Persons Working On or Near to AC Electrified Lines

Transcription

1 Persons Working On or Near to AC Electrified Lines Synopsis This document defines the requirements for the production of safe systems of work to prevent injury from electrical causes to persons working on or so near to Railtrack s AC overhead line equipment that danger may arise. Submitted by Anne Blakeney Standards Project Manager Authorised by Brian Alston Controller, s This document is the property of Railtrack PLC. It shall not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the Controller, s, Railtrack PLC. Published by: Safety & Standards Directorate Railtrack PLC Railtrack House, DP01 Euston Square London NW1 2EE Copyright 2000 Railtrack PLC

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3 Page 1 of 8 Contents Section Description Page Part A Issue Record 2 Responsibilities 2 Compliance 2 Health and Safety Responsibilities 2 Supply 2 Part B 1 Purpose 3 2 Scope 3 3 Definitions 3 4 Safe Systems of Work 4 Appendix A Diagram of Dimensions for Working Relative to Live Parts 7 References 8 RAILTRACK 1

4 Page 2 of 8 Issue Record Part A This document will be updated when necessary by distribution of a complete replacement. Revisions in the reissued document will be marked by a vertical black line in the right hand margin adjacent to the revision. Issue Date Comments One October 2000 This standard supersedes GM/RT1087 Responsibilities s are mandatory on all members of the Railway Group * and apply to all relevant activities that fall into the scope of each individual s Railway Safety Case. If any of those activities are performed by a contractor, the contractor s obligation in respect of s is determined by the terms of the contract between the respective parties. Where a contractor is a duty holder of a Railway Safety Case then s apply directly to the activities described in the Safety Case. * The Railway Group comprises Railtrack and the duty holders of the Railway Safety Cases accepted by Railtrack. Compliance The provisions in this are to be complied with from 2 December Health and Safety Responsibilities In issuing this document, Railtrack PLC makes no warranties, express or implied, that compliance with all or any documents published by the Safety & Standards Directorate is sufficient on its own to ensure safe systems of work or operation. Each user is reminded of its own responsibilities to ensure health and safety at work and its individual duties under health and safety legislation. Supply Controlled and uncontrolled copies of this Standard may be obtained from the Industry Safety Liaison Dept, Safety and Standards Directorate, Railtrack PLC, Railtrack House, DP01, Euston Square, London, NW1 2EE. 2 RAILTRACK

5 Page 3 of 8 1 Purpose 2 Scope Part B The purpose of this document is to mandate the production of safe systems of work to prevent injury from electrical causes to persons whose duties require them to work on or so near to live parts on AC electrified lines that danger may arise. The overall scope of s is as specified in Appendix A of GA/RT6001. This document contains requirements which are applicable to the duty holders of the following categories of Railway Safety Case: Infrastructure Controller; Station Operator; Train Operator. Specifically the contents of this document apply to all AC electrified lines on Railtrack Controlled Infrastructure (RCI) and AC electrified lines fed by the Infrastructure Controller up to the point at which control is transferred to a train operator or other organisation. 3 Definitions Boundary For Working The boundary 2.75m below live parts and extending vertically on either side of and at 2.75m from the live parts. (See Appendix A Diagram of Dimensions for Working Relative to Live Parts ) Live Being at a voltage by being connected to a source of electricity or by induction. Live Parts The normally exposed live parts of the overhead line equipment, including the whole length of any insulator, or of pantographs and other roof mounted electrical equipment on trains. Method Statement A statement in a required format of the methods, systems, tools, plant and equipment and competence of persons to be used in performing a particular task, for the purpose of demonstrating that safety is not prejudiced. Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) An arrangement of wires, suspended over the railway line, for supplying electricity to electric trains, together with associated fittings, insulators and other attachments including feeders, switches, jumpers and, where fitted, return conductors or auto-transformer feeders. Overhead Line Permit A particular safety document where a written declaration is made, the purpose of which is to make known to a person in charge of the work exactly which previously live parts of OLE are now isolated and earthed and upon which, or near to which, it is safe, so far as the OLE is concerned, for work to commence. The issue of an overhead line permit does not mean that train movements are stopped on the lines concerned. Safety Document A document issued as part of a safe system of work and used to control the risk associated with being on or near to live parts of OLE. RAILTRACK 3

6 Page 4 of 8 4 Safe Systems of Work 4.1 A safe system of work shall be provided by each Railway Group member to control the risk of injury from electrical causes for persons whose duties require them to work on or near to any live parts. 4.2 During the planning stage and the determination of a safe system of work consideration shall first be given to the isolation and earthing of all live parts. Where it is unreasonable in all circumstances for all live parts to be isolated and earthed and it is reasonable in all circumstances for a person to be at work near to live parts, suitable precautions shall be taken to prevent injury. 4.3 Except for the use of approved insulated tools no part of a person, or any tools, plant, equipment or materials that are in contact with the person, shall approach closer than 600mm to any live parts. Only persons who are trained and certificated in the use of approved insulated tools, such as voltage testing devices, live line tools and live line measuring devices, shall use such tools within 600mm of any live parts. Where it is likely that a person or any tools, plant, equipment or materials, other than approved insulated tools, that are in contact with the person will approach closer than the limit defined above, the relevant live parts shall be isolated and earthed. (See Appendix A Diagram of Dimensions for Working Relative to Live Parts ) The safe system of work shall: (a) highlight the danger from any live parts near to the site of work; (b) define the electrification system, definitions and terms; (c) define the general precautions to be taken to prevent injury; (d) define the responsibilities of all persons who have a duty to perform as part of the safe system of work; (e) define the method for reporting damage or incidents that affect the safety of persons and the actions to be taken; (f) define the procedure for switching off the electricity in an emergency; (g) where relevant, define the methods to maintain the adequacy of the traction return circuit; 4 RAILTRACK

7 Page 5 of 8 (h) define the precautions to be taken when: working on OLE; working on pantographs and other roof mounted equipment on trains; working near to live parts; working adjacent to, or at the interface with, electrified lines controlled by others; climbing on traction units and vehicles; operating cranes, plant and equipment or similar apparatus capable of being extended; using portable ladders; using approved insulated tools such as voltage testing devices, live line tools and live line measuring devices; removing objects in contact with or near to live parts; and rescuing a person who is in danger from live parts. (i) include written method statements, giving a comprehensive step by step account of how it is intended to execute the work, in accordance with the requirements of section 4.4.2, such that injury to persons due to electrical causes is prevented For work that requires, or is likely to result in, any part of a person, or any tools, plant, equipment or materials that are in contact with the person, to approach closer than the boundary for working, a written method statement shall be prepared and submitted to the Infrastructure Controller, or a competent organisation authorised by the Infrastructure Controller, for review and acceptance. For work that does not require, or is unlikely to result in, any part of a person, or any tools, plant, equipment or materials that are in contact with the person, to approach closer than the boundary for working, a written method statement shall be completed by a competent person. (See Appendix A Diagram of Dimensions for Working Relative to Live Parts ) 4.5 Where one of the precautions to be taken in section is to isolate and earth live parts of OLE, the isolation process shall: (a) define the responsibilities of all the persons who have a duty to perform in the isolation process; (b) require that, except for an unforeseen incident which requires the electricity to be switched off immediately, work necessitating isolation and earthing of the live parts of OLE shall be planned in advance; (c) define the precautions to be taken at electrical control boundaries; (d) define the precautions to be taken at the interfaces between differing types of AC electrification systems and between AC and DC electrification systems controlled by the Infrastructure Controller; (e) define the precautions to be taken at the interfaces with electrification systems controlled by others; (f) require that when an isolation is necessary, the appropriate lines are blocked to electric trains before the isolation takes place; (g) define who is responsible for the operation of switches and circuit breakers affecting isolations; RAILTRACK 5

8 Page 6 of 8 (h) require that the correct switching sequence is carried out before the issue of any safety documents; (i) (j) define the method of issuing safety documents; define the method of proving that previously live parts of OLE are isolated before earths are applied; (k) define the type, number, positioning and procedure for safe application and removal of earths; (l) require that earths are applied prior to the issue of the overhead line permit; (m) define the procedure to be adopted when two or more parties are working within the same isolation; (n) define the precautions to be taken when working on or close to earth wires and where fitted return conductors, booster transformers, auto transformer feeders and other ancillary live conductors associated with the particular electrification system employed; (o) define the method of safe handover from one person to another; (p) define the method of altering isolations already in force; (q) define the method of cancellation of safety documents; (r) define the method of safe re-energisation and recommencing of electric train running. 4.6 Where AC electrified lines are supplied with electricity by the Infrastructure Controller, but which are not part of RCI, the Infrastructure Controller shall provide train operators or other organisations responsible for the production of safe systems of work at depots, sheds and sidings with: information on the risks from working on or near to AC electrified lines; and the measures taken by the Infrastructure Controller to mitigate such risks on RCI. The Infrastructure Controller shall take the lead in sharing best practice on working on or near to, and the development and co-ordination of safe systems of work at the electrical interfaces between: AC electrified lines on RCI; and AC electrified lines supplied with electricity by the Infrastructure Controller but controlled by train operators or other organisations. The Infrastructure Controller shall accept local isolation instructions produced by train operators or other organisations that interface with or affect RCI. 6 RAILTRACK

9 Page 7 of 8 Appendix A Diagram of Dimensions for Working Relative to Live Parts Boundary for Working 600mm 2.75 metres Live Parts 600mm 2.75 metres RAIL LEVEL Not to Scale RAILTRACK 7

10 Page 8 of 8 References GA/RT6001 s Change Procedures The Catalogue of s and the s CD-ROM give the current issue number and status of documents published by the Safety & Standards Directorate. 8 RAILTRACK