Accident Prevention

The art of electrical accident prevention has been founded primarily on the investigation of accidents by professionally qualified engineers. The science of accident prevention is based on a logical analysis of their reports. It takes great skill and determination to steer an organization into a safer regime. At the very least it requires the best possible information feedback from the workplace where the hazards exist. This requires attention to be paid to various audit and management information controls.

A utility should have a contingent plan and system for dealing with any emergency. It should clearly spell out the purpose and scope, and the activities to be undertaken in case of emergencies (Box).

 

One particularly useful management tool is to collect and analyze data on all ‘near miss’ incidents. There are many more of these than there will be of actual accidents. Provided that one can get those involved to be forthcoming about these incidents, a great deal of useful information can be gathered about an organization’s robustness and fitness to prevent accidents. It is likely to be much more revealing than trying to identify the weaknesses after the accidents themselves.

The prevention of accidents is actually much more important than the technical discipline of identifying risk and adopting the right technical solutions to counter those hazards. It is also important from the point of view of the costs involved.

One of the best ways to prevent an accident is to think ahead. As youplan your job, take a moment to identify any potential hazards. Are you working near overhead lines? Could there be cables buried nearby? Are your tools in good condition? Taking the necessary time to plan a job may help avoid later problems caused by an accident. This approach supplemented by observing safe practices should go a long way in preventing accidents.We now describe some good housekeeping precautions that can help prevent accidents.

General Measures for Preventing Accidents
Workmen are frequently injured due to stumbling, stepping on, or bumping into tools, material and other objects left lying around, or by objects falling from above. Such incidents can be prevented by observing the following measures:

• walks, staircases, fire escapes and all other passages should be kept free of all obstructions (Fig.);

• tools and materials should not be placed where they may cause tripping or stumbling hazards or where they may fall and strike anyone below;

• puddles of oil and water create slipping hazards and should be cleaned up promptly;

• nails in boards (such as those removed from scaffolds, forms and packing boxes) constitute hazards. These should be removed and the boards should be carefully stacked or stored; and

• dirty and oily waste rags should be deposited in approved containers and disposed off as soon as practicable to avoid fire hazard.

Some Possible Sources of Injury and Preventive Measures

Other general housekeeping measures that need to be taken are as follows:

• broken light bulbs, glass metal and scrap and other sharp objects should be disposed off properly in containers provided specially for them;

• discarded fluorescent and other gas filled tubes should be disposed off safely;

• places where persons work or pass in emergencies, should be provided during time of use with adequate lighting (natural/artificial/or both) for operations or special type of work performed;

• general lighting should be of a uniform level widely distributed;

• emergency lighting should be provided in big installations/offices; and

• adequate ventilation should be provided in work places by natural/artificial means.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Devices
The utility should provide adequate and approved PPE for various jobs depending upon the hazard. Protective gears such as helmets, safety shoes,safety “Rassi-Zolis” should be issued to linesmen, jointers, supervisors etc. and their usage should be monitored. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure the usage of PPE. You have learnt in Unit 6 that personnel have to use suitable protective equipment, like rubber gloves, mats, safety glasses, etc., wherever required as per instructions or wherever it provides greater safety.

Some Examples
of PPE

In addition, the following rules should be observed for the use and care of PPE:

• use the appropriate PPE for the work being performed and the environment in which you are working;

• visually inspect and/or test PPE before use. Any defective or damaged PPE should be repaired or discarded and replaced;

• wear a protective outer covering (such as leather) in cases where the insulating capabilities of the PPE may be damaged during the work;

• wear non-conductive head protection wherever there is a danger of injury from electrical burns or shock caused by contact with exposed, energized parts;

• wear protective eye/face equipment whenever there is a danger from electrical arcs or flashes, or from flying objects as a result of an electrical explosion;

• do not carry/store PPE with tools or other objects to avoid damage to them;

• any employee working on height above 8 feet from ground except working on platform should use Safety Belts / Rassi;

• use only approved type of operating rods;

• keep operating rods as dry as possible. These should not be dropped / left lying on ground.
 

Proper Handling of Equipment

Many accidents can be prevented if the instructions for proper handling of tools and appliances, ladders, earthing devices, etc. are followed. We describe these, in brief.

Tools and Appliances

Many accidents result from improper use of tools as well as use of defective tools and equipment. Employees should use only those tools and equipment,which are in good condition, and only for the purpose for which they are designed. Where proper and safe tools are not available for the work at hand, employees should report the fact to their supervisor. The following instructions should be followed:

• use proper tool for proper job. Ensure that every tool or appliance (e.g., slings, pulleys, chain block, etc.) is in good working condition;

• discard all non-working tools / appliances, damaged pipes, spanners, hammers, etc.; and

• remove tools, which develop defects while in use, from the service, tag them and do not use them until they are brought back in good condition.

DO NOT USE

• impact tools such as chisels, drills, hammers and wedges with mushroom heads until they have been reconditioned;

• hammers, axes, shovel and similar tools if handles are loose, cracked or splintered;

• defective wrenches such as open end and adjustable wrenches with spread jaws or pipe wrenches with dull teeth, as they are likely to slip; and

• pipes or other extensions on a wrench handle to increase the leverage unless the wrench is specifically designed for such an extension.

Ladders
The following safety measures need to be taken while using ladders:

• inspect the ladder before use;

• secure the ladder at top or station a person at its foot;

• ensure that ladders are used with a slope of about 75 degrees or position ladder 30 cm (1 foot) out at base for every 1.2 m (4 feet) of vertical height;

• ensure that the ladder rises 3 feet above landing point;

• face the ladder when climbing or descending and use both hands;

• avoid make-shift arrangement in lieu of ladder;

• ensure that there are rubber shoes at both arms and at each terminal, i.e., at each end of the ladder;

• before fixing the ladder, confirm that no electrically charged conductor is passing nearby; and

• ensure that only one person uses the ladder at a time and another person keeps a watch on the ladder position.

Earthing Devices 

Make sure that
 

• only approved earthing devices are used in all work;

• care is taken to maintain earthing by ensuring condition of clamps;

• neon line tester is used to check the bus bar area, cables, overhead conductors and it is ensured that the tester is in good condition.


Adequate steps should be taken for public safety.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SAFEGUARDING THE

DOs

• Use proper tools for each job.

• Use rubber gloves / gauntlets only when

−line voltage is 5 kV or lower;

•carrying out earthing;

•opening AB switches;

•using portable telephones; and

•working on street light fittings.

•Maintain minimum distances as follows while working:

• Treat all electrical conductors and apparatus always as live and consequently dangerous to human life unless it is positively known to be dead and properly earthed and take precautions accordingly.

• Keep safe distance from rotating equipment. Do not attempt to handle them while working.

• While working on live conductors, do not roll-up sleeves as dry cloth gives some protection against shocks.

• When more than one Low Tension (LT) circuit is laid from a transformer, ensure that street light circuits are also separate. It is better to take line clear on both Current Transformer (CT) circuits.

• When loads on one transformer are transferred on to another, note it in the log book and intimate the duty staff.

• Ensure all three blades of AB Switches are open before working.

• Remember that loose connections can cause fires.

• Maintain discipline and the right attitude.

• Avoid haste while working.

• Avoid joking while working.

• Mind your personal safety and do not depend on others.

DON’Ts

• Do not wear loose dresses or dresses having metal buttons.

• Do not use shoes with metal nails etc. Shoes should preferably have rubber soles.
• Do not use items made of metal like chains of wrist watch, key bunches, rings, bracelets, etc. while on work as these might come in close proximity to live parts and cause serious, if not fatal, injury.

• Do not throw tools at each other while at work.

• Do not work if you feel exhausted.

• Do not use rubber gloves / gauntlets should not be used for works of voltage class 33 kV and above.