Substation_Painting_Specs.docx

City Of Palo Alto Department Of Utilities Specifications For Substation Equipment Painting

A. GENERAL

1. This specification shall apply to the painting of energized and de-energized transformers, radiators, switchgear enclosures, circuit breakers, tower structures and pad mounted equipment in electric substations in the City of Palo Alto.

2. This technical specification establishes the quality of materials and workmanship and defines how quality is measured for substation equipment painting.

3. For convenience in defining quality of materials and workmanship, reference is made to the technical publication of the manufacturers specified herein. Materials of other manufacturers of like quality may be bid if accompanied by complete technical data as to type, composition finish, performance characteristics and other pertinent details required to determine acceptability.

4. The contractor shall fully comply with all laws, rules, regulations, and standards, with particular attention to the applicable section, latest edition, and addenda of the following:

SSPC - STEEL STRUCTURE PAINTING COUNCIL

ANSI - AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE

OSHA - OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

CARB- CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD

5. The contractor shall provide all the labor, skills, and services to furnish all the materials (except for materials specifically referred to in this specification as furnished by the City) and equipment necessary to complete this work. The contractor shall perform in a good workman-like and approved manner and in accordance with the terms, conditions and provisions of these specifications. The contractor shall comply with the instructions, orders and directions of the project engineer made in accordance with these specifications.

B. SITE INSPECTION

1. The contractor shall have the opportunity to thoroughly inspect and familiarize itself with the project sites and existing surface condition of the equipment to be painted prior to submitting the bid. Most of the equipment has not been painted since 1988. The access to the sites can be arranged by contacting Richard Baptist @ (650)496-6981. A pre-bid conference may be required for all contractors that desire to bid on this project.

2. In the bid, the contractor shall identify any substrate condition which the contractor considers beyond its scope of work. Any such conditions shall be documented to the project manager by the contractor. If no such conditions are documented, submittal of bid or application of paint shall constitute acceptance of the substrate by the contractor.

C. STANDARD COATING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Safety

1. The contractor shall submit a detailed schedule to the Engineer fourteen (14) business days prior to site mobilization to allow for the de-energizing of the necessary equipment. There are limitations of the amount of equipment that can be de-energized at any time. The submitted work schedules must be approved in writing by the Substations Supervisor prior to commencing work. The city will schedule outages and make all items to be painted available to the contractor during normal working hours, M-F, 0800-1600 hrs.

2. Before commencing painting, the contractor shall cordon off the work area.

3. The work will be performed in a high voltage (115kv ,6Okv and 12kv) energized substations. Extreme caution must be exercised around all equipment to avoid electrocution.

4. The contractor shall exercise extreme caution to protect existing utilities and the supporting structures. Contact the City of Palo Alto Utility Department Operations Dispatch immediately at (650)496- 6914 if any existing utilities and the supporting structures are damaged during the painting operation. Any unsafe conditions shall be brought to the City’s attention immediately. No work shall be performed where an unsafe condition exists.

5. All transformers will be de-energized and grounded before commencing and during painting of the transformers or their radiators.

6. All switchgear with exposed high voltage conductors will be de-energized and grounded before and during painting.

7. All circuit breakers will be de-energized and grounded before commencing and during painting.

8. All toxic or dangerous materials (existing paint, new paint, solvents) shall be handled as required by law and best industry practice. Secondary containment or appropriate measures shall be utilized to prevent spilling of materials into the environment.

9. The contractor shall be responsible for testing for lead/toxic contents of existing surfaces. Contractor is responsible for cleaning up the project/site area if sanding or scraping releases lead dust or fumes. The contractor is responsible for wearing properly fitted National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) approved respirators and prevent skin contact to control lead exposure. Contractor will clean up the project site with a High Efficiency Particulate Absorption (HEPA) fitted vacuum and a wet mop. Contact United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) national lead information hotline at 1-800-424-5323 or log on to WWW.epa.gov/lead for more information.

10. Contractor will have copies of all Safety Data Sheets on hand at the work site for review as required by law.

D. Weather Conditions

1. Paint shall be applied only on thoroughly dry surfaces. Paint shall not be applied if any of the following conditions exist:

· Atmospheric temperature is below 4O°F or above 1OO°F

· When freshly painted surface may be damaged by rain, fog or condensation.

· When exposure to rain, fog or condensation may occur during the painting period.

E. SURFACE PREPARATION

1. The contractor shall take every precaution to protect the site, including other structures, vehicles, or personnel during surface cleaning, removal of loose paint and other preparation processes.

2. For non-deteriorated areas the entire surface shall be cleaned in accordance with solvent cleaning standard (SSPC-SP1).

3. For deteriorated surface conditions, the minimum acceptable procedure for steel surface preparation shall be to remove all loose rust, mill scale, damaged paint and loosely adhering paint adjacent to damaged areas, using power tools or hand tools in accordance with SSPC-SP3 or SSPC-SP2 to produce a rust-scale free surface.

4. For the definition of deteriorated surface condition see Table 1, SSPC-PA Guide 4.

5. All bushing caps shall be hand cleaned to remove grease, dirt, and loose paint. All porcelain sections shall be covered to prevent overspray or damage

F. PAINTING MATERIALS

1. All Switchgear enclosures, tower structures, Circuit Breakers, Transformer tanks, radiators, control cabinet(s), and transformer mounted exposed copper grounding conductors/buses shall be painted ANSI No. 70 light gray.

2. The contractor shall utilize materials designed for, or industry commonly used for, the painting of Substation structures and equipment. The finish on the outside surfaces shall be a pigment type paint suitable for outdoor duty. All equipment shall be finish‐painted with ANSI No. 70 light gray paint.

3. Specification Submittals, with color sample, shall be provided to the Engineer of all coating materials to be used during the project. No products will be allowed on the job site without approved submittals. The contractor shall provide a guarantee of coating performance.

4. All previously painted high voltage transformer bushing caps shall be painted with two full coats of silicone alkyd, or approved substitute, in Fire Engine Red. All bushings not painted are to remain unpainted.

2. Touch-Up Requirement

1. Touch-up coating and color shall match existing coating and color.

3. Finish Quality

1. All material shall be applied at the proper consistency and applied evenly, free from runs, sags or evidence of poor workmanship. Each coat of paint shall be thoroughly dry before application of succeeding coats. Finished work shall be uniform in color and free of defects or blemish.

2. After priming, two or more finish coats shall be applied to achieve a dry film thickness of at least 3 mils, with average coverage to be at least 4 mils.

4. Material Preparation

1. Paint shall be delivered to the jobsite in original, labeled containers. Label shall be legible at time of application and shall include:

· Brand Name

· Formula or Specification Number

· Color

· Manufacturers Application Instructions

· Date of Packaging

· Batch Number

· Name of Manufacturer

· Expiration Date

2. Paint shall be thoroughly mixed according to the manufacturer’s instructions prior to use. Catalysts or thinners added, and the material used or discarded, shall be in accordance with the manufacturer's current printed instructions.

3. During surface preparation and application, precautions shall be taken to prevent overspray, dripping, splashing, or damaging adjacent surfaces and equipment including but not limited to:

· Gauges

· Name Plates

· Rating Plates

· Switches

· Receptacles

· Labels

4. Throughout the work, the contractor shall provide and use proper tarps, clothes, masking tapes and other protective measures necessary to protect surfaces from accidental spraying, splashing, or spilling paint. Surfaces that have been accidentally sprayed or splashed shall be thoroughly cleaned and all residue removed. Tarps or temporary equipment covers shall be secured against movement due to wind.

5. After each item of equipment has been finished, the original letters and numbers shall be stenciled in the same size and at the same location on the equipment as existed prior to painting. Stencil paint color shall be Black. Contractor shall photograph all equipment prior to painting to assure proper stenciling.

6. The job site shall be cleaned each day to prevent accidental site contamination. All debris, trash, and empty cans are to be removed to appropriate disposal sites upon completion.

G. TEMPORARY FACILITIES

1. Water and Power

1. The contractor shall provide their own water delivery equipment and electric power supply. Water for filling contractor equipment is available at each substation site.

2. Sanitation Facilities

1. The contractor shall provide and maintain at his own cost and expense adequate facilities for sanitation at a location easily accessible to workers during working hours. Contractor shall comply with all local rules and regulations governing sanitation for workers and any directives of the engineer in this regard.

2. Location of sanitation facilities shall be subject to the approval of the Engineer.

H. WARRANTY

1. Contractor warrants that the work (including any materials) shall be free from defects in workmanship and materials for a minimum period of one year and shall conform to the requirements of these specifications to the satisfaction of the City of Palo Alto project engineer. Contractor shall at its expense, promptly correct any nonconforming work as requested by project engineer.

I. BID QUALIFICATIONS

1. Bidder shall submit a list of projects completed like the work specified. The list shall include a general description of the work, work dates, and an owner/agency contact person.

2. The City prefers that transformer radiators be painted using the flow coat method described briefly in Appendix l. Alternate methods may be submitted for consideration.

3. Bids shall be evaluated on cost, contractor experience, comments from reference checked, and proposed painting technique.

END OF SECTION

APPENDIX I

Requirements for Transformer Painting

1. Verify with Utility to ensure equipment is de-energized and grounded prior to starting any work.

2. Power wash tank, radiators and control cabinets as required.

3. Remove any oil, grease, chemicals, weld scale, spatter and flux from tank, accessories, and radiator areas, using an appropriate cleaning method.

4. Remove all rust, mill scale, damaged paint and loosely adhering paint on radiators using hand tools only.

5. Mask all gauges, nameplates, receptacles, switches, and rating plates.

6. All surfaces shall be coated with a high-quality primer.

7. Full spray finish coat tank and accessories.

8. Finish coat radiator tubes (flow coat method or approved equal.) Galvanized radiators will not be painted.

9. Paint bushing caps as required in specifications.

10. Stencil all letters and numbers as required.

NOTE: Tops of transformers, bushing caps, and radiator tubes cannot be painted without an outage.

APPENDIX II

Requirements for Circuit Breaker Painting

1. Verify with Utility to ensure equipment is de-energized and grounded prior to starting any work.

2. Power wash tanks and control cabinets as required.

3. Remove oil, grease, chemicals, weld scale, spatter and flux using an appropriate cleaning method.

4. Remove all rust, mill scale, damaged paint and loosely adhering paint using hand or power tools.

5. Mask gauges, nameplates, receptacles, switches, tank vents and rating plate.

6. Apply a quality primer on previously painted steel supports and tanks. Galvanized surfaces shall not be painted.

7. Apply full spray finish coat on previously painted steel support and tanks.

8. Paint bushing caps as required in specifications.

9. Stencil all letters and numbers as required.

NOTE: Circuit breakers and its accessories cannot be painted without an outage.

APPENDIX III

Requirements For Metal Clad Switchgear, Metal Buildings and Control Cabinet Painting

1. Power wash building and control cabinets as required. Protect against water intrusions to the interior of the building or cabinet

2. Remove oil, grease, chemicals, weld scale spatter and flux using an appropriate cleaning method.

3. Mask gauges, name plates, light fixtures, antennas, receptacles, switches, door hardware and rating plates.

4. Apply a high-quality primer coat to all surfaces.

5. Full spray finish coat.

6. Stencil all letters and numbers.

Note: Painter should be 5 feet away from the top of the transformer when cleaning or painting the top of the switchgear housing.

APPENDIX IV

Requirements for Tower Structure Painting

1. Remove all rust, mill scale, damaged paint and loosely adhering paint using hand or power tool.

2. Mask insulators, name plates, receptacles, and rating plates.

3. Apply a high-quality primer coat to all surfaces

4. Apply a high-quality finish coat to all surfaces

Page | 2