1.

2 JCB GENERATOR – SAFETY

 1.2.1 SAFETY – IDENTIFYING MACHINE HAZARDS

The five main steps to risk assessment:

• Identify the Hazards.

• Decide Who might be harmed and How.

• Evaluate the Risks arising from the hazards and

decide whether existing precautions are adequate
or more should be taken.

• Record your findings.

• Review your assessment from time to time and

revise it if necessary. HSE Electrical safety
& you INDG231
 1.2.1 SAFETY – IDENTIFYING MACHINE HAZARDS

Mechanical machine hazards:

• Impact: Door swinging open/closed, hammer

• Puncture: Wire strands on cables
• Entanglement: cooling fan, rotating shaft
• Drawing In: clothing on fan belt
• Crushing: lifting/lowering generator, engine, alternator
• Cutting: Sharp edges, burrs
• Shearing: Fingers in heavy doors, alternator fan blades
• Friction: Ropes, slings (lifting), grinding discs
 1.2.1 SAFETY – IDENTIFYING MACHINE HAZARDS

Non-Mechanical machine hazards:

• Access: Confined space, poor walkways, stairs

• Chemicals: Fuel, battery acid, coolant, exhaust gases
• Fire/Explosion: Battery charging, fuel, excess current
• Noise: Engine, exhaust silencer, cooling fan
• Vibration: Engine, AV mounts, uneven foundation
• Temperature: Exhaust, cooling fan, alternator, plant room
• Electrical: Shock, short circuit, excess current
 1.2.2 SAFETY – GENERATOR ELECTRICAL HAZARDS

Main Electrical hazards:

• Contact with live parts causing electric shock & burns.
• All Mains voltages can Kill. (>55v AC)
• Faults can cause fires.
• Electricity sparks can be a cause of ignition/explosion.
• Equipment being used outdoors, greater risk of damage.
• Wet environments may cause greater risk of short circuit or
electrical shock.
• Flex cables, plugs and recepticles can be easily damaged.
• Equipment in poor condition can have exposed electrical
parts.
Refer to ‘HSE - Electrical safety and you’ INDG231
 1.2.3 SAFETY – CONTROLLING ELECTRICAL HAZARDS

Methods of controlling Electrical hazards:

• Ensure the electrical installation is carried out by a
competent person and complies to local regulations.
• Ensure that circuits are not overloaded.
• Use equipment suited to the operating environment.
• Ensure equipment is safe and maintained in a safe
condition
• Ensure a cut off switch is provided close to the machine or
circuit it supplies, in case of an emergency.
• Use suitable flexible cables for portable equipment, ensure
that they are not too long, in case they need to be
disconnected in an emergency.
 1.2.4 MAKING THE GENERATOR SAFE TO WORK ON

Working safely on the Generator:

• Ensure persons working on the generator are competent
and suitably trained.
• Ensure generator mechanics do not carryout electrical
installations unless they are authorised to do so. (see local
authority regulations)
• Where possible always work on electrical circuits that are
not live.
• Isolate the machine before carrying out work.
• Verify the isolation and lock it off. Fit isolation notices.
• Disconnect or disable automatic starting or auxiliary circuits
coming into the generator.
 1.2.6 SAFETY IN ELECTRICAL TESTING

Electrical testing on the Generator:

• Where possible the preference should be to carry out test
work on circuits that are dead.
• As an alternative to dead circuits, low voltage testing should
be carried out.
• All personnel should be qualified and competent to work on
the circuits being tested.
• Test equipment should be calibrated and checked before
use and used in accordance with manufacturers guidelines.
• Test work on live circuits should be carried out with the
same level of safety, as that provided to the end user.
Temporary insulation shields may need to be installed.
Refer to ‘HSE - Safety in electrical testing: switchgear and
control gear’ EIS037
 1.2.6 SAFETY IN ELECTRICAL TESTING

Electrical test equipment:

Test probes and leads
Probes
• Finger guards to protect against contact with live parts.

• Insulated to give a maximum 4mm exposed tip. 2mm

exposed tips and retractable tips are highly recommended.

• Must be fused with a high breaking capacity fuse (hbc) to

no more than 500mA.

Refer to ‘HSE – Electrical test equipment for use by

electricians’ GS038
 1.2.6 SAFETY IN ELECTRICAL TESTING

Electrical test equipment:

Test probes and leads
Leads
• Adequately insulated.
• Coloured to identify one from the other.
• Flexible enough for the duty expected of them.
• Sheathed to protect from mechanical damage.
• Long enough to carry out work, but not excessively long.
• Do not have exposed conductive parts even when
inadvertently disconnected from the meter.

Refer to ‘HSE – Electrical test equipment for use by

electricians’ GS038
 1.2.6 SAFETY IN ELECTRICAL TESTING

Electrical test equipment:

• Multi-voltage Lamps are preferred to test for voltage.
• Multi-meters can be set incorrectly and thus give false
readings of live circuits.
• Lamps/meters should be tested on a known voltage before
use. Then re-test after to ensure unit did not fail during test.
• Ensure test equipment is suitable for the test being carried
out.
• Ensure test equipment is in good working order and is
calibrated.

Refer to ‘HSE – Electrical test equipment for use by

electricians’ GS038