working alone rule for electrical in mines

7/30/2019 Working alone rule for electrical in mines

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Working Alone


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Current PCS Policies

SP 212, Personnel may not re-enter an area alone, where hydrogensulfide gas may be present, without a personal monitor.

SP 250, When an employee is required to work alone for a period oftwo hours or more, he/she shall have some form of communicationreadily available to them. It shall be the responsibility of the

immediate supervisor, or a designated person to periodically checkon all employees that are working alone, even if the employee hascommunication capabilities.

SP 424, Any time contract electrician(s) is/are working under anEEWP, a PotashCorp representative shall be present for the durationof that permitted work.

SP 424, Everyone working on energized electrical equipment forwhich a permit is issued must sign under Qualified Employee. Inaddition, a second qualified person must assist in, or be anattendant to, the work.


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MSHA Regulation

56.18020. No employee shall be assigned, or

allowed, or be required to perform work alone

in any area where hazardous conditions exist

that would endanger his safety unless he can

communicate with others, can be heard, or

can be seen.


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OSHA 1910.269(l) Distribution

1910.269(l)(1)(i)at least two employees shall be present while thefollowing types of work are being performed:

Installation, removal, or repair of lines that are energized at morethan 600 volts,

Installation, removal, or repair ofdeenergized lines if an employee is

exposed to contact with other parts energized at more than 600 volts, Installation, removal, or repair of equipment, such as transformers,

capacitors, and regulators, if an employee is exposed to contact withparts energized at more than 600 volts,

Work involving the use of mechanical equipment, other thaninsulated aerial lifts, near parts energized at more than 600 volts, and

Other work that exposes an employee to electrical hazards greaterthan or equal to those4 above cases above.


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OSHA 1910.269(l)(1)(i) Exceptions

269 only applies to generation, transmission, anddistribution equipment Applies to 23 kV, 230 kV, mine subs

Does not apply to MVCs, MCCs, or emergency backupgenerators

Does not apply to: Routine switching of circuits, if the employer can demonstrate

that conditions at the site allow this work to be performedsafely,

Work performed with live-line tools if the employee ispositioned so that he or she is neither within reach of norotherwise exposed to contact with energized parts, and

Emergency repairs to the extent necessary to safeguard thegeneral public.


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Standards

NESC-2012, 443B. In inclement weather or at night, noemployee shall work alone outdoors on or dangerously inthe vicinity of energized conductors or parts of more than750 V between conductors. EXCEPTION: This shall not preclude a qualified employee,

working alone, from cutting trouble in the clear, switching,replacing fuses, or similar work if such work can be performedsafely.

NFPA 70E, 130.7 Note 3: When incident energy exceeds 40cal/cm2 at the working distance, greater emphasis may be

necessary with respect to de-energizing before workingwithin the limited approach boundary of the exposedelectrical conductors or circuit parts.


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Strict Interpretation

269: On generation/transmission/distribution work whenusing rubber gloves as the only protection (no hot stick orinsulated bucket truck), a second qualified person isrequired NESC: Also any case of working in bad weather or at night above

750 V, except for switching activities

All switching activities are exempted by regulation andstandards

In the mine where hazardous conditions exist a secondperson is required. For electrical work this would be similar

to the above case (working on exposed, energizedequipment using rubber gloves only)

70E requires greater emphasis for >40 cal/cm2. Weprovide this by requiring a management review (EEWP).


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Liberal Interpretation

MSHA and OSHA working alone rules generally viewed with respectto man down cases in letters ofintrepretation. OSHA 269 requirestraining to receive first aid/CPR within 4 minutes. Survival rate from fibrillation is >90% if CPR/AED is available within 1

minute

Survival rate is 30-50% if CPR/AED is available within 3-5 minutes Survival rate from burns improves greatly if aid is received during the

golden hour

Corporate standard is to maintain fatality rates at


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Minimum Standby Man

Two requirements

Not in any standard but would not be an effectivestandby without the minimum

Trained in at least one emergency release method:Disconnect power.

Trained in CPR

Have communication available (cell phone, radio)

Question: Would unqualified employees havethe minimum required training?

working alone rule for electrical in mines

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