CHAPTER 12

SAFETY MANAGEMENT
AND ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE
INTRODUCTION
An electrical safety program will only be effective if management makes a strong commit-
ment to. This chapter will develop some of the key management concepts and procedures
that must be present for a safety program to work. Of course, electrical safety is only part
of an overall safety program; consequently, much of the material in this chapter is applica-
ble to the entire safety effort.
The procedures introduced in this chapter should be applicable to all types of electrical
installations. However, the effectiveness of any specific program must be determined by
ongoing evaluations.
Safety organizations should be responsible to the very highest management levels and
generally should not report to operations. Safety-related decisions should not be made by
personnel with direct, bottom-line responsibility.
Additionally, the decisions made by legal counsel should be closely evaluated in terms
of their effect on personnel safety. Many well-meaning attorneys and/or senior level man-
agers are required to make decisions that will maximize shareholder returns and/or limit
corporate liabilities. Such decisions are, unfortunately, not always consistent with long-
term worker safety.
Problems also may be introduced by labor organizations in their attempt to secure the
best overall package for their members. Care should be exercised to avoid using safety as a
bargaining chip. This caution applies to labor and management.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY PROGRAM STRUCTURE
Figure 12.1 is a suggested design for the overall structure of a company electrical safety
program. Of course, such a structure must be integrated into the overall safety program;
however, the unique needs of the electrical safety program should be included in the design
in a manner similar to the one shown.
Each of the various elements of the design are described in the following sections.
12.1
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12.2 CHAPTER TWELVE
ELECTRICAL SAFETY PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
An electrical safety program is composed of a variety of procedures, techniques, rules, and
methods. Each of these individual items must be developed independently; the sum of them
then adds up to the overall safety program. The development of an entire program becomes
the accumulation of all the individual procedures.
This does not mean that the development of a safety program is a hodgepodge effort. On
the contrary, the whole procedure should be viewed as an engineering design problem. The
program should be put together by corporate electrical safety team composed of manage-
ment, safety, and technical personnel.
Some companies take regulatory and consensus standards such as the OSHA Electrical
Safety Related Work Practices rule and the NFPA 70E and apply them almost verbatim for
their safety policies, procedures, and/or rules. This is a very poor practice. Even the NFPA
70E standard should be looked at only as a set of minimum requirements. In addition to reg-
ulatory requirements, company policies and procedures must include specific local require-
ments and must be developed in a way that is consistent with the facility culture.
The Company Electrical Safety Team
Introduction. One of the best overall safety concepts of the last part of the twentieth cen-
tury was that of the worker team. Nowhere is the team of more use than in the safety arena.
The following paragraphs describe the concept of the electrical safety team and provide
enough information to serve as a template for the setup of such a body.
Note that the company health and safety department (HSD) has the ultimate respon-
sibility for the safety program. The HSD should work closely with the team and review
Health & Safety
Department
The Company Electrical
Safety Team
Management
Legal
Company Safety Policy
Company Safety
Procedures
Accidents/Near Misses
Development/Evaluation
Needs Assessment
Safety Audits
FIGURE 12.1 The electrical safety program structure.
all procedures and policies developed by the electrical safety team. As described in the fol-
lowing, the HSD should have a representative on the team.
Structure. Generally, the safety team should include the following representatives/
members:

Electrical workers An electrical worker should serve as the chairper-

son of the team. In addition to the chairperson,
sufficient members should be included from the
workforce to ensure that the workers have a signif-
icant say in their overall safety program. Working
supervisors should be eligible for these positions;
however, supervision should never dominate the
team.

Health and safety professionals At least one health and safety professional should
be included on the team to advise and assist in the
areas where his or her expertise apply.

Management A member of management should be present as an

advisor. This person can direct the team with respect
to company policies to avoid the team conflicting
with company directives. The management repre-
sentative should be as high a level as possible. The
management representative should always be will-
ing to consider modification of conflicting company
policies in the interest of improved safety.

Legal representation Company counsel should be represented on the

team; however, they should be there strictly in an
advisory capacity.
Responsibilities. The company electrical safety team (CEST) should have the following
responsibilities and authorities:

The CEST should have overall responsibility for the development, implementation, eval-
uation, and modification of the company electrical safety procedures. Either directly or
through delegation, the CEST should develop the entire program, working closely with
the health and safety professionals.

The degree of authority vested in the CEST must be a matter of individual company pol-
icy. Generally, the CEST should have the maximum authority allowable under existing
company structure.

If the company has multiple locations, the CEST should appoint or sponsor elections for
employee electrical safety teams (EEST) at each site. The local teams will participate in
local accident reviews, evaluate procedures, and determine the best way to apply them
locally, counsel employees, and implement and plan safety meetings.

The CEST should have representation at the management level for the purpose of partic-
ipating in the development of the company safety policy.
Employee Electrical Safety Teams. Employee electrical safety teams should be put in
place to perform the actual fieldwork and legwork required by the CEST. The EEST will
participate in accident investigation, program development, and any other activities deemed
SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 12.3
12.4 CHAPTER TWELVE
necessary. Some companies appoint permanent employee electrical safety teams as part of
their ongoing corporate structure.
Company Safety Policy
All safety programs should be underwritten by a company and/or departmental safety pol-
icy. Although specific policy statements must vary from industry to industry, all policies
should contain the following key statements:
1. The company is committed to safe work practices.
2. At a minimum, all company safety policies and procedures shall comply with applica-
ble federal, state, and local standards as well as recognized consensus standards.
3. Safety is the premier consideration in performing work.
4. Employees will be required to follow all company safety procedures.
5. If a job cannot be safely done, it need not be done.
6. Each individual employee is uniquely responsible for his or her own personal safety.
7. The cooperation of all personnel will be required to sustain the safety program.
Assessing the Need
The development or revision of an electrical safety program should begin with an evalua-
tion of any existing programs. This initial survey should closely examine and catalog the
number and types of electrical accidents. Investigators should also be creative in their anal-
ysis. That is, they should identify potential hazards as well as demonstrated ones.
One of the most effective ways to catalog safety hazards is to perform a safety audit.
Safety audits are discussed later in this chapter.
Problems and Solutions
Based on the results of the needs assessment, accidents and potential problem areas should
be cataloged into cause categories. The specific categories selected should be chosen to fit
the industry. Good starting points are the seven categories used by the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration in the development of the Safety-Related Work Practices Rule.
These categories, illustrated in Table 12.1, can be used for most electrical accidents. The
TABLE 12.1 Categories to Classify Accidents or Potential Accidents
1. Use of equipment or material too close to exposed energized lines
a. Vehicles (e.g., cranes and dumptrucks)
b. Other mechanical equipment (e.g., augers and derricks)
c. Tools and materials (e.g., ladders and tree limbs)
2. Failure to use electrical protective equipment
3. Assuming an unsafe position
4. Failure to de-energize (and lockout-tagout) equipment
5. Use of visibly defective electric equipment
6. Blind reaching, drilling, digging, etc.
7. No unsafe work practice or not enough information to classify
specific installation should develop additional categories or subcategories as required so
that very few accidents fall into category 7.
Identification of the safety problems will inevitably lead to solution concepts. These
solutions should take the form of specific plans and programs that can be implemented to
the new or existing electrical safety program.
Program Implementation
After the analysis phase, the solutions can be integrated into the facilitys safety program. The
method used here will depend upon the facility; however, a reasonable starting point would be
the development of an energy control program similar to that described in Chap. 3.
Examples
The following examples (Tables 12.2 through 12.5) will illustrate the steps just outlined.
These examples are drawn from actual industry experiences and illustrate the specific kinds
of problems that workers may face every day.
SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 12.5
TABLE 12.2 Example of Fuse Removal Safety Procedure Development
Need assessment In the last 5 years, 15 employees have been shocked while removing and/or
replacing low-voltage cartridge fuses. Five of the injuries were extremely
serious. No deaths have occurred.
Problem(s) Review of the problems indicate that employees must, from time to time,
work on such circuits when they are energized. Further investigation shows
that employees are using channel lock type pliers to remove the fuses.
Employees are not using rubber insulating gloves during such hot work.
Solutions To resolve this problem, employees will be supplied with insulated tools
that are specifically designed for the removal and replacement of fuses.
Employees are already supplied with rubber insulating gloves.
Implementation A procedure is added to the employee safety procedures manual, which
specifies the following:
When removing or replacing fuses, the bus which feeds them shall first be
de-energized unless doing so introduces additional hazard or unless de-
energizing requires a major plant outage.* Removing energized fuses is
classified as hot work. Only qualified, trained personnel shall be allowed to
remove and replace energized fuses.
Low-voltage cartridge type fuses shall be removed using only approved,
insulated fuse pullers.
Employees shall wear at least the minimum required safety equipment when
removing or replacing energized low-voltage, cartridge type fuses. Minimum
safety equipment shall include hard hats, safety glasses or goggles, and
electrical insulating rubber gloves approved for the voltage level encountered.
The new procedure should be introduced at an employee safety training
meeting. The complete procedure should be demonstrated and employees
should be checked to make certain that they understand it.
*See Chap. 3 for a specific procedure to assess additional hazards and/or outages.
12.6 CHAPTER TWELVE
Electric Shock While Replacing Low-Voltage Fuses. Assume that your electrical safety
audit has identified several instances where employees were shocked during the removal
and/or installation of 120-V fuses. Table 12.2 shows the problem, solution, and implemen-
tation required to provide a safer work environment.
Protection for Arc Injury During Switching Operations. Not all safety procedures are
developed based on local facility experience. In this example, we assume that the local
TABLE 12.3 Example of Flash Suit Safety Procedure Development
Need assessment Companies of similar size and business, with comparably sized and arranged
electrical systems have had problems with severe flash injuries. These same
companies have implemented flash suit use during certain phases of their
operations, and have exhibited a marked decrease in the number of injuries.
Problem(s) Employees must, from time to time, perform open-door circuit breaker switching,
remove motor starters from cubicles, and operate open-air disconnect switches.
This exposes them to more than a normal electrical arc hazard.
Solutions To resolve this problem, the company will supply and require the use of
flame-retardant flash suits.
Implementation A procedure is added to the employee safety procedures manual that
specifies that employees shall be required to wear flame-retardant flash suits
when performing open-door switching, motor starter removal or installation,
or open-air switch operation. This requirement applies to all medium-voltage
circuits and all low-voltage circuits with ampacities in excess of 100 A. This
requirement is in addition to other safety equipment including hard hats, eye
protection, and rubber gloves with protective leather covers.
The new procedure should be introduced at an employee safety training
meeting. The complete procedure should be demonstrated and employees
should be checked to make certain that they understand it.
TABLE 12.4 Example of Recognition of Exposed Live Parts Procedure Development
Need assessment An employee was working in a 480-V cabinet. His supervisor had previ-
ously told him that the cabinet was de-energized. The employee had looked at
the cabinet and had measured the obvious energized locations. They were dead.
Problem(s) There were exposed fasteners in the front of the cabinet that were not de-
energized. They were not obvious and the employee missed them. The
employee believed his supervisor and did not inspect the cabinet closely
enough. The employee did not perform a thorough pre-work inspection to
check for energized parts. He made several assumptions.
Solutions Employees must be retrained to closely inspect for exposed energized parts.
Implementations At a safety meeting, the entire incident was discussed and the problem
brought to the forefront. All employees were reminded to inspect and check for
energized parts no matter how certain they are that the system is safe.
A training program was implemented in which the various specific pieces of
equipment are identified and employees learn where all of the possible exposed
parts are located. A formal procedure was added to require that employees
carefully inspect equipment before they work on it.
safety personnel have reviewed other industrial safety programs with respect to flash
protection. They have discovered that other companies have experienced severe injuries
during routine switching and racking operations. Furthermore, they discover that other
companies have implemented successful programs that involve the use of flash suits. The
number of flash-related injuries has dropped at these other companies. Table 12.3 was
developed based on this analysis.
Recognizing Exposed Energized Parts. Unfortunately, many procedures are developed
and modified based on an accident or injury. The example shown in Table 12.4 is one such
example. In this example, the employee was qualified and trained; he simply made a mis-
take. In spite of this, a significant amount of effort must go into the continuous retraining
of personnel.
Voltage Measurement. A significant part of the electrical workers job is the measure-
ment of electrical circuits to make certain that they are, in fact, de-energized. In the previous
example, the worker did not recognize the exposed energized parts. Even if they are recog-
nized, they must be measured to be certain of their condition. Table 12.5 is an example of
voltage measurement procedure development.
Company Safety Procedures
The actual development and structure of company electrical safety procedures are specific
to each company. The methods and format described in Chaps. 2 and 3 of this handbook
should be referred to as a basis.
Also, the OSHA procedures have suggestions and formats for such plans.
Results Assessment
Few, if any, procedures will endure forever without modification. Personnel replacements,
equipment changes, enhanced operating experience, and new safety innovations will
SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 12.7
TABLE 12.5 Example of Voltage Measurement Procedure Development
Need assessment In addition to the problem discussed in the previous example (Table 12.4),
other employees have been observed performing voltage measurements
incorrectly.
Problem(s) OSHA and other regulations require that voltage measurements must be made
prior to working on a piece of de-energized equipment. All qualified electrical
workers must be thoroughly trained in the proper and safe methods of voltage
measurement.
Solutions Employees are to be retrained in the proper methods of voltage measurement.
Implementations The correct methods of voltage measurement were discussed and reinforced in
employee safety meetings. Specific, hands-on training programs were
implemented and all employees were tested to make certain that they were
thoroughly familiar with the procedures.
Additionally, the methods of selecting and inspecting measuring instruments
was reinforced.
12.8 CHAPTER TWELVE
require that any safety program be periodically reviewed and updated. The following crite-
ria should be used to evaluate the need to revise an existing safety procedure:
1. Accidents and near misses
2. Employee suggestions
3. Employee electrical safety committee recommendations (see next section)
4. Changes in regulatory or conseusus standards
EMPLOYEE ELECTRICAL SAFETY TEAMS
Reason
Electrical safety programs that are developed and/or administered without employee input
will be ineffective. Employees know their jobs better than anyone. They understand those
procedures with which they are comfortable and those which seem wrong. An electrical
safety program that is developed without complete employee involvement has very little
chance of success.
Method
Employee safety teams provide the best method for ensuring employee participation in a
safety program. Such teams should be composed of a minimum of three employees chosen
by their peers. The team should have regularly scheduled meetings on a monthly basis
more often if required by accidents or emergency conditions. The meetings should be held
on company time.
Employee safety teams should be intimately involved with the entire safety program from
initial design to ongoing results evaluations. They should be officially sanctioned by man-
agement and should have direct access to executive management. A limited, but useful, travel
budget should be made available to the team to allow them to attend seminars and visit other
facilities to study other safety programs. Although the specific responsibilities of such a team
may vary from one company to another, the following may be used as guidelines.
Safety Program Development. Because of their familiarity with their jobs, employees are
in a unique position to evaluate safety needs. What appears to be a perfectly safe procedure
to a layperson may be obviously unsafe to a skilled, qualified worker. Furthermore, employ-
ees will often talk to their peers more freely than to supervisors or management.
An employee safety team will be able to identify problems and solutions that outsiders
might miss. Because of this, the safety team should be directly involved with the safety pro-
gram development and/or modification described earlier in this chapter.
Safety Meetings. Employees should control all or at least part of their safety meetings.
Legislative or regulatory requirements should be scheduled by management and safety per-
sonnel; however, other safety-related presentations should be generated by employees and
administrated through the employee safety team.
Accident Investigation. The team should be involved in the investigation of accidents.
The best way to ensure this involvement is to have the employee safety team appoint a
member to serve on the accident investigation team. Accident investigation is a very
demanding science and should not be performed by those unfamiliar with the information
presented in Chap. 3.
Employee Training. The safety team should be allowed to review and recommend
employee safety-related training. Employees who have been to outside safety training
courses should be interviewed by the safety team. The team should then issue an annual rec-
ommendation for additional or modified training. This report should be considered a pri-
mary source of information when training budgets and schedules are produced.
SAFETY MEETINGS
The venerable safety meeting is one of the most universal of all safety vehicles. This one
brief period combines training, program review, new concept presentation, and hazard noti-
fication all in one. The specific design and implementation of a safety meeting is necessar-
ily dependent on the organization arrangement of the company. The following items
highlight some of the key imperatives in the structure of a safety meeting.
Who Attends
Safety meetings should be attended by all personnel who are affected by the safety topics
that will be discussed. Those who should attend electrical safety meetings include the elec-
tricians, electrical technicians, electronics technicians, electrical supervisors, electrical
department management, safety personnel with electrical responsibility, and anyone else
who may be exposed to any of the electrical hazards.
Safety meetings should be chaired by employees, preferably members of the employee
safety team. Remember that the companys attitude toward proper safety can make an enor-
mous difference in employee attitudes.
What Material Should Be Covered
The safety meeting should have a standard, but flexible, schedule. Table 12.6 shows the type
of schedule that should be included. Flexibility is the key word. One of the most frequent com-
plaints about safety meetings is that they always contain the same old messages, are presented
the same old way, and use the same old films or videos. The program should be flexible and
new. Employees should be consulted as to topics that they feel may be relevant.
SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 12.9
TABLE 12.6 Typical Safety Meeting Schedule
Welcome and Review of Topics to Be Covered
Accident Report
Summary of Accidents
Analysis and Lessons Learned
Procedure/Policy Modifications if Any
Training Schedules and/or Safety Awards
Meeting Topic Presentation
Employee Safety Suggestions
Questions/Answers
Announcement of Next Meeting and Adjournment
12.10 CHAPTER TWELVE
Avoid using the safety meeting time for nonsafety-related information. General com-
pany announcements should be made at general employee meetings, not at safety meetings.
Also remember that employees who are injured at home cannot report to work. Safety
meetings should also address home safety issues. Topics such as safe use of appliances,
house wiring safety, home lightning protection, and first aid can be useful to employees
both on and off the job.
When Meetings Should Be Held
To accommodate work schedules, many companies hold their safety meetings at the begin-
ning of the work day. Others may wait until the end of the day. Try moving the time of the
meetings around. When the results of the meeting are evaluated, as described later, the most
appropriate time will be that in which the greatest amount of information is imparted.
For real variety, some companies have found that continually moving the meeting times
is effective. Some companies even hold meetings at night and invite spouses to attend. This
approach allows the whole family to become involved in safety and allows the employer to
present home safety topics more effectively.
Safety meetings should only be canceled when absolutely no other option is available.
Major operational emergencies such as fires and major outages are the only acceptable rea-
sons for canceling a safety meeting.
Where Meetings Should Be Held
Variety should also be exploited when choosing meeting locations. Most meetings will be
held at the work site for economic reasons; however, some meeting topics might call for dif-
ferent locations. For example, a demonstration of the proper use of hot sticks might best be
held at a substation area, while tool safety training might be most effective if presented in
the shop. Remember that when demonstrations are given, even more extreme safety pre-
cautions should be taken.
Evening safety meetings can be held at private banquet rooms or restaurants with meet-
ing facilities. The meeting can be integrated with a social occasion that will allow manage-
ment personnel, safety personnel, employees, and families to discuss problems and share
solutions on a more informal basis. When such meetings are held, they should remain seri-
ous, with safety as the premier topic.
How Long Meetings Should Be
Meetings held at the workplace should be kept to a maximum of 1 hour unless some spe-
cial topic or presentation requires more time. Remember that a safety meeting is a training
presentation. Adult training sessions are best kept to short segments. Thus, if a meeting
requires more than the 1 hour time period, be certain that breaks are given every 45 min-
utes or so. Evening meetings may be somewhat longer if a dinner or other social event is
integrated with the meeting.
Evaluation of Safety Meetings
Like all parts of a safety program, meetings should be constantly evaluated. Employee ques-
tionnaires and quizzes should be used to evaluate the quality of the meetings and the amount
of information retained. These evaluations can be done on an anonymous basis so that employ-
ees feel free to share negative as well as positive comments. When tests or questionnaires iden-
tify problem areas, the meeting structure should be modified to correct the problem.
Follow-through. The safety program will not work if the company is not truly commit-
ted. When safety suggestions are made, the company should follow through and report back
to the employee in writing. The employee safety committee should monitor suggestions
and intervene if the company is not following through properly.
OUTAGE REPORTS
Safety hazards and electrical outages are frequently related to each other. Knowledge of the
details that surround an electrical outage can be invaluable in pinpointing safety hazards.
Outage reports can be used to
1. Target potential or existing safety hazards
2. Justify maintenance or additions to a power system to increase reliability
3. Gather data for designing better power systems or additions to other plants or facilities
Outage reports should include

Time and length of outage

Cause of outage if known

Results of outage (costs, injuries, etc.)

Suggestions to present such an outage in the future.

SAFETY AUDITS
Description
Depending on the intended extent, audits vary from short, simple inspections of specific
problems or areas to large, companywide reviews that explore every facet of a safety pro-
gram. Whatever their size or complexity, a safety audit is performed to review and assess
the ongoing safety elements of a business. Audits are designed to identify the weaknesses
and strengths of a safety program.
Process. A comprehensive audit starts with a review of upper-management safety aware-
ness and attitudes and continues through the entire organization. During the procedure, every
facet of the safety program is reviewed, cataloged, critiqued, andif necessarymodified.
Attitudes. The attitudes of company personnel can make or break the effectiveness of a
safety audit. Many employees tend to take safety audits very personally. A properly run
safety audit should not be performed as an inquisition. Honest errors should be noted and
corrected without hostile indictments or defensive recriminations. All personnel should be
aware that a safety audit is only one tool used to make the workplace safer for everyone.
Audits Versus Inspections. Some references differentiate between an audit and an inspec-
tion. In such references, audits are portrayed as major, comprehensive efforts that include
SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 12.11
12.12 CHAPTER TWELVE
all facets of the safety program. Inspections, on the other hand, are smaller, more concise
efforts that may assess only one small area or procedure.
While there may be some psychological advantage in separating the two terms, remem-
ber that both are intended to identify, and subsequently eliminate, existing or potential
safety hazards.
Purposes
The single most important purpose of a safety audit is to identify and eliminate safety haz-
ards. There are, however, additional side benefits and purposes that are realized including
1. Employee morale is improved as safety problems are eliminated.
2. Audits provide a dynamic record of safety performance.
3. A positive cycle of safety improvement is created. That is, departments that get good
scores tend to work harder to maintain their high scores. Departments that do not do as
well tend to work harder to improve for the next audit.
4. Managers at all levels are made aware of many safety problems and procedures that they
might not otherwise discover. For example, an audit that includes analysis of OSHA
compliance may make managers aware of OSHA rules that were previously unknown.
5. When performed as a family procedure, a safety audit can actually enhance employer-
employee relations. Employees respect management teams who truly put employee
safety first.
Procedure
The safety audit should review and evaluate each element of the safety procedure. Site-
inspection trips, personnel interviews, task observation, and documentation review are
among the methods that may be used. Each portion of the company that is reviewed will
have its own specific concerns. Note that the items presented in the following sections are
intended for example only. Specific facilities may require more or different audit criteria.
Facilities. Checkpoints for the electrical physical plant include the following:
1. Is the electric equipment kept clean?
2. Are safety exits clearly marked and unblocked by wire reels, ladders, and other such
equipment?
3. Are relay flags and other such indicators kept reset?
4. Is explosion-proof equipment properly maintained and sealed?
5. Are all electrical grounds in place and secure?
Employees. Properly trained, alert employees are at the heart of any safety program. An
individual employee is always the person most responsible for his or her own personal
safety. The following points are typical of the types of checks that should be made to audit
the safety awareness of individual employees.
1. Are employees adequately trained?
2. Are employees familiar with their safety handbook?
3. Do employees know where all electrical safety equipment is located?
4. Can employees successfully perform safety-related procedures such as safety ground-
ing and voltage measurement?
5. Are personnel familiar with the electrical safety one-line diagram?
6. Are employees familiar with the safety techniques that are unique to the various voltage
levels to which they will be exposed?
Management. Good safety practice starts at the top. If management includes itself in the
audit process, employees will accept that they too must be reviewed. Management involve-
ment is more than just window dressing, however. Other management audit points include
the following:
1. Does the facility have a formal, written safety policy?
2. Are safety rules enforced uniformly?
3. Is there an employee safety committee to which management defers when technical and
day-to-day decisions must be made?
4. Does management promote both on-the-job and off-the-job safety?
5. Does management provide, at company expense, CPR and other such training?
Safety Equipment. Various rules and regulations require the use of approved electrical safety
equipment. The following points are typical of safety equipment checks during an audit.
1. Is safety equipment readily available for all personnel?
2. Have all rubber goods been tested within the required period?
3. Are meters and instruments mechanically sound and electrically operable?
4. Are test equipment fuses properly sized?
5. Are safety interlocks operational and not bypassed?
6. Are safety signs, tags, warning tapes, and other such warning devices readily available
to all employees?
Safety Procedures. Energy control and other such safety procedures must be properly
developed and implemented. A few of the key points for procedures include
1. Are written switching orders required for planned outages?
2. Is a written copy of the lockout-tagout procedure available to all personnel?
3. Are all employees trained in electrical safety grounding?
4. Are safety procedures followed for each and every operation or are they bypassed in the
interest of production?
Documentation. Safety electrical one-line diagrams and other such documents are too
frequently ignored and allowed to fall behind or remain inaccurate. The following key
points should be checked for safety-related documentation:
1. Are the electrical portions of the company safety handbook up-to-date and consistent
with currently accepted safety practice?
2. Are copies of all safety standards and practices readily available to all personnel?
3. Is the safety electrical one-line diagram up to date, accurate, and legible?
4. Are accident reporting forms, test sheets, procedures, and other such operational aids
readily available?
SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 12.13
12.14 CHAPTER TWELVE
The Audit Team
Audit teams should be composed of safety personnel, management personnel, and employ-
ees. Because of their familiarity with safety auditing techniques, safety personnel should,
generally, be the team leaders. The audit and assessment tasks should be shared equally by
all team members.
The number of team members will, of course, depend upon the size of the facility or facil-
ities being audited. A minimum of three members is recommended even for very small facil-
ities. This will allow representations for safety, management, and employees.
Some companies use the employee safety team to spearhead safety audits. The safety
team assigns audit personnel, reviews audit results, and continues to follow up on changes.
Audit Tools
The principal tool of the safety audit is the audit form (Figs. 12.2 to 12.7). A form of this
type should be developed for every area involved in the audit. In addition to such forms,
audit team members should be supplied with copies of safety procedures, standards, and
other such documents. Team members can thus evaluate whether the procedures and stan-
dards are being followed or not. Note that the management and employee questionnaires
can be used for statistical analysis.
Follow-Up
Emergency or life-threatening problems should be corrected immediately. Problems that
are left uncorrected continue to put employees and equipment at risk. Moreover, major
audits that find problems which are not corrected send very negative signals to employees.
Follow-up to correct a problem should occur within a very short time after the results of
the audit. Major safety problems should be corrected immediately. Action on less serious
problems should begin within 1 month of the audit.
When audit results call for additional employee training, major system modification, or
other such long-term expenditures, management should develop the plan within 1 month.
No one expects major expenditures to be performed on a short-term basis; however, safety
considerations must be met in a timely and effective manner.
The audit report should be written as soon as the audit is complete. The timetable for the
correction of observed problems should be based on three criteria as follows:
1. How serious is the problem? If an accident caused by this problem would result in
very severe injuries or high levels of damage, the problem should be corrected imme-
diately. This criterion is the most important of the three, and it should outweigh any
other considerations.
2. What is the likelihood that an accident will occur as a result of the problem noted in the
audit? If there is little possibility of an accident, correction of the problem may be rele-
gated to a lower status.
3. How much will it cost to fix the problem?
Internal Versus External Audits
Although companies usually employ their own personnel in the performance of a safety
audit, sometimes an external firm may be used. Each approach has its own advantages and
SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 12.15
Outdoor Substations
Company
Location
Substation
Date Auditors
General Conditions
Item Comments
Properly fenced
Restricted access
Fence grounding
Rock and gravel (no vegetation)
Corrosion-free
Proper clearances
Danger High Voltage signs
Control room properly ventilated
Additional observations and comments:
FIGURE 12.2 Facilities audit form. (a) Outdoor substations; (b) indoor substation/electrical room; (c) mis-
cellaneous outdoor equipment; (d) power transformers; (e) metal-clad switchgear; (f) Motor control centers;
(g) battery stations; (h) panel boards. (Courtesy Cadick Corporation.)
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12.16 CHAPTER TWELVE
Indoor Substation/Electrical Room
Company
Location
Substation/Area
Date Auditors
General Conditions
Item Comments
Restricted access
Danger High Voltage signs
Improper material storage
Room properly ventilated
Proper clearances
Voltage level markings
General housekeeping
Corrosion-free
Fire extinguishers
Clear egress
Additional observations and comments:
FIGURE 12.2 (Continued)
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SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 12.17
Miscellaneous Outdoor Equipment
Company
Location
Substation
Date Auditors
Item Comments
Lightning arresters
Air disconnect switches
Capacitor banks
Oil circuit breakers
Reclosers
Fused disconnects
CTs and PTs
Control transformers
Additional observations and comments:
FIGURE 12.2 (Continued)
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(c)
12.18 CHAPTER TWELVE
Power Transformers
Company
Location
Substation/Area Designation(s)
Date Auditors
Item Comments
Insulators
Gauges operable
Proper clearances
No signs of leaks
Equipment grounding
Grounding plates
Neutral ground resistors
Proper ventilation
Type of maintenance program
PCB stickers
Additional observations and comments:
FIGURE 12.2 (Continued)
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SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 12.19
Metal-Clad Switchgear
Company
Location
Substation/Area Designation(s)
Date Auditors
Item Comments
Door and cover properly secured
Proper ventilation
Proper working space & clearances
Panel identification markings
Circuit identification markings
Voltage level markings
Protective device indicators
Type of maintenance program
Clear egress
Equipment grounding
Panel meters operative
Additional observations and comments:
FIGURE 12.2 (Continued)
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(e)
12.20 CHAPTER TWELVE
Motor Control Centers
Company
Location
Substation/Area Designation(s)
Date Auditors
Item Comments
Door and cover properly secured
Proper ventilation
Proper working space & clearances
Panel identification markings
Circuit identification markings
Voltage level markings
Indicators
Type of maintenance program
Clear egress
Equipment grounding
Panel meters operative
Additional observations and comments:
FIGURE 12.2 (Continued)
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SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 12.21
Battery Stations
Company
Location
Substation/Area Designation(s)
Date Auditors
Item Comments
Restricted access
Proper ventilation
Eyewash station
Neutralizing solution
Proper working space & clearances
Electrolyte level
Signs of out-gassing
Voltage level markings
Corrosion-free
Type of maintenance program
Clear egress
Equipment grounding
Availability of battery PPE
Battery charger
Additional observations and comments:
FIGURE 12.2 (Continued)
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(g)
12.22 CHAPTER TWELVE
Panel Boards
Company
Location
Substation/Area Designation(s)
Date Auditors
Item Comments
Door and cover properly secured
Proper ventilation
Proper working space & clearances
Panel identification markings
Circuit identification markings
Voltage level markings
Type of maintenance program
Equipment grounding
Additional observations and comments:
FIGURE 12.2 (Continued)
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(a)
FIGURE 12.3 Safety equipment audit form. (a) Page 1; (b) Page 2; (c) Page 3. (Courtesy Cadick Corporation.)
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FIGURE 12.3 (Continued)
(b)
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FIGURE 12.3 (Continued)
(c)
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FIGURE 12.4 Safety procedures audit form. (Courtesy Cadick Corporation.)
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Company/location: Date: Auditors:
Document exists Current revision Accessibility Legibility
1 =Yes 1 =Yes 1 =Yes 1 = Good
2 = Some 2 = Some 2 = Some 2 = Marginal
Documentation 3 = No 3 = No 3 = No 3 = Unacceptable Comments
Electrical safety manual
Safety procedures
Safety equipment records
Safety equipment manuals
Accident investigation
One-lines
Three-lines
Schematics
Wiring diagrams
SCA and coordination
PM records
Protective device tests
Oil & gas analysis
Grounding tests
Battery tests
FIGURE 12.5 Documentation audit form. (Courtesy Cadick Corporation.)
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12.28 CHAPTER TWELVE
Electrical Safety Program
The answers that you provide on this form are critical to the successful implementation
and maintenance of a Zero Incidents Safety Program. Please provide your reaction to
each statement by checking the appropriate box. You may be asked for an interview to
further expand on your answers.
1. I am not able to perform my job safely because I have not been provided
with the right safety equipment.
2. It is not appropriate to point out my coworkers at-risk behavior.
3. Many of the safety procedures we are supposed to follow are unnecessary.
4. I follow the correct safety procedures and use the appropriate equipment.
5. Management at my company supports a company, sponsored electrical
safety training program.
6. Management at my company supports the electrical safety program.
7. I would not hesitate to report one of my coworkers who was exhibiting
at-risk behavior.
8. I am provided with all the necessary safety procedures to allow me to per-
form my job safely.
9. My supervisor encourages productivity at the expense of safety.
10. My company says they support the electrical safety program, but in reality
they discourage anything that detracts from production.
11. My supervisor supports the electrical safety program.
12. My coworkers do not follow the correct safety procedures.
13. I enjoy my job.
14. I know what to do in an electrical emergency.
15. My team has adequate skills to perform their job safely and efficiently.
16. My company does not provide adequate skills training.
FIGURE 12.6 Employee audit questionnaire. (a) Page 1; (b) Page 2; (c) Page 3; (d) Page 4. (Courtesy
Cadick Corporation.)
Employee questionnairepage 1 Company/location:
This interview form is anonymous. Please feel free to answer honestly.
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(a)
SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 12.29
Electrical Safety Program
The answers that you provide on this form are critical to the successful implementation
and maintenance of a Zero Incidents Safety Program. Please provide your reaction to
each statement by checking the appropriate box. You may be asked for an interview to
further expand on your answers.
1. I am skeptical about the ultimate value of our electrical safety program.
2. The concept of zero incidents is unrealistic.
3. On occasion electrical safety must be compromised for production.
4. The concept of zero incidents is fine in theory but not achievable at a rea-
sonable cost.
5. I am aware of incidents where safety has been compromised for
production.
6. I believe the company is committed to correcting, in a timely manner, defi-
ciencies that are identified by this audit.
7. All my coworkers have adequate electrical safety and skills training.
8. I endorse a zero incidents electrical safety program.
9. Electrical safety should never be compromised for production.
10. We have adequate electrical personal protective equipment.
FIGURE 12.6 (Continued)
Employee questionnairepage 2 Company/location:
This interview form is anonymous. Please feel free to answer honestly.
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(b)
12.30 CHAPTER TWELVE
Electrical Safety Program
The following questions are designed to determine your knowledge of the various
safety-related equipment and procedures. Please check the box that best describes your
understanding of the subject matter.
11. Company safety handbook (electrical section)
12. Switching procedures for plant distribution system
13. Voltage measurement procedures
14. Use of drawings (one-lines, schematics, etc.)
15. Lockout/tagout procedures
16. Use of temporary safety grounds
17. First aid and CPR
18. Personal protective equipment usage (tools and clothing)
19. Electrical firefighting
20. Hazard analysis/recognition
21. Tool usage
22. Familiarity with job safety analysis
- Please fill out the form on the next page -
FIGURE 12.6 (Continued)
Employee questionnairepage 3 Company/location:
This interview form is anonymous. Please feel free to answer honestly.
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(c)
Electrical Safety Program
FIGURE 12.6 (Continued)
Employee questionnairepage 4 Company/location:
This interview form is anonymous. Please feel free to answer honestly.
Training Training
Type of training received current Classroom OJT Comments
Print reading
Troubleshooting
National Electrical Code
CPR & first aid
Electrical firefighting
Protective clothing
Hazard risk analysis
Confined space
Fall restraint
Switching procedures
Lockout/tagout
Voltage measurement
Safety grounding
Equipment specific training
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How trained (check all appropriate)
Directions: Please enter a (Y)es or (N)o into each box.
Training is considered current if it is done within 10 years except CPR, which is 1 year.
(d)
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12.32 CHAPTER TWELVE
Electrical Safety Program
The answers that you provide on this form are critical to the successful implementation
and maintenance of a Zero Incidents Safety Program. Please provide your reaction to
each statement by checking the appropriate box. You may be asked for an interview to
further expand on your answers.
1. Our electrical employees are not able to perform their job safely because
they have not been provided with the right safety equipment.
2. It is not appropriate for an employee to point out coworkers at-risk
behavior.
3. Many of the safety procedures we are supposed to follow are unnecessary.
4. Our employees follow the correct safety procedures and use the appropri-
ate equipment.
5. I support a company-sponsored electrical safety training program.
6. I support the electrical safety program.
7. I would not hesitate to counsel an employee who was exhibiting at-risk
behavior.
8. The company provides all the necessary safety procedures to allow our
workers to perform their jobs safely.
9. Our supervisors have encouraged productivity at the expense of safety.
10. Our company says they support the electrical safety program, but in real-
ity they discourage anything that detracts from production.
11. All supervisors support the electrical safety program.
12. Our employees know what to do in an electrical emergency.
13. Our electrical team has adequate skills to perform their job safely and
efficiently.
14. Our company does not provide adequate skills training.
15. I am skeptical about the ultimate value of our electrical safety
program.
FIGURE 12.7 Management audit questionnaire. (a) Page 1; (b) Page 2. (Courtesy Cadick Corporation.)
Management questionnairepage 1 Company/location:
This interview form is anonymous. Please feel free to answer honestly.
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(a)
SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 12.33
Electrical Safety Program
The answers that you provide on this form are critical to the successful implementation
and maintenance of a Zero Incidents Safety Program. Please provide your reaction to
each statement by checking the appropriate box. You may be asked for an interview to
further expand on your answers.
16. The concept of zero incidents is unrealistic.
17. On occasion electrical safety must be compromised for production.
18. The concept of zero incidents is fine in theory but not achievable at a
reasonable cost.
19. I am aware of incidents where safety has been compromised for
production.
20. I am committed to correcting, in a timely manner, deficiencies that are
identified by this audit.
21. All of my employees have adequate electrical safety and skills training.
22. I endorse a zero incidents electrical safety program.
23. Electrical safety should never be compromised for production.
24. All of my employees have adequate electrical personal protective equip-
ment.
FIGURE 12.7 (Continued)
Management questionnairepage 2 Company/location:
This interview form is anonymous. Please feel free to answer honestly.
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(b)
12.34 CHAPTER TWELVE
disadvantages. Three principal reasons may call for the use of an external consultant in the
performance of a safety audit:
1. Consultants perform such audits on a routine basis and, therefore, tend to be more effi-
cient than inexperienced employees.
2. Consultants tend to be dispassionate and therefore more objective in their analysis.
3. In-house personnel may not be available because of work schedules.
Of course, the use of consultants has some disadvantages as well, such as the following:
1. Consultants lack familiarity with their clients in-house systems and conditions.
2. Employees may not speak as freely with an outsider as they do with their own coworkers.