All but one…

No sooner than I posted that “I commend our operators for wanting to push to get our Plant’s production out;” I had an operator tell me that he thought they should get proper training on how to reset their own machines.

Most operators will understand when you tell them that under an excessive load a motor will trip the overloads. This is part of the over current protection.  However, “Some” don’t understand why an overload should trip out and stop the motor when “they” have caused a chain to wrap its self around the shaft and lock the motor.

Considering that this person stated that “they” stick their finger in a light socket to clear their sinuses, you have to wonder.

TEST BEFORE YOU TOUCH!

ON THE JOB

Electrical hazards on the job can be avoided by following approved NFPA 70E and OSHA guidelines. Attention to safety is the important first step to an effective safety program. Skilled employees, trained in electrical safety procedures, should make sure they understand and follow safety precautions. Those not trained to recognize and avoid electrical hazards, or not under the supervision of those qualified in electrical safety
procedures, should avoid contact with electrical equipment and systems.

• Understand the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and the hazards involved.

• Identify all possible energy sources that could pose on-the-job hazards.

• Know safety requirements and follow them.

• Calculate the energy potential.

• Select the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).  Remember, PPE must be worn until the electrical system is in a safe condition.

• Complete a detailed job plan and communicate it to all coworkers.

• Before working on or around electrical systems or equipment, identify the load circuits and disconnect. Remember, in some cases, turning power off may cause other hazards.

Such hazards and additional guidance should be addressed in your work plan.

• Use lock-out/tag-out procedures.

• Verify that the equipment or system has been de-energized by testing.

• Make sure your test equipment is working, both before and after you use it.

• If at any time the job becomes more hazardous than anticipated, stop and revise the plans.

Above all, never assume that the equipment or system is de-energized.

Remember to always TEST BEFORE YOU TOUCH!

About this blog

This blog contains my field notes and journal for the technical issues I encounter in the Jacksonville Tech Shop

Note of Caution!

High voltage electrical work SHOULD NEVER BE ATTEMPTED by an untrained person!

Every day on the job I encounter the average person and line operator that thinks they can successfully and safely reach inside a High Voltage enclosure and be able to “fix” what ever has gone wrong with a machine. In their mind, these well meaning people have started thinking that they can successfully reset something, jiggle something or spot something that has fallen off. I’m sure that having watched an Electrical Instrument Tech work on the machine several times in the past and they have an over simplified opinion of the the dangers and thought process that goes into diagnosing the trouble…

The trouble is, an untrained overconfident rookie can create hidden problems that may manifest themselves in the form of a short circuit or shock hazard. Since electricity is invisible these hazards can be seen.

And these problems may not be readily evident the moment power is turned on; if they had locked out power to begin with. It may take a period of time for a mistake to manifest itself.

It doesn’t have to be 480 volts – AC and DC electricity is indeed dangerous and can cause death!

With this all being said, I do commend our operators for wanting to push to get our Plant’s production out. Each of them possess knowledge of their machine that only comes from staying on that line and observing it’s operation day to day. With out them, our job would be much harder and take longer.

There is not a single one of them I would want to see die because their finger slipped off of a 480 volt overload reset.