Management systems, electrical hazards

Doughty, T.E., Neal, T.E., and Floyd 11, H.L., Predicting Incident Energy to Better Manage the Electric Arc Hazard on 600 V Power Distribution Systems, Record of Conference Papers IEEE IAS 45th Annual Petroleum and Chemical Industry Conference, September 28—30, 1998. 

The work activity includes operation, use and maintenance. Those responsible for the work, and those engaged in it, need to be competent to appreciate the electrical hazards and the control measures needed to minimise the risks to an acceptable level these issues are addressed in Regulations 14 and 16. To this end, the person responsible for managing the work should consider the work activities, the risks that arise, the measures that should be taken to control them, and who should be allowed to perform them. If, for example, work has to be done on a low voltage system which necessitates it being made dead , the supply to it needs to be isolated, the isolator locked off and a test made to prove that the isolated part is indeed dead and therefore safe to work on. Anyone authorised to carry out these safety precautions has to be familiar with the system, knowing which isolator or isolators to open and lock off and how to apply the test. The responsible person should also ensure that those who do the work have appropriate technical knowledge to do it properly and, on completion, to test it to prove its safety. 

Electrical fires rate only second to arson in relation to providing the primary hazard and cause of fire in the workplace. A range of management steps should be taken to minimise the risks associated with electrical appliances and systems and are likely to be included in the management system detailed above. 

Management determines where the buddy system is used. Some tasks are so hazardous lone individuals should never attempt them. The buddy system is employed to monitor and safeguard persons who undertake hazardous operations. There are two common buddy system methods. In the first, two persons constitute a buddy pair and are subjected to the same hazard at the same time and under the same conditions. Each must look out for the well-being of the other, monitoring the other s activities, or providing assistance when required. Power company personnel who work on live high-voltage electrical systems use this type of mutual aid and surveillance. 

The electrical one-Une diagram (essential when performing lock out/tag out), short circuit and coordination studies, and other critical documents should be updated whenever system components change. Good documentation management supports accurate, efficient hazard analysis, and helps mitigate liability if an accident occurs. 

The Health Care Facilities Standard, NFPA 99, created criteria to minimize the hazards of fire, explosion, and electricity in health care facilities. It specifically addresses electrical system wiring, storage, and use of flammable and combustible liquids in laboratories, emergency and disaster management, oxygen storage, alarms, and design considerations (NFPA, 2002). 

Permit to work (P.T.W) is a formal written system to control certain types of work which are identified as potentially hazardous. This system may need to be used in high-risk jobs such as hot works, confined space entry, carrying hazardous substances, and electrical or mechanical isolation. In this system, responsible persons should assess the work and check safety at all stages. Moreover, permits are effectively a means of communication between site management, plant supervisors and operators, and those who carry out the work. The people doing the job sign the permit to show that they understand the risks and precautions necessary. 

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