U N IT 1: O ve r vie w o f E le c t r ic a l In st a l la t io n a n d Ma in t e n a n ce

Introduction to Electrical Installation and

Maintenance

LESSON 1: The Electrical Installation and Maintenance Industry

Electricity has undoubtedly made our lives easier and more convenient to manage. We can

accomplish different tasks such as lighting our homes, offices, and roads; cooking, heating,

cooling our food; and entertaining and keeping ourselves safe.

Electricity is a form of energy in which electrons flow. It is convertible to another form of

energy like heat or mechanical energy, which is why electricity can also be referred to as

“energy carriers.” As carriers of energy, electricity is used to give power to appliances that

we use daily. In order to ensure that these gadgets are functioning well, proper electrical

installation and maintenance must be conducted.

This lesson tackles the role of electrical installation and maintenance in the electrical industry

and the duties and responsibilities of an electrician.

 TOPIC 1: Role of EIM in the Electrical Industry

In these modern times, electricity is always present everywhere. That

is why electricians work on all public and private buildings, including,
but not limited to residential, commercial, industrial buildings, and
agricultural and agro-industrial projects.
Construction or reconstruction of buildings for various purposes
requires the installation of electrical wiring and equipment.
 Electrical wiring to be installed includes:
o Service Entrance Conductors
o Aerial Wiring and Installation
o Cable Ducting and Wiring Installation
o Lateral Wiring and Installation
o Other Power Cable and Wiring Installation
The work of an electrician does not stop after the installation process.
In order to ensure that the installed electrical work continues to
 Examples of electrical equipment: operate well according to its functions, regular proper maintenance
o Electric machinery must be conducted. The following are three reasons why electrical
maintenance is important:
o Distribution Load Center
o Motor Control Center
o Panel Board  It enables you to save money spent on energy
o Electricians can help point out any energy-consuming
Usually, there are 2 stages of electrical installation work:
problems, and then suggest possible solutions to the
problem.
1. 1st Stage  It makes your equipment last longer.
o Proper maintenance can identify which of the
 During general construction work equipment needs repair or cleaning to make it last
o The installation of fasteners or inserts in structural longer.
elements for the following attachment of electrical  It prevents accidents from happening
equipment occurs. o With periodic electrical maintenance, the chances of
o The installation of conduits for electrical wiring in hazards and accidents are avoided.
the floors and foundations of the building and wall
sockets for outlets and switches occurs.
o Specially equipped electrical-installation
prefabrication shops transport preassembled
electrical equipment and wiring structures,
Individuals who have completed the training of Electrical Installation
fabricated conduit sections, and board-laced wires
and cables for lighting and other circuits away from and Maintenance NC II can work as:
the construction site.
 Building-Wiring Electrician
 Residential/Commercial-Wiring Electrical
2. 2nd Stage
 Maintenance Electrician

 Completion of electrical installation work

o Electrical equipment and structures are transported
to the construction site for the wiring assembly and
installation in planned locations.
o Laying out of cables and wires and their connection
to the installed electrical equipment happen during
this stage.
o When the installed equipment is actuated and
adjusted, that means the electrical work is
complete.
 TOPIC 2: Duties and Responsibilities of an Electrician

Electricians can perform a wide scope of electrical tasks from reading and interpreting blueprints to installing electrical wirings.

Here are some of the duties of an electrician:

In the Philippines, the Professional Regulation Commission conducts examinations to give licenses
to electricians in adherence to RA 7920 or the New Electrical Engineering Law. The electrician can
have a license as a Professional Electrical Engineer (PEE), Registered Electrical Engineer (REE),
and Registered Master Electrician (RME).

The following list discusses the field of practice of each licensed electrician:

 Professional Electrical Engineer (PEE)

o Has the sole authority to seal electrical plans among others
o Can practice the full scope of electrical engineering as defined in RA 7920
 Registered Electrical Engineer (REE)
o Supervises operation and maintenance of electrical equipment in power plants,
industrial plants, watercraft, electric locomotive, etc.
o Can manufacture and repair electrical supply, and utilize equipment including
switchboards, power transformers, generators, motors, apparatus, etc
o Can teach electrical subjects
o Can carry out sale and distribution of electrical equipment and systems requiring
engineering circulations or application of engineering data
 Registered Master Electrician (RME)
o Can install, wire, operate, maintain and repair electrical machinery, equipment, and
devices in residential, commercial, institutional, commercial, and industrial buildings,
in power plants, substations, watercraft, electric locomotives, etc.
o If the work exceeds six hundred volts (600 V), it must be supervised by a PEE or
REE.

Meanwhile, electricians who hold a National Certificate (NC) Level II, can perform installation and
maintenance of electrical wiring, lighting, and related equipment and systems where that the
voltage does not exceed single phase, 600 volts in any building as stated in the Philippine
Electrical Code under the supervision of a Licensed Electrical Practitioner.
LESSON 2: Importance of Relevant Laws and Ordinances

Laws and ordinances are established by the government for the regulation of society,

and to protect the rights of its citizens. In the electrical industry, it is important to set up

laws so that we know that the required tasks are being done according to the standards

that are beneficial to the customers and workers.

This lesson discusses the laws and ordinances that are relevant to the electrical industry.
 TOPIC 1: R.A. 7920 (The New Electrical Engineering Law)

The New Electrical Engineering Law (Republic Act No. 7920)

 The full title of this Act is “An act providing for a more responsive and

comprehensive regulation for the practice, licensing, and registration of electrical

engineers and electricians”

 Passed on February 24, 1995 by President Fidel V. Ramos

 Contains 6 articles

o Article I - Title and Definition of Terms

o Article II - Board of Electrical Engineering

o Article III - Examination and Registration

o Article IV - Sundry Provisions Relative to the Practice of Electrical

Engineering

o Article V - Transitory Provisions

o Article VI - Final Provisions

 RA 7920 established the Board of Electrical Engineering which supervises and

regulates the practice of electrical engineering in the Philippines under the

supervision of the Philippine Regulations Commission (PRC).

 According to the New Electrical Engineering Law, the Board, together with the

PRC, oversees the conduct of the required technical examination and registration

that one must undergo to become a licensed electrician.

 The Act contains the scope of work of electricians, guidelines and prohibitions in

their electrical practice, requirements for registration as a PEE, REE, and RME, and
TOPIC 2: The Philippine Electrical Code (PEC) and the National Electrical Code (NEC)
other miscellaneous provisions for the electrical practice.
TOPIC 2: The Philippine Electrical Code (PEC) and the National Electrical Code (NEC)

The Philippine Electrical Code or the PEC is used by people in the electrical industry for

the following purposes:

 Practical safeguarding of persons and property from hazards arising from the use

of electricity

 Contains provisions of necessary minimum safety requirements

 Compliance and proper maintenance ensure a hazard-free installation but not

necessarily efficient, convenient, or adequate for good service or future

expansion of electrical use

 Intended for the exclusive use of licensed electrical practitioners (PEE, REE, and

RME); not intended as a design specification nor an instruction manual for a non-

licensed electrical practitioner, unless under the supervision of a licensed

electrical practitioner

 Addresses the fundamental principles of protection for safety contained in Section

131 of International Electrotechnical Commission Standard 60364-1, Electrical

Installations of Buildings
 Relation to Other International Standards

• The Code requirements tackle the fundamental principles of protection for safety contained in

Section 131 of International Electrotechnical Commission Standard 60364-1, Electrical Installations

of Buildings.

• The Philippine Electrical Code (PEC) takes inspiration from the National Electrical Code with some

modifications to be more applicable to the local Philippine environment and to follow the country's

system of measurement. This makes the PEC compatible with international safety standards, and its

installation requirements in accordance with the fundamental principles outlined in NEC.

Scope

The PEC's scope includes the installation of electrical conductors, equipment, and raceways;

signaling and communications conductors, equipment, and raceways; and optical fiber cables and

raceways installed within or on, to or from:

• Public and private buildings, including but not limited to residential, commercial, industrial,

institutional, cultural, agricultural, agro- industrial, planned unit development, and all other

buildings/premises that may require practical safeguarding of persons and property from the

hazards arising from the use of electricity.

• Electric generating plants

• Industrial plants

• Transformer stations

TOPIC 3: ANSI/NETA Standard for Maintenance Testing Specifications

• Permanent and temporary substations, etc.
Scope

 Airfields

 Railways and switchyards

 Yards, carnival, parks, parking, and other lots

 Quarries and mines

 Watercraft

 Dockyards

 Trailers

 Mobile homes and recreational vehicles

 Offshore facilities

The PEC does not cover the following:

 Installations in railway rolling stock, aircraft, or automotive vehicles

 Installations of railways for generation, transformation, transmission, or

distribution of power used exclusively for the operation of rolling stock

The ANSI/NETA Standard for Maintenance Testing Specifications is created by the American

National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Electrical Testing Association (NETA).

 ANSI - is a private, non-profit organization that oversees the assessment system of US

voluntary standards and conformity

 NETA - is an association of electrical testing companies that has the purpose of advancing

the industry’s standards for power system installation and maintenance to guarantee the

highest level of electrical reliability and safety. It is accredited as a Standards Developer for

the ANSI since 1996

 The ANSI/NETA Standard determines the required field tests and inspections for the

evaluation of service-aged electrical equipment.

 It is used to assure that the tested electrical equipment and systems are:

o operational

o within the applicable standards and manufacturer’s tolerances

o suitable for continued service

 It also serves as a guide to workers in performing the necessary tests that gauge if a piece

TOPIC 4: Safety
of equipment Regulation satisfactorily,
is functioning Acts but not necessarily tells how the tests are

performed.

 This Standard also helps in minimizing downtime and maximizing the life expectancy of the

equipment.
 LESSON 3: Occupational Health and Safety Policies and Procedures

Electrical engineers, licensed and non-licensed electricians, and low power line workers work

with electricity directly. It has been a part of their daily lives that some tend to overlook the

hazards electricity poses, and tend to be less cautious with handling it. Hazards cause injuries

to the workers, and sometimes even death. This is why it is crucial to establish a set of policies

and procedures that will ensure the safety and wellness of the workers. Aside from that,

setting up occupational health and safety procedures benefits the organization through the

following ways:

 Reduction and avoidance of injury and illness in the workplace

 Employee productivity improvement

 Retention of employees in an organization

 Cost reduction for employees’ compensation due to injury

TOPIC 1: Practicing OHS Policies and Procedures
Personal Protective Equipment for Electrical Installation and Maintenance
 Reflectorized Vest

 Safety Shoes

 Protective Gloves

 Safety Harness

 Safety Glasses or Goggles

 Hard Hat

Additional PPE may also be required, depending on the identified hazards, like:

 Fall protection equipment

 Respirators

 Chemical-resistant or cut-resistant gloves

 Chaps

Occupational Health Indicators (OHI)

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH INDICATORS

Occupational Health Indicators (OHI) are used to measure and assess the progress and current

state of occupational health and safety in the workplace.

The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists listed the following Occupational Health

Indicators:

1. Non-Fatal Injuries and Illnesses Reported by Employers

Examples of work-related injuries: falls, being struck or crushed by objects, electric shocks,

assaults.
2. Work-Related Hospitalizations

Examples: treatment for musculoskeletal disorders and acute injuries

3. Fatal Work-Related Injuries

Injuries occurring at work that lead to death Example: severe electrocution that causes death or

a homicide that happened in the workplace

4. Amputations Reported by Employers

Amputation means a full or partial loss of a protruding body part (hand, arm, finger, leg, etc.)

5. Amputations Identified in State Workers' Compensation Systems

6.Hospitalization for Work-Related Burns

Burns encompass injuries to tissues caused by contact with dry heat (fire), moist heat (steam),

chemicals, electricity, friction, or radiation.

7.Musculoskeletal Disorders Reported by Employers

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are injuries or disorders of muscles, tendons,

nerves, ligaments, joints, or spinal discs that are caused or aggravated by work activities.

Examples: sprains, strains, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, hernia

8. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Cases Identified in State Workers' Compensation Systems

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurs when the median nerve is compressed at the wrist.
9. Pneumoconiosis Hospitalizations

Pneumoconiosis is a term for a class of non-malignant lung diseases caused by the inhalation of

mineral dust, nearly always in occupational settings.

10. Pneumoconiosis Mortality

These are the deaths caused by pneumoconiosis

11. Acute Work-Related Pesticide Poisonings Reported to Poison Control Centers

12. Incidence of Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare but highly fatal cancer of the thin membranes surrounding the

chest cavity (pleura) or abdominal cavity (peritoneum).

13. Elevated Blood Lead Levels among Adults

Exposure to lead in adults can cause anemia, nervous system dysfunction, kidney damage,

hypertension, decreased fertility, and miscarriage.

14. Workers Employed in Industries with High Risk for Occupational Morbidity

15. Workers Employed in Occupations with High Risk for Occupational Morbidity

16. Workers Employed in Industries and Occupations with High Risk for Occupational Mortality

17. Occupational Safety and Health Professionals

18. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Enforcement Activities

19. Workers' Compensation Awards

20. Work-Related Low Back Disorder Hospitalizations

21. Asthma Among Adults Caused or Made Worse by Work

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways.

22. Work-Related Severe Traumatic Injury Hospitalizations

23. Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Healthcare Personnel

24. Occupational Health-Related ED Visits

25. Hospitalizations for or with Occupational Eye Injuries

Workplace OHS Personal Records

Maintenance of records allows businesses to identify and address possible harmful trends and issues
to keep them from escalating.

Examples of OHS records:

 Training records
 Written safe work procedures
 Hazard assessments and result
 Incident investigations
 Equipment logbooks, maintenance records
 PPE fit testing
  Inspection reports— internal or OHS Officer
 OHS disciplinary measures
 JOHS minutes

Information on Emergency-related Drill

A drill is a practice of implementing the emergency plan to test if the plan is complete enough, to
give the workers an idea on how to react in an organized or methodical way during an emergency.

Being prepared is a cycle of planning, coordinating and equipping, training, exercising, and
evaluating and assessing actions in times of a disaster. The preparedness cycle is established to
prevent, lessen, react to, and recover from different types of disasters.
TOPIC 2: Identifying and Controlling Electrical Hazards and Risk

A hazard is something that can cause harm, like electricity, fire, chemicals, etc. Meanwhile, a risk is
a likelihood, high or low, of the hazard to cause somebody harm.

A worker can experience an electric shock when the body comes in contact with both wires of an

electrical circuit, one wire of an energized circuit and the ground, or a metallic part that has become

energized by contact with an electrical conductor. The severity of the electrical shock is determined

by how much electric current the person has taken. The table below shows the general relationship

between the severity of the injury and the amount of current for a 60-cycle hand-to-foot path of one

second’s duration of shock.

 It should be noted that under normal circumstances, most electrical circuits can provide up to

20,000 milliamperes of current flow.

Eliminating Electrical Hazards and Risks

HIERARCHY OF CONTROLS

The Hierarchy of Controls is a system followed by industries to reduce or eliminate hazards in

the workplace. It is arranged from the least effective method up to the most effective.
Elimination means physically removing the hazards that are present in the workplace.

Substitution means replacing hazardous material with a safer option.

Engineering controls keep the people from the hazard.

Administrative controls entail changing how people work to prevent the hazard.

PPE is the personal protective equipment that must be provided to the workers.

CONTINGENCY MEASURES

In case of unavoidable and uncontrollable disasters, organizations need to set up contingency

measures to safeguard data, minimize disruption, and keep everyone safe.

The following are examples of contingency measures:

Evacuation - removing people from an immediate threat

Isolation - separating the threat from the public

Decontamination - cleaning out hazardous substances from an area or object

Calling Designated Emergency Personnel

TOPIC 3: Exercising Efficient and Effective Sustainable Practices in the Workplace

Exercising efficient and effective sustainable practices in the workplace is important no matter

which industry you are in. In the electrical industry, doing so makes your workplace more

productive because the equipment, tools, and rooms that you use are well-maintained.
Personal Hygiene Practices

Washing your hands should be performed:

Before starting work.

Before putting on or changing gloves.

After using the toilet.

After sneezing, coughing, or using a handkerchief or tissue.

After touching hair, face, or body.

After smoking, eating, drinking, or chewing gum or tobacco.

After any cleaning up through sweeping, mopping, or wiping counters.

After touching dirty equipment.

After handling trash.

After handling money.

3Rs of Waste Management

Waste Segregation

Waste Segregation is the practice of separating different solid waste materials to promote
recycling and reuse of resources and to reduce the volume of waste for collection and disposal.
Source segregation emphasizes the importance of waste segregation at the household or
workplace level.

Here is the classification of wastes as discussed in the course Performing Solid Waste
Management in the Workplace:
5S of Good Housekeeping