Advice on companies policies

[Jako13!]

just been reading up on some of my companies policies for certain electrical work and wanted abit of advice from some of you experienced sparkies just finished my time and probably overthinking a lot.

the first one is we are expected when disconnecting redundant cables to disconnecting both ends label and to ‘insulate for the relevant voltage class’ what would be meant by this I’ve always thought terminating into a junction box with a terminal block or wrapped in insulation tape is substantial.

the last one was when proving dead in a starter panel. I’ve always been taught to prove dead at the isolator and to check the control side is also dead due to sometimes being fed on the incoming side of the isolator. But reading the policy if you’re working in the panel you need to also prove dead at place of work such as the contractor and overload etc When speaking to other sparks they’ve never done this what is the reasons for doing this?

thank you for your help guys don’t be too savage please ?

 

[James]

It is all about being sensible with your approach.

Safety is paramount, you only get one go at life, don't cut it short by being Lazy.

however a company's policy is likely to cover all sites and all eventuality's.

when proving dead, there are some things you can safely assume in some cases.

The obvious one would be an isolator on the wall, feeding a DOL starter and a motor.

assuming all the cables are visible, I would check voltage on the outgoing side of isolator, lock off and crack on.

some equipment is so complicated with different ways of starting, automatic starting from different sources etc. on a complex machine or production line, ALWAYS CHECK EVERYTHING.

there is not a chance that anyone will advise you NOT to follow company guidance on safe isolation.

If at all unsure, get it out and test it before touching it is a good way of working.

when you become a time served spark, you will have developed some of your own "shortcuts" to the procedures,
some of them will be safe in All circumstances,
some may only be safe in certain circumstances,
some may not be safe at all.

bottom line,

ALWAYS ASSUME IT IS LIVE UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE

 

[Jako13!]

It is all about being sensible with your approach.

Safety is paramount, you only get one go at life, don't cut it short by being Lazy.

however a company's policy is likely to cover all sites and all eventuality's.

when proving dead, there are some things you can safely assume in some cases.

The obvious one would be an isolator on the wall, feeding a DOL starter and a motor.

assuming all the cables are visible, I would check voltage on the outgoing side of isolator, lock off and crack on.

some equipment is so complicated with different ways of starting, automatic starting from different sources etc. on a complex machine or production line, ALWAYS CHECK EVERYTHING.

there is not a chance that anyone will advise you NOT to follow company guidance on safe isolation.

If at all unsure, get it out and test it before touching it is a good way of working.

when you become a time served spark, you will have developed some of your own "shortcuts" to the procedures,
some of them will be safe in All circumstances,
some may only be safe in certain circumstances,
some may not be safe at all.

bottom line,

ALWAYS ASSUME IT IS LIVE UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE

Thank you James

 

[plugsandsparks]

First one is a bug bear of mine as i do come across cables wrapped in tape still powered up. WHen you are going into 4 inch metal trunking to run a new cable its not nice to come across redundant cables just stuffed in there. Certainly disconnect at both ends, label as they may be useful for the future. I always cut back the copper and put the insulated ends into an insulated block and label.

Second one, well its for all eventualities. You may go into a control panel 6ft tall and 4ft wide. There will be cables everywhere. You may well think that turning off what looks like the main isolator and even the supply to that isolator will be enough, BUT you always need to check the bits you are about to work on, like replacing a contactor etc is truly dead, thats all.

Hope this helps

 

[Jako13!]

First one is a bug bear of mine as i do come across cables wrapped in tape still powered up. WHen you are going into 4 inch metal trunking to run a new cable its not nice to come across redundant cables just stuffed in there. Certainly disconnect at both ends, label as they may be useful for the future. I always cut back the copper and put the insulated ends into an insulated block and label.

Second one, well its for all eventualities. You may go into a control panel 6ft tall and 4ft wide. There will be cables everywhere. You may well think that turning off what looks like the main isolator and even the supply to that isolator will be enough, BUT you always need to check the bits you are about to work on, like replacing a contactor etc is truly dead, thats all.

Hope this helps

Thank you Coco blocks/terminal block and label with a tag?

 

[Vortigern]

Isolation at the point of supply is obvious and testing at the point of work is required by any prudent person and statute and regs. Of course the company has to have safety policies and expect you will comply with them. I suppose they mention lock-off and all the usuals. Of course if you come to harm and it can be shown you did not perform according to the requirements set out, then obviously that would be a great lacuna for the company liability.
As to "loose ends" just this week I was doing a commercial lighting refit over four floors with suspended ceilings. Clearly someone had been in to fit new DBs on each floor and rewired all the lighting. It was abysmal. There are/were live ends floating about up there. Loose ends that were dead from the old lighting. And t&e just wrapped with amalgamating tape. Cables slung lazily over anywhere to get to the old lights. I was on a very tight schedule with permission to work type of situation and taped off any ends I came across and removed loads of cable where redundant if it was within where I was working. No junction boxes anywhere for connection to old lights. All I could do is make anything safer, and advise the client of the condition and advise the tenants not to go above the ceiling, as they like to run cat cable and AV stuff occasionally.
Because of CV19 was there was not room for any mission creep. Left me wondering what will be done to make it all safe by the CEO. His view? Ah that will be taken care of when the fixed wiring test is done. No certs for the work done were available, so.......