High Voltage advice (11KV)

[Moley]

I hate posting via my phone. Hit post by mistake there.
If you are VERY lucky you would be badly injured. More chance of being dead or surviving but so badly injured you would want to be dead. HV & EHV does not take prisoners.

 

[R-fur]

To work on HV systems you must be authorised in writing by the owner of the system. The person who does the authorising must make sure that the person being authorised is suitably trained and experianced. Putting people on a four day course can count as suitable training but not suitable experiance.
If your boss is authorising someone who is not experianced then they are breaking the law.
Keep talking to the union and consider talking to the HSE for advice.

 

[SparkMuffin]

It doesn't reduce the seriousness but the RMU in question is fed from a 400A breaker upstream, but its still some 7MW so would make a mess.

Definitely working with the union! I will be taking action against the company before they kill someone, I was very, very lucky.

 

[Petej999]

Ask the gaffer for the HV switching plan, permit to work, risk assessment and scope of works. Chances are they will not be forth coming. What brand of RMU and switch gear are installed?

The AP, in this case the OP who is doing the switching will have to draw up the switching plan and Permit to Work and alter the Mimic Digram before and after any switching is done Timbo

 

[TheatreSparks]

Out of interest, what has been provided as far as Personal Protection Equipment have they provided to you? Others here will know exactly what is needed but I know that it is not cheap and needs to be looked after.

 

[Petej999]

Sadly all of that is down to me, somehow I'm the company SAP. I'm totaly on my own with this one, if I try and talk to any of the mangers all I get is 'I'm not technical, I dont understand what your saying' then they burry their heads back in the sand.
I think the RMU is a SF6 Schneider ring master.
Unfortuneatey the company is non union.

Doesn't have to be union, they could put pressure you if you join one, but that's your choice, speak to PROSPECT the union for professionals, when you say you are on your own, isn't there an Authorising engineer in your outfit, who and how were you made AP, sounds like they are taking the preverbal out of you Mate, who agrees your switching programs, are you the only AP on your firm? get the HSE involved, looks like your bosses need a kicking from them

OK, union joined! I should have someone to fight my corner now. I'm going to try to keep well away from HV, It's not my back ground, I don't like it, I was never asked if I wanted to do it and I'm not confident or competent in it. They need to look at employing a professional as this is likely to be an ongoing thing.

I came within a hair of giving the HSE an anonymous tip off once before over another matter.

Edit. Found out my training certificate, is says 'Authorised Person High Voltage-operation & Safety', no idea why everyone is calling me an SAP!

Cus you are the only one in your firm Mate I should think how much are you getting paid extra for being AP?

 

[SparkMuffin]

No PPE, just a box of padlocks, a voltage indicator with proving unit, key safe and a couple of permit books. They wont buy me a mimic board or provide any sort of AP office. It wouldn't have made b****r all difference but I put some safety specs on as that's all I had.
And no extra pay!

 

[Lister1987]

No PPE, just a box of padlocks, a voltage indicator with proving unit, key safe and a couple of permit books. They wont buy me a mimic board or provide any sort of AP office. It wouldn't have made b****r all difference but I put some safety specs on as that's all I had.
And no extra pay!

No arc flash kit? Would've thought with those voltage levels, the energy would be huge

 

[Tigger]

Take advice from the HSE.