Is your Electrical System in a Safe Operating Condition?
People forget about how important the safe operations of their electrical systems are, especially in mining and heavy industrial areas where the environmental conditions are harsh and unpredictable with an increased variable degree of materials deteriorating due high dust levels, vibrations and above normal temperatures.
This and other variables cause the dynamics of the installation to change such as upgrading the electrical supply with larger transformers having higher fault levels without any consideration for the installation down stream leaving existing protection with no or minimal capacity to handle changed fault conditions due to higher inrush currents causing the device to fail or even explode.
It is very important if not essential to have an electrical maintenance safety program that includes detailed periodic verification of the total electrical installations on a regular basis to ensure the electrical installation is in a safe operational condition.
- Visual Inspection
- Polarity
- Polarisation
- Insulation Resistance
- Earth Fault Loop Impedance
- Protective Device Fault Rating
- RCD Verification
- Integrity of switchboard connections
- Testing of final sub circuits supplied from an electrically separated supply
- Earth continuity tests
- Equipotential bonding tests
A maintenance program must include detailed examination of the electrical installation without dismantling, or with partial dismantling, as necessary, supplemented by appropriate tests; in Australian and New Zealand from Standards AS/NZS 3000 or AS/NZS 3017, including documentation; Local Legislations and Regulations must be referred to at all times.
Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 3019 may be applied through Local Legislations and Regulations, concerned with the safety of electrical installations that require certain electrical installations to be inspected and tested from time to time.
Additionally, verification of an electrical installation may be requested by the owner/occupier or another organization. In the Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 3019 three levels of verification are specified: by basic visual inspection, by visual inspection and limited testing, and by visual inspection and full testing.
Electrical Installations Periodic Verification is essential and the frequency will depend on environmental conditions; this can be determined by referring to Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 3019, a measured risk assessment and a comprehensive electrical audit of the electrical installations of your premises.
Include an integrated comprehensive safety and environmental periodic verification at the same time such as:
- Environmental Testing
- Lighting
- Ventilation
- Humidity
- Microwave Testing
- Thermal Imaging
- Air Conditioning Testing and Servicing
- Portable Appliance Testing
ENSURE THE SAFETY OF YOUR PEOPLE AND GIVE YOURSELF PEACE OF MIND
Successful safety both off the job and on the job all have one thing in common – they all have systems, or sets of procedures that they implement on a consistent basis.
Electrical safety is everyone’s business!
