Electrical Safety

Ruwais Refinery Division

Prepared by: Date: Employment Number: Submitted to:

Islam Megdad March 2011 7086 Mr. Jassim Jawas Safety Section Head

Contents

General Electrical Safety.........3 Hazardous Area Classification.......5 Protective Systems........................5 High and Low Voltage Systems..........6 Risk Evaluation and Management....7 Activities carried out by Electrical Maintenance Section...7 Electrical Isolation Work Permit......8 Appliances Classes............................................................................8 Standards.....9

General Electrical Safety An electrical current is an uninterrupted passing of electricity from the power source through the equipment, and back again. It will only flow when a Loop circuit is completed. It is dangerous to hook too many pieces of equipment into the same circuit because y y Wiring can be overloaded and could heat up Excess heat can cause a fire, or damage to the equipment.

An electric circuit consists of: 1. A source of electrical current 2. A conductor connected to the source and another terminal (ex: a wire) 3. Equipment connected to the conductor and powered by the current The wire must be enclosed in an insulation material such as rubber or plastic which will: y y Prevent electricity leaking out of the conductor. Prevent any other conductor touching the enclosed wire and creating a short circuit.

Main consequences of electric hazards: y y y Injuries and/or fatalities Fires and explosions Damaged equipment

Short Circuits: Electricity will flow to the point of lowest potential in a circuit along any path it can find. If it can find an alternative path to a terminal with a larger potential difference than the neutral terminal it will take it. Thus, if another conductor touches the circuit and provides such a path, at least some of the current will flow along that conductor. This is known as a short circuit. This is a severe danger because the new path may have less resistance to the current, allowing the flow to increase and potentially causing circuit damage and overheating.

Examples of Short Circuits and their consequences: A common type of short circuit occurs when the positive and negative terminals of a battery are connected together with a low-resistance conductor, like a wire. With low resistance in the connection, a high current exists, causing the cell to deliver a large amount of energy in a short time. This large current through the battery can cause the rapid buildup of heat, potentially resulting in an explosion or the release of hydrogen gas and electrolyte (an acid or a base), which can burn tissue, cause blindness or even death. Overloaded wires can also overheat, sometimes causing damage to the wire's insulation, or a fire. High current conditions may also occur with electric motor loads under stalled conditions, such as when the impeller of an electrically driven pump is jammed; this is not a short, though it may have some similar effects. In electrical devices, unintentional short circuits are usually caused when a wire's insulation breaks down, or when another conducting material is introduced, allowing charge to flow along a different path than the one intended. Electrical Burns: Burns resulting from electricity may be divided into two groups: y y Direct burns: Those which result from direct contact with a live conductor. Indirect burns: Those which arise indirectly from situations where there is no contact with a live conductor Arcing: Arcing occurs when one conductor with a very high potential is brought into close contact with another earthed conductor. The voltage may be large enough for the natural insulation of the air between them to break down and a spark to jump the gap. Arcing will only occur where the live conductor is un-insulated. The other earthed conductor may be a metal object on the ground or a person. The victim may be subject to both a flame burn from the arc and electric shock from the current which passes through the body.

Common causes of electrical fires: y y Arcing Overheating of conductors as a result of poor insulation.

Unsafe acts and conditions leading to electrical accidents: y y Usage cables that are liable to be damaged where water is present. Continuing to use damaged equipment and failure to carry out routine maintenance checks and repairs. y y Having incorrect wiring and connections as a result of poor maintenance and repairs Servicing equipment without disconnecting supply.

Hazardous Area Classification: y Zone 0: An area in which an explosive gas/vapour atmosphere is present continuously or for long periods (more than 1000h/yr). y Zone 1: An area in which an explosive gas/vapour atmosphere is likely to occur in normal operation (more than 10, but less than 1000 h/yr). y Zone 2: An area in which an explosive gas/vapour atmosphere is not likely to occur in normal operation and, if it occurs, will only exist for a short time (less than 10h/yr). Protective systems: Circuit Breakers and fuses: Circuit breakers and fuses provide a safeguard against these types of accidents. If they detect too much electricity flowing through the line they break the circuit and the current flow immediately stops. Fuses, breakers and wires are all rated by how much electricity they can safely carry. If a breaker trips, the amount of equipment plugged into the circuit shall be reduced and the breaker is to be reset.

Ground Fall Circuit Interrupter GFCI: The GFCI is a fast acting circuit breaker that is always installed in circuits used for portable electrical tools and in wet areas. Features: y y y y Measures current going to electrical device with current returning from device Senses small imbalances (5 milliamps) in circuit caused by any leakage Quickly shuts off electricity Does not protect against line-to-line contacts (two hot wires touching)

Earthing: Earthed conductors in a circuit provide a safe path for any fault current to be dissipated to earth. They will be connected to any exposed metal parts of a component connected to an electrical circuit which should not normally carry a current. If a fault develops and they do become live, then the earth conductor will carry the fault current away. Isolation: Isolation refers to physically separating the equipment from any source of electric power, with the additional step being taken of ensuring that it cannot be accidentally re-energized. High and Low Voltage Systems in TAKREER: RRD substations contain step down transformers that feeds electrical equipment at three different potentials: y y y 415V (low voltage systems) 3.3kV (high voltage systems) 11kV (high voltage systems)

High and low voltage equipment include: y y Transformers Motors

y y

Motor operated valves Motor mixers

Activities carried out by Electrical Maintenance Section at RRD: Maintenance jobs including Preventive, corrective and Predictive maintenance on: y y y y Switch gears Transformers Motors Battery chargers

To avoid a short circuit: y y PM is carried out for transformers every 2 years and annually for motors. Regular measurement of insulation systems

Main Hazards affecting the motor terminal box: y y Pump/compressor failure Overheating

Electrical Isolation Work Permits: Issuing Authority: Operations Manager, Operation Section head or shift supervisor or Shift Controller TRA conducting: Operation section manager to assign TRA facilitator, First line supervisor to conduct the TRA if not too complex Performing Authority: Above 11kV: Control and electrical maintenance section head, senior electrical engineer, electrical engineer or electrical supervisor to act as performing authority.

Up to 415V: Electrical technician can act as performing authority. Appliances Classes: Class 0: These appliances have no protective-earth connection and feature only a single level of insulation and were intended for use in dry areas. The International Electrotechnical (IEC) Commission is in the process of removing provisions for Class 0 devices from its standards as a single fault could cause an electric shock or other dangerous occurrence. Class I: These appliances are connected to electrical earth by an earth conductor (coloured green/yellow). A fault in the appliance which causes a live conductor to contact the casing will cause a current to flow in the earth conductor. This current should trip either an overcurrent device (fuse or circuit breaker) or a GFCI which will cut off the supply of electricity to the appliance. Class II: A Class II or double insulated electrical appliance is one which has been designed in such a way that it does not require a safety connection to electrical earth. The basic requirement is that no single failure can result in dangerous voltage becoming exposed so that it might cause an electric shock and that this is achieved by having two layers of insulating material surrounding live parts or by using reinforced insulation. Standards: y y IEC Standards DGS (SHELL)