SHYAM METALLICS & ENERGY LIMITED

SAMBALPUR UNIT

DOCUMENT NO: STANDARD OPERATING ISSUE/REV.NO. DATE

PROCEDURE FOR
ISOLATION PROCEDURE
ELE – SOP - 02 FOR HIGH AND LOW 01/08/2018
VOLTAGE EQUIPMENT

PURPOSE & SCOPE

ISOLATION PROCEDURE FOR HIGH AND LOW VOLTAGE EQUIPMENT

APPROVAL SIGNATURE RECORD

REVIEWER ROLE TITLE SIGNATURE

DOCUMENT OWNER ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST

DOCUMENT
ADMINISTRATOR SAFETY DEPARTMENT

PREPARED & CHECKED MANAGER (ELECTRICAL)

PURPOSE & SCOPE:
This standard covers the minimum requirements for the isolation of High and Low Voltage
electrical apparatus and provides guidelines for the correct isolation of machinery from the
electrical source of supply so as to ensure safe maintenance/ repairs.
This procedure details the sequence of events to be followed by HT Authorised persons for
isolation of equipment prior to repairs, maintenance or set up operations where injury or other
loss could result from unexpected motion or contact with energized circuits.

1. SAFETY & HEALTH

a It is required that all equipment and machinery must be de-energised prior to any task/s
being carried out to protect the health and safety of persons.
b It is thus required by that the person in immediate charge of any task/s shall ensure that
the machinery or equipment is isolated in accordance with the guidelines of this code
and that the machine or equipment further remains de-energised until the task/s have
been completed.
c No person shall perform any maintenance, service, inspection or work without first
assessing all the risks.
d All hazards identified in the risk identification process must be controlled or contained
prior to any work being performed.
e Ensure that all possible ring/back feeds/bus coupler are also isolated.
f Portable earthing equipment to be applied on overhead circuits and overhead busbars as
an additional earth over and above the control point earths. Such earths are to be applied
as close as practicable to the point of work.
g Ensure that locks are properly closed.
h Ensure danger/warning signs are clearly visible.
i Isolation devices and locks must be issued to all employees, who are
required to isolate machinery and a record kept of such issues.
j. Avoid unsafe positioning when operating a circuit breaker or switches.
K. Padlocks used for isolation purposes should be unique units and no “series padlocks
“may be used.

2. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ISOLATION

2.1 When a padlock is used, only the person working on the equipment must be in possession
of the key. The isolation must be such that even remote or automatic start up will be
rendered ineffective.
2.2 When equipment cannot be isolated by means of an isolation system, the supply cable
must be disconnected and isolated.
2.3 Isolation must be affected by isolating the main power or pressure source, and not the
control or auxiliary circuits of a system.
2.4 Before any work may commence on electrical equipment, the authorised electrician
shall test the unit with an approved voltage detector to ensure that the system is de-
energised.
2.5 Under no circumstances is a person allowed to forcibly remove an isolation system.
2.6 No persons shall under any circumstances push in any contactors manually or bridge
the control circuit to energize a contactor while such a contactor is connected to the
supply voltage.
2.7 Under no circumstances may work take place on moving equipment.
2.8 The person in charge of machinery has a legal obligation to stop and isolate the
machine when it is not operating safely.
3. MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS FOR HV ISOLATION.
3.1 When any switching, isolating, testing or Phasing of High Voltage takes place, the
Authorised person shall wear an approved flash suit, face shield which does not
allow ultra violet rays to
penetrate, non conductive gloves, and safety shoes.
3.2 The preferred method of switching is via the remote pendent facility and if the facility is
not available the persons conducting switching operations shall wear approved flash suit,
face shield which does not allow ultra violet rays to penetrate, non conductive gloves, and
safety shoes
3.3 Where switching of a circuit breaker is necessary due to an automatic trip by the
system protection, an electrician may switch in the circuit breaker only once for a
known overload condition.
If the indication is that the circuit breaker has tripped on earth fault or short circuit
condition, the circuit breaker may not be switched in until the HV system has been “tested”
and the fault traced and repaired.

4. ISOLATION STANDARD FOR LOW VOLTAGE

4.1 The person in charge of work must notify the direct supervisor before the unit is
stopped. If production is affected by stopping the unit, the Senior Shift Supervisor
(SSS) must be informed.
4.2 The competent person isolates the appropriate starter panel and locks out the circuit
breaker, circuit breaker handle or lid cover with a padlock. He then securely attaches a
DANGER tag to the panel.
4.3 If the machinery cannot be isolated for any reason, the person in charge must notify the
Electrician to disconnect the power supply inside the panel.
4.4 When work is carried out on equipment fed from a distribution board e.g. Lights, plugs,
distribution board should be locked off to prevent inadvertent operation. If it is not
possible to lock
out the distribution board or circuit breaker then the live wire feeding the unit must be
disconnected at the circuit breaker and insulated, and a “DANGER” tag attached to the
distribution board.
4.5 Before any work is carried out, the person in charge of the work must carry out a
start test, to ensure that the unit cannot be started accidentally.
4.6 The person required to work on the equipment should acquaint himself of the hazards,
special precautions should be taken and the necessary safety equipment shall be used
before work may commence.
4.7 The person in charge of the work must remove his lock last of all locks and notify the
operator to test the unit before he leaves site.
4.8 When the work is completed, the person in charge of the work must ensure that all
 persons are clear of machinery and all guards and safety devices are in place.
4.9 The responsible person may only restart the equipment when he is satisfied that it
is safe to operate.

4.10 The Supervisor responsible for contractors should ensure that all persons performing
work are competent and appointed to do so.

5. GENERATORS AND EMERGENCY POWER SUPPLIES

5.1 The responsible person shall ensure that when working on equipment supplied from or
within a system incorporating an emergency power supply (UPS) that both the main
and emergency supply has been isolated.

5.2 The isolation of all equipment on emergency back up generators shall involve the
following:
 The isolation of the normal main power supply breaker feeding into the
change over switch.
 The isolation of the generator supply breaker feeding into the change over switch.
 The isolation of the feed from the change over switch if applicable.
 Isolation with or on the mechanically interlocked switch or contactors shall not
deem to be an effective mode of isolation as this forms part of the control
circuitry.

6. ENERGY STORAGE DEVICES

6.1 All equipment with batteries, capacitors and inductors must be disconnected and
discharged prior to being worked on.
6.2 Battery, capacitor and inductor banks pose a serious risk to the safety of persons and
must be treated with extreme caution. Typical voltages of 400V and above are
possible.
6.3 Where possible energy storage banks must be isolated at the fuses, breakers, links etc.
6.4 All equipment shall be regarded as “live” until all stored energy sources have been
isolated and effectively removed from the equipment and declared “dead”.

7. MOVABLE AND PORTABLE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

7.1 This category of equipment includes all equipment that is intended to be moved from
place to place or to be carried by hand while in use. As they are not permanent
installations, they are fed by a flexible cable or power cord generally utilizing a plug or
coupler from a power point including switched sockets, welding sockets etc.

7.2 Such equipment shall be isolated via disconnection from the power point such as
switched socket outlet
7.3 All faulty equipment shall have the plug removed from the cable and a notice stating
 “DO NOT USE – FAULTY” affixed to the cable plug end.

8. PROCEDURE TO BE ADOPTED FOR ISOLATION OF ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS

8.1 Designated isolation points shall be clearly labeled to identify the circuit or system over
which they have direct control.
8.2 Every electrical circuit shall have a rated lockable isolator, totally disconnecting each
circuit from the supply source.

9. PROCEDURE TO BE ADOPTED FOR ISOLATION OF ELECTRICAL

MACHINERY
9.1 Stop the equipment/apparatus via the use of any one of the stopping devices such as
trip wires, emergency stops, remote stops etc.
Do not re-set the stopping device (Emergency Stop – Trip wires etc.) until the work is
complete and equipment has been re-energized, as this affords an added degree of
safety. Under no circumstances are these stopping devices to be relied upon as an
effective means of
isolation.
9.2. The electrically driven machinery shall then be isolated by the following means only:
 Placing the main electrical power supply circuit breaker or isolator situated in the
field panel directly associated with such machinery in the “off” position. Inserting
a multiple lock out device, applying a personal lock and danger tag.

10. GENERAL PROCEDURE TO ISOLATE

The responsible person/s performing tasks shall ensure that any specific instructions in
10.1 their area
of responsibility are adhered to in conjunction with the instructions of this section.
If work is required to be performed on remotely controlled equipment, then the remote
10.2 device
should have the battery removed and the remote shall stay in the possession of the
responsible
person. In addition no work is to be carried out on the remote controlled circuit whist
work is being
carried out on the equipment.
The responsible person shall isolate the unit to be worked on by removing all sources of
10.3 energy.
The responsible person shall isolate the unit to be worked on as well as any other units
10.4 which may
be sequence interlocked directly before or after the unit to be worked on, should the
starting of
these interlocked units provide any threat to health or safety.
10.5 All machinery shall remain isolated until they have been declared safe to become
 operational.
11. SAFETY DEVICES TO PREVENT INADVERTENT STARTING
OF MACHINERY
Before any repair, testing or physical inspection is undertaken on machinery or
equipment that requires the removal of cover plates, guards, etc; the supply voltage to
that machinery or equipment will be isolated.
11.1 To guard against the possibility of inadvertent starting of mechanical machinery whilst
persons are working on it, positive means of isolation and lock out should be provided for
every machine driven by an electric motor.
12. GENERAL
12.1 A record shall be kept of all persons who have been issued with locks and the
responsible Supervisor will ensure that all new employees are issued with a lock
and key.
12.2 In view of the critical safety requirements of isolation, only HT Authorized persons will
be permitted to isolate HT electrical circuits after a permit to work has been issued.
12.3 All maintenance and operational personnel required to isolate (including
personnel adding padlocks) must be trained accordingly.
12.4 The Supervisor will ensure that any new employees are trained accordingly.
12.5 The responsible Supervisor shall review all hired and contracted equipment to ensure that
it meets site isolation requirements and the protocol, before use on site.