| Noun | Verb | Adjective/adverb |
| safety | ||
| improve | ||
| energy | ||
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| protect |
| 1. safe work environment 2. encounter many hazards 3. accident prevention 4. electrical shocks and burns 5. electrical injuries and fatalities 6. power generation, transmission and distribution 7. flame-resistant clothing 8. shields and hoods | a. b. c. d. e. f. g. , h. |
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Power plant safety
Jan 06, 2015 by Teresa Hansen
http://www.power-eng. com/
In the past several decades, power plant owners and industry in general have vastly improved employee safety. Numerous organizations that hand down safety requirements and regulations have been established, creating a safer work environment. Although power plants are much safer than they once were, plant employees still encounter many hazards, and it is up to employers to implement programs and policies aimed at eliminating accidents. Comprehensive training, detailed pre-job planning, and proper and well-maintained safety equipment are key to accident prevention, regardless of the hazard.
Among the most common hazards to power plant workers are electrical shocks and burns, boiler fires and explosions, and contact with hazardous chemicals.
Electrical Hazards
Michael Foley is an electrical safety instructor with National Technology Transfer Inc. Foley understands the perils of working around electricity, as well as the precautions that should be taken to avoid injuries and accidents. He explains that there is really not a good common system in place for reporting and recording the number and type of electrical injuries and fatalities that occur in power plants or general industry for that matter. According to Foley, many of the reported numbers are soft and can be misleading. For example, Foley says, a worker on a platform could hit a power line, receive an electrical shock and fall from the platform, breaking an arm or leg, or worse. This accident could easily be reported and classified as a fall, even though the fall was obviously caused from an electrical shock.
Another example could be a worker who drops a screwdriver near open-bus, energized electrical switchgear and receives a burn from a subsequent arc flash, says Foley. This incident might be reported as a burn, not an electrical arc-flash incident.
Even with the potential for these incidents to be wrongly classified, the Electrical Safety Foundation International reports that an average of 133 workers die each year due to contact with power lines. In addition, most authoritative sources on electrical incidents report that approximately 400 general industry workers, including power plant workers, die each year from electrical shocks. When combined, these figures represent one or two deaths daily due to electrical incidents. The National Safety Council estimates that an electrocution death costs about $1 million.
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This figure includes costs of lost productivity over the life of the employee, direct medical expenses and insurance premiums. Foley points out that this figure does not represent costs associated with severe injuries, such as burns, that do not cause death.
Generally, electric shocks or electrocutions are thought of as the main hazards associated with electrical work. According to Foley, however, 75 percent of all reported lost time electrical-related incidents are due to burn injuries from the arc flash.
Often, the person actually working in an electrical cabinet is wearing proper protection, but others, who may be working with that person but not directly in the cabinet, are not protected at all. An arc can reach 10 feet from the source, so it is important for anyone working near an electrical cabinet or similar electrical equipment to be protected, Foley adds.
OSHA sets many of the electrical safety rules for general industry and for utility workers. In 29CFR 1910.269, a qualified worker is defined as: One knowledgeable in the construction and operation of the electric power generation, transmission and distribution equipment involved, along with the associated hazards. This category obviously includes power plant workers and electrical transmission and distribution workers routinely exposed to electrical hazards.
Utilities and power companies can create their own safety regulations that go beyond OSHA and NFPA requirements. According to Foley, the best way to prevent accidents is for companies to conduct more frequent electrical hazard training; conduct awareness training to make sure workers understand all the hazards, including arc flash hazards, associated with the specific equipment; and most importantly, include a safety review during job preplanning.
In addition to improved training and preplanning, adequate safety equipment is essential. Voltage-rated gloves and tools are a must when working on energized electrical equipment. Flame-resistant clothing is needed, even if not required, to protect power plant workers from arc flashes. Shields and hoods are also necessary.
