overload protection shall be provided. Substitutes for fuses
are prohibited.
 Extension codes are intended only for temporary use.
 Extension codes shall be protected from damage when in use. Extension
code attached to equipment shall not be used for raising and lowering the
equipment.
 Electrical tools must not be used in hazardous areas unless they are suitably
certified or a relevant work permit has been issued.
 Placing or hanging cloth or other material on electrical equipment shall be
forbidden.
 Portable electrical equipments must be disconnected from the supply when
left unattended, whatever the reason.
 Portable electrical equipment must be correctly earthen (grounded) or
double insulated.
 Defective appliances, lines/cords, equipment, etc shall be taken out of
service, tagged, and reported to the supervisor. Taped splices in cords shall
not be permitted.
 Always adhere to manufacture recommendations and instructions.

Electrical Tag-Out

Use of ‘Danger – Do not Operate" tag with isolation by local switch shall be limited
to minor electrical jobs, such as:

• Relamping.
• Minor A/C maintenance work.
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Portable Hand Lamps

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• The supply voltage to portable hand lamp shall not exceed 24 volts. Only
Explosion Proof type shall be used in hazardous area, such as inside vessels and
tanks.

Portable instruments
 Portable instruments used by different crafts in hazardous area shall be
intrinsically safe or explosion proof types.
 All cables of portable equipment shall be screened cables which are properly
grounded.

The following safety considerations shall be kept in view while carrying out work
associated with electrical power system

Work inside Electrical Substation

• Any work inside electrical substation shall be carried out with due authorization
of appropriate work permit. The work shall be performed under direct supervision
of a competent electrical person.
• The work supervisor shall remain present in the substation during the entire
work period. He shall take every reasonable precautionary measure for the safety
of workers under his supervision, satisfying himself that each individual
understands the potential hazards associated with the work.
• Prior to starting a work or inspection activity inside an Electrical Substation
protected by CO2 flooding system (automatic fire extinguishers), a competent &
authorized person shall override CO2 system and he will also ensure its proper re-
commissioning immediately after the protected Zone is evacuated. The system
override shall be also recorded in the substation logbook.

Operation on High Voltage Switchgear

• Any work on High Voltage Switchgears shall be carried out by a nominated and
authorized person only, who will take all necessary precautions against potential
hazards in compliance to Work Permit System.
• No persons shall, under any circumstances, do any work on high Voltage
apparatus, unless such apparatus has been isolated and earthed.
• The potential transformers shall be isolated from the feeder or apparatus on
which work is to be carried out.
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• Once isolated, each conductor shall be earthed, either through the circuit

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breaker, or by fixed earthing switches, or by means of installing a copper conductor

of minimum cross section 25 sq. mm connected to the earth and fixed securely in
contact with the conductor. The position of earths shall be secured such that it does
get detached from earth during the work.
Works on High Voltage Cables
• Before any work is carried out on High Voltage Cables, which have been isolated
in accordance with Work Permit requirement, such cables shall be spiked at the
point where it is to be cut, by means of a spiking gun or by having a wooden-
shafted steel- shod spike earthed and driven into the cable.
Work on High Voltage Overhead Lines
Before any work is carried out on a High Voltage overhead lines which have been
isolated, such overhead lines shall be proved dead by using:
• An earth stick to bring into contact with each conductor a length of copper wire
previously connected to the pole earth or by throwing such a length of copper wire
chain over line in such a way as to shorten and earth the conductors, at the point
where the work is to be commenced, and temporary earth connections shall be
made at each side of the work.
• Post warning signs stating about the work.
• Use wood or fiberglass ladders and not metal ladders.
• The earth lead shall be considered to be alive at full line voltage until after the
line has been proved dead by the foregoing test.
• Work shall be carried out by a nominated and authorized person who can ascend
on any pole or tower supporting live conductors provided that he does not ascend
beyond a position where it is possible to bring any part of his body or any working
tool within the following distances of any exposed live conductors:
• Not exceeding 11 KV 1 m
• Exceeding 11KV but not exceeding 33KV 1.2 m
• Exceeding 33KV but not exceeding 66KV 1.8 m
Work on Medium & Low Voltage Cables
 Before work is carried out on any medium & / or low Voltage cables, it shall, be
isolated and caution notices posted on the switchgears or fuse gears feeding it.
 In unavoidable circumstances where work is carried out on a live cable, then
only one conductor should be bared at a time and suitable protective
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equipment such as rubber boots, rubber mats or rubber gloves shall be used.

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 The lead sheath shall be bonded across with an insulated conductor of

appropriate a cross section before cutting it to ensure continuity of earthling
and shall be left in place while jointing.
 Any exposed metal work within the joint bay shall be suitably screened or
barriered with rubber sheet or other insulating material before any live jointing
is undertaken.
Work on Medium & / or Low Voltage Overhead Lines
 Before work is carried out on any medium & / or low voltage overhead lines, it
shall, be isolated and caution notices posted on the switchgears or fuse gears
feeding it. The isolation can be proved dead by the use of approved testing
equipment. No work shall be carried out on live overhead lines.

17.5 STATIC ELECTRICITY

Static electricity is a common source of ignition. It is generated due to rubbing of

different surfaces or materials. Certain operations accumulate static charges.
Discharge of static charges in hazardous atmosphere has been the cause of many
fires. Following are some examples of operations, which accumulate static charges:
 Flow of light hydrocarbons through non-conductive hoses (gasoline).
 Passing of dry and powder material down a non-conductive conveyor (sulphur).
 Charging of non-conductive clothing (e.g. polyester coveralls).
 Pouring of chemicals or paint from plastic container.
 Spray painting and sand blasting.
 Loading and unloading of hydrocarbons (oil movements).

Precautions
 Static electricity hazard can be reduced by minimizing the accumulation of
charges and draining (earthing) accumulated charges as below.
 Bonding and earthing between source and receiver of the product handling
system (pipe lines, distribution system, spray painting and sand blasting).
 Minimizing use of non-conductive materials. Where hoses, containers and
conveyors made of non-conductive materials have to be used special anti-static
material shall be selected (anti-static rubber belt, steel braided hoses).
 Use of anti-static PPE (safety shoe, coveralls, and disposable coveralls).
 Bonding of pneumatic tools and air removers/blower.
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 Control of flow rate of static-prone materials.

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 Avoiding water contamination of Hydrocarbons.

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