High Voltage Precaution Safety Moment
High Voltage Precaution Safety Moment
High Voltage Precaution Safety Moment
HIGH-VOLTAGE
SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS
RTU Press
Riga 2019
A. Podgornovs. High-voltage Safety Precautions.
Riga, RTU Press, 2019, 28 p.
7. Literature............................................................................................................... 27
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1. Introduction
It is almost impossible to imagine our everyday life without using electrical energy. The
number of appliances and devices used in generating, transforming, transmission, distri-
bution, and use of the electrical energy as well as the technological complexity of manufac-
turing and operating these appliances and devices are growing constantly. Operation of an
electrical installation is closely connected with maintaining safe operational conditions.
Electrical safety as a set of organisational measures and technical means that protects the
staff from hazardous and dangerous impact of electric current, electric arc, electromag-
netic field, and static electricity is still topical and requires specific measures.
There is a huge number of various internal regulations, national standards, European
standards, national regulations (Cabinet Regulations and Laws of the Republic of Latvia)
that regulate electrical safety related issues. This work is based on the following materi-
als: Cabinet Regulation No. 1041 “Regulations Regarding Energy Standards of Mandatory
Application Establishing Organisational and Technical Safety Requirements for the Oper-
ation of Energy Supply Objects” (adopted in Riga on 8 October 2013), and the applicable
European Standard LVS EN 50110-1:2013 “Operation of Electrical Installations. Part 1:
General Requirements”. LVS EN 50110 has two parts: the first one lays down minimum
requirements that apply to all CENELEC countries and several informative annexes that
are related to safe work on or with an electrical installation or in distance; the other part
gives a summary of additional regulatory information that specifies or elaborates on the
minimum requirements included in part one.
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This material uses the terms and definitions as included in the standard IEC 60050
and as available on www.electropedia.org. See also Electropedia or Glossary IEC on the
website www.iec.ch.
2.1. General
Electrical installation — assembly of electrical equipment, which is used for the gener-
ation, transmission, distribution and/or use of electric energy. Note. The electrical instal-
lation includes energy sources such as batteries, capacitors and all other sources of stored
electric energy [IEC 60050-651:1999].
Electrical injury — death or personal injury from electric shock, electric burn, arcing,
or from fire or explosion initiated by electrical energy caused by any operation of an elec-
trical installation [IEC 60050-651:1999, IEV 651-01-32, modified].
Person in control of work organisation — person who has been designated to be the
person with direct management responsibility for safe operation of an electrical instal-
lation during work performance. Note. The person in control of work organisation per-
forms risk assessment of the general impact of works on an electrical installation or a part
thereof depending on the area of control, and evaluates the impact of an electrical instal-
lation on the work location and personnel. Parts of this responsibility may be delegated to
others as required (Fig. 3.1. b).
Designated person in control of work performance — person who has been designated
to be the person with direct responsibility for the work performance at the work location.
Note. Parts of this responsibility may be delegated to others as required (Fig. 3.1. c).
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Skilled person — person with relevant education and experience to enable him or her
to perceive risks and to avoid hazards, which electricity can create [IEC 60050-826:2004;
IEV 826-18-01, modified].
Ordinary person — person who is neither a skilled person nor an instructed person
[IEC 60050-826:2004; IEV 826-18-03, modified].
Assignment — a document executed on a standard form and issued for the perfor-
mance and organisation of work with a deadline of no more than 30 days.
Order — a task assigned verbally or in writing for the performance and organisation of
work with a deadline of no more than one day.
Live working zone — space around energized parts where the level of insulation
required for avoidance of electrical risk cannot be ensured without special protective
measures when accessed. Note. The outer boundary of a live working zone is designed as
distance DL [IEC 60050-651:1999; IEV 651-01-06, modified].
Vicinity zone — limited space outside the live working zone. Note. The outer bound-
ary of a vicinity zone is designed as distance DV [IEC 60050-651:1999; IEV 651-01-07,
modified].
2.4. Activities
Work activity — all electrical work and non-electrical work where an electrical hazard
is present.
Electrical work — work on or near an electrical installation, such as testing and meas-
uring, repairing, replacing, modifying, extending, erection and inspection [IEC 60050-
651:1999; IEV 651-01-12, modified].
Live working — activity in which a worker makes contact with energized parts or
encroaches inside the live working zone with either parts of his or her body or with tools,
devices or equipment. Note. Live working in low-voltage installations is done if a worker
complies with predefined requirements and makes contact with energized parts. Live
working in high-voltage installations is done if a worker encroaches into the live working
zone irrespective of whether or not he or she makes contact with energized parts [IEC
60050-651:1999; IEV 651-01-01, modified].
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Working in the vicinity of live parts — activity in which a worker with part of his or her
body, with a tool or with any other object enters into the vicinity zone without encroach-
ing into the live working zone [IEC 60050-651:1999; IEV 651-01-02 modified].
Dead — at an electric potential equal to or not significantly different from that of earth
at the worksite [IEC 60050 -651:1999; IEV 651-01-15, modified].
Dead working — work under conditions that are safe to avoid electrical hazard.
Permission to start work — instruction to workers to commence work when all the
safety measures are fulfilled.
Barrier — part providing protection against direct contact from any usual direction of
access when moving and working [IEC 60050-826:2004; IEV 826-12-23, modified].
Enclosure — protection of worksite against the impact of external factors and protec-
tion against direct contact in any direction.
Voltage detector — portable device used to provide clear evidence of the presence or
absence of an operating voltage. Note. These diagnostic devices are generally described
as either capacitive type or resistive type [IEC 60050-651:1999; IEV 651-10-04, modified].
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Low voltage (LV) — voltage not exceeding 1000 V AC or 1500 V DC between conduc-
tors or between a conductor and earth [IEC 60050-151:2001; IEV 151-15-03, modified].
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3.2. Personnel
Degree of responsibility for safety of persons that participate in work or are related to it
must be set in line with the national regulations (Cabinet Regulation No. 1041 “Regulations
Regarding Energy Standards of Mandatory Application Establishing Organisational and
Technical Safety Requirements for the Operation of Energy Supply Objects”). All persons
that work on or near an electrical installation must be instructed about the current safety
requirements, regulations, instructions and the relevant internal requirements of the par-
ticular organisation. Such instructions shall be repeated if the work is to be performed
over a longer period of time, if it is complicated or combined with other work. Workers
shall be informed on the fact that they must comply with these safety requirements, regu-
lations, instructions, and internal requirements of the organisation. Personnel shall wear
clothing that is suitable for the work location and work conditions. Such clothing includes
tight clothing or additional personal protective equipment. Before and during work, the
person in control of work performance shall observe that all safety requirements, regula-
tions, instructions, and internal requirements of the organisation are complied with. The
person in control of work performance shall inform all the involved workers on the antici-
pated danger that may arise in the course of work performance. If any of workers involved
in work lack the necessary experience or knowledge about electrical hazards and injuries,
these workers may not perform the particular work. Work may be performed if monitor-
ing is ensured. Independent work in an electrical installation is allowed for persons that
have attained the age of 18 years and whose health has been examined according to regu-
latory enactments on the procedures for performance of mandatory health examinations
and who have been awarded an electrical safety certificate. Persons performing independ-
ent work in an electrical installation must comply with the following criteria:
knowledge of electrical engineering;
experience in electrical engineering;
knowledge of the electrical installation in which work shall be performed, and
practical experience in performing the scheduled work;
knowledge of hazards during the work and the necessary precautionary measures;
ability to judge constantly if work is performed safely.
The type and complexity of works shall be assessed before commencement of these
works to select the necessary personnel for the performance of the work from all skilled,
instructed or ordinary persons.
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3.3. Organisation
A person in control of operation of an electrical installation shall be designated for
each electrical installation. This person may be either a natural person from the organisa-
tion itself or a third-party organisation. If another organisation is outsourced for these
responsibilities, a document must be prepared that specifies the electrical installations for
which the responsibility is taken and for what period of time. If necessary, parts of this
responsibility may be delegated to others. However, it must be documented.
There must be a person in control of work organisation in every electrical installation
in which works are being performed. The person in control of work organisation shall
transfer part of work to the person in control of work performance. If necessary, the per-
son in control of work organisation may delegate parts of this responsibility to others.
d
team
b
c
Responsibility for
electrical installation at Responsibility for work
work location (marked performance. Must be documented!
with the dotted line).
Must be documented!
b
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A person in control of work performance shall be designated for every work. If the
work is split, a person responsible for safety shall be designated for each work group and
a person coordinating all work groups shall be designated. The person in control of work
performance and the person in control of work organisation shall prepare for work on,
with or near an electrical installation, and coordinate if any changes to electrical installa-
tion are necessary prior to work commencement, for example if any switching operations
must be done or if work may be commenced without any additional operations.
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Weather-related requirements
If unfavourable weather conditions set in, like lightning, heavy rain, fog, blustering
wind, etc., appropriate work restrictions shall be applied, and/or the work shall be sus-
pended. If lightning is observed, thunder can be heard or if thunderstorm is approaching,
work in overhead lines and in those parts and equipment of electrical installation that are
directly connected to overhead lines must be suspended immediately and the person in
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control of work organisation shall be informed thereon. In case of limited visibility at work
location, work may not be commenced but the commenced work shall be suspended due
to safety reasons.
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position of an electrical installation is not changed, absence of voltage shall be tested prior
to work resumption. It is not necessary if earthing and short-circuit has already been made
at the work location.
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Work in a safe distance — a worker remains in a specified safe distance from the ener-
gized parts of an electrical installation during work and performs work using insulating
rods.
Work with insulated (dielectric) gloves — work with this method implies that a worker
makes direct contact with energized parts using dielectric gloves and insulated sleeves,
if necessary in addition. If insulated or insulating tools are used when working in low-
voltage electrical installations, dielectric gloves shall still be used and work location shall
be insulated.
Direct contact with energized parts (the bare hand method) — when a worker is subject
to the same potential as in the energized part, when working in contact with energized
parts. Such method allows sufficient insulation of a worker from the surroundings.
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protective equipment used in live working must be entered in such database even if it is not
required by regulatory enactments.
Vicinity zone
DL
Live part
Fig. 4.1. Distance in air from live part and work zone, where D L — distance marking the outer
boundary of a live working zone; D V — distance marking the outer boundary of the vicinity zone.
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DV
Surface of
insulating barrier
Vicinity zone
DL
Live part
Fig. 4.2. Limiting of live working zone using an insulating barrier, where D L — distance marking the
outer boundary of a live working zone; D V — distance marking the outer boundary of the vicinity zone.
Table 4.1
Advised values* of D L and D V
Rated voltage of the Minimum admissible distance in air Minimum admissible distance in air
electrical grid marking the outer boundary of a live marking the outer boundary of the
U N , kV working zone, D L , mm vicinity zone, D V, mm
≤1 no contact 300
3 60 1120
6 90 1120
10 120 1150
15 160 1160
20 220 1220
30 320 1320
36 380 1380
45 480 1480
60 630 1630
70 750 1750
110 1000 2000
132 1100 3000
150 1200 3000
220 1600 3000
275 1900 4000
380 2500 4000
480 3200 6100
* The values of DL and DV indicate the minimum distance considering the distances used
in European countries. Value of DL matches the values calculated according to standard
EN 61472.
There is a large number of DL values for voltages up to 70 kV, as distances for ergonomic
operation exceed the minimum distances for voltage.
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5. Safety Signs
To draw attention to and to warn about the possible risks, safety signs are placed in
accordance with regulatory enactments on labour protection requirements for use of
safety signs. The following safety signs (Table 5.1) shall be placed when preparing work
location for any kind of work.
1. Warning sign “DANGER, ELECTRICAL HAZARD!”.
2. Prohibition signs:
with symbol “Do not switch” (do not change the position of the switch);
with clarifying text or symbols “Do not open” and “Do not close”.
Table 5.1
Use of safety signs
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Assignment — a document executed on a standard form and issued for the perfor-
mance and organisation of work with a deadline of no more than 30 days. Assignment
contains mandatory information and specifies:
1) persons involved in work performance;
2) workers responsible for safe performance of work;
3) work to be done and measures for preparing the work place and clearance.
An assignment:
1) shall be issued for a period of time not exceeding 15 days from the beginning of
works;
2) may be extended once for a period of time not exceeding 15 days from the moment
of extending the assignment (if necessary);
3) shall be kept for minimum 30 days after completion of works, according to the pro-
cedure laid down by the person in control of operation of an electrical installation;
4) shall be executed in two copies; when preparing work location, executing clearance
and during work, one copy of assignment shall be at the disposal of a worker who
issues permit to prepare work location and give clearance to a team or to the person
issuing clearance, and the other copy — at the work location;
5) shall be executed in three copies if it is transmitted using telecommunication means.
In such case the person giving clearance shall execute one copy and the worker who
receives the particular assignment text shall execute the assignment in two copies.
The receiver of assignment text shall indicate the given name and surname of the
issuing person in the field for signature of person issuing the assignment and shall
confirm the correctness of the text with a signature.
for work in an
electrical installation
To the person responsible to the person giving clearance
for work performance supervisor
assignment:
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Special conditions:
Issued by:
(person in control (date and time, position, surname and signature of the person in control of work organisation)
of work organisation)
Assignment
extended to:
(date and time, position, surname and signature of the person in control of work organisation)
Date when extended time
Table 2
The following persons are instructed to prepare Signature of worker who received
work location and eligible for clearance Date, time permit for preparing work location
(position, given name and surname, signature) and clearance
Work locations have been prepared. The following are still energized:
Person giving clearance:
(signature)
Person in control of work performance (supervisor):
(signature)
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The team has been instructed and has been given clearance for work in The work is completed, the team
a prepared work location has been led away
Signatures
Person in Signature of the
Date, Person control of Date, person in control of
Names of work locations
time giving work per- time work performance
clearance formance (supervisor)
(supervisor)
Table 4
The work is completed, team has been led away, the earthing placed by the team has been
removed, the following person has been notified on it:
(position, given name, surname)
Date: Time:
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7. Literature
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