B01d_IREA_Safety_Measures_Ensign_Gulch_IRSC.docx

Solicitation: 1282CS19Q4004 Page 3 IREA Safety Measures/Ensign Gulch IRSC Safety Elements Related to Working w/Equipment near IREA overhead powerlines General – (Single phase w/2-lines) – top line approx. 25’ feet above ground, 2nd line is 4’ feet lower (21’)

· Anyone working within 100’ feet of overhead powerlines should be very aware that ALL overhead electrical conductors, guy wires, pole grounds and communication wires and cables SHALL be considered energized with potentially fatal voltages.

Upon contract award, ALL working personnel associated with this contract shall be instructed that:

a) the human body is conductive and poses little resistance to electrical current and will provide a path for the flow of electricity to a grounded object or to the ground itself;

b) direct contact or indirect contact (phase-to-ground contact) with an electrical conductor, energized tree limb, tool, or equipment, or other energized object may lead to electric shock, significant injury, or death;

c) the woody parts of trees, leaves, branches, needles, etc., are conductive;

d) simultaneous contact with two separate energized conductors (phase-to-phase contact) will cause electric shock that may result in serious or fatal injury;

e) electrical shock may occur as a result of ground fault when a person stands near a grounded object that becomes energized (e.g., an uninsulated part of an aerial device comes in contact with a conductor); and

f) in the event off a downed energized electrical conductor or energized grounded object (e.g., guy wires or pole grounds), there exists the hazard of touch and step potential.

· When determining the presence of an electrical hazard, consideration shall be given to the potential movement of an electrical supply line due to wind, load sag, or other factors that affect the line’s position in relation to the work of this contract.

· Workers NOT qualified by training and experience to work within 10 feet (3.05 m) of electrical conductors shall maintain at all times the minimum approach distances (MAD) shown in Table 1, measured radially.

· Any Operations within 100’ feet of energized electrical conductors shall NOT be performed during adverse weather conditions, such as thunderstorms, high winds, snow storms, or ice storms.

IREA Contact Information:

· Main Office phone #’s – (719) 687-9277 Woodland Park, Sedalia (303) 688-3100

· Jim Westfall (District Manager-Woodland Park) Direct - (719) 695-3301, cell – (719) 237-2653

· Alan McDowell (District Line Superintendent-Woodland Park) Direct – (719) 695-3298, cell - (719) 505-4693

· Brooks Kaufman (Lands and Right-of-Way Director-Sedalia) Direct – (720) 733-5493 cell – (303) 912-0765

· Kevin Perkins (Utility Forester-Sedalia) Direct – (720) 733-5632, cell – (720) 767-4218

Definitions:

Conductor - an object, substance or material allowing the flow of an electric charge.

Direct Contact - refers to a person coming into contact with a conductor which is live in normal circumstances Fault -In an electric power system, a fault or fault current is any abnormal electric current. For example, a short circuit is a fault in which current bypasses the normal load.

Ground - In electrical engineering, ground or earth is the reference point in an electrical circuit from which voltages are measured, a common return path for electric current, or a direct physical connection to the earth.

Ground Fault - A ground fault is an inadvertent contact between an energized conductor and ground or equipment frame. The return path of the fault current is through the grounding system and any personnel or equipment that becomes part of that system. Ground faults are frequently the result of insulation breakdown.

Indirect Contact - refers to a person coming into contact with any part of an electric circuit which is not normally live, but has become live due to an accidental insulation failure or some other fault.

Minimum Approach Distance (MAD) - Depending on the voltage of the line (see Table 1 on the next page), a worker or a conductive object, must keep the minimum distance specified below between them and any energized part of the power line.

Phase to Ground contact - an object that contacts an “energized conductor” and a “ground source” simultaneously.

Phase to Phase contact - simultaneous contact with two separate energized conductors Step potential - is the step voltage between the feet of a person standing near an energized grounded object. It is equal to the difference in voltage, given by the voltage distribution curve, between two points at different distances from the electrode. See image on next page Touch potential - If the ground connection between the tower and the soil is high resistance (common with some soil conditions), the tower itself (and any conductive item touching the tower) can be energized. Touch potential is the voltage between the energized object and the feet of a person in contact with the object. See image on next page image1.png image2.png