UETTDREL14A

WORKING NEAR POWERLINES

If you must work near powerlines, you should follow these steps:

 Develop a safe system of work before you start

 Develop a safe system that ensures a safe distance from powerlines is maintained
(stay outside the exclusion zone).
 Identify overhead and underground powerlines by consulting maps and/or talking to
the property owner and electrical entity.
 Conduct a site specific risk assessment – think about:
i. the type of plant and equipment/tools used
ii. site and weather conditions
iii. type of work being done
iv. set-up and pack-up procedures.
 Put risk controls in place – the most effective way of controlling the risk is to de-
energise the line for the duration of work where there is a risk of contact.
 Keep your workers and contractors informed about electrical safety
 Induct and train your workers and contractors in safe work procedures, emergency
procedures, and exclusion zones
 Carefully plan the tasks to be completed near powerlines and work away from them
whenever possible.
 Demonstrate the safe distance from an exclusion zone by marking it on the ground.
 Ensure people are aware that powerlines sag (vertical drop) or sway (horizontal
movement) in hot or windy weather
 Stay outside exclusion zones
 When tree cutting plan your work so tree branches do not fall across powerlines.
 Where possible, use insulated or non-conductive tools and equipment.
 Operators should use a safety observer when carrying out work near powerlines.
 Follow the safety advice you obtain from your electricity entity.
▻
Risk Assessment
Please view the video below on Controlling risk.

Approach distances
Designated approach distances are one way of keeping people separated from electrical hazards.

The table below provides the minimum safe working distance for ordinary persons (after
consultation), instructed persons and authorised persons.

Nominal Voltage (kV) *Ordinary persons

Instructed Authorised
after consultation
persons persons
with Ausgrid
(m) (m)
Up to and (m)
More than including

- 1 1.0 0.5 0.5

1 11 2.0 0.7 0.7

11 22 2.0 0.7 0.7

22 33 2.0 1.0 1.0

33 66 3.0 1.0 1.0

66 132 3.0 1.5 1.5

132 220 4.5 2.5 2.5

220 330 6.0 3.0 3.0

330 - 6.0 4.0 4.0

Exclusion zones
An exclusion zone is a safety envelope around an overhead electric line. No part of a worker,
operating plant or vehicle should enter an exclusion zone while the overhead electric line is
energised (live). Exclusion zones keep people, operating plant and vehicles a safe distance from
energised overhead lines.

Exclusion zones apply whenever you need to carry out work, or operate plant or a vehicle, around a
live overhead electric line and you cannot eliminate the risk by turning off the power. Exclusion
zones extend in all directions, not just sideways. The exclusion zone will vary depending on the:

 voltage of the line

 whether the line is insulated or bare
 the level of competence, training and authorisation of the person carrying out the work.
Power Lines and Electricity Generation
A transmission line is used for the transmission of electrical power from generating substation to the
various distribution units. It transmits the wave of voltage and current from one end to another. The
transmission line is made up of a conductor having a uniform cross-section along the line. Air acts as
an insulating or dielectric medium between the conductors.

Let’s take a step back and look at the the world of electricity and power generation, it is vital to start
by understanding the basics of voltage, current, and resistance. These are the three basic building
blocks required to manipulate and utilize electricity. At first, these concepts can be difficult to
understand because we cannot "see" them. One cannot see with the naked eye the energy flowing
through a wire or the voltage of a battery sitting on a table.

▻
Electricity Concepts
Please view the video below on Electricity Concepts

Power generation in Australia includes coal, however renewable power technologies in the past 20
years has seen the rise of wind power, hydroelectricity, solar PV, heat pumps, geothermal, wave
and solar thermal energy as improved power generation sources

What is resistance?
Resistance is a measure of the opposition to current flow in an electrical circuit.

All materials resist current flow to some degree. They fall into one of two broad categories:
  Conductors: Materials that offer very little resistance where electrons can move easily.
Examples: silver, copper, gold and aluminum.
 Insulators: Materials that present high resistance and restrict the flow of electrons.
Examples: Rubber, paper, glass, wood and plastic.

Resistance measurements are normally taken to indicate the condition of a component or a circuit.

 The higher the resistance, the lower the current flow. If abnormally high, one possible cause
(among many) could be damaged conductors due to burning or corrosion. All conductors
give off some degree of heat, so overheating is an issue often associated with resistance.
 The lower the resistance, the higher the current flow. Possible causes: insulators damaged
by moisture or overheating.

An electric power distribution system can be classified according to its feeder connection schemes

or topologies as follows -

 Radial distribution system

 Parallel feeders distribution
 Ring main distribution system
 Interconnected distribution

Radial Distribution System

This system is used only when substation or generating station is located at the center of the
consumers. In this system, different feeders radiate from a substation or a generating station and
feed the distributors at one end. A key characteristic of a radial distribution system is that the
power flow is in only one direction.

In this system, employing SWER (Single Wire Earth Return), the earth is used as the return path
for the current to avoid the need for a second wire (or neutral wire) to act as a return path.
Ensure at least one earth connection is made to a permanent earthing facility when earthing a
SWER line and Isolate SWER lines in accordance with the approved work instruction.

SWER lines cannot be protected by sensitive earth fault or earth fault protection, so make a
visual inspection of insulators before working on or around SWER poles. Before working on
the poles, visually inspect SWER transformer earthing arrangements to ensure continuity.

A diagram of a typical Single line / radial distribution system is as shown in the figure below.
Parallel Feeders Distribution System
This system may be used where reliability of the supply is important or for load sharing where the
load is higher.

Ring Main Distribution System

Here, each distribution transformer is fed with two feeders but in different paths. The feeders in this
system form a loop which starts from the substation bus-bars, runs through the load area feeding
distribution transformers and returns to the substation bus-bars.
NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR

Grounding makes sure that current will be directed along the ground or neutral wire in a system
during a fault, but there is still the risk that if you touch the live wires, the current could travel
through you into the ground instead of through the neutral line.

Automatic Circuit Reclosers

Automatic circuit reclosers have been used successfully on rural circuits for many years. Reclosers
are available with a wide range of current and voltage ratings and are suitable for use on virtually all
distribution circuits. The original concept of reclosers was to provide a self-contained, low-cost
tripping and reclosing circuit interrupter, which could be used economically for pole-mounted
protection of distribution feeders.

Benefits of Underground Cabling vs Above-Ground

When it comes to feeders from substations, utilities will weigh up the costs vs benefits of installing
them above ground or installing them below ground. The following are just a few of the advantages
of underground cabling.

Less Space
Above ground power lines take up a lot of space. In areas that are more densely populated, space
comes at a premium — and you won’t want to use it up on power lines that could be installed below
ground instead. Besides the fact that underground cables are out of sight, they also require
a narrower band of land than above ground cables.

Less Visual Impact

Power lines obstruct a property’s view and can diminish the curb appeal of a property. Nobody likes
looking at above ground power lines, after all.

Less Exposure to Damage

Above ground power lines are extremely vulnerable to damage, whether it’s a catastrophe caused
by a falling tree, car accident, nearby fire, or heavy snowfall. This kind of damage can be costly to
repair and may leave hundreds, if not thousands, of people without power. Installing cables
underground mitigates the effects of natural disasters such as bushfires, storms or cyclones.

Less Dangerous

Above ground power lines that have been damaged pose a safety risk to people around them. They
can collapse onto nearby buildings, cars, or even people. Downed power lines can also cause electric
shocks to people who venture too close. Health-wise, underground cabling is also a winner. They can
be shielded to reduce electromagnetic fields at the surface.

Access authorities and permits

Utilities employ a range of access authorities and permits including:
 equipping permit
 access permit for work
 restricted access permit for work
 access permit for test and ancillary work
 operating agreement
 clearance to work

Issuing access authorities and permits

Authorisation to issue or receive access authorities and permits are the responsibility of the
Manager – Electrical Safety and Authorisations and includes activities such as:
 perform operating work
 issue (and receive) access permits
 issue restricted access permits
 issue clearances to work
 issue (and receive) operating agreements.

Access permit recipients

The person who receives the access permit is called the recipient. This authorisation involves
training and assessment in access permit procedures.
A person authorised to issue an access permit is also authorised to receive an access permit, though
you cannot issue an access permit to yourself.

There are 2 levels of recipient authorisation:

 access permit receiver - unrestricted
 access permit receiver - restricted — restricts recipient to receiving access permits
where tape barriers are not required at their worksite.

Recipient types include the following:

 an authorised employee who is an electrical worker (eg lineworker, cable jointer or electrical
technician)
 an authorised Level 1 ASP who is an electrical worker
 an authorised employee who is not an electrical worker (eg a painter, a plumber, or an
electrical supply operative (ESO))
 an authorised contractor
 a person who has been specially authorised to receive access permits for a particular job at a
specific location and for a limited time period.

Access permit or authority issuers - Responsibilities

The operator issuing the access authority or permit must do the following:
 make sure that they have taken all the necessary precautions to comply with the Rules
before issuing an access authority or permit
 check that the details of the isolation, earthing and short-circuiting, LV shorting, and other
precautions have been printed clearly (in blue or black ink) on the access authority or permit
 personally hand the access authority or permit to ASPs, non-electrical employees,
contractors and specially authorised persons explaining:
o all the precautions that have been taken, such as points of isolation and the location
of earthing and short-circuiting, and/or LV shorting equipment
o if there are any live exposed conductors close to the mains and apparatus worked
on or tested.

Access permit or authority - Restrictions on transfer of access

authorities or permits

An access authority or permit cannot be transferred between contractors, non-electrical employees

or specially authorised persons. When issuing an access authority or permit to persons in these
categories, the operator must cross out the ‘Transfer’ section and write ‘Not applicable’.

The operator must also cross out the ‘Temporary Cancellation and Re-Issue’ section.

Access permit recipients - Responsibilities prior to accepting the

access permit
 the recipient must be authorised to accept access permits
 the recipient must check that:
o the mains and apparatus to be worked on are clearly specified in the access permit,
and that the isolations, earthing and other precautions taken are appropriate for the
work to be carried out
  in a switchyard, any live HV mains and apparatus that pass over a taped safe work area must
have ‘Danger High Voltage Overhead’ warning signs erected. Additional signs may be placed
to indicate adjacent live equipment at the discretion of the recipient.
 tape barriers (when required) clearly define the safe work area and/or clearly identify other
adjacent equipment, which must be treated as live. The tape must enable clear access to
allow safe completion of the work.

Responsibilities after accepting the access permit

 the recipient must ensure that every person signing on to the access permit is aware of the
mains and apparatus which are covered by the access permit, the work to be done and the
precautions in place
 the recipient must instruct and give face-to-face demonstration to all people who will sign
on the permit of the safety requirements of the access permit
 the recipient must ensure that all those required to sign on the access permit do so before
they start work
 the recipient must ensure that every person signing on the permit is aware of their
obligations to notify the recipient when leaving and returning to the worksite.
 access permit recipients can only be responsible for their own workgroup and must not
allow any other person to sign on to the access permit. Individual workgroups must sign on
to separate access permits.
 the recipient can only allow people carrying out work that directly relates to the purpose of
the access permit to sign on to the permit as members of the workgroup
 before allowing employees with other work classifications to sign on to the permit, the
recipient must know these tasks are covered by the access permit and the employees will
work in accordance with the access permit conditions. If in any doubt, these employees are
not allowed to sign on to the access permit
 the recipient is responsible for safeguarding the access permit. The recipient must return the
permit to the folder at the end of each day and at the completion of work
 the recipient must remain at the worksite or be travelling between locations within the
worksite during the course of work, except when following the procedure for leaving the
worksite detailed below.
 working earths must be recorded when connected and disconnected
 all of the working earths must be removed before the recipient cancels the permit
 the recipient must ensure that everyone who signed onto the permit has signed off before

Recipient leaves the worksite

If a recipient must temporarily leave the worksite and intends to return, they must ensure one of
the following:
 the access permit is transferred to another authorised member of the workgroup
 the workgroup ceases work and stands-down in a safe location until the recipient returns.
This is the only option available for non-electrical staff and contractors.

If a recipient must leave the worksite and will not or might not return, they must ensure one of
the following:
 The access permit is transferred to another authorised member of the workgroup
 The workgroup ceases work and all sign off the permit.
The above requirements do not apply when the recipient is travelling between locations within
the worksite.

Cancellation of access permits

When the work is finished, the recipient can do one of the following:
  leave the cancelled access permit in the access permit folder or receptacle folder at the
place of issue
 give the cancelled access permit to the operator
 contact the System/Area Operator and ask permission to leave the cancelled access permit
in a safe, accessible location for the operator to collect
For isolation folder procedures, the recipient can do one of the following:
 leave the cancelled access permit in the isolation folder
 for work in remote areas where the isolation folder details have been co-ordinated by the
System/Area Operator, the recipient must register the cancellation with the System/Area
Operator and return the cancelled access permit to the Electrical Safety Manager
 contact the System/Area Operator and ask permission to leave the cancelled access permit
in a safe and accessible place for the Class 1 Operator to collect.

Returning mains and apparatus to service - Access permit procedures

Mains and apparatus which are under an access permit or clearance to work must not be
reenergised until all associated access permits or clearance to work listed on the access permit or
clearance to work folder, or isolation folder, have been cancelled, or withdrawn, and recovered.

Any operating agreement (both original and duplicate) issued or accepted must also be cancelled.

Access permits or clearance to work for work on underground cables must not be cancelled by the
recipient (eg jointer or accredited service provider (ASP) jointer) unless:

 all new or repaired cables and joints, in joint holes, are backfilled or sand-bagged and, if
further work is required, safely barricaded and protected
 excavations in the immediate proximity of substations are backfilled
 all other excavations are safely barricaded and protected, and arrangements are in place for
regular checking to ensure that they remain safely barricaded and protected.

Restoration of supply to points of isolation

Access permits should not be issued on sections of faulted cable or overhead line until those sections
of the network adjoining the proposed points of isolation are restored. However, if repair work must
proceed before the network has been restored, no section of the network (to a point of isolation) is
to be restored without first temporarily cancelling those access permits on issue for the repair.
Permit recipients (and those signed on under issue) must stand aside before re-energising any part
of the network up to a point of isolation for an access permit.

The same procedure also applies where an access permit has been issued before a fault occurs on
the network

Applying earthing and short-circuiting equipment

When applying earthing and short-circuiting equipment, you must work ‘from the ground up’,
that is:
1. Connect the phase-to-earth lead to earth before connecting it to a conductor (always
apply the phase-to-earth lead first and remove it last).
2. Connect one end of a phase-to-phase (short-circuiting) lead to a conductor which has
already been earthed, before connecting the other end to the next conductor.
3. Always maintain clearances from live exposed conductors until the earth is connected
 to the conductor.

Safe work method statement (SWMS)

A SWMS is required for energised electrical work and high risk construction work carried
out on or near energised electrical installations or services. A written SWMS should be based on a
risk assessment. The SWMS and risk assessment should be available to workers
on site for the duration of the work.

Recap: First Aid – Shock

 what does it take to feel a shock, and at what level can you get into serious trouble.  The
simple answer is that low levels of electricity have the possibility to cause injury, either directly or
indirectly.  There is some data that indicates that under certain extreme conditions the maximum
reasonable safe voltage is only 10V ac.

Table:  Shock Physiological Effects

Electric Physiological Effect Voltage required to produce the
Current current with assumed body
(1 second resistance
contact)
    100,000 ohms 1,000 ohms
1 mA Threshold of feeling, tingling sensation. 100 V 1V
5 mA Accepted as maximum harmless current 500 V 5V
10-20 mA Beginning of sustained muscular contraction ("Can't 1000 V 10 V
let go" current.)
100-300 Ventricular fibrillation, fatal if continued. 10,000 V 100 V
mA Respiratory function continues.
6A Sustained ventricular contraction followed by 600,000 V 6000 V
normal heart rhythm. (defibrillation). Temporary
respiratory paralysis and possibly burns.
 
At levels where a shock does not do direct bodily harm, there are still ways to get seriously injured
indirectly.  As the shocked individual reacts voluntarily or involuntary (due to muscle contraction) to
the shock by moving away, possibly very rapidly, he or she can fall over backwards, bang against a
nearby chair or workbench, or just their hand against the chassis of the item they are working on.

All these hazards can present dangerous conditions to staff accessing the electrical network. The risks
can be managed by using the following:
 access permit earths
 working earths
 appropriate work methods, such as:
 considering the specific hazards to the specific task/job
 developing task or job specific work procedures to mitigate the hazards
 completing a written risk assessment.

Even where appropriate mitigation options are employed, some risk of shock remains when
working on overhead lines, underground cables/conductors, or in electrical substations.
There is no one solution to address induction and earth potential hazards on all electrical assets
for all types of work. It is important to address the risks to ensure safety and this must be done
considering the specific hazards to the specific task / job.

Recap: PPE
In the case of LV switchboard hazard, the main purpose of Personal Protective Equipment is to
reduce burn injury to worker to a level of curable burn. Personal protective equipment may, or may
not, provide adequate protection in the case of arc flash exposure.

It is important that workers understand the use, care, and limitations. Workers must not treat PPE as
a substitute for common sense and safe work practices. The most common and industry accepted
PPE that protects the body from arc flash is arc-rated clothing. Arc-rated clothing is tested for
performance under exposure to electric arc. This is different from flame resistant clothing, though
arc-rated clothing is also flame-resistant.

Identifying powerlines

There are a number of types of powerlines. To maintain safe clearance distances between the
powerlines it is important to know the correct voltage.

This page provides a general guide to voltage identification of common aerial powerlines – however
these vary by State and Territory

Overhead power transmission lines are classified in the electrical power industry by the range of
voltages:

 Low voltage (LV) – less than 1000 volts, used for connection between a residential or small
commercial customer and the utility.
 Medium voltage (MV; distribution) – between 1000 volts (1 kV) and 69 kV, used for
distribution in urban and rural areas.
 High voltage (HV; subtransmission less than 100 kV; subtransmission or transmission at
voltages such as 115 kV and 138 kV), used for sub-transmission and transmission of bulk
quantities of electric power and connection to very large consumers.

Insulators

Insulators are used to separate bare conductors (wires and cables) from the pole or tower structure.
The higher the voltage carried by the conductor, the larger the insulators that are used to separate
them from the pole or tower.

Insulators may be of a pin type (one or a number of small discs mounted on a rigid pin) or disc type
(larger discs that are attached to a wire). The number of disc insulators is usually indicative of the
voltage of the powerline, eg 11 kV conductors are generally insulated by a single disc (one disc for
each wire).
Codes or Practice
An approved code of practice provides practical guidance on how to achieve the standards of work
health and safety required under the WHS Act and the Work Health and Safety Regulations (the
WHS Regulations) and effective ways to identify and manage risks.

Electrical Safety Rules are issued under the provisions of the company (utility). The Rules prescribe
the manner in which work is carried out on the electrical network and on certain other electrical
equipment and installations.

The Rules are designed to conform to the Electricity Supply (Safety and Network Management)
Regulation 2014.

A code of practice can assist anyone who has a duty of care in the circumstances described in the
code of practice. Following an approved code of practice will assist the duty holder to achieve
compliance with the health and safety duties in the WHS Act and WHS Regulations

Codes of practice are admissible in court proceedings under the WHS Act and WHS Regulations.
Courts may regard a code of practice as evidence of what is known about a hazard, risk, risk
assessment or risk control and may rely on the code in determining what is reasonably practicable in
the circumstances to which the code of practice relates.

Compliance with the WHS Act and WHS Regulations may be achieved by following another method if
it provides an equivalent or higher standard of work health and safety than the code.

An inspector may refer to an approved code of practice when issuing an improvement or prohibition
notice.

In summary an an approved code of practice:

 gives practical guidance on how health, safety and welfare at work can be achieved;
 should be observed unless an alternative course of action that achieves the same or a
better level of health, safety and welfare in the workplace is being followed;
 can be used in support of the preventive enforcement provisions of the Occupational
Health and Safety Act;
 can be used to support prosecutions for failing to comply with or contravening the OHS
Act or OHS Regulation.
 An example of a code of practice – in this case, codes of practice developed by
WorkCoverNSW is:
o Code of Practice: Occupational Health and Safety Consultation
o Code of Practice: Risk assessment
o Code of Practice: Occupational Health and Safety induction training for construction
work

Safety Observers
A safety observer’s function is to witness the work being carried out to ensure the appropriate
safety controls (precautions) are implemented and maintained. There are various types of
safety observers such as:
- exclusion zone safety observer
- live work safety observer
- HV live line work safety observer.
Typically, a safety observer must be hazard and risk-aware, be able to warn about any approach
to electrical apparatus, be trained to do rescue, and be able to stop the work if necessary. A
common use of an observer is during powerline operations in which the observer monitors
exclusion zones.
Safety observers who observe the work should have successfully completed a relevant training
course provided by a registered training authority. They should be assessed as competent to carry
out their work tasks in the vicinity of energised electric lines and exposed parts.
Safety observers must be competent to implement control measures in an emergency and to
rescue and resuscitate a worker if necessary. Authorised persons and safety observers must be re-
assessed annually.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

▻
Rescue from an LV Panel
Please view the video below on workplace procedures for accessing, isolating the
LV panel, removing the victim and where necessary from contact with live
apparatus