Lock Out Tag Out Try Out (LOTOTO) - Residual energy

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ASSESSMENT OF RELIABILITY OF VESSELS

Reliability assessment shall be made at the various stage of construction depending on the classification of the vessel. The manufacturer shall keep the purchaser or the inspecting authority informed of the progress of the work and shall notify the inspector reasonably in advance when the vessel has reached the required stage of inspection.

INSPECTION DURING MANUFACTURE

All materials to be used for pressure parts of vessels shall be inspected before fabrication for the purpose of detecting defects which may affect the safety of the vessel.

Special attention shall be paid to the cut edges and other parts of rolled materials which may disclose the existence of serious laminations, shearing cracks and other objectionable defects.

Defect shall not be repaired unless inspected and approved by the inspecting authority.

INSPECTION DURING FABRICATION

The inspector shall make inspections of each vessel at such stages of fabrication as he / she deems necessary to assume himself / herself that the fabrication is according to code requirements.

The edges of plates, openings and fittings exposed during manufacture shall be examined for defects.

Before assembly, all shell sections, ends, rings, etc., shall be examined for conformity to prescribed shape and checked for thickness and dimensions.

The component parts of the vessel shall be assembled and checked for alignment of matching edges. Special attention shall be paid to assembly of branches and to their reinforcement.

When conditions permit entry into the vessel, as complete an examination as possible shall be made before the final closure.

Heat Treatment Check: The inspector shall satisfy himself that stress relieving procedure or other heat treatment, as may be necessary, has been correctly carried out.

INSPECTION OF COMPLETED PRESSURE VESSELS

Visual inspection - During the final inspection of the whole vessel the surfaces of the welds are to be inspected visually and judged as meet the standard specifications.

Records of manufacturing details, inspection and tests shall be kept by the manufacturer and shall be available for the inspecting authority for examination, whenever required.

Radiography Examination - Radiographic examination of welded joints shall be carried out.

 

PRESSURE TESTS

The finished vessel shall, in the presence of the inspecting authority, pass satisfactorily such of the following pressure tests as may apply.

Standard Hydrostatic Test: For simple vessels where thickness of all pressure parts can be calculated.

Proof  Hydrostatic Test: For complex vessels the thickness of which cannot be computed with a satisfactory assurance of accuracy and for which the maximum working pressure has to be based upon the distortion pressure.

Pneumatic Test: For vessels so designed and or supported that they cannot be safely filled with the testing liquid or for vessels that are to be used in services where even small traces of the testing liquid cannot be tolerated.

WELD SEAM TEST - RADIOGRAPHY

It covers the radiographic examination of all longitudinal and circumferential butt welds in drums, shells and headers throughout their whole length including points of intersection with other joints.

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Housekeeping Vs Safety

 INTRODUCTION

Housekeeping means cleanliness and orderliness. A good housekeeping means a place of everything and everything in its place.  Poor housekeeping is a source of accidents in industry.

Poor House Keeping

A poor housekeeping means existence of unsafe condition at work place which may cause accident.  Examples of poor housekeeping are given below:

1. Floor with loose articles, nails, oil, grease, ditch/pit, uncovered manhole, broken uneven etc.
2. Work place, work bench, wall, ceiling, door window-full of dust, dirt or unwanted things hanging or lying giving a shabby look.
3. Non-disposal of sward, scrap, effluent and waste from the work place.
4. Non-extraction of air pollutants like dust, fume, smoke, gases, vapour, mist, etc. from the work environment.
5. Improper lighting causing low level of illumination or shadow, uneven distribution of luminous flux, production of glare.
6. Inadequate ventilation causing discomfort in the work place in terms of temperature, humidity, air movement, air changes, etc.
7. Non-provision or blocking approaches to emergency equipment (fire bucket, portable fire extinguisher, first aid box, emergency shower, stretcher room etc.).
8. Keeping or stacking materials, equipment, tools etc. at such a position as to hinder easy and safe movement of men and materials or stack may collapse by slight disturbance.

Housekeeping vs Safety

A good housekeeping takes care of all the shortcomings mentioned above and make a work place reasonably conducive, safe and comfortable. Workers find it easy and less tiring job to complete their assigned tasks successfully and safely. If the floor, wall, door, window, ceiling, work bench etc. are carefully maintained out of dirt, dust, unwanted things, illumination and ventilation are properly maintained, storage of materials are paid due attention and emergency equipment are promptly available when needed, it may be ascertained that housekeeping will play a vital role in achieving safety in industry.

A good standard of housekeeping may be maintained if we follow the DO’s and DONT’s given below:

DO’S

1. Keep your surroundings clean to the extent possible.

2. Maintain floor free from cracks, pitholes, unevenness, loose articles, nails, sharp objects, oil grease, chemicals, scraps, waste/end pieces, etc.

3. Ensure your work bench/table free from unwanted things.

4. Keep tools, accessories, attachments, and other essential devices/aids at the respective place after use.

5. Dispose off swarf and waste at a period interval of time.

6. Ensure extraction of dust, fume, gas, vapours, mist from your work area.

7. Maintain comfortable work atmosphere in respect of temperature, humidity, air movement, air changes, etc.

8.    Store materials without blocking normal passage in the shop floor. 

9.    Keep oily waste in a separate bin with cover.

10.  Maintain emergency equipment always in order.

11.  Keep passage to emergency equipment free from obstacles.

12.  Maintain proper floor marking for aisle ways, storage area inside and outside the plant.

13.  Try to keep your work place with a decorative touch.
 
DON’TS
 
1. Do not throw oily waste here and there.
 
2. Do not smoke or use naked flame in restricted area marked “NO SMOKING”
 
3. Do not keep loose articles/objects narrowing down common passage aisle way, gangway, etc.
 
4. Do not misuse fire bucket.
 
5. Do not allow unwanted things to accumulate at your workplace.
 
CONCLUSION

A good housekeeping adds grace to safety.  A prudent management desirous of achieving higher productivity pays adequate attention to maintain a reasonable standard of good housekeeping. 

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Manufacture Storage & Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules (MSIHC RULES),1989

THE MANUFACTURE, STORAGE AND IMPORT OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS RULES, 1989 (AS AMENDED UPTO 2000 – SALIENT FEATURES)

1. INTRODUCTION
The Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989 were notified in November, 1989 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. These were amended in 1990, 1994 and 2000. The basic strategy suggested in the rules is to identify the hazardous industrial activities, prevent major accidents on-site as far as possible, and mitigate nay residual risk by emergency planning.  In other words, the objective of the rules is to prevent and combat accidents arising from certain industrial activities involving hazardous chemicals.
This paper briefly describes salient features of the regime of legal controls to prevent and mitigate major accident hazards.

2. DEFINITIONS
Various key terms namely, hazardous chemical, industrial activity, major accident, major accident hazards installation and threshold quantity are defined.

2.1 Hazardous Chemical [Rule 2(a)]
A hazardous chemical is defined as any chemical listed in any of the Schedules 1, 2 or 3 to the Rules. Any chemical which satisfied the indicative criteria given in part – I of schedule – 1 is also a hazardous chemical. The chemicals are broadly divided into several groups:  highly toxic, toxic, highly reactive, explosive and flammable chemicals. In al 684 chemicals are included in Schedule I, Part II; 25 named chemicals and five classes of flammable chemicals in Schedule–2; and 179 named chemicals and six classes of flammable chemicals in Schedule–3.

2.2 Industrial Activities [Rule 2(h)]
Industrial activities covered by the Rules are defined in terms of processes, storage and pipelines involving specified hazardous chemicals. In other worlds, industrial activities are divided into process activities, isolated storage and pipelines. Isolated storages covers sites such separate tank far or warehouses. Pipeline is defined as any pipe containing any of the hazardous chemicals listed at or above the threshold quantities specified except where the hazardous chemical that the pipe contains is a flammable gas as defined in paragraph b(1) of Part – 1 of Schedule – 1 at a pressure of less than 8 bars absolute.

2.3 Major Accident [Rule 2(j)]
“Major Accident” means – an incident involving loss of life inside or outside the installation or ten or more injuries inside and/or one or more injuries outside; or release of toxic chemicals, or explosion, or fire, or spillage of hazardous  chemicals, resulting in on-site emergencies, or damage to equipment leading to stoppage of process or adverse affects to the environment.

2.4 Major Accident Hazards (MAH) Installations –[Rule  2(ja)]
“Major Accident Hazards (MAH) Installations” means – isolated storage and industrial activity at a site handling (including transport through carrier or pipeline) of hazardous chemicals equal to or, in excess of the threshold quantities specified in, column 3 of Schedule – 2 and 3 respectively.

2.5 Threshold Quantity [Rule 2(n)]
The threshold quantity means:
a) in the case of a hazardous chemical specified in column (2) of Schedule–2, the quantity of that chemical specified in the corresponding entry in columns (3) and (4) of that part.
b) in the case of hazardous chemical specified in column (2) of Part – I of Schedule–3.
c) In the case of substances of a class specified in column (2) of Part II of Schedule–3, the total quantity of all substances of that class specified in the corresponding entry  in columns (3) and (4) of that part.

3. DUTIES PLACED ON OCCUPIERS BY THE RULES 
Three levels of requirements are placed on the occupiers of industrial installations involved in carrying out operations or processes listed in Schedule – 4 to the Rules.

3.1 General or Lower Level Requirements [Rules 4, 5, 17 & 18]
Ann occupier who has control of an industrial activity other than an isolated storage involving a hazardous chemical which satisfies the indicative criteria given in Part I OR listed in Part II of Schedule – I should comply with the lower-level or general requirements given below:

3.1.1 Demonstrate Safe Operation [Rule 4(2)]
Occupiers have to demonstrate to the Authority concerned at any time that they have identified major accident hazards, taken adequate steps to prevent such major accidents and to ensure the safety of persons working on the site. To comply with this, an occupier must systematically review his industrial activity with reference to the risk of major accidents.  Furthermore, he should provide information, training and equipment to the workers.

3.1.2  Notify Major Accident [Rule 5]
A responsibility is placed on the occupiers to report major accidents that occur on their sites within 48 hours to the authority concerned. Thereafter, they are required to submit detailed report relating to the major accidents in a format given in Schedule – 6 to the Rules and the steps taken to avoid any repetition of such an occurrence.

3.1.3 Disseminate full information on Hazardous Chemicals [Rule 17]
Occupiers should develop information in the form of a safety data sheet given in Schedule – 9 to the Rules in respect of all the hazardous chemicals they handle. Furthermore, all the containers of the hazardous chemicals should be labelled or marked to identify their contents and given full data on their properties.

3.2 Middle Level requirements (7, 8, 9, 13, l4 & 15)
The middle level requirements by occupiers include notification of industrial activities, preparation of On-site emergency plans, furnishing necessary information to District Emergency Authority to enable them to prepare Off-site emergency plans and in alarming those people likely to be affected. These requirements are in addition to the lower level requirements cited in the foregoing section. These requirements affect industrial activities involving hazardous chemicals with threshold quantities at or above those specified in column (3) of Schedule – 2 and 3.

3.2.1 Notify Sites and Approval [Rule 7 & 8]
Occupiers are required to notify the Authority concerned 90 days in advance if they intend to undertake any industrial activity. The format given as Schedule – 7 is to be used for this purpose. Besides, the occupiers should further notify their sites if any changes in the inventory of hazardous chemical(s) are made. 

3.2.2  Prepare On-site Emergency Plans [Rule 13]
This rule requires occupiers to prepare adequate, up to date On-site emergency plan for dealing with possible major accidents on their sites. For new activities, however, the plans should be prepared before commencing the activity.
The plan should include the name of the person responsible for safety on the site and the names of the persons who are authorized to set the plan in action in case of an emergency. Occupiers must assess and develop the emergency plans as necessary to ensure that it takes into account of any changes in operations on the site that might have a significant effect on the plan. He is also required to make sure that persons on the site who are affected by the plan are informed on its relevant provisions. 
Further, it is a statutory obligation to conduct mock drills of the On-site Emergency Plans once in a period of six months.

3.2.3 Provide information to the Authority [Rule 14(2)]
Occupiers are required to provide the Authority concerned with all the required information relating to their industrial activities to enable the authority to prepare Off-site Emergency Plan detailing how emergencies relating to a possible major accident on that site will be dealt with.

3.2.4 Give information to all liable to be affected by Major Accident [Rule 15]
Occupiers should tell the public living in the vicinity of the site about the activity, its associated hazards and what should they do in an emergency.

3.3 Specific or Upper Level Requirements [Rule 10, 11 and 12]
This specific requirement are – (i) the preparation of a safety report, and (ii) carry out a safety audit of the industrial activity. In the case of industrial installations, this requirement applies only if the activities involving any of the hazardous chemicals listed in column (2) of Part – 1 and the group of flammable substances as defined by the indicative criteria given in Part – II with threshold quantity at or above that quantity given in column (4) of Schedule – 3.

3.3.1 Prepare Safety Report [Rule 10] 
The occupiers are required to send safety report to the Authority concerned to show that their industrial activities are being carried on safety. Schedule 8 to the Rules specifies the information to be included in the safety report. It includes description of the industrial activity, process, hazardous chemicals, organization structure and information on preliminary hazard analysis, hazard assessment, safety-related equipment, information on mitigation of the consequences of major accidents, etc. It should include a description of the hazards arising out of the industrial activities together with an account of the controls that are in operation.
Furthermore, Occupier should carry out safety audit with the hep of an expert not associated with the industrial activity concerned. The Occupier should submit the report to the Authority along with his comments within 30 days after the completion of the audit.

3.3.2 Updating of Safety Reports [Rule 11]
Rule 11 requires safety reports to be kept upto date, both in respect of modifications that may be made to the industrial activity as and when they occur, and periodically that is, every three years review the safety reports to take account of new technical knowledge, or developments in hazards assessment. The safety audits should be conducted every year.

3.3.3 Send further information [Rule 12] 
The occupiers must send further additional information within 90 days to the Authority concerned, if requested.

4. DUTIES PLACED ON THE INSPECTORATE
There are several Authorities for the enforcement of the Rules. Schedule – 5 to the Rules lists 10 Authorities and their respective duties. The Chief Inspector of Factories (CIF) has the responsibility for enforcing the directions and procedures in respect of the industrial activities covered under the Factories Act, 1948. This section briefly outlines the specific duties placed on the Chief Inspector of Factories.

4.1 Inspect Site [Rule 3]
The Authority i.e. the CIF should inspect the industrial activities at least once in a calendar year and send a compliance report to the Ministry of Environment & Forest (MOEF) through proper channel. The Inspectorate may collect evidence to know that the occupier is carrying on the industrial activity, safely covering the three important aspects:
i) identification of major accidents by the occupier,
ii) Steps to prevent major accident and to limit their consequences, and steps to provide information, training and equipment for persons working on site to ensure their safety.

4.2 Undertake full analysis of Major Accident [Rule 5(2)]
After receiving a report on a major accident from an Occupier, in the form given as Schedule – 6, the Inspectorate should undertake a detailed analysis of the accident. Further the Inspectorate is required to send the information to the MOEF within a period of 90 days. The Inspectorate should also compile information about major accidents and send a coy of the same to the MOEF. It should inform the Occupier of the short-comings or lacunae, which in its opinion need to be rectified. 

4.3 Approve Site Notification [Rule 7(2)] 
The site notification received in the Form given as Schedule – 7 is approved within 60 days from the date of its receipt.

4.4 Asses Safety Reports [Rules 11 and 12] 
The Inspectorate concerned has to assess the safety reports on the industrial activities for their correctness and completeness. While assessing them, as far as possible, consistency of interpretation and enforcement should be applied throughout.  Many companies who are submitting safety reports to the CIF will have industrial activities across many areas. Therefore, the Inspectorate must seek to ensure that the standards of examination which are applied to safety reports in one area are very much similar to those which are being applied elsewhere to the same company. 
Rule 12 empowers the CIF to ask the occupier for further information about any aspect of the safety report, when such information is reasonably required for the evaluation of the major accident hazards created by the industrial activity. The CIF may send a notice to the occupier requiring him to provide additional information as specified in the notice. It is not intended or desirable that this Rule should be invoked as a means of requiring the Occupier to improve an unsatisfactory safety report, but rather that it should be used where necessary to investigate in depth a critical part of the safety report. 

4.5 Assess On-site Emergency Plans [Rule 13] 
The CIF has to ensure that Occupiers prepare On-site Emergency Plans. He should also assess them.

4.6 Assist District Collector/ District Emergency Authority in the preparation of Off-Site Emergency Plans  [Rule 14] 
The Chief Inspector has to assist the District Collector/District Emergency Authority in preparing Off-site Emergency Plan(s) to cover all industrial activities.

4.7 Issue Improvement Notices [Rule 19]
The Authority i.e. CIF is empowered to serve improvement notices to the Occupiers who contravene the provisions of the Rules within 45 days of the matters occasioning them to remedy the contraventions. The CIF, if needed, guide the Occupier in remedy the contraventions.

5. OTHER PROVISIONS

5.1 Disclosure of Information [16] 
Rule 16 requires that the information which an Occupier makes available to the Authority concerned under these Rules shall be kept confidential and can only be disclosed to the extent to  which it  is necessary for carrying out his duties under the Rules.  There may be instances when the Occupier given additional information to the CIF. It should not be disclosed to outside Bodies except with the consent of the Occupier.  However, the information required for the public in case of a major accident shall b disseminated. This has a particular relevance to the information from the Occupier supplied to the District Collector/District Emergency Authority for the preparation of Off-site Emergency Plan for informing the public.

5.2 Import of Hazardous Chemicals [Rule 18]
Occupiers are required to inform the Authority concerned of the imports of hazardous chemicals and maintain records of such imports as per the format given in Schedule – 10.

5.3 Power of the Central Government to Modify Schedules [Rule 20]
The Central Government may, at any time, by notification in the Official Gazette, make suitable changes in the Schedules.

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Notifiable Diseases as per Factories Act 1948

Factories Act 1948 Section 89 and 90 Schedule III mentioned the list of notifiable diseases.

LIST OF NOTIFIABLE DISEASE:

1. Lead poisoning including poisoning by any preparation or compound of lead or their sequelae.
2. Lead tetra-ethyl poisoning.
3. Phosphorous poisoning or its sequelae.
4. Mercury poisoning or its sequelae.
5. Manganese poisoning or its sequelae.
6. Arsenic poisoning or its sequelae.
7. Poisoning by nitrous fumes.
8. Carbon bisulphide poisoning.
9. Benzene poisoning, including poisoning by any of its homologues, their nitro or amido derivatives or its sequelae.
10. Chrome ulceration or its sequelae.
11. Anthrax.
12. Silicosis.
13. Poisoning by halogens or halogen derivatives of the hydrocarbons, of the aliphatic series.
14. Pathological manifestation due to : - (a) radium or other radioactive substances and (b) X-rays.
15. Primary epitheliomatous cancer of the skin.
16. Toxic anaemia.
17. Toxic jaundice due to poisonous substances.
18. Oil acne or dermatitis due to mineral oils and compounds containing mineral oil base.
19. Byssionosis.
20. Asbestosis.
21. Occupational or contact dermatitis caused by direct contract with chemical and paints.These are of types, that is, primary irritants and allergic sensitizers.
22. Noise induced hearing loss (exposure to high noise levels).
23. Beryllium poisoning.
24. Carbon monoxide.
25. Coal miners' pnoumoconiosis.
26. Phosgene poisoning.
27. Occupational cancer.
28. Isocyanates poisoning.
29. Toxic nephritis.

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Electrical Safety - Hazards & Accident Prevention

 

INTRODUCTION

Accidents due to unsafe handling of electrical equipment, although contribute a very small percentage of the total compared with other agencies like machine tools, material handling equipment, hand tools, etc. have mostly a significant role to account for severe damage to person for property. Electrical energy, which acts  like our friend and servant when safely used, may become our master and killer if adequate precaution is not taken in its use.

Electrical hazards are generally of the following in nature :

a) Shock

b) Burn

c) Fire

d) Explosion

e) Arc-eye

 

a) SHOCK

When current passes through our body completing a closed circuit, excitation of our muscular and nervous systems occur and we perceive a shock. Shock is not always painful  but usually so. Current of varying  magnitude produces different type of injuries to human body. Ten mill amperes current is considered as the threshold limit for sensible shock. As the value  increase, various physical repercussions start in our body.   They are  muscular contraction, unconsciousness, asphyxiation, temporary paralysis, hemorrhage – all accompanied with pain which ranges from moderate to extreme in nature. At a  current value of 50 mill-amperes or more, the victim may die (electrocution) when his heart stops functioning because of interference of rhythmic function or heart by passage of current.

 

 Severity of Shock

 Severity of shock depends upon the following features :

a) Amount of current

b) Duration of flow of current

c) Path of flow of current

d) Type of energy (AC/DC)

e) Frequency ( in AC only)

f)  Environmental condition

More amount of current means disastrous effect. Current flowing through our body  in turn depends on the supply voltage and resistance of our body at the particular moment. According to Ohm’s Law , 1 = V/R, which means that flow of current (I) will be more at a higher voltage (V) or at a lesser resistance ® of the victim’s body. Human body resistance varies with a wide range being 25,000 to 6,00,000 Ohms with perfectly dry skin.  Resistance comes down to 1,000 Ohms  or even to 500 Ohms with wet skin when the victim receives severe shock.

Severity of injury is directly proportional to the duration of flow of current. If the current passes through the vital parts of a victim’s body like brain, lungs, kidneys, etc. the effect will be more disastrous rather than when it flows through non-vital parts of his body.

With alternating current (AC) the effect of shock  is always more than with direct current (DC). Shock with lower frequency of current is more dangerous than with higher frequency. 50 cycles per second (50 Hz) is considered as unsafe frequency. If current, at higher frequency is generated and used, as in the case of high frequency induction furnace, etc., it is considered relatively safe. At about 1,000 Hertz frequency, shock reduces considerably.

The person receiving shock will face severe injury if his surrounding atmosphere (environmental condition) is wet or humid or if the sweats or gets drenched with water when his body resistance will come down abruptly to a very low value.

 

b) BURNS

The thermal effect of current causes burn injury. The heat developed due to passage of current is directly proportional to the square of the current, resistance of our body and the period of flow of the current. Sufficient amount of heat is thus development in no time and causes burn injury. Direct contact with line or exposure to high flash resulting from defective equipment causes such burn injury. Short-circuiting of cables, switches, etc. may produce such flash of explosive violence.

 c) FIRE

 It occurs due to either of the following faults in electrical equipment.

a) Short-circuiting

b) Over loading

c) Loose connection

Short-circuiting occurs  when, in the single phase circuit, phase line touches the natural line or in 3-phase circuit one phase touches the other as a result of failure of insulation of cables, wires, or conductors. Overloading means drawing of more current by any equipment  than its rated capacity which occurs due to failure of insulation in the winding of any equipment. Loose connection means formation of are at junction points of cable or at the terminal points of cables and fitting. 

In all the above three fault conditions heat is generated in the conductor or wire which in turn heats up the insulating materials (PVC, rubber, etc.) of the conductor or wire to catch fire. 

Basic causes of electrical fire are improper maintenance of earthing system, use of oversize fuse and failure of insulation.

d) EXPLOSION         

Explosion in an electrical equipment occurs when fire due to short circuit originates in a confined space filled with oil like tank of oil circuit breaker or transformer, etc.

 

e) ARC EYE         

Irritation of eyes occurs to an electric-arc welder who does not use protective glass for welding. Ultraviolet invisible rays from the are affects the eyes of the welder causing swelling, pain, etc. which automatically gets cured within two days or so. The use of a welding screen with proper shade number glass will be guard against such arc-eye.

 

ACCIDENT PREVENTION

Accidents due to  shock, burn, fire explosion, etc. may be averted or severity reduced by the following two techniques.

1. Proper Maintenance

Any possible breakdown or fault should be anticipated be experienced personnel and adequate preventive measures should be taken before hand. A checklist should be prepared for periodic and special inspection of various installations. When doing preventive maintenance, the following points should be given emphasis.:

a) Checking of equipment earthing,

b) Checking of insulation of cable, wire, conductor, etc

c) Checking for loose connection of wires/cables and fittings.

Equipment earthing means connecting metal casing / parts of electrical equipment to good mass of earth under permanent moisture level through low resistive metallic path. Efficiency of earthing depends on the resistance of earth continuity conductor, earth electrode, contact resistance of the electrode with surrounding soil and specific resistance of the said soil. To ensure sound ear thing, system should be periodically inspected visually for broken earth conductor for maximum permissible earth loop resistance for a particular load.

Proper earthing takes care of accidents due to shock, burn, fire etc. by ensuring immediate discharge of current from the metal parts of a faulty equipment into the earth. It also helps the circuit protective device like fuse to work promptly by allowing sufficient amount of current to pass through it in case of a fault.

Insulation of wires or cables get damaged by mechanical agencies, chemical, oils or weathering effect. They are to be inspected visually for such damage and replaced in time to prevent accidents due to shock, fire etc. Insulation resistance test by instrument is recommended where visual inspection for insulation failure cannot detect such fault.

Various circuit protective devices like fuse, relays, release coils, etc. are required to be checked for protection of equipment against faulty condition which may otherwise lead to accidents causing fire.

2. Compliance with Safety Rules

Safety Rules are to be observed at the various stages of designing, fabricating, installing, operating and maintaining of  electrical equipment. A few of the important safety rules are :

a) Follow Competency of Personal – Until a person is competent enough with full knowledge and experience of electrical work, he should not handle any electrical breakdown work.

b) Do Interlocking Design – Equipment should be designed, as far as possible, with interlocking arrangement in such a way that unless supply is cut off live parts should not be accessible and conversely until the live parts of an equipment is guarded accidental touching, the equipment cannot be energized.

c) Design for Low Voltage – Wherever possible, for portable equipment a low voltage supply should be used with separate busbar.

d) Treat Unknown Circuit as Live – Until and unless or a line is definitely known as to be dead, it should be treated as a live circuit or live line.

e) Do Electrical Locking – When attending any breakdown with deadline, the control switch should be locked, fuse grip should be removed and the key of the lock should be retained with the men attending to breakdown.

f) Follow Work Permit System – for attending any electrical work, which is usually dangerous, Permit to Work System should be followed.

g) Use Standard Fittings and Accessories – Use of substandard fittings and unsafe accessories should be discouraged.

h) Wear/Use Personal Protective Equipment – Suitable PPE like non-conductive helmet, leather gloves, electrical safety shoes, etc. should be used as and when necessary.

i) Get Emergency Training – Persons working in electrical field should have training on fire fighting, emergency signaling, first aid in addition to his normal operational training.

j) Fencing of Live Conductors – Charged line running exposed without insulation should be installed at sufficient height (minimum 8.5 ft. from working level) and guarded against suitable barrier or fencing to prevent accidental touching.

k) Follow Do’s and Don’s - For any special work or risk area, special safety instruction  in the form of Dos and DON’Ts  should be displayed e.g. in substation, receiving or sending ends of distribution lines.

l) Discourage for Makeshift Arrangement – Temporary wiring and work without proper accessories (e.g. plug earth connection) should be discouraged to avert accidents due to shock, fire.

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